What Causes Cancer?
The Impact of Risk Factors

Overview

While doctors have an idea of some of the factors that put you at risk for cancer, they are still a long way from fully understanding what causes cancer. Scientists are continually studying cancer causes. What is not considered a risk factor today may be one tomorrow.

Furthermore, it is not helpful to blame yourself for your cancer. Even though there are some known risk factors, cancer can strike anyone without explanation, even those without the risk factors.

It is important to honor what you are ready to learn. You may want to come back to this section when you are further along in your treatment, or skip it altogether, if you experience fear reading it.

Most of the information in this section has been compiled from the National Cancer Institute. Please visit their website for more detailed information on this topic.

We have inserted a lot of pictures in the website. Many are from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) website. Sometimes it is easier to see a picture than read the words.

We present the following information for those who want to know. If you prefer not to know this information, please just click on another of our links and return to this section in the future if the need arises.