Everyone may have cancer cells in their body. They can exist in a “peaceful coexistence” with humans and only become active when the right conditions are created...

According to Dr. Zhan Qimin, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, every human body may contain cancer cells. After all, humans do not live in a vacuum, and gene mutations can occur naturally to some extent. However, because the human immune system is strong, most “precancerous” cells are repaired or eliminated.

Many people feel shocked when diagnosed with cancer and consider the day of diagnosis as the day the disease suddenly appeared.

In reality, the transformation from normal cells to cancer cells usually takes many years, even decades. When symptoms appear, cancer cells have often already been developing in the body for a long time. Once mutations occur, cells lose control, grow rapidly, and eventually form cancer

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Medical experts recommend giving up the following bad habits, as they may contribute to the formation of cancer cells:

Smoking

Smoking is one of the major causes of cancer. Long-term smokers have a 10–20 times higher risk of lung cancer, 6–10 times higher risk of laryngeal cancer, 4–10 times higher risk of esophageal cancer, a 2–3 times higher risk of pancreatic cancer, and a 1.78 times higher risk of blood cancer. Smoking may also cause liver cancer.

Excessive alcohol consumption

Heavy drinking significantly increases the risk of cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus. The risk is even higher for people who both smoke and drink.

For liver cancer, frequent and high alcohol intake damages liver cells, leading to hepatitis, cirrhosis, and increased cancer risk.

For women, alcohol consumption increases the risk of breast cancer, especially in those with insufficient folate (vitamin B) intake in their diet.

Physical inactivity

Compared with people who exercise regularly, inactive individuals are more likely to become obese, have slower metabolism, weaker immunity, and a higher risk of disease, thereby increasing cancer risk to some extent.

Children and adolescents should have at least 60 minutes of moderate exercise per day, while adults should engage in at least 300 minutes of moderate exercise per week.

Staying up late frequently

Some studies have confirmed that staying up late may increase the risk of liver cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, and infectious diseases.

It also affects different groups in specific ways. For example, women may experience menstrual disorders, while children may have disrupted growth hormone secretion, leading to developmental issues.

In addition, people with stomach or liver diseases may experience worsening conditions if they frequently stay up late. Severe cases can also lead to insomnia, digestive problems, and further liver dysfunction.

Unhealthy diet

Irregular meals, poor nutrition, excessive consumption of sweets and grilled foods, lack of fruits and vegetables, and eating leftover food can lead to nutritional imbalance and seriously affect the body, especially the digestive system.

Although such habits may not cause immediate harm, over time they may lead to serious cancers such as stomach cancer and colorectal cancer.

Exposure to toxic chemicals

Many cleaning products today contain chemical agents such as dishwashing liquid, laundry detergent, and toilet cleaners. These products may include synthetic chemicals such as ammonia, ethylene glycol monobutyl acetate, sodium hypochlorite, and trisodium phosphate. These substances can irritate the skin, eyes, and respiratory system when inhaled or contacted directly, and may pose potential carcinogenic risks if accumulated in the body.

When using cleaning products, always wear rubber gloves to protect your skin and ensure good ventilation to reduce chemical concentration in the air.

Unsafe sexual activity

Sex has many health benefits. However, unsafe sexual contact with someone infected with a sexually transmitted disease can pose serious health risks.

In particular, the human papillomavirus (HPV) can spread through unprotected sex. Currently, at least 15 high-risk HPV strains (such as types 16 and 18) are known to cause precancerous conditions and cancers, including cervical cancer and anal cancer.