Why Does Cancer Exist? Empower Yourself With Understanding

Did you or someone you love ever ask: What exactly is cancer? Why did I get cancer? Did I do something to cause it, or was it just bad luck? Noble laureate Dr. Harold Varmus says, "The prevention of cancer requires us to look not just at genetic predisposition but at how our lifestyle choices and environmental exposures interact with our biology to affect cancer risk.”

We talk about how cancer develops, lifestyle and environmental factors that contribute to the risk, and empower you with steps you can take for prevention. https://bit.ly/4aNslCP

#cancerprevention #understandcancer #knowyourrisk #cancer #knowledgeispower #publichealth #hoosier #clinteastwood #pokerface #jimmybuffett #everyonedies #everydayisagift

In this Episode:

• 03:41 - Recipe of the Week: Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie
• 05:03 - Perspective on the Glass Half Empty/Full...How Can You Refill the Glass?
• 08:03 - Deep Dive Into Cancer: Why Did I Get Cancer?
• 09:32 - What Exactly is Cancer?
• 12:41 - What Causes Cancer to Develop?
• 13:48 - Lifestyle Choices that Contribute to Cancer
• 18:04 - Environmental Factors that Contribute to Cancer
• 20:01 - What You Can Do To Reduce Cancer Risk
• 30:35 - Jimmy Buffett: Grief Is Like a Wake Behind a Boat
• 31:09 - Outro

With this episode, we are starting our deep dive into cancer itself and we will move on to the details of staging, different types of cancers, and treatment options.

Related Episodes

• S5E25: The Important Role of the Microbiome to Your Health and Immune Function
• S5E4: Inflammation: What it is, How It Causes Disease, and How You Can Decrease It
• S4E46: What You Need to Know about Stomach Cancer – Part 1
• S5E16: Colorectal Cancer is Increasing in the Young: What You Need to Know
• S4E27 – The HPV Vaccine: Important Cancer Prevention for Your Child
• S4E23: Skin Cancer, Merkel Cell Carcinoma, and Easy Prevention Steps You Can Take
• S5E27: Preventable Death – Learn the Factors to Better Your Odds
  
  

Transcript

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This podcast does not provide medical nor legal advice. Please listen to the complete disclosure at the end of the recording. Hello, and welcome to Everyone Dies, the podcast where we talk about serious illness, dying, death, and bereavement.

I'm Marianne Matzo, a nurse practitioner, and I use my experience from working as a nurse for 46 years to help answer your questions about what happens at the end of life. And I'm Charlie Navarette, an actor in New York City, and here to offer an every-person viewpoint to our podcast. We are both here because we believe that the more you know, the better prepared you are before an end-of-life crisis hits.

Welcome to this week's show. Please relax, get yourself a hot toddy and some shortbread cookies, and thank you for spending the next hour with Charlie and me as we begin a new series titled Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Cancer, But Didn't Have Anyone To Ask. So, strap yourselves in.

The next few months are going to be quite a ride. Like the BBC, we see our shows offering entertainment, enlightenment, and education divided into three halves to address each of these goals. Our main topic is in the second half, so feel free to fast forward to that chatter-free zone.

In our first half, Charlie has our recipe of the week and four things we can do to develop a glass-is-half-full view of life. In the second half, I'm going to start off our series about cancer with the reason that cancer happens. And in the third half, Charlie has a quote about grief from Jimmy Buffett.

Marianne, before we move on to start our first half, do you remember Bob Euchart? Yeah. He died. I know.

I know. It's like 90 years old. He died a few days ago.

You know, some of these people, when they die, I hate to say this, but I'll think to myself, I thought they were already dead. I know. I know that's not nice, but it's like in my head, like I just saw a film that was directed by Clint Eastwood, and I had to Google it because I could have sworn he had died.

Oh, yeah. No, no. But no.

Nope. Clint's still kicking. Sorry, Clint, but I don't know who died that I thought was you.

If he's not 91, he's 92. So what's that new film that he just directed? It was pretty good. I forget what it was called.

Sure Number Two. Yes. Wasn't that good? Did you see it? I did.

It really got short shrifted. Is it shifted or shrifted? Shrifted, I think. Sounds good to me.

Yeah, I mean, it barely got any publicity. I don't think it's one of his strongest films, but it was still pretty damn good. But yeah, it just like came and went.

And this is Clint Eastwood. I mean, this man has done a lot of work, has made a ton of money for Warner Brothers. I mean, what the hell? And he's still alive.

