Risk factors of stomach cancecr

      Based on the statistics from the American Cancer Society, stomach cancer is more common in Japan, China, Southern and Eastern Europe, as well as South and Central America.  This disease is less common in Africa and North America.  People in Japan and China are known to consume pickled vegetables, smoked fish/food, and/or fermented foods, which could be significant risk factors of stomach cancer.  On the other hand, people who consume fresh fruits and vegetables appear to have lower chances of getting stomach cancer.  These dietary habits seem to play an important role in the risk of stomach cancer.

Another factor is Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Traditionally, H. Pyroli bacteria are linked to ulcers and some types of lymphoma of the stomach. However, it is increasingly clear that infection with H. Pyroli is associated with a higher risk of stomach cancer. [34-36]

For more info about my upcoming book, Is Cancer in Us, please visit my crowdfunding site. You'll have a chance to get the first copy and making contribution to the American Cancer Society simultaneously. Thank you for your support.

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2015

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book I am writing, "IS CANCER IN US", to be published in about two months.

Risk factors of liver cancer

There are a number of risk factors for liver cancer; some of them are listed below.

Alcohol: Alcohol abuse is one of the few causes of cirrhosis (liver fibrosis) and cirrhosis may increase the risk of liver cancer, also referred to as hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatitis: In the U.S., infection of hepatitis C is the major risk factor of liver cancer.  Hepatitis B infection is also a significant risk factor.  People with both viruses have an increased risk of developing cirrhosis; people with cirrhosis tend to have a higher risk of liver cancer.  For heavy drinker, the risk of liver cancer is even higher.

Type 2 diabetes: People with type 2 diabetes tend to be obese and might cause some liver problems.  Added with other risk factors, they may have a higher risk of liver cancer.


© Jiajiu Shaw, 2015

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book I am writing, "IS CANCER IN US", to be published in about two months.

Risk factors of skin cancer

One of the important risk factors of skin cancer is too much exposure to sunshine.  Supposedly, it’s the ultraviolet (UV) component in sunshine that damages DNA, thus increasing the chances of genetic mutation and getting skin cancer.  Therefore, reducing the exposure to sunshine is important in order to reduce the chances of getting skin cancer.

There are indeed some other specific risk factors that are associated with genetic nature, which are out of our control.  Examples of these risk factors include family history of skin cancer, lighter skin color, and large number of moles.  However, avoiding too much sunshine can still be useful in reducing the impact of these factors.

Please visit my crowdfunding site for info about the upcoming book to be published in December 2015.

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2015

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book I am writing, "IS CANCER IN US", to be published in about two months.

Risk factors of breast cancer (2)

(Risk factors of breast cancer, part 2)

Breast feeding: An interesting finding about breast cancer is that some studies suggest that continued breast feeding may slightly lower the risk of breast cancer.  The longer women breast feed, the more they are protected against breast cancer. However, it is not very clear whether this is related to hormones or menstrual cycles.

Drinking alcohol: Based on a number of scientific reports, there is an association between alcohol drinking and some types of cancer.  Studies have indicated that the amount of alcohol taken is related to the risk factor of getting cancer, including breast cancer.  For women who drink 3 drinks daily, there is a 1.5 times risk as compared to those who don’t drink alcohol at all.

Body weight and Physical Activities:  Body weight and physical activities might be related to the risk factor of breast cancer.  Some reports indicate that being overweight after menopause may increase breast cancer risk; on the other hand, proper physical activities (exercise) may reduce the risk.  It has been reported that physical exercise can reduce risk of breast cancer.  Studies suggested that women with 1-3 hours of exercise per week could reduce the risk of breast cancer by 30%, and those with >4 hours of exercise per week could reduce the risk by >50%.

There is only one month left for you to buy the book and simultaneously contribute to the American Cancer Society at http://igg.me/at/whataboutcancer/x/10534737. 

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2015

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book I am writing, "IS CANCER IN US", to be published in about two months.

Risk factors of breast cancer (1)

Several risk factors of breast cancer are briefly described below.

Gender: Being a woman provides a higher risk of getting breast cancer as opposed to being a man. Unfortunately, this is something that we can’t control.

Age: An older person has a higher risk of getting breast cancer as compared to a younger person.

Genetic risk factors: The most common hereditary breast cancer is from inherited mutation of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.  If someone has inherited mutated BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, there is a higher risk of developing breast cancer.  This is because, in normal cells, BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes help regulate DNA repair proteins, cell cycle, and apoptosis to keep the cells from becoming cancerous.


Birth control and hormone: It has been reported that women who use birth control drugs (oral contraceptives) have a slightly higher risk of getting breast cancer.  For example, some studies have been conducted on an injectable form of progesterone, Depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA; Depo-Provera®); DMPA is given once every 3 months as a birth control.  The results showed that women currently using DMPA may have an increase in risk of breast cancer.  However, if the drug was used more than 5 years ago, the risk doesn’t seem to be increased.  Some studies indicate that both estrogen therapy (ET) and estrogen progestin therapy (EPT) are linked to a higher risk of breast cancer.  The longer ET or EPT is used, the higher the risk.


(to be continued)

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2015

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book I am writing, "IS CANCER IN US", to be published in about two months.