Can cancer be transmitted between husband and wife? Four types of cancer are likely to develop into "couple cancer", so be careful

Author: Zhang Xiufeng, deputy chief physician of the Anorectal Department of Hangzhou Third People's Hospital

Reviewer: Gao Fei, Director of the Publicity Department, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences

gossip

In daily life, we often hear the term "couple look", which describes that after a couple has been together for a long time, their appearance gradually becomes similar.

In the field of oncology, a term called "couple cancer" has become popular in recent years.

It refers to the situation where one of a couple is diagnosed with cancer, and at the same time or shortly thereafter, the other is also diagnosed with the same cancer.

In recent years, there have been more and more cases of couples suffering from cancer one after another, so many sayings that "cancer can be contagious between couples" began to circulate on the Internet, and many friends felt disappointed after hearing this.

So, is cancer really contagious between couples? Why are couples more likely to contract the same type of cancer? Is the "couple cancer" phenomenon intrinsically linked or a coincidence?

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analyze

Cancer is contagious.

Can it be transmitted between couples?

Let me give you the answer first: Cancer cannot be transmitted between couples because all cancers are not contagious!

The reason why the "couple cancer" phenomenon occurs is that the living habits and dietary structures of two people are similar. If either party has bad living habits that may cause cancer, it is easy to subtly influence the other party, which will greatly increase the chances of both of them suffering from the same disease and even lead to "couple cancer."

For example, when one spouse smokes for a long time, the other spouse will inevitably be exposed to passive smoking for a long time, so the chances of both of them developing lung cancer will increase.

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In addition, some viruses and bacteria that cause cancer are contagious, such as hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), HPV (human papillomavirus), Helicobacter pylori, etc.

Therefore, if one spouse is infected with related viruses and bacteria and the other spouse is unfortunately infected, then both spouses may develop the corresponding "couple cancer" phenomenon in the future.

Of course, this does not mean that "cancer is contagious", but that the viruses and bacteria that cause cancer are contagious.

In addition, there is no blood relationship between husband and wife, so cancer is not hereditary between them.

That is to say, cancer itself is neither inherited nor contagious between husband and wife. However, because husband and wife have close contact and similar eating and living habits, it is easy for the husband to be infected with cancer, or vice versa.

Which cancers are likely to develop into “couple cancer”?

Some cancers in life can easily develop into cancers for couples, and the following four are common:

▶ Gastric cancer

Because the diets of husband and wife are similar, eating the same food on a daily basis will have similar effects on the body. For example, many families like to eat barbecue and pickled food, which may cause damage to stomach health over time. This may also increase the risk of gastric cancer for couples. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to a reasonable and healthy diet, actively treat stomach problems, and reduce the occurrence of gastric cancer.

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▶ Lung cancer

The harm of secondhand smoke is no less than that of direct smoking. Therefore, if one of a couple smokes, the possibility of both of them developing lung cancer will increase.

In addition, the couple's common living environment, such as the fumes produced when cooking at home and harmful substances formed by house decoration, such as formaldehyde, will cause harm to both husband and wife.

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▶ Colon cancer, esophageal cancer

The occurrence of colorectal cancer and esophageal cancer is closely related to bad eating habits. High-calorie, low-fiber, high-fat eating habits will increase the risk of colorectal cancer, such as barbecue, fried, pickled food, etc. In addition, polluted water sources and aflatoxin will also greatly increase the risk of esophageal cancer.

Eating high-calorie, low-fiber, high-fat foods for a long time will increase the burden on the human body and destroy the balance of microbial flora. After entering the human body, the nitrite in pickled food may also react with amines produced by protein decomposition in the stomach acid environment to produce nitrosamines, which are extremely carcinogenic.

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▶ Liver cancer

There are many liver cancer patients in my country, and many of them are "couples with liver cancer". One of the reasons is the hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B patients are a high-risk group for liver cancer, and the hepatitis B virus is highly contagious. If one of the spouses is sick, the virus can be transmitted through some behaviors (such as close contact), increasing the chances of the other spouse getting cancer. In addition, moldy food may also increase the risk of liver cancer.

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What behaviors increase your risk of cancer?

▶ 1. Bad eating habits: such as long-term drinking, eating high-salt, smoked, pickled and moldy food, or eating hard, overheated, and too fast food. These bad eating habits can easily stimulate the digestive tract mucosa to lesions and easily ingest many carcinogens. Therefore, bad eating habits can easily cause cancer;

▶ 2. Bad living habits: such as smoking, staying up late for a long time, lack of sleep, overwork, long-term mental stress, high tension, etc., may reduce the body's resistance, cause endocrine disorders, and are not conducive to the metabolism and excretion of harmful substances in the body, thus easily causing cancer;

▶ 3. Environmental stimulation: For example, prolonged sun exposure, or exposure to ionizing radiation, air pollution in the working and living area, etc. may cause gene mutations in the body, which can easily lead to cancer.

The World Health Organization (WHO) points out that high salt, overweight or obesity, lack of physical exercise, ionizing radiation, ultraviolet radiation, occupational exposure (such as asbestos), infection (such as HPV infection), postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy for women, and not breastfeeding are all factors that increase the risk of cancer.

15 tips for preventing cancer

1. Don’t smoke, quit smoking early, and stay away from secondhand smoke

2. Maintain a healthy weight and avoid being overweight or obese

3. Keep exercising and reduce sitting

4. It is best not to drink alcohol and avoid excessive drinking

5. Do not eat moldy food, betel nut and its products

6. Do not eat overly hot food or drink overly hot drinks

7. Avoid pickled, smoked, grilled and high-temperature fried foods, and eat less processed meat products

8. Eat less sweets and drink less sugary drinks

9. Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains

10. Do not share personal cleaning items such as toothbrushes and razors, and use public spoons and chopsticks when dining together.

11. Take good personal occupational protection and avoid exposure to carcinogens

12. Reduce prolonged sunlight exposure and avoid excessive exposure to the sun

13. Keep indoor ventilation, reduce travel when air is polluted, and wear a mask when going out

14. It is recommended to get hepatitis B vaccine and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine as early as possible

15. If you are at high risk of cancer, it is best to get screened in advance and develop a plan for regular physical examinations and cancer prevention examinations to serve as the first line of defense for your own health.

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in conclusion

Cancer is not contagious between husband and wife. The reason why a husband and wife may suffer from the same type of cancer at the same time or one after another is most likely due to their similar lifestyles and eating habits.

When one spouse is unfortunately diagnosed with cancer, it is recommended that the other spouse promptly change their bad living and eating habits, try to avoid or reduce contact with carcinogens, and at the same time, regularly undergo precise and individualized cancer prevention physical examinations to detect the slightest signs of cancer as early as possible. In this way, the couple can stay away from "cancer" but not away from "love"!

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