April 26, 2024

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Inflammation and Cancer: 1/6 of Cancer Caused by Inflammation

Inflammation and Cancer: 1/6 of Cancer Caused by Inflammation



Inflammation and Cancer: 1/6 of Cancer Caused by Inflammation! These 4 Types Are Particularly Dangerous…

“Inflammation” is a seemingly insignificant “minor illness” that we encounter in our daily lives, such as sore throat, tonsillitis, wound infection, oral ulcers, etc. Because many inflammations will heal on their own after a period of time, most people think they can just tough it out, at most taking some anti-inflammatory drugs.

But are these inflammations really just “minor illnesses”?

The answer may be far beyond your imagination. Some inflammations are closely related to cancer and can sometimes become “accomplices” to cancer, or even directly become “killers.”

Why Can “Inflammation” Become an “Accomplice” to Cancer?

Strictly speaking, “inflammation” is not a disease, but actually a common pathological process.

When the cells of the local tissues of the human body are damaged due to external stimuli, the body’s immune cells are activated to defend by releasing inflammatory factors, engaging in a fierce battle with harmful bacteria from the outside world. After the battle, some immune cells sacrifice heroically, and some are injured and destroyed, thus causing local inflammation.

Some inflammations gradually heal, repair, and disappear through “nurturing,” while others cannot achieve self-repair and will develop into chronic inflammation if not healed for a long time. These chronic inflammations are very harmful to the human body!

Because once inflammation gets out of control, it will seriously disrupt the normal functions of the human body, causing the body to repeat the process of injury and repair for a long time, which can induce various diseases. Over time, it can lead to cell necrosis, proliferation, DNA damage, thereby accelerating the occurrence of cancer.

Which “Inflammations” Can Lead to Cancer?

A report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a subsidiary of the World Health Organization, shows that 1/6 of cancers worldwide are caused by bacterial and viral infections, which are commonly referred to as “inflammations.”

Inflammation and Cancer: 1/6 of Cancer Caused by Inflammation

Various cancers linked to chronic inflammation
(Source: Official website of the National Cancer Institute)

The following four types of inflammation have been widely confirmed by the medical community to be closely related to related cancers and require high vigilance!

1. HPV (Human Papillomavirus) Infection – Cervical Cancer

HPV is a type of epithelial double-stranded DNA virus that is widely distributed in humans and animals. According to data from the People’s Health Network, more than 100 types of HPV viruses have been confirmed, which can be divided into high-risk and low-risk types according to their carcinogenicity.

The National Health Commission of China has issued the “Standardized Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines for Cervical Cancer and Precancerous Lesions (Trial)”, which clearly states that HPV infection is the primary factor for cervical cancer and precancerous lesions. According to a scientific paper published in the Journal of Clinical Pathology, about 99.7% of cervical cancers are caused by persistent infection with high-risk HPV viruses.

So, does infection with HPV virus always lead to cervical cancer?

The answer is no. If the human body is infected with the HPV virus, it can actually be completely eliminated through its own immune system and other methods. According to doctors from Beijing Huaxin Hospital, 90% of HPV infections can be eliminated within two years, and low-risk types do not need treatment at all, but high-risk types, if not intervened and treated, will greatly increase the risk of cervical cancer!

2. Hp (Helicobacter pylori) Infection – Gastric Cancer

Hp (Helicobacter pylori) is a bacterium that exists in the human stomach and is mainly transmitted through hands, contaminated food, utensils, feces, etc. If one person in a family is diagnosed with Hp infection, the likelihood of other family members being infected is very high.

Unfortunately, Hp infection is difficult to detect, and most cases are discovered during physical examinations. According to China News Network, 70% of Hp infections have no symptoms, only about 10% of people may have indigestion, and 10% to 20% of people may have digestive ulcers.

Once infected with Hp, it can directly lead to peptic ulcers, chronic gastritis, and other diseases. If infected for a long time, it can easily lead to gastric cancer or lymphoma. Therefore, as early as 1994, Hp was identified as a Class I carcinogen by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

Data from the “Popular Science White Paper on Common Digestive System Diseases in China” shows that the incidence of chronic gastritis in China is 50%, and the infection rate of Helicobacter pylori is about 50%. If chronic gastritis is not treated in time, it will deteriorate, leading to gastric bleeding, anemia, etc., and in severe cases, it will lead to gastric cancer.

3. Hepatitis Virus Infection – Liver Cancer

Hepatitis has a nickname – “silent killer,” because its infection is not easy to be discovered, the incubation period is long, and the degree of slowization is high, usually when it is discovered, it is already cirrhosis or liver cancer, which greatly damages human health.

According to the “Global Health Sector Strategies on Viral Hepatitis 2016-2021” released by the World Health Organization, acute infections and liver cancer and cirrhosis related to hepatitis virus cause 1.4 million deaths annually worldwide, comparable to the number of deaths caused by AIDS and tuberculosis. Among these deaths, 47% are caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) and 48% are caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV).

As is well known, China has always been a major country for hepatitis B, but through drug control and vaccine defense, the infection rate of hepatitis B in China has dropped significantly.

However, unlike hepatitis B, there is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C. After infection with hepatitis C, most people do not show obvious symptoms, occasionally they may experience loss of appetite, general weakness, etc., so it is easy to be overlooked, so that some patients are not found until they have severe conditions such as ascites. Fortunately, although hepatitis C is dangerous, compared with hepatitis B, the cure rate is relatively higher.

