Water is one of the necessities of life, and it should be clean and safe to drink. However, this may not always be true. The water from your tap can be contaminated with a wide range of harmful substances, including bacteria and parasites. It can lead to various diseases and medical problems if you don’t take precautions in handling it or if you consume it regularly over time. One such problem is cancer, which can also result from drinking contaminated water for extended periods. So what types of cancers do drinking contaminated water cause? Let’s find out.
Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer is a type of cancer that affects the bladder. It can be caused by chemicals, infections, or other factors. It is estimated that around 18,000 women and 57,000 men get diagnosed with bladder cancer every year in the US, out of which approximately 12,000 men and more than 4,000 women die from the disease.
Your risk for developing bladder cancer increases if you smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol. When your kidneys filter out excess fluid from your blood, they also remove waste products from your body, such as ammonia and urea. These waste products can combine with other environmental chemicals to create carcinogenic agents that cause bladder cancer.
Consuming contaminated water may increase your risk of developing this type of cancer. Polluted water contains harmful chemicals like arsenic, chromium, and radon gas, which increase DNA damage. It leads to cell death or mutation, which may result in cancerous growths within cells within organs like bladders.
You can find out from the example of Camp Lejeune how health hazardous these chemicals could be if consumed by human beings. About 1 million people, including veterans, workers, and family members, were affected when exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
There were several among these facing different forms of cancer, including bladder cancer, skin cancer, cervical, and breast cancer. Therefore, if anybody lived or visited the place between 1953-1987 and faced severe health issues like bladder cancer, they can file Camp Lejeune Bladder Cancer Lawsuit for compensation.
Intestinal Cancer
Intestinal cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer, second only to lung cancer. Intestinal cancer develops in the innermost layer of your intestines. It is often linked to diet and lifestyle factors like obesity, alcohol consumption, and contaminated water. It’s important to note that some types of intestinal cancers are associated with certain bacteria that live inside our digestive tracts. These bacteria can grow out of control when ingested through contaminated food or water sources.
Esophageal Cancer
Esophageal cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the esophagus. It can be caused by tobacco use, drinking alcohol, or consuming contaminated water, which could lead to acid reflux. Esophageal cancer is becoming more common in the United States and worldwide, especially among poor diets and lifestyles. It is also common among those who live in areas with higher concentrations of heavy metals and carcinogens.
According to a report, the estimated number of esophageal cancer cases in 2022 will be more than 20,000, which is 1.1% of overall cancer cases in the US.
Kidney Cancer
Kidney cancer is a disease in which malignant cells form in the tissues of the kidney. It can also be called renal cancer or renal cell carcinoma. In addition, kidney cancer may be seen as a type of nephroblastoma, cancer that starts in the kidney. Most cases of kidney cancer start in early adulthood and occur more frequently in men than women. However, there has been an increase among women since about 2002. People at risk for developing this disease include smokers and those who have had previous radiation treatments to their kidneys or bladder area for many years.
There is no known cause for most cases of kidney cancer. However, some research suggests that consuming contaminated water having harmful chemicals may contribute to developing this disease.
Larynx or Voice Box cancer
You can develop cancer in your larynx or voice box if you consume contaminated water. The larynx is a hollow structure that sits behind your tongue and above the esophagus. It contains cartilage and muscles, which allow you to speak and swallow food.
Larynx cancer is seen mostly among people who belong to an area or region having polluted water. However, a few other reasons for larynx cancer include smoking, drinking alcohol frequently, and breathing polluted air for longer.
Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. It is estimated that every 1 in 5 Americans is diagnosed with skin cancer by the time they reach the age of 70. Many people have utilized contaminated water for drinking, cooking, and bathing for years. It can cause skin cancer on the face, neck, ears, and hands because sun exposure is a key risk factor for skin cancer. Skin cancers are most common in these parts of our bodies as well.
Skin cancer can be treated if caught early enough to avoid dangerous complications that result from advanced stages of this disease.
Prostate Cancer
It’s usually slow growing and can be treated and cured. However, prostate cancer can cause problems with urination, especially in its early stages. Early detection is important because prostate cancer that isn’t treated can spread to other parts of your body, including your bones and lymph nodes. Cancer that spreads may also come back after treatment has ended or stopped working.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. It is estimated that there will be around 250,000 new cases of prostate cancer in the US. The probability of a man developing prostate cancer during his 50s and 60s is 1.8%, a large number according to the country’s population.
Contaminated Water Can Cause a Variety of Cancers
Your genes are the blueprint for your entire body. They can determine whether you look like your mom or dad, if you’re tall or short, and what color your eyes are. But they also play a role in other health conditions, like cancer.
Cancers occur when something goes wrong with that blueprint, which means they aren’t caused by anything specific. Instead, many things can increase your risk of developing cancer. Genetics, environmental factors like water pollution, diet choices, and even viruses are a few associated reasons.
When someone talks about contaminated water as a cause of cancer, they mean that it contains chemicals or other substances that may harm our genes directly or indirectly. So it’s better to be aware of the dangers of contaminated water and how to avoid it.
