Editing Cancer (section)

=== Physical agents ===
Some substances cause cancer primarily through their physical, rather than chemical, effects.<ref name=Maltoni>{{cite book |vauthors=Maltoni CF, Holland JF |veditors=Bast RC, Kufe DW, Pollock RE |title=Holland-Frei Cancer Medicine |edition=5th |publisher=B.C. Decker |location=Hamilton, Ontario |year=2000 |chapter=Chapter 16: Physical Carcinogens |isbn=978-1-55009-113-7 |chapter-url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK20770/ |access-date=31 January 2011 | display-editors = etal |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904102726/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK20770/ |archive-date=4 September 2015}}</ref> A prominent example of this is prolonged exposure to [[asbestos]], naturally occurring mineral fibers that are a major cause of [[mesothelioma]] (cancer of the [[serous membrane]]) usually the serous membrane surrounding the lungs.<ref name=Maltoni/> Other substances in this category, including both naturally occurring and synthetic asbestos-like fibers, such as [[wollastonite]], [[attapulgite]], [[glass wool]] and [[rock wool]], are believed to have similar effects.<ref name=Maltoni/> Non-fibrous particulate materials that cause cancer include powdered metallic [[cobalt]] and [[nickel]] and [[crystalline silica]] ([[quartz]], [[cristobalite]] and [[tridymite]]).<ref name=Maltoni/> Usually, physical carcinogens must get inside the body (such as through inhalation) and require years of exposure to produce cancer.<ref name=Maltoni/>

Physical trauma resulting in cancer is relatively rare.<ref name=Gaeta>{{cite book | vauthors = Gaeta JF | veditors = Bast RC, Kufe DW, Pollock RE |title=Holland-Frei Cancer Medicine |edition=5th |publisher=B.C. Decker |location=Hamilton, Ontario |year=2000 |chapter=Chapter 17: Trauma and Inflammation |isbn=978-1-55009-113-7 |chapter-url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK20784/ |access-date=27 January 2011|display-editors=etal |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904102726/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK20784/ |archive-date=4 September 2015}}</ref> Claims that breaking bones resulted in bone cancer, for example, have not been proven.<ref name=Gaeta/> Similarly, physical trauma is not accepted as a cause for cervical cancer, breast cancer or brain cancer.<ref name=Gaeta/> One accepted source is frequent, long-term application of hot objects to the body. It is possible that repeated burns on the same part of the body, such as those produced by [[kanger]] and kairo heaters (charcoal [[hand warmer]]s), may produce skin cancer, especially if carcinogenic chemicals are also present.<ref name=Gaeta/> Frequent consumption of scalding hot tea may produce esophageal cancer.<ref name=Gaeta/> Generally, it is believed that cancer arises, or a pre-existing cancer is encouraged, during the process of healing, rather than directly by the trauma.<ref name=Gaeta/> However, repeated injuries to the same tissues might promote excessive cell proliferation, which could then increase the odds of a cancerous mutation.{{citation needed|date=March 2024}}

Chronic [[inflammation]] has been hypothesized to directly cause mutation.<ref name=Gaeta/><ref name="ColottaAllavena2009">{{cite journal |vauthors=Colotta F, Allavena P, Sica A, Garlanda C, Mantovani A |title=Cancer-related inflammation, the seventh hallmark of cancer: links to genetic instability |journal=Carcinogenesis |volume=30 |issue=7 |pages=1073–81 |date=July 2009 |pmid=19468060 |doi=10.1093/carcin/bgp127 |type=review|doi-access=free }}</ref> Inflammation can contribute to proliferation, survival, angiogenesis and migration of cancer cells by influencing the [[tumor microenvironment]].<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Ungefroren H, Sebens S, Seidl D, Lehnert H, Hass R |title=Interaction of tumor cells with the microenvironment |journal=Cell Communication and Signaling |volume=9 |page=18 |date=September 2011 |pmid=21914164 |doi=10.1186/1478-811X-9-18 |number=18 |pmc=3180438 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Mantovani A |title=Molecular pathways linking inflammation and cancer |journal=Current Molecular Medicine |volume=10 |issue=4 |pages=369–73 |date=June 2010 |pmid=20455855 |doi=10.2174/156652410791316968 |type=review}}</ref> [[Oncogene]]s build up an inflammatory pro-tumorigenic microenvironment.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Borrello MG, Degl'Innocenti D, Pierotti MA |title=Inflammation and cancer: the oncogene-driven connection |journal=Cancer Letters |volume=267 |issue=2 |pages=262–70 |date=August 2008 |pmid=18502035 |doi=10.1016/j.canlet.2008.03.060 |type=review}}</ref>