I’m wondering what happens on a cell level. Why does exposure to something cause cancer but something else won’t?
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There are a few ways that carcinogens can cause cancer. Some substances directly cause changes to the DNA inside the cell. The damage to that DNA then causes that DNA to become abnormal and not continue to function normally, such as to give the signal to stop reproducing when not needed. This can eventually leads to the development of cancer. Other carcinogens might cause cancer more indirectly. When damage occurs to a cell’s DNA (i.e., through a sunburn that damages skin cells), the body has to perform repair processes to try to fix the damage. Sometimes the damage caused by the carcinogen interferes with the ability of the repair work, which has caused mutations in the function of those cells. The body is then unable to repair the damage, leading to cancer development. A number of viruses, environmental pollutants, radiation, medical treatments, and other things are known carcinogens. Some can be avoided (like tobacco or alcohol consumption) and others cannot (like getting older or your genetics). People also have genetic propensities to develop cancer in response to carcinogens or even without any other risk factors present. So a number of things just don’t damage DNA or interrupt the cell reproduction process, while a number of other things do (like polluted air, asbestos dust in the lungs, or radiation from the sun, medical procedures, or nuclear fallout).
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