Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States.
Half of all men and one-third of all women in the U.S. will develop
cancer during their lifetime. However, the risk of developing most
types of cancer can be reduced by changes in a person's lifestyle,
such as quitting smoking and a better diet. [2]

* Deaths Annually: 553,091 (2000)
* Age-Adjusted Death Rate: 200.9 deaths per 100,000 population
(2000)
* Cause of Death Rank: 2 (2000) [1]

Cancer develops when the DNA in a cell is damaged and the cell
becomes abnormal. As the cell grows, the damaged DNA is duplicated
in each cell and the cells in that part of the body begin to grow out
of control. Although there are many kinds of cancer, they all start
because of out-of-control growth of abnormal cells. [3]

People can inherit damaged DNA, which accounts for inherited cancers.
Many times though, a person's DNA becomes damaged by exposure to
something in the environment, such as cigarette smoke.

Normal body cells grow, divide, and die in an orderly fashion. During
the early years of a person's life, normal cells divide more rapidly
until the person becomes an adult. After that, cells in most parts of
the body divide only to replace worn-out or dying cells and to repair
injuries.

Because cancer cells continue to grow and divide, they are different
from normal cells. Instead of dying, they outlive normal cells and
continue to form new abnormal cells.

Cancer cells often travel to other parts of the body where they begin
to grow and replace normal tissue. This process, called metastasis,
occurs as the cancer cells get into the bloodstream or lymph vessels
of our body. When cells from a cancer like breast cancer spread to
another organ like the liver, the cancer is still called breast
cancer, not liver cancer.

Cancer usually forms as a tumor. Some cancers, like leukemia, do not
form tumors. Instead, these cancer cells involve the blood and blood-
forming organs and circulate through other tissues where they grow.

Remember that not all tumors are cancerous. Benign (noncancerous)
tumors do not metastasize (spread to other parts of the body) and,
with very rare exceptions, are not life threatening.

Different types of cancer can behave very differently. For example,
lung cancer and breast cancer are very different diseases. They grow
at different rates and respond to different treatments. That is why
people with cancer need treatment that is aimed at their particular
kind of cancer.

Being informed about this major killer is important and can be
depressing when you realize that 1 in 3 of us will get some form of
cancer in our lifetime. The good news is that much research has been
done to show that an improved lifestyle including healthier eating,
exercise and proper nutrient levels can help prevent this terrible
disease.

For example, a study from the Journal of the American Medical
Association Vol. 281 No. 15, April 21, 1999 showed that Vitamin C
was "beneficial in preventing cancer". [4] Another study reported in
a leading Cancer Epidemiology forum in October of 2001 that "Vitamin
C supplement use was associated with a significantly lower risk for
gastric cancer". [5]

An interesting note is that both studies refer to the increased
intake of vitamin C from fruits and vegetables. The Greatest Vitamin
in the World uses only the most absorbable form of Vitamin C from
Acerola Cherries. This organic form of Vitamin C comes from the
Equadorian rain forest. Check out the research on the importance of
utilizing whole food vitamins versus synthetics in the Vitamin
section.

Another greatly researched nutrient for helping prevent cancer is
Garlic. One of many studies was done at the Department of
Epidemiology and Nutrition, at the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill. [6] This study concluded that "Garlic may be associated
with a protective effect against stomach and colorectal cancers".

Many other studies have shown that Beta Carotene and other
antioxidants have a great impact against cancer-causing free
radicals. [7] Antioxidants have been shown to actually inhibit the
development of cancer. [8] Be sure to check out the tremendous
benefits of antioxidants in our anti-aging section of the website.

Cancer is a terrible disease that many of us are at risk for. The
Greatest Vitamin in the World works to help lower that risk by
providing you with 100% of the daily needs of all essential nutrients
along with some of the most researched cancer prevention nutrients
known.

http://www.dontforgettotakeyourvitamins.com/zabel6663

1. National Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 50, No. 16
2. Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, Edition 16. F.A. Davis
Company: Philadelphia,1989, p. 276.
3. http://www.cancer.org/. Faulty DNA Repair May Make Some Smokers
More Likely to Develop Lung Cancer.
4. JAMA. Vol 281, No. 15, April 21, 1999.
5. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention. Vol. 10, 1055-1062,
October 2001.
6. The American Journa of Cinical Nutrition. Vol, 72, No. 4, 1047-
1052, October 2000.
7. JAAMA. Vol 279, No. 18, May 13, 1998.
8. Blot, W.J., et al. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1993;18:1483-1492.