Curtis Swanson, COO at ClearCyte, on unexpected causes of cancer

The National Cancer Institute reports that around 40% of adults will be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime. While this number is fairly grim, the good news is that about 67% of those diagnosed will survive the disease. Survival rates are generally high thanks to recent developments in cancer treatments, such as immunotherapies.

It’s important for individuals to receive cancer screenings when they reach a certain age, especially if they are genetically at risk of developing cancer. Still, however, the best way to deal with cancer is to prevent it entirely. That said, most people are exposed to cancer-causing substances on a daily basis.

Here are five cancer-causing substances that most people don’t even realize:

Working Night Shift – Studies show that women who work night shift have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Women who work third shift should consider finding another position where they can work first or second shift, not only to decrease the risk of breast cancer, but also to regulate sleep patterns and reduce stress.

New Cars – New Cars emit chemicals that cause cancer for the first six months of use. On hot days, the cars emit even more chemicals. Individuals would be wise to refrain from purchasing brand-new cars, and instead buy lightly-used cars in order to reduce their risk of cancer.

Plastic – Plastic bags containing noodles or other food release cancer-causing chemicals when heated. These chemicals are also toxic. This is why it is never a good idea to heat anything plastic in the microwave.
Plastic water bottles will emit toxic, cancerous chemicals when they become hot as well, so it’s not a good idea to drink bottled water that has been sitting in a hot car all day.

Processed Meat – Meats that have been processed, such as sausages and hotdogs, can cause cancer. Experts say that eating processed meat is as dangerous as smoking.

Aerosol – Aerosol air fresheners contain some of the same types of cancer-causing chemicals as plastics, and are emitted when sprayed.

To decrease the risk of getting cancer, adults should not smoke, avoid the sun, and live a healthy lifestyle. To further decrease the risk, it would be wise to avoid the things mentioned above.

About the author

Curtis Swanson is the COO of ClearCyte Diagnostics, a cancer screening company in Bellevue, Washington dedicated to the international marketing of medical screening to a wide range of markets. Additionally, he has experience in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, accounting GAAP & FASB, and business operational management. Throughout his career, Curtis has proven himself as a leader, innovator, and developer.
Learn more about Curtis Swanson here.