Five myths about cancer
Post-science debunks scientific myths and explains common misconceptions. We asked our experts to comment on popular myths about cancer.
Cancer is an age–related disease
That's not so.
Traditionally, we have believed that cancer is an age–related disease. However, over the past decades, he has become much younger. And although the main peak of morbidity falls on a fairly adult condition, today we see, for example, very young women diagnosed with breast cancer or cervical cancer. Moreover, it proceeds in them quite aggressively and can lead to death. There is no clear answer as to why this is happening.
However, there are epigenetic factors that strongly influence the development of the disease. It is considered that our life is subject only to the genetic program that we inherited from our parents, but from the moment of birth we enter into a variety of interactions with the environment, including malicious ones. Such an impact affects the genetic apparatus, and if it is of a prolonged and toxic nature – for example, an eating disorder – it can increase the risk of developing cancer.
Cancer is probably getting younger, because for many, the process of epigenetic changes in the genetic program occurs much earlier. This applies primarily to developed countries. Although, it would seem, the living conditions in them are better, nevertheless, we record that with cancer at a young age, the epigenetic load with a minus sign, that is, the harmful acquired genetic baggage, is much more pronounced. And this is the background on which malignant tumors develop.
Vsevolod Kiselyov, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Deputy Director of the Institute of Oncogynecology and Mammology of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "National Medical Research Center of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology. Academician V. I. Kulakova" of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Head of the Laboratory of Epigenetics, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
* * *
Cancer always leads to an early death
This is not quite true.
Naturally, a malignant tumor can develop and become the cause of death, but with the same success it can be argued that cardiovascular diseases or all cases of severe respiratory diseases lead to a fatal outcome. Malignant tumors are mainly chronic diseases. They can stay with a person for a long time, but they do not always become a decisive factor in death. To date, most of the tumors that we can detect in the early stages are curable. Under certain circumstances, some patients experience progression of the disease, which leads to complications or disorders of organ functions. But there are a minority of such diseases. For example, breast cancer in most cases responds well to treatment, even in the late stages. In certain cases, 89.7% of people at an early stage of the disease can be cured and do not need any therapy, at later stages only a third live more than five years. Therefore, it cannot be said that cancer always leads to death, but there are two nuances here: the first is access to early diagnosis, the second is access to effective modern treatment. If you don't have either, then you find yourself in a situation that was 25-30 years ago. However, it is important to understand that almost no malignant tumors develop rapidly. These are usually processes that take many months, and more often years. Today it is more correct to assume that the early form of tumors is a curable disease, and the late one is in most cases a chronic disease that requires long–term treatment. And it, as a rule, supports a significant part of patients at a good level of vital activity. At the same time, there is not necessarily a complete disappearance of some manifestations of the disease, but nevertheless there may be a long-term stabilization or remission. There is a possibility that it will end and the disease will return, but this applies to any chronic disease.
Igor Samoylenko, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Senior Researcher at the N. N. Blokhin Russian Research Center of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.
* * *
Electronic devices contribute to the development of cancer
That's not true.
Of course, radiation of a certain energy and wavelength causes a tumor. For example, X-rays can contribute to the development of a tumor due to their physical properties. First of all, this is the energy of radiation, which is enough to break the chemical bonds that exist in the DNA molecule. Ruptures can be incorrectly repaired, and then there are so–called mutations - changes in the DNA sequence that lead to the development of a tumor. The energy of X-rays is enough to destroy chemical bonds. If we are talking about some other radiation - for example, radiation from a cell phone – then its intensity is not very high and is required to receive a signal. And although this radio frequency radiation, it has a completely different wavelength and a different energy, its physical properties are not enough to break the chemical bonds of DNA molecules. Of course, it can affect molecules, but mainly leading to a change in their mobility, that is, the temperature of the entire physical body. A good example is microwave radiation, which affects water molecules so that they begin to oscillate with a higher frequency, as a result, the water heats up. No chemical bonds are destroyed inside, the water remains water. Therefore, the types of radiation that we face in life today, from televisions, routers, mobile devices, are waves that do not carry high energy and cannot destroy chemical bonds, therefore they cannot lead to any mutations. Without them, the appearance of tumor cells is impossible. Neither the phone nor other gadgets are capable of causing any tumor diseases in a person.
Sergey Kiselyov, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Head of the Epigenetics Laboratory of the N.I. Vavilov Institute of General Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
* * *
If one cancer is cured, another may occur
This is not quite true.
Yes, some types of tumors may be associated with some common cause that will lead to the emergence of a new type of tumor. There are quite rare genetic syndromes when there is a breakdown in one of the genes responsible for antitumor activity. Then, if one tumor occurs later, there is a risk of the appearance of a second one. But this is an infrequent and genetically determined thing. For example, if a person's BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes have a mutation, then the chance of getting cancer of different localization is much higher than in people who do not have such a mutation. In addition, existing methods of treatment by themselves in some cases can also cause DNA damage in healthy cells and thereby induce the appearance of second tumors. First of all, we are talking about radiation therapy. Indeed, new tumors may appear in the radiation field after 10-20 years. This is mainly true for people who got sick at a young age or as children. Most of the patients who had malignant tumors are usually older than 50-60 years. So, if you add 20-25 years to the 66 years of a cured patient – the consequences of radiation therapy – then you will get a very good result. This is the time that is in reserve to come up with a way to cure the second disease.
If we are talking about early detected malignancies, for example breast cancer, then their treatment is mainly surgical manipulation, drug treatment or radiation therapy – it depends on the biological characteristics of the tumor. Most of the women who suffer from breast cancer are cured forever. But treatment is not an hour–long procedure, it can stretch for many years. We now know that the longer a patient takes medication, the less likely the disease will return. Naturally, taking any medications is an intervention. But I must say that those who are of working age continue to work, and those who are unable to work carry out their usual activities.
Igor Samoylenko, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Senior Researcher at the N. N. Blokhin Russian Research Center of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.
* * *
Cancer is a hereditary disease
This is partly true.
There is a wide variety of types of malignant tumors, which in everyday language are often called the word "cancer". In fact, only tumors that have arisen from epithelial tissue are called cancer. Examples of other tumors that are also mistakenly considered cancer are sarcomas, leukemias ("blood cancer"), glioblastomas ("brain cancer"), and so on. If we talk in general about malignant tumors, then from the point of view of heredity they can be divided into three types:
1) true hereditary tumors (for example, some rare cases of breast cancer);
2) tumors, predisposition to the development of which is inherited (for example, bowel cancer);
3) tumors that arose spontaneously, independently, for the first time in family history.
Thus, the thesis that cancer is a hereditary disease is not absolutely true and at the same time is not erroneous. This is a complex group of individual forms, some of which are inherited, and some are not.
Sergey Larin, Candidate of Biological Sciences, Deputy Director for Scientific Work of the Higher School of Molecular and Experimental Medicine of the Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center for Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Head of the Laboratory of Gene Therapy of the Institute of Gene Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru