places will be identified for all cancers and that the information will be utilized to develop a cure for each.
C. B. Simone, MD, describes one way in which a genetic sequence may play a role in the development of cancer. "Certain proteins from the liver, called enzymes, can break down or activate the carcinogen at different speeds in different people to either render it harmless or promote it to cause cancer. These enzymes will either destroy or activate carcinogens to varying degrees according to inherited tendencies" (Simone, p. 19).
But genetics are not the only risk indicator. There are a host of other factors that affect whether one individual will develop cancer, factors which the individual can exert varying degrees of control over. These include chemical influences, such as drugs or pesticides; environmental influences like smog or contaminated water; radiation including excessive x-rays or exposure to the sun; occupational hazards such as experiences by miners or nuclear power plant workers; increased age, which is associated with a higher incidence of cancer; hormonal influences like steroids and birth control medications; the presence of arteriosclerosis, which is related to higher rates of cancer; viral infections that may lead to the development of cancer; and lifestyle choices such as those regarding smoking, sexuality, and diet. Some of these connections have been well publicized within the media, and others have not received as much attention, but each has its own significant dangers. While it is a combination of genetics and the presence of other carcinogens that determine whether or not a person will actually develop cancer, it is possible that exposure to just one of these elements may be all that is required to jump-start the process that leads to the formation of cancerous cells.
One possible line of defense in such an instance is the body's immune system. If, however, for some reason, a per...