In this section we provide information for people who have heard only enough about cancer to be afraid of it, but actually have little knowledge about the disease itself and how to fight it.  These articles cover the basic, necessary facts about cancer, especially focusing on how the disease develops and spreads.  For instance, we'll discuss the hereditary basis of cancer:  Is it passed down through the family blood-line?  We'll examine which people are more prone to develop certain kinds of cancer.  Hopefully by studying this information, you'll be better equipped to take preventative measures that will lower your chances of getting any form of cancer.  Specifically, these articles will answer the following questions:
 
1) What is the cause of cancer?  What are the risk factors for certain kinds of cancer.  If someone else in your family has had a certain type of cancer, are you more likely to develop it?  In most cases, the answer is yes, because you likely to have the same mutated gene that led to the previous family-member's cancer.  We'll discuss all the factors, both intrinsic and extrinsic, which either cause cancer or are likely contributing factors.  Some of the extrinsic factors include the food you eat, exposure to asbestos and other chemicals, carcinogens such as tobacco, and even the presence of certain viruses.  We also discuss the fact that people with poor health and / or on certain medications also have a raised risk for cancer. 
 
2) How does each type of cancer develop?  Most cancers have a similar beginning: That is, they occur as cells grow at an uncontrolled pace, invading nearby tissues or even traveling to other parts of the body.  But what causes these cells to grow in this out-of-control fashion? And when do they do so?  What part does gene mutation play, and why do such mutations occur?  We will try to explain the different causes that sometimes result in abnormal cell multiplication.
 
3) What are carcinogens and what role do they play in causing cancer?  As we discuss in this section, carcinogens are agents that cause cancer and which can be found in food, cigarette smoke, x-rays, just to name a few points of origin.  We'll provide a list of items which contain some of the most harmful carcinogens.   By knowing about these, you'll be able to start eliminating these carcinogens from your life, thus improving your odds of not getting cancer. 
 
4) What role does heredity play in whether a person gets cancer?  This is an extremely important section, because your family's genetic history plays a larger role than any other single factor in determining whether you're likely to get cancer.  Studies have concluded that a defective, cancer-causing gene, is passed on from one generation to the next.  People who understand this fact and are aware of a cancer history in their families will be more likely to have their health monitored regularly--and to catch any cancer if and when it occurs early enough to be treated.