No matter which type of viral hepatitis A, B, C, D, or E, to deteriorate into liver cancer, it needs to go through a process of “acute hepatitis-chronic hepatitis-cirrhosis-liver cancer”. Therefore, to prevent liver cancer, it is very important to prevent hepatitis.

4. EB Virus Infection – Nasopharyngeal Cancer

EB virus, also known as human herpesvirus 4, is a very common virus and is also a high-risk factor for the development of nasopharyngeal cancer. It is similar to the influenza virus and is mainly transmitted through saliva, then spreads through the respiratory tract, and then causes systemic infection.

In fact, almost everyone will be infected with the EB virus, but some people will show symptoms, while others will not. According to the Guangzhou Health Commission, 95% of people worldwide have been infected with the EB virus, and once infected, it cannot be cleared and may be carried for life.

The EB virus mainly lurks in the B lymphocytes and epithelial cells of the nasal mucosa of the human body. When the body

‘s resistance is low, some EB viruses are likely to erupt, causing human infection. Generally, it can be detected through examination, mainly checking two antigens: early antigen IgA and capsid antigen IgA. And these two antigens are closely related to nasopharyngeal cancer.

A series of evidence has shown that the EB virus plays an important role in the process of nasopharyngeal cancer, and is even the “initiator”.

However, after infection with the EB virus, there is no need to panic excessively, because only a very low probability of EB virus antibody-positive people will develop into nasopharyngeal cancer patients. Because the occurrence of nasopharyngeal cancer is not solely caused by the EB virus, but by multiple factors such as genetics and environment.


How to Effectively Prevent These Inflammations From “Erupting”?

1. HPV (Human Papillomavirus) Infection

According to guidelines released by the World Health Organization, vaccination against HPV is an important method to prevent cervical cancer. The principle is that after vaccination, HPV infection can be effectively prevented.

Preventive measures:

– Vaccination against HPV
– Pay attention to personal hygiene, especially sexual hygiene
– Avoid staying up late and develop good sleep habits
– Quit smoking and alcohol, avoid excessive fatigue
– Exercise more to enhance immunity and improve HPV self-clearing ability

2. Hp (Helicobacter pylori) Infection

Helicobacter pylori infection is mostly due to “illness from the mouth,” so personal hygiene, especially dietary hygiene, must be paid attention to.

Preventive measures:

– Wash hands frequently, especially before meals
– Use public chopsticks as much as possible when dining out
– Regularly disinfect household utensils
– Try to avoid raw food, pickled food, and moldy food
– Pay attention to oral hygiene, use toothpaste and mouthwash with strong antibacterial properties
– Do not feed infants and young children mouth to mouth

3. Hepatitis

The most efficient way to prevent hepatitis B virus infection is vaccination against hepatitis B, while other hepatitis viruses such as hepatitis C can only be resisted through active prevention.

Preventive measures:

– Vaccination against hepatitis B
– When doing some beauty treatments, such as ear piercing, eyebrow tattooing, lip augmentation, etc., be sure to go to regular hospitals or clinics to avoid traumatic contact infections
– Do good prenatal examinations. Hepatitis B may cause mother-to-child transmission and should be timely prevented from mother-to-child transmission
– Blood transfusions or blood donations must be done at regular medical institutions
– Practice safe sex
– Reduce alcohol consumption, eat less greasy food, and avoid eating moldy food

4. EB Virus Infection

EB virus is mainly transmitted through saliva, so awareness of protection should be raised.

Preventive measures:

– Do not spit everywhere
– Eat less pickled foods
– Rinse your mouth frequently, and clean your nasal cavity when necessary
– Avoid long-term exposure to heavily polluted environments
– Avoid inhaling harmful substances such as formaldehyde, benzene, and ammonia
– Quit smoking early
– Develop good sleep habits and enhance immunity

To Stay Away From the Threat of Cancer, Regular Screening Is Also Necessary

Inflammation is an important risk factor for cancer. Preventing and curing inflammation in a timely manner can help us stay away from some cancers. However, to further protect ourselves and our families from the threat of cancer, regular screening is also necessary.

The development of a normal cell into a cancer cell is a long-term accumulation and complex progressive process. Cancer screening can be understood as sending a medical guard team to patrol all parts of the body, discover where the problem is, and sound the alarm immediately. Then, we can treat the symptoms and “set things right” in time.

Therefore, cancer screening is really important!

Inflammation and Cancer: 1/6 of Cancer Caused by Inflammation


References: Inflammation and Cancer: 1/6 of Cancer Caused by Inflammation

[1]《1/6 cancers are caused by inflammation! It’s time to “anti-inflammation” the body”. Life Times. 2019-03-24
[2] “HPV infection ≠ cervical cancer can be prevented by doing this”. People’s Daily Online Health. 2019-04-29
[3] “About 99.7% of cervical cancers are related to infection with this virus! Prevention knowledge that all women should know! 》.Health Times.2019-09-23
[4] “Helicobacter pylori infection = gastric cancer?” Listen to what the doctor says”.China News Service.2021-07-03
[5] “Should Helicobacter pylori be “eradicated”? Union Medical College Doctors Tell You”. Health Times. 2020-12-17
[6] “Hepatitis, which is easily ignored, is extremely dangerous!” It is best for these 5 types of people to get screened early! 》.Health Times.2019-11-07
[7] “Reminder | If the physical examination is found to be positive for “EBV”, will you be “infected” with nasopharyngeal cancer? . 2021-09-17
(source:internet, reference only)

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