Yes. Yes, he is. You know.

Yes. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. I really liked it. I thought it had like this great moral dilemma.

And then at the end, you're like, you don't know. Yes. And we won't reveal the ending.

So you folks are going to have to watch the film. And I'm sure Clint would appreciate it. Right.

Yes. Right. Right.

We'll probably get a thank you note this week from him. Yes, I'm sure we will. In our first half, Everyone Dies Road Trip has us moving to the frozen tundra that is the North this week.

Indiana is called the Hoosier State, and a Hoosier is a term that identifies someone as being from Indiana. The poet James Whitcomb Riley flippantly suggested that the fierce brawling that took place in Indiana involved enough biting that the expression Hoosier became notable. This arose from or inspired the story of two 19th century French immigrants brawling at a tavern in the foothills of southern Indiana.

One was cut and a third Frenchman walked in to see an ear on the dirt floor of the tavern, prompting him to slur out, Oh, Hoosier. The official pie of the Hoosier State is sugar cream pie. The recipe is rumored to have been invented in eastern Indiana in the early 1800s.

And while modern day recipes can vary, most versions call for a combination of sugar, whipping cream and butter baked into a pie crust. This pie will be a great hit at your funeral lunch. Bon Appetit.

Now, Monroe writes that living life with a glass half full or overflowing isn't about denying the difficulties that come your way. It's about fostering a mindset of resilience, gratitude and hope. By shifting your perspective, practicing gratitude, embracing challenges, surrounding yourself with positive influences and prioritizing your physical and mental well-being, you can create a life where your glass is not only half full, but overflowing with possibility.

What do we need to do to shift our viewpoint? First of all, prioritize you. Pay attention to your limits and be sure that you budget time into your day to do the things that you enjoy, such as going out for a walk, baking, listening to music or reading. Second, live in the present.

Don't focus on things in the past or future. Listen, those are out of our control, but we can be grateful for the moment we are living. Third, make friends and develop a support system.

That way you have people in your life to talk with, you know, have a glass of wine or do an activity with. Lastly, look at the things in life that you find challenging and find a positive view. Refocusing your perspective can help you feel more in control of your life.

In the end, the choice is yours. Will you view life's inevitable challenges as obstacles or opportunities? Will you focus on what's missing or celebrate what's there? The path to a more fulfilling, joyful life starts with a simple choice. To see the glass as always at least half full, you know, or even better, remember the words of actor Russell Crowe at the end of his film, Poker Face, be kind to each other.

Don't be a glass half empty or half full kind of person. Be the kind of people who know that whatever triumph or disaster comes along, you can always refill the glass. Please go to our webpage for this week's recipe for sugar cream pie and additional resources for this program.

Everyone Dies is offered at no cost, but is not free to produce. Please contribute what you can. Your tax-deductible gift will go directly to supporting our non-profit journalism so that we can remain accessible to everyone.

You can also donate at www.everyonedies.org. That's every the number one dies.org or at our site on Patreon www.patreon.com and search for everyone dies. Marianne. Thanks, Charlie.

Cancer. The big C. A word that's dreaded to hear and frightens us to our very core. And while scientific studies have shed light on the cause of some cancers, there are still things that we don't know.

Therefore, there is no cure for every type of cancer and it is an all too frequent cause of death. With this episode, we are starting our deep dive into cancer itself and we will move on to the details of staging different types of cancer and treatment options. We've already produced shows about a few different types of cancer which are listed in the show notes, so please listen to those.

Here at Everyone Dies, we believe that knowledge is power and we want to empower you to have the information to help a loved one, friends, co-workers, or your community. I will start this inaugural show about cancer with the question I would hear a lot as an advanced certified nurse practitioner and that is, why did I get cancer? Many people hold the belief that cancer is an entity that chooses who is going to get cancer. Some see it as a punishment for some wrong that we've done in our lives.

It can put people into a crisis as they try to figure out what bad deed they're paying for. The reality is I can't change your beliefs, but I can tell you what we scientifically know about why cancer exists. The cells in our bodies normally grow and multiply to form new cells as our body needs them.

Think of the cell like a balloon filled with water and inside that water sac is a center called a nucleus which is made up of millions of genes. These genes carry the instructions that tell the cell what to make. It also has the information about what the cell does when it divides and when it dies.

The genes that make sure that the cells grow and make copies reproduce in an orderly and controlled way. They help keep the body healthy. So cancer is a mistake in the cell growth.

