What Causes Cancer?
The Impact of Risk Factors

“The genetic material (DNA) of a cell can become damaged or changed. This damage produces mutations (DNA changes) that affect normal cell growth and division.

When this happens, cells do not die when they should and new cells form when the body does not need them.

The extra cells may form a mass of tissue called a tumor.”

- National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Cancer often develops due to a combination of each person’s genetic material (DNA) and substances they are exposed to in the environment (e.g. polluted air, pesticides etc.)

The formation of cancer from damage to the genetic material (DNA) originates from problems both inside and outside the body.

Our bodies are made of cells. The properties of cells are always changing as they grow and divide. Sometimes DNA in the cells develop errors. Often, our bodies can self-repair any errors which develop during the cellular process.

However, some of the DNA in the cells in our body sometimes develop errors that are not corrected. When cells with errors continue to grow, a mass of tissue may form. This mass of tissue is called a tumor.

Cellular errors may also lead to the formation of cancer in the blood. As our bodies grow older, our cells are not as efficient at the process of repairing cellular errors.

This is why cancer affects older people more frequently than younger people.