There are certain functions a cancer cell needs to perform and thus certain gene types that need to be mutated. It’s by no means an intentional action on the part of the cancer, but if the cancer can’t grow uncontrollably, get blood flow, evade the immune system, and eventually metastasize it’s not a very effective cancer. The most common cancer types are also often in cells exposed to carcinogens in the environment (lung, skin, etc.).