Sometimes the change happens in the genes when a cell divides. There's a mutation, a mistake. The gene has been damaged or lost or copied too many times and the dividing cells get DNA mistakes that cause them to grow abnormally.

Mutations can happen by chance when a cell is dividing. Some mutations mean that the cell no longer understands its instructions. It could start to grow out of control.

There have to be about six different mutations before a normal cell turns into a cancer cell. Some of these mistakes that can happen are that the cell starts making too many proteins that trigger a cell to split or a cell stops making proteins that normally tell a cell to stop dividing. Or abnormal proteins may be made that work differently than normal.

It can take many years for a damaged cell to divide and grow and form a tumor big enough to cause symptoms or show up on a scan. These abnormal cells can get out of control and can move through the body and take over healthy cells. What makes cancer dangerous is the way that the abnormal cells cluster together and grow into tumors which continue to grow and spread.

These out-of-control cells can then penetrate into the blood and lymphatic system which is how the cancer will spread throughout the body. When the cancer cells overrun the healthy cells, the organs where the cancer is don't work as they should. But that's what cancer is.

It's an error. Cells grow and reproduce faster within tumors. Therefore, the chance that damaged cells will collect more DNA deviations increases.

These DNA variations are what increases the size and spread of a tumor's development and what makes it difficult to study. Cancer is not just one disease but many collections of DNA variants varying from person to person and organ to organ. So how do these cellular mistakes happen? They can be caused by the coding in the cell that are part of our genetics that have been passed on to us from our parents.

We can inherit faults in particular genes that make them more likely to develop cancer. The mistakes can come from outside antibodies like chemicals in tobacco smoke or food or the breathe. Or as a guest lecturer at the cancer center where I worked once said, it's chance.

Now, we want a better explanation than that. But other than genetics, which we can't control, environmental factors, and lifestyle, which we have control over, a large element is chance. I've often heard from patients who don't want to stop smoking, exercise, or change their diet that they know people who smoked all their life and live to be 100.

That's true, that happens. But they have some sort of genetic protection or really good luck that everyone doesn't have. Dr. Harold Varmus, who's a Nobel laureate and former director of the National Institutes of Health says, the prevention of cancer requires us to look not just at genetic predisposition but at how our lifestyle choices and environmental exposures interact with our biology to affect cancer risk.

So what are the lifestyle choices he's referring to? This is going to come as a complete surprise to most people. First is smoking tobacco. Smoking could lead to lung cancer as well as cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, pancreas, bladder, cervix, and kidneys.

The carcinogens, think of carcinogens as pollutants or DNA poisons, in tobacco smoke damage the DNA in cells which could lead to mutations and uncontrolled cell growth. Second, excessive ultraviolet or UV exposure like tanning and sunbathing. UV exposures causes skin cancer including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.

UV radiation damages the DNA in skin cells which can trigger mutations that result in cancerous growths. Approximately 90% of skin cancers are caused by UV rays from the sun, tanning salons, and sun lamps. Third, unhealthy dietary choices and obesity.

Consuming red and processed meats can increase cancer risk particularly colorectal cancer. Diets high in red and processed meats are linked to higher levels of carcinogenic compounds like nitrates and nitrites which can damage the lining of the bowel. Additionally, the microbiome which is all the microscopic organisms in our bodies supports the immune system's ability to protect against harmful agents.

Diets and behaviors directly impact the microbiome and the immune system's response to cancer. Consuming animal fat aids tumor growth and reduces anti-tumor immune cells. Researchers continue to explore the link between obesity and cancer development emphasizing the importance of maintaining a healthy diet and weight.

Fourth, high alcohol consumption. High alcohol consumption is linked to various cancers including those at the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, breast, colon, pancreas, and the head and neck. Alcohol can act as a solvent making it easier for other carcinogens to enter cells.

It can also be converted into acetylide, a toxic chemical that damages DNA. Recent studies suggest that about four percent of cancers worldwide are caused by alcohol intake highlighting the significant impact of excessive alcohol consumption on cancer risk. Fifth, unsafe sex.

Engaging in unsafe sex can lead to viral infections such as HPV, human papillovirus, and human immunodeficiency virus HIV which increases cancer risk. HPV is a major cause of cervical cancer and cancers of the anus, penis, throat, and mouth. HIV weakens the immune system because it's harder for the body to fight off cancer causing infections.

