EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICITY ON CANCER AND OTHER DISEASES

Abstract

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2012 alone, 12.6 million people have died due to exposure of unhealthy environmental factors, which make up nearly 1 in 4 of total global deaths. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as stroke, heart disease, cancers and chronic respiratory disease are mostly associated with air pollution, and amount to as much as 8.2 million of these deaths. Environmental risk factors, such as air, water and soil pollution, chemical exposures, climate change, and ultraviolet radiation (UV), not only causes NCDs, but also more than 100 diseases and injures. Environmental risks mostly affect children under 5 and adults aged 50 to 75 years. While cardiovascular diseases make up the vast majority of environmental-related deaths, cancer deaths are highly related to environmental factors (1.7 million annually). Among the cancer types that are largely affected by environmental factors, such as lung, colon, skin, and breast cancers, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the US and worldwide. Tobacco smoking causes 87% of all lung cancers. Parabens and aluminium in deodorants and anti-perspirants are linked to male and female breast cancer. Stomach cancer is associated with Helicobacter pyloris infection, which transmission is facilitated by poor sanitation and crowding. Some of the leukemia disease burden is linked to occupational exposures to chemicals, such as benzene and ethylene oxide. The most deadly type of skin cancer, melanoma, is associated with excessive UV exposure. These deaths may be reduced dramatically if people are more educated about and aware of the risk factors. At Cancer Education and Research Institute (CERI), we educate people worldwide about cancer in a ‘simplified’ way, in multiple languages, and in many forms, helping them understand the disease and its risk factors that are preventable.

Keywords

• EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICITY ON CANCER AND OTHER DISEASES

Kaynakça

1. Ayguen SAHİN Cancer Education and Research Insitute (CERI), Boston, MA, USA