"Knowing the role of randomness, maybe more of us would have a doctor look at that little lump, or spot between our toes that looks weird even though it’s on skin that never sees the sun. I don’t smoke, but because I have learned that 15% of lung cancer cases occur in people who never smoked, I am more likely to take seriously a persistent chest pain or cough, which really could be lung cancer. Recognizing the random factor might save some lives."
I believe that viruses are the culprits for setting off many life-threatening cancers.
As the article points out, cell mutation errors occur even in healthy tissues, but as the years pile up, sometimes these errors lead to uncontrolled cell mutation, invasive growth, and metastasis. I think viruses are often the cause.
And something to ponder -- what if viruses are eventually found on other planets. Will we then know them to be the "aliens among us?"
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | June 20, 2019 10:51 AM |