7 WHAT THE C?!? /// CHAPTER 5 Why Me ? Do not blame yourself - please know, nothing you did caused the cancer. The causes of most cancers are unknown. It is not a disease that you can catch from another person and you can't give it to anyone else. You might worry that smoking, drinking or taking other drugs contributed to you getting cancer. While there is a link between these things and some cancers in older adults, it is very unlikely to be the cause in people your age. It's also not because you ate too much sugar or hotdogs (if that was true, most US children would have cancer). Things that might rarely be related to cancer in young people: In young people, cancer can just happen with no explanation. It is not your fault. » Genetic syndromes that predispose you to cancer (see section " Genetic and Familial Risk " ) » Some infections (HPV (human papillomavirus), » Epstein-Barr virus (the virus associated with mono) and HIV » Sun exposure. We encourage you to ask your doctor if they believe there was any contributing cause to your cancer, or if it could be hereditary. Even more important, after you are done with your treatment, ask your doctor if there are things you can do to minimize your chance of the cancer returning or getting another cancer.https://fwaya.org/