Six, inflammatory conditions like obesity and ulcerative colitis. Conditions like obesity and ulcerative colitis are linked to higher cancer risks. Chronic inflammation can lead to DNA damage over time increasing the risk of cancer.

Obesity is associated with cancers of the breast, colon, rectum, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, and pancreas while ulcerative colitis increases the risk of colorectal cancer. Exposure to environmental factors such as certain chemicals and radiation can influence our cancer risk. Things like air quality.

Poor air quality and pollution contribute to lung cancer. Pollutants in the air such as particulate matter or industrial emissions can damage lung tissue and lead to cancer over time. This complicates the diagnosis and treatment process.

Also, radiation and chemical exposure. Exposure to high doses of radiation such as those from chemotherapy and contact with radioactive materials can increase the risk of developing cancer. Chemicals like asbestos and benzene are potent carcinogens that can lead to various cancers.

Bacterial and viral infections can cause genetic mutations and chronic inflammation that contribute to the development of cancer. Now HPV is a virus that's linked to cervical, anal, penile, and several head and neck cancer. HPV is known to cause mutations in the DNA of infected cells which can lead to the development of cancerous tumors.

Hepatitis B and C. Now these viruses can lead to liver cancer. Chronic infection with hepatitis B or C can cause long-term liver inflammation and damage increasing the risk of developing liver cancer over time. Epstein-Barr virus, EBV.

This virus is associated with certain lymphomas and nasopharyngeal cancer. EBV can cause changes in the DNA of infected cells contributing to the development of these types of cancer. H. pylori.

This bacterium is linked to stomach cancer. Chronic infection with H. pylori can cause long-term inflammation of the stomach lining which can lead to the development of stomach cancer. Now we have some control over reducing our cancer risks.

About four in ten cancer cases can be prevented through healthy living and protective public policies. So what are these steps? What is it we can do? Quit smoking. Maintain a healthy weight.

Eat a balanced diet. Limit alcohol intake. Protect yourself from the sun.

Stay physically active. Avoid exposure to harmful chemicals and be vaccinated against cancer-causing viruses. Charlie, what questions can I answer for you? I'm just making a note to myself here.

So basically fun kills us. Okay, got it. Can I just address that though? I think that we need to kind of define what's fun.

I understand. Yeah, I'm being an idiot. I do understand everything like in moderation and I know for myself over the past several years now, I try, okay, I'm going to eat less processed meat.

And then I realize, no, I like my occasional steak and hamburger and of course cocktails. But what I have done is instead of eating, for example, I don't know, like an entire steak or an entire burger, I'm okay with like half of it. I still enjoy it and it's enough.

So that's what I mean, like everything in moderation. That's what's worked for me. I have lost weight.

I feel better. Yeah, so I do get that. But I know for like what you were saying about for some people, even moderation is not enough.

Everyone's different. You got different genes, different health issues, et cetera. You might have to cut out steaks and cocktails, which is really sad.

Well, and there may be for some people that even doing that isn't going to be helpful. So the thing is, is that how much of a gambler are you? Are you the kind of person, like I've told you guys about my father before who would say, when your number's up, your number's up. And it doesn't matter what you do.

So just do whatever the heck you want and live your life. And he died at 52. So if you're willing to roll the dice and do whatever you want, don't be surprised if at a young age you get cancer and all that goes with it.

I worked in cancer with the VA and at our cancer center, and so many people as they're getting that chemo dose would say, you know, I know they said that smoking was bad for you, but I just didn't think it was going to happen to me. I know. That's nuts.

Yes. Yeah. Well, it's part, I think, of the human condition that we think on some level that we're special or that we're different and that what happens to everybody else is not going to happen to us.

Right. And then we're surprised when it does. And, you know, I'm saying, well, don't be surprised.

I mean, listen to this podcast and say, well, there's this element of what's in us genetically, which we have no control over. So that's there and it's going to do whatever. And then there's this huge list of things, of choices that you can make.

And if you make the choice, you know, that's how I always say, you know, make good choices. It's like you make the best choice for you. But then I think it's like when you're raising your kids, it's like, well, why are you surprised that this happened when you knew.

Exactly. You set the example. You were taking a risk, you know.

So, you know, then at the end, if you do get a cancer, you say, well, I guess I rolled the dice and, you know. And the gambler won. Kenny, you know, Kenny Rogers and that whole gambler thing.

Yeah. Yeah, exactly. So actually, you know, so I have a question.

