World Cancer Day is observed annually on February 4 to raise awareness about the deadly disease and inspire people to aspire towards and take action for a cancer-free world.

To mark the occasion, here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about cancer.

What is a risk factor for cancer?

A risk factor, generally speaking, is something that raises the risk of contracting a disease. Cancer has several risk factors including age, alcohol and tobacco consumption, history of cancer in family, obesity, immunosuppression and more.

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A lot of risk factors, such as age or genetic get-up cannot be changed. However, factors such as alcohol and tobacco consumption, body weight, levels of activity, diets, etc. can be controlled to reduce the impact of risk factors.

Can injuries cause cancer?

Injuries, no matter how bad, cannot cause cancer. In some cases when people go to the hospital to treat an injury and cancer is detected, it is often thought that the injury caused it. However, injuries do not cause cancer, and in such cases, the cancer was already there.

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Can I cause cancer on myself?

This is another misconception, and your personality or emotions cannot cause cancer. Neither do they affect the outcome if you contract cancer. There exists no scientific evidence of a connection between personality and emotions and cancer occurrence or outcomes.

Does stress cause cancer?

While stress can affect the immune system, there is no scientific evidence to suggest there’s a link between stress levels and cancer occurrence.

Does eating sugar make cancer worse?

There is no link between cancer and sugar. However, sugar-filled, high calorie food and drinks can lead to increases in body weight, which has links to cancer.

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Is cancer inherited?

While cancer is not always inherited, it can be passed down through generations via genetic mutations. Other times, other risk factors like obesity or behaviours such as smoking in the family can lead to an increase in the risk of cancer.

Is cancer contagious?

No, cancer is not contagious and cannot be spread among individuals. This is particularly important to bear in mind as near and dear ones require emotional support if they have cancer, and family members should not be away out of fear of contracting the disease.