Why does cancer begin to develop in the body? Expert: Resilience is of the utmost importance

We most often associate immunity with protection against viruses and bacteria. But resilience is so much more. It plays a key role, among others in destroying cancer cells. So what is it that we have a cancer epidemic today? What is the resilience clock and its two tipping points? What is the condition of modern man’s immunity and what does it mean for our future? In an interview with Medonet, the virologist and immunologist prof. Agnieszka Szuster-Ciesielska.

1. On April 29, 2022, we celebrate the International Immunology Day
2. There are two reasons for cancer formation. First: genetic predisposition. The second is environmental factors, including exposure to specific viruses and bacteria
3. Cancer development is also related – and a lot of it – with the condition of the immune system and the action of cells called “natural killers”
4. The immune system “wears out” over the years. There are two major critical points on the immunity clock
5. One of them is exceeding the age of 50. What then happens to the body, explains Prof. Szuster-Ciesielska
6. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

Monika Mikołajska / Medonet: It is said that cancer is not only a disease of genes, but also a disease of immunity. What exactly is the link between the immune system and cancer?

Prof. Agnieszka Szuster-Ciesielska, Department of Virology and Immunology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin: There are two reasons for the formation of tumors. The first is genetic predisposition, on which we have a very limited influence. The second is environmental factors – they are related to lifestyle (e.g. alcohol abuse, smoking) or exposure to infectious agents. There are many microbes, including viruses and bacteria, either promoting or causing cancer. Such viruses include HBV and HCV (liver tumors), HPV human papillomavirus (cervical cancer), EBV causing Burkitt’s lymphoma and Hodgkin’s lymphoma. An example of a bacteria associated with tumor formation is Helicobacter pylori.

Undoubtedly, however, the health of the immune system and its ability to recognize and fight cancer cells plays a key role. Cancer does not arise right away – there must be a series of changes in the cell that will lead to its transformation. It should be remembered that constant exposure to carcinogens (harmful environmental factors, including infectious ones) not only perpetuates the unfavorable changes in the cell, but also drives them.

The rest of the text is below the video.

To prevent cancer, the body needs to recognize the changed cells as soon as possible. How does it happend?

From this we have “immune surveillance”, the key element of which are NK cells (Natural Killers – ed.), “Natural killers”, constantly patrolling the body. They have specialized in finding transformed / altered cells that want to deceive our body and hide from recognition. As the tumor grows, this becomes more and more difficult because it has mechanisms to escape this surveillance.

There is also a relationship between age and immunity, which “wears out” over the years. What does this immunity clock look like? Can you indicate when it stops working well?

There are two critical points in the resilience timeline. The first appears right after birth, when the new person comes into contact with the dangers of the outside world. His immune system is then immature. It reaches full maturity at the age of 13-14. Therefore, until then, children get sick quite often (their immune system is still learning everything).

In all this, it must be remembered that being brought up in an environment that is too “clean”, too “hygienic” deprives the child of the possibility of educating his own immune system, which may eventually turn against its host.

How do we understand that our own immunity turns against us?

In the course of evolution, the immune system has gotten used to fighting, and since it is now not facing an enemy that gives it satisfaction, it can turn against its own cells. That is why contact with the outside world – animals, water from puddles, etc., is so much needed by a child, one could say for “didactic” purposes. Of course, I am not talking about pathogens against which vaccinations are effective – this is how the child’s immune system learns too.

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But let’s go back to the immunity clock …

Like all body systems, the immune system also ages. The age that can be considered as the limits of its optimal functioning is around 50 years of age. This is the second critical point. In women, it is often related to the hormonal balance, namely the period when estrogen levels decline and menopause appears. It is known that thanks to estrogen, women are more effective than men at coping with infections. These differences disappear after the menopause.

