Why me? Why take it away from me?

 

“Fatigue narrows the field of vision and creates blind spots. It’s a disease of the optic nerve. It’s a progressive eye condition that can’t be stopped, accompanied by symptoms like headaches and nausea, and in the worst case scenario… it can lead to blindness.”

“However, with proper treatment, it’s possible to slow down its progression, so generally, there’s no need to worry about going blind. You can continue your modeling activities and daily life without any problems.”

“Um… What about soccer?”

“Well… as a hobby or as a sport, there shouldn’t be any issues, but honestly, continuing to play at the same level might become difficult as the condition progresses… It’s regrettable, but I have to say that pursuing a professional career would be challenging.”

…Why me…

“Doctor… I haven’t… done anything… wrong… have I? I just… want to become the best in the world at soccer…”

…Why take it away from me…

“This isn’t fair… I don’t want this… me…”

…I don’t need anything else…

“Give me back my dream.”

This conversation between the doctor and Yukimura, along with Yukimura’s thoughts, is from “Blue Lock.”

 


“Cancer” is known to be the leading cause of death among Japanese people.

In present-day Japan, one in two people will develop “cancer,” and one in four will die from it.

“Cancer” is a national affliction affecting half of Japan’s population.

Japanese people perceive “cancer” as a terrifying disease leading to death.

 

However, thanks to medical advancements, most types of “cancer” other than “advanced” or “late-stage cancer” are now treatable.

Sixty percent of “cancer” cases are curable, and with early detection, ninety percent can be treated.

 

Would you be surprised if I told you that there are “cancer cells” in both your body and mine?

“Cancer” is a disease of our body’s “cells,” the building blocks of life.

Mutated “cancer cells” derived from normal cells grow uncontrollably and spread throughout the body, eventually leading to the death of the host, the human being.

This is the mechanism by which “cancer” causes death.

 

In fact, thousands of “cancer cells” are generated in our bodies every day.

This is because mistakes occur during the replication of “normal cells.”

Out of the immense number of cells in our bodies—37 trillion—approximately 600 billion cell divisions occur daily.

During these divisions, errors occur about once in a million times, leading to the birth of “cancer cells.”

While it may seem frightening that thousands of “cancer cells” are generated daily, our bodies are well-equipped to eliminate these faulty cells, with the majority being quickly destroyed.

However, a small number of these faulty cells survive and become the progenitors of “cancer cells.”

Most of these progenitor “cancer cells” cannot survive.

This is because our body’s defense mechanism, the immune cells, quickly detect and destroy them.

However, some “cancer cells” manage to evade the immune system’s defenses and proliferate, leading to the development of “cancer.”

Damage to DNA increases the likelihood of “cancer cell” formation.

DNA can be damaged by various factors such as carcinogens and viral infections.

With advancing age, accumulated DNA damage increases the likelihood of developing “cancer.”

Furthermore, as we age, the function of our immune cells, our last line of defense, declines.

“Cancer cells” originating from our own “normal cells” are particularly troublesome for immune cells to identify as they are not easily recognized as foreign invaders.

With a decrease in the recognition ability of immune cells, there is an increase in cases where “cancer cells,” already difficult to catch, evade capture.

 

In other words, as humans age, they become more susceptible to developing “cancer.”

Excluding cancers specific to women, “cancer” can be viewed as a type of “aging phenomenon.”

Age-specific “cancer” incidence rates for males are as follows:

55 years old: 4% 65 years old: 15% 75 years old: 33%

Japan has the highest “cancer” incidence and mortality rates in the world.

Moreover, both incidence and mortality rates are on the rise.