A Common Question With Uncommon Considerations
Cancerisnotcontagious.
Why Cancer Is Not Contagious
Cancer cells aren’t contagious in humans.
What Does Cancer Spreading Mean?
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Cancer does not spread from person to person.
This can occur through the lymphatic system, the bloodstream, or growing into surrounding tissues.
In an unethical experiment conducted in the 1950s and 1960s, a researcher and physician namedDr.
Chester Southaminjected live cancer cells into people to see if he could “cause” cancer.
The people did not know that they had been given cancer cells.
Our immune cells see cancer cells from another person as they would see disease-causing viruses or bacteria.
The fact that cancer isn’t contagious is better understood when looking at how cancer develops.
Why Cancer Happens
Cells normally grow and divide to keep the bodys organs working.
When old ones die, new ones replace them.
With cancer, the body’s cells start to change, divide, and multiply out of control.
This happens when there is damage, or a mutation, to theDNAin the cells.
The cell makes copies of itself that are abnormal and starts to invade tissues in the body.
These cell mutations can happen because of lifestyle factors like UV sun exposure or smoking.
Genetic mutations can also be inherited.
Cancer Risk in Families
Genetics plays a role in cancers that seem to run in families.
Instead, it may have to do with genes that are passed down in a family.
The influence of genetics can vary by cancer pop in.
Many gene mutations associated with cancer (such as BRCA) occur intumor suppressor genes.
However, there have been cases of cancer being transmitted from one person to another through organ transplants.
Its thought thattransfusion-related cancermay occur in about 3 out of 5,000 transplant recipients.
Cancer and Blood Transfusions
There is no evidence of cancer being transmitted through a blood transfusion.
However, there are limitations on when people with cancer can donate blood.
Cancer Transmission During Pregnancy
There are a few reported cases of cancer transmission during pregnancy.
In 2018, it’s estimated that there were 2.2 million infection-attributable cancer cases diagnosed in the United States.
While infections that could be linked to cancer are common, its not common to get cancer from them.
Most cancers have more than one cause.
Infections may lead to cancer in different ways.
Having cancer is a profoundly challenging and frightening experience and a person needs support from their loved ones.
Summary
Cancer is not contagious.
you could feel safe supporting them as they navigate the diagnosis and treatment.
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