Maybe you will find this phenomenon that in some families where one person has cancer, other family members may also suffer from this cancer, it is almost like a virus cold, one infects the other. Is cancer really contagious? Information from epidemiological studies on tumors shows that the phenomenon of “family cancer” has increased significantly in recent years, and they can occur simultaneously or sequentially, and their cancer sites can be the same or different. However, so far, most scholars believe that cancer cannot be transmitted. A lot of statistics show that doctors and nurses in oncology hospitals who have long-term contact with cancer patients do not have a higher incidence of cancer than the general population. Can cancer be hereditary? After a long period of exploration and research, scientists now agree that cancer is mainly caused by environmental factors, but heredity also plays a role. This is because some people (or some families) have a tumor-sensitive gene in their collective cells, and this gene may be passed to new individuals (children) through the combination of chromosomes in the germ cells of both parents, so that the children will also have this tumor-sensitive gene in their cells. Once the “conditions” are right, these genes are activated and cause uncontrolled cell proliferation, which eventually leads to the development of cancer. Nowadays, it is certain that breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, retinal cell carcinoma (retinoblastoma), leukemia, etc. are all tumors with certain genetic predisposition, for example, a woman whose mother or sister has breast cancer has three times higher risk of developing breast cancer than the average woman. Key factors: lifestyle, diet and environment The scientific explanation for the occurrence of this phenomenon is the lifestyle, diet and living environment shared by family members. Since members of the same family eat in the same pot for many years, they “assimilate” each other’s lifestyle and habits, and live in the same environment, so they are often influenced by the same disease-causing factors or cancer-causing factors. Therefore, it is not surprising that people suffer from the same type of diseases or cancers. According to the available information, “family cancer” is most common in the digestive tract, which also supports the relationship between living habits and living environment and cancer incidence. Research results also show that families with esophageal cancer tend to have low income, low animal protein intake, frequent intake of unfresh food and moldy salted vegetables, hot noodles and strong stimulating foods such as chili peppers. This can easily cause mucosal lesions in the esophagus, leading to esophageal inflammation and gradually developing into esophageal cancer. Another example is bowel cancer, which is also related to low fiber content and high fat diet. In addition, some family cancers are caused by prolonged common exposure to the same germ, for example, Helicobacter pylori is the most prevalent bacteria with infection rate of 50%-60% in the population, which may cause gastritis and peptic ulcer and may develop into stomach cancer in the long term. Emotions can also have an impact on this. Emotions among family members are also a triggering factor that cannot be ignored. Lack of harmonious atmosphere in the family, spouses complaining against each other, difficulty in coordinating life with the elderly, and living in long-term tension and anxiety are also the predisposing conditions for family-based cancer that cannot be ignored. Psychological negativity, frustration and negative emotions affecting each other and the whole family are another major factor in the development of cancer. Three common types of “family cancer” 1. Digestive system cancer Besides intestinal diseases and genetic factors, eating habits are very important factors. To keep your family away from digestive system cancer, try to eat less red meat, fried, smoked and pickled food; eat more fresh vegetables, pectin fruits with high potassium, such as bananas, fruits with high fiber and vitamin C, such as apples, strawberries and kiwis, which are good for inhibiting the formation of carcinogens and high fiber to reduce the damage of carcinogens to the intestinal wall. 2, lung cancer If the husband smokes, the chances of the couple suffering from lung cancer at the same time will be greatly increased. Long-term exposure to indoor “second-hand smoke”, plus kitchen fumes and possible pollution from home decoration materials increase the risk of lung cancer in women. The only effective way is to quit smoking, avoid smoky indoor environment, improve indoor environment with more green plants, and keep the room ventilated for more than 30 minutes in good weather. 3.Liver cancer If one person in the family is a hepatitis B patient, then the family members who often live together may be infected with hepatitis B through sexual life, and hepatitis B patients are the people with high incidence of liver cancer. Hepatitis B virus can be transmitted through blood, mother to child, sex and daily close contact. If the awareness of prevention and control is poor, it is easy to cause familial liver cancer. It is recommended to get hepatitis B vaccination in time to reduce the chance of hepatitis B virus infection. Strengthen hepatitis B screening and actively cooperate with treatment after infection to effectively control the disease and prevent hepatitis B from developing into liver cancer. Cancer itself is not directly contagious, but there are four types of viruses and bacteria that cause precancerous lesions that are contagious: hepatitis B and C viruses, Helicobacter pylori, and human papillomavirus (HPV). How to prevent “family cancer” Family cancer is still a minority among many cancer patients. This is because there is a strict surveillance and removal system against cancer cells in our body. Although we are exposed to the same environment, as long as our body is healthy and has good immunity, we can effectively fight against the invasion of cancer cells. 1.Cultivate good and healthy eating habits, eat fresh fruits and vegetables often, and eat less unhealthy food; 2.Adhere to exercise to avoid excess nutrition; 3.Keep psychological peace and avoid long-term negative emotions; 4.When a family member has cancer, the cause of cancer should be found and the living environment should be improved without panic. 5. The most important thing is to raise the awareness of self-care. For example, self-examination of breast is an effective way to detect breast cancer early, and being alert to unexplained wasting, blood in stool, cough and other symptoms that may not be obvious in the early stage of cancer, and regular medical checkups can help in early diagnosis of cancer.