Generally speaking, people have less physical carcinogenic factors in their living environment.
So most residents do not know what physical factors can cause cancer.
We briefly introduce as follows:
Ionizing radiation
In 1945, Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan were attacked by atomic bombs. At that time, the two cities were turned into a scorched land, and the number of deaths reached more than 200000 in a short time. However, in the years after the accident, the incidence of leukemia, breast cancer, lung cancer, osteosarcoma, thyroid cancer, skin cancer, etc. was significantly higher than that in other regions. Up to now, more than 50 years have passed, and the impact of radiation carcinogenesis is still obvious.
In 1979, the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in the United States and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in the former Soviet Union in 1986 all led to the release of a large amount of radioactive substances. In addition to causing many deaths due to acute radiation sickness, the incidence of cancer in the affected population is seven times higher than that in the general population.
In the early stage of medical X-rays, radiologists had a higher chance of leukemia than ordinary people because they did not pay attention to protection. Physicist Madame Curie and her daughter died of leukemia due to long-term exposure to radiation. Pregnant women and babies are now required to avoid X-ray examination as much as possible. Mining mines containing radioactive substances can cause a significant increase in the incidence of lung cancer in miners.
After people’s skin has been exposed to ultraviolet light in the strong sunlight for a long time, at first, the skin is dry, desquamated, forms black spots, and shrinks, then it becomes hyperkeratotic, and then forms papilloma, which may develop into skin cancer. People with hereditary xeroderma pigmentosum are more likely to develop skin cancer.
Thermal radiation
Long term thermal radiation can lead to skin cancer and soft tissue tumors. For example, people living in a severe cold area have the habit of using an abdominal oven for heating regularly, and the incidence of abdominal soft tissue malignant tumors is higher among residents in this area.
There is limited direct evidence linking thermal radiation to cancer. However, there are related forms of radiation, such as ultraviolet (UV) radiation, that are known to cause skin cancer. UV radiation is part of the electromagnetic spectrum and is emitted by the sun. Prolonged exposure to UV radiation can lead to sunburn, premature aging of the skin, and skin cancer, including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.
In the case of thermal radiation, extremely high temperatures can cause burns, which are skin injuries. Severe burns can increase the risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma in the affected area later in life. However, this is more related to the physical damage caused by the heat rather than the radiation itself.
Research on the effects of thermal radiation on cancer risk is not as extensive as for other types of radiation, such as ionizing radiation (e.g., X-rays, gamma rays) or non-ionizing radiation like UV, radiofrequency, or microwave radiation. Ionizing radiation has been clearly linked to an increased risk of cancer, including leukemia, breast cancer, and thyroid cancer, among others.
Mechanical stimulation
Long term mechanical stimulation is also a potential risk factor. For example, sharp teeth formed due to injury, or long-term friction of inappropriate denture brackets, may cause tongue cancer or buccal mucosa cancer. If asbestos or glass fiber is inhaled into the lung, it can lead to lung cancer or pleural mesothelioma. What is striking is that the risk of lung cancer is 40-70 times higher in long-term exposure to asbestos and smokers than in non exposure and non-smokers.
Researchers at MIT have studied how mechanical forces can influence the behavior of cancer cells. One study found that mechanical cues in the tumor microenvironment can promote the migration and invasion of cancer cells, potentially aiding in metastasis.
Understanding the above knowledge will help us prevent cancer.