So let's go back. What is it like 300,000 years when homo sapiens first appeared? With what you're saying, I assume then. Okay.

Do you think there was cancer? 300,000 years ago? I think the, I think they died before they had a chance to get cancer because, you know, animals, what, you know, very, very short, you know, from all the factors, you know, that whatever, you know, the big animals that would step on or whatever would occur. They didn't have a chance to grow old to get cancer. It takes time.

Remember I said it takes six different changes in the DNA in order for cancer to grow. They didn't have time. They didn't have Alzheimer's either because they didn't live long enough to get it.

So a lot of these things are, you know, the consequence of our, you know, our policies and our nutrition and the fact that we have vaccines that, so that, you know, we're not dying from other things. I mean, you live long enough, there's more and more chance that your DNA is going to slip up and cause some sort of mutation. It's, you know, life is life.

Live it. Make the best choices you can. Get many dogs who can bark while you're talking.

And if you get cancer, I want you to know why, what went wrong, but it's a mistake. Mistakes happen. Yeah.

And we make mistakes. Our cells make mistakes. It just, errors are going to occur.

And do we want that particular error in our life? Probably not. No. But it can happen and it's not your fault.

Well, you're right. I mean, with the, you know, with the environment, you know, industrial revolution and all that sort of stuff, the way it is, you're right, that's not it. But, you know, as you have advocated, there is, if you recognize limits and don't just go crazy, then, yeah.

But, you know, with the environment, with, you know, with the air and everything, I mean, you know, what's happening now with all the fires, you know, around Los Angeles, outside of Los Angeles, I mean, I mean, the impact of that, I mean, people breathing that stuff in. Yeah. Plus all the things that we breathe in that we don't even think about.

I mean, when I lived... Like what? That we don't think about. What do you mean? Well, I lived in an area in Yukon and I would drive to the highway and there was a cement company that you'd go through that area and there were all these particulates of stuff in the air right there. And right across from it was a daycare.

And I would always look at that and say, my God, do the parents who have their kids in that daycare kind of look out the window and say, this is what's right across the street. Like those kids are breathing in all of that, whatever they put into cement that goes up into the air. And those are, you know, little developing lungs that have that stuff going into them.

I mean, sometimes we can look around and say, this is not a good choice. Do I have another choice for like where to put my kid or to buy a house in that area? Maybe you don't have a choice and you're willing to roll the dice. Or we had some guys lay a pad for us and it wasn't even at all.

So they sanded it down to be even and the guys that were sanding it down were not wearing a mask. And I said, guys, where's your mask? Oh, we don't need it. And I said, yes, you do.

Oh my God, really? Oh, jeez. You're sanding cement. And you're breathing that in? Yes.

Like, what do I know? It's like, okay, you know? And then in 20 years when, you know, some next generation nurse is caring for them and doing a health history, they're going to say, you know, there was this woman who said I should put a mask on, but I didn't think I needed it. You know? So that's what I'm talking about. There's things that we breathe in that we can, like, mitigate the danger, you know? You can put a mask on, you can, you know.

I don't, well, is it enough to make a difference? I don't know. But, you know. It'll make some difference.

Make the choices. Make the choices. Yes.

In our third half, we have a quote about grief from Jimmy Buffett. Our third half offers a quote about grief from Jimmy Buffett. Grief is like the wake behind a boat.

It starts out as a huge wave that follows close behind you and is big enough to swamp and drown you if you suddenly stop moving forward. But if you do keep moving, the big wake will eventually dissipate. And after a long time, the waters of your life get calm again.

And that is when the memories of those who have left begin to shine as bright and as enduring as the stars above. And with that, that wraps up this week's episode. Please stay tuned for the continuing saga of Everyone Dies.

And thank you for listening. This is Charlie Navarette. And from the parrot head himself, you know death will get you in the end.

But if you are smart and have a sense of humor, you can thumb your nose at it for a while. And I'm Marian Matzo. And we'll see you next week.

Remember to keep your glass full. And every day is a gift. This podcast does not provide medical advice.

All discussion on this podcast, such as treatments, dosages, outcomes, charts, patient profiles, advice, messages and any other discussion are for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. Always seek the advice of your primary care practitioner or other qualified health providers with any questions that you may have regarding your health. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard from this podcast.

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. Everyone Dies does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, practitioners, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned in this podcast. Reliance on any information provided in this podcast by persons appearing on this podcast at the invitation of Everyone Dies or by other members is solely at your own risk.