Over time, both the congenital and the acquired responses weaken significantly. The skin becomes less elastic and drier, it is no longer so well covered with a natural film of “useful” microorganisms, the muscles weaken, and with it the defensive cough reflex. Immune cells become less mobile. Hence, the elderly are more likely to suffer from viral and bacterial infections. Many viruses are dangerous not only for the youngest but also for seniors. These are, for example, the influenza virus or RSV (respiratory syncytial virus – ed.). The aging of the immune system is also caused by insufficient vaccination effectiveness. That is why some companies develop vaccines aimed specifically at the elderly, e.g. against the flu.

We talked about the immunity-cancer relationship. The WHO warns, and is widely reported, that the burden of cancer is increasing worldwide. There is also an increase in immune diseases, including allergies. This is a syntax to the question: what is the condition of modern human immunity? It’s getting worse?

The general health of people in the world (including Poland) is actually deteriorating. The reasons are very different. An important factor is the aging of societies and the extension of life expectancy in general, e.g. in 2000 the average life expectancy was 67 years, and in 2020 it was already over 74 years. Some cancers take a long time to develop – 10 to 30 years. When the median age was lower in the past, there was no chance of seeing cancerous lesions and deaths from them. Yes today.

The second issue is environmental pollution, which, unfortunately, is still progressing. As a result, the defense abilities of organisms are weakened and the risk of chronic diseases, including cancer, and not only of the respiratory system, is greater.

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One cannot but mention the modern way of life. There have never been so many obese people as there are now, and we have never eaten such large amounts of processed foods. Obesity is very cancer-promoting because it is associated with persistent inflammation in the body (inflammation is a reaction that prepares the body to fight and mobilizes the entire immune system. – ed.)

Of course, the level of disease is also related to the state of health care and the level of people’s awareness, and thus the risk of late detection of pathological changes.

The 30st century is actually a pandemic of allergic diseases, especially in rich countries, where children live in more “sterile” conditions. Their immunity therefore reacts to the most known antigens, such as pollen, food ingredients, which should not really cause problems. Moreover, allergy is passed on to the next generation. If one parent is allergic, the child’s risk increases by 60%, if both – it reaches XNUMX%. Respiratory allergies are exacerbated by environmental pollution – so we have a self-reinforcing dependence here.

What can all this lead to?

Probably more and more people will get sick and everything must be done to slow down this process. WHO clearly emphasizes the need to intensify global action to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases. Infectious diseases now account for the third of the top 10 causes of death in the world, and 26% in Europe. deaths are caused by tumors. One should also remember about diseases that reduce immunity, autoimmunity and allergies, which appear more and more often in the modern world.

It sounds very disturbing. What can you do about it?

It is necessary to make the society aware of contemporary health threats, how the body fights them, how to help it and what to avoid. It is also important to know about the relations that take place between us and nature and how to act in order to maintain balance and safety.

In my opinion, such information is already missing at the level of primary education. Concentration on health needs, awareness of biological and civilization threats of the present and future is necessary to create effective educational programs. Their absence results in the creation and development of various conspiracy theories.

What’s the worst we are doing to our immunity?

Innate immunity (that is, inherited immunity, shaped by genes – ed.) We cannot improve too much, but unfortunately we can weaken it. This happens when we lead an unhealthy and irregular lifestyle. Weakness for highly processed food, including sugar and salt and various “additives”, the use of stimulants, especially alcohol and tobacco, lack of sleep and exercise, obesity – all this greatly weakens the body’s defenses.

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Let’s reverse the question: what is the best we can do for immunity?

The rules are widely known, but not always applied. It is healthy eating (a lot of groats, vegetables, fruits, fish – they provide micronutrients that strengthen the immune response), it is physical activity, such as walking. Remember to stay in the sun – thanks to this, the body will produce vitamin D, which is much needed for immunity. In our latitude, in the fall and winter season, we do not have enough of it (it is good to do research and check if supplementation is needed – red). It is also worth remembering about the mental condition – stress, especially chronic stress, greatly weakens the immune mechanisms. It is a system of connected vessels – a healthy mind in a healthy body, and our physical health benefits from a healthy mind.