As you can see, smoking non-filtered cigarettes yields a higher risk for getting cancer, although smoking filtered cigarettes isn't much safer. There are forty-three known carcinogens in cigarettes today. Including aromatic hydrocarbons, nitrosamines, nitrosonormicotines, polonium, and arsenic.
These carcinogens, along with 103 other poisons give cigarettes their horrible attributes.
In the same way, harmless chemicals can go through reactions that turn them into deadly carcinogens. Adrenaline (C9H11NO3), a chemical produced in our own body, can go through a reaction to turn it into a carcinogen.
Tobacco smoke is not the only way you can obtain a carcinogen into your system. One can get cancer from pathogens as well. Certain viruses, such as Hepatitis B and C are responsible for 15 percent of all cancer related deaths in the United Sates (Encarta). Human papilloma virus, otherwise known as HPV, is responsible for over 70 percent of the cases of cervix cancer. Believe it or not, one's diet can contribute to one getting a disease such as cancer. Obesity raises the risk of getting such cancers as cancer of the uterus, breast, colon, kidney and gallbladder. Consumption of alcohol also leads to getting cancer. Those who drink heavily are more likely to obtain cancers of the liver and stomach. Along with smoking, the duo creates a mighty force. Lower on the scales, but just as dangerous is radiation. Two percent of all cancer related deaths come from radiation. Depletion of the ozone layer has allowed more of the sun's dangerous UV rays hit the population. This in return, leads to cancer of the skin. .
How does a carcinogen attack the body? The process in which these carcinogens infect the human body is known as carcinogenesis. The carcinogens are either genotoxic or nongenotoxic. Genotoxic chemicals attack the deoxyribonucleic acid, also known as DNA. .
Like adrenaline, 2-acetylaminofluorine (C15H13NO) can go through a mechanism that turns it into 2 different carcinogens that are able to react with DNA.
