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Cancer occurs when cells become abnormal and keep dividing and forming more cells without control or order.
If cells keep dividing when new cells are not needed, a mass of tissue forms. This mass of extra tissue, called a growth or tumor, can be benign or malignant.Not all tumors are cancerous. Benign (noncancerous) tumors do not spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body and, with very rare exceptions, are not life threatening.
Because cancer cells continue to grow and divide, they are different from normal cells. Instead of dying, they outlive normal cells and continue to form new abnormal cells.
When cancer spreads, the new tumor has the same kind of abnormal cells and the same name as the primary tumor.
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These are some of the factors that are known to increase the risk of cancer:
?Tobacco:
Tobacco causes cancer. In fact, smoking tobacco, using "smokeless" tobacco, and being regularly exposed to environmental tobacco smoke without actually smoking are responsible for one-third of all cancer deaths
?Diet
Your choice of foods may affect your chance of developing cancer. Evidence points to a link between a high-fat diet and certain cancers, such as cancer of the breast, colon, uterus, and prostate cancer.
?Sunlight
Ultraviolet radiation from the sun and from other sources (such as sunlamps and tanning booths) damages the skin and can cause skin cancer
.Alcohol
Drinking large amounts of alcohol increases the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and larynx.
?Radiation
Exposure to large doses of radiation from medical x-rays can increase the risk of cancer
?Chemicals and Other Substances In The Workplace
Being exposed to substances such as metals, dust, chemicals, or pesticides at work can increase the risk of cancer.
?Hormone Replacement Therapy
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