Why are there regional differences in the incidence of cancer?

? Cancer, I believe many people will tremble when they hear this word, which is also a disease that seriously harms human health. According to the report released by the National Cancer Center, there will be about 4.064 million cancer cases in China in 2022, with an average of 1 10,000 people diagnosed every day, which translates into 7 people per minute!

In addition, according to online data, the incidence of cancer does exist regional differences and is not evenly distributed. Different regions, urban and rural areas and other factors will affect the prevalence of cancer. Let's analyze and discuss them one by one.

First of all, the incidence and mortality of lung cancer in Tibet, Gansu and Qinghai are relatively low, which is probably related to factors such as air quality and eating habits in these areas. The incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan is relatively high, which should be related to the infection rate of EB virus and the intake of preserved food in these areas. Although there are some possible reasons, it is not necessarily the only or definite factor. The occurrence of cancer is also influenced by many complicated internal and external environments, as follows:

1.？ Eating habits:

People in different regions may have different dietary preferences and ways, which will affect the risk of some cancers.

For example, people in the south mainly eat plant staple foods, such as rice noodles and vegetables, while people in the north mainly eat pasta, meat and bean products. Southern residents are less likely to suffer from digestive tract cancers such as colorectal cancer and gastric cancer, while northern residents are more likely to suffer from these cancers. This is because in the south, people eat more vegetables, while in the north, they eat more animal fat and salt, which is the main cause of intestinal cancer and gastric cancer.

2.？ Working environment:

Some specific workplaces may be exposed to certain carcinogens, thus increasing the risk of cancer.

It is easy to understand that places like quarries will easily produce a lot of dust and toxic gases, and workers exposed to these environments for a long time will be more likely to suffer from diseases such as lung cancer and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In addition, in places rich in oil and natural gas resources, chemicals discharged in the process of industrial production such as oil will also cause certain harm to local residents. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the personal protection of employees in order to prevent occupational diseases.

3.？ Environmental pollution:

Some pollutants in the environment can actually partially explain the regional differences in cancer risk.

The World Health Organization lists air pollution as the first carcinogen, which is equivalent to the harm of smoking. According to statistics, there were about 200,000 lung cancer patients caused by air pollution in 20 10 years. In the absence of proper management in the chemical industry, the toxic gases produced will also do some harm to the health of the surrounding people, which is why there are some "cancer villages". In addition, the pollution of agriculture to the environment is also an important factor. For example, Jiashan, Zhejiang, was once the area with the highest mortality rate of colon cancer in county-level units in China. Finally, the study shows that this is related to the exposure of organochlorine pesticides.

4.？ Gene:

People in different regions may have different genetic backgrounds, which often affects their susceptibility to certain cancers.

Taking China as an example, the incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is higher in the south than in the north, which may be due to the infection rate of EBV and the allele frequency of HLA-A2 in the southern population. In addition, the incidence of thyroid cancer in Tianjin, Zhejiang and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region ranks second, which is closely related to the mutation rate of BRAF gene in these areas.

5.？ Infection:

The infection of some pathogens will also increase the risk of cancer, and the infection situation of people in different regions may be different.

Some pathogenic factors can also lead to tumors, and everyone's environment is different. Take Helicobacter pylori as an example, it is closely related to the occurrence of gastric cancer, but the infection rate of Helicobacter pylori varies greatly in different areas of China. Generally speaking, the eastern coastal areas are higher than the western inland areas. For example, the infection of hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus is closely related to the occurrence of liver cancer, but the carrying rate of hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus is also very different in different regions of China. The data shows that the southeast coast and northeast Jilin are higher than other areas!

To sum up, although the probability of cancer is really affected by the region, we can still try to prevent it. Below I have summarized the practical preventive measures in life, and those who are interested can continue to read:

①: Do not smoke and stay away from secondhand smoke. Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke are the main risk factors for many cancers, such as lung cancer, oral cancer and laryngeal cancer. Quitting smoking or avoiding exposure to tobacco can significantly reduce the risk of cancer.

②: Maintain a healthy weight and increase physical activity. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of breast cancer, colon cancer and other cancers. Regular moderate or vigorous aerobic exercise helps to control weight and reduce the risk of lung cancer, kidney cancer and other cancers.

③: Healthy diet. Eat more plant foods rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans, eat less foods with high calories, high fat and high sugar, limit the intake of processed meat and red meat, and avoid excessive intake of salt and oil. These eating habits can provide antioxidants, cellulose and other beneficial nutrients, and help prevent colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, oral cancer and other cancers!

④ No drinking or moderate drinking. After all, alcohol is a known carcinogen, which is related to cancers such as laryngeal cancer, esophageal cancer and liver cancer. The more alcohol a person drinks, the higher the risk of cancer. If you can't give up drinking completely, it is recommended to limit your daily drinking: no more than two cups (30g) for men and no more than one cup (15g) for women!

In a word, the cause of cancer is very complicated, and regional differences can not be explained by a simple single factor. We should discuss this problem from a scientific point of view, and at the same time pay attention to environmental protection, healthy diet and gene prevention and control, so as to contribute to the prevention of cancer.

Cancer is a serious challenge facing mankind. We should face it bravely, respond positively, and constantly seek better treatment methods and preventive strategies to make contributions to winning this war without smoke!