HEALTH: CANCER - CANCER TREATMENT, CANCER PREVENTION
Your Campaign
You're battling cancer. Don't kid yourself. It is a formidable foe. You don't just continue your normal routine of a stressful workday, emotional stress, travel, etc. You must make cancer your "life" until you overcome it. But you can overcome it, as millions of others have. I know several hundred of them personally and I admire each and every one. This is like a military campaign. You have to have a good health strategy, and then, you must employ the best weapons.
I can't recommend specific treatment for individuals. There are liability problems with doing that. I'm a "reporter," not a medical professional. What I can do is describe for you what I would do if I "had" cancer. What type of cancer? It would not matter. I would pursue the same course if it were colon, lung, prostate, or pancreatic cancer -- or even if it were leukemia or lymphoma or melanoma. There are some specific things I would take, in addition, if I had certain kinds of cancer. These are discussed in detail in my book. But, in general, this is a regimen I would follow regardless of the type or stage of the cancer.
The Weapons
* Cottage cheese and flaxseed oil. What? Are you kidding? No, dead serious. You'll find the details and lots of testimonials in Chapter 5 of my book. I can't go into detail here, but rest assured that thousands of cancer patients have been healed with this substance. It was first discovered in 1952 by Dr. Johanna Budwig, a German cancer doctor. She was nominated for seven Nobel prizes for her work with the science of lipids (fats) in human cells. She died in 2003 at the age of 96. I eat this every day for prevention. It's food (substitutes for at least one meal a day).
* Dr. Matthias Rath's formula. It is a mixture of Vitamin C, l-Lysine and l-Proline (two amino acids) and green tea extract. Not impressed? Well, this formula happens to control metastasis (the spreading of cancer cells). The only way cancer can kill you is through metastasis. Fortunately, there is a source for this formula which costs about one-sixth of what Dr. Rath charges for it. Their products, which copy the Dr. Rath formula are called "Heart Plus" and Green Tea Extract. You get a "double-whammy" because it also prevents or treats heart disease.
* Barley Power from Green Supreme, Inc. This powerful stuff gives you 3,000 enzymes (all there are) plus a stiff dose of alkalinity. Cancer cannot survive in an alkaline body. This is the cheapest and best barley product I know of. Every cancer patient should take at least 20 of these tablets a day. Read the story of the 86-year old cancer survivor who recovered from Stage 4 metastasized stomach cancer using only these tablets. It's in Chapter 5 of my book "Cancer Free." To buy the book in e-book or paperback format, CLICK HERE .
* Cancer-fighting diet. A simple list of five "no-noes" is described in detail in my book "Cancer-Free." Stay away from these and you will almost certainly overcome the cancer. Suggestions for a healthy diet are in my book, also. Cost probably less than you're spending on food now.
* Dr. Williams' Daily Advantage. I mentioned this in one of the earlier articles. It is the best vitamin, mineral, amino acid, antioxidant, essential fatty acid, superfood combination I have found.
The complete ordering information on all these products plus many others like Protocel, Paw Paw, Onconat I, Artemisinin, Crystal Calcium, Exercise With Oxygen Therapy, PC Essentials, Red Raspberry tablets and lots more is in my "Cancer-Free" book.
The Swimming Pool Analogy
Let me close this "short course" with a mental picture I'd like you to take away. In my life, I have owned two swimming pools. No more. Too much maintenance. But one thing you learn early on about swimming pools is that algae formation in the water must be controlled. Once it begins to take over, the sides of the pool become coated with this "green mung" and recovery becomes difficult, but not impossible.
Today's conventional cancer treatment doctors (oncologists, radiologists, surgeons, etc.) remind me of SCUBA divers diving into the pool (your body) and blasting away at the algae in an attempt to kill it off and stop its growth. If you've ever tried to overcome algae in a pool, you know the only way is to correct the chemical composition (alkalinity, chlorine level, etc.) of the water. At that point, the pool becomes sparkling and attractive again. The algae dies off and is disposed of with a vacuum.
The above regimen ("The Weapons") describes a way to bring the "chemistry" of your body back into sparkling, attractive health by correcting the normal balance of the pool's water (your body). That's my mission, folks. To convince people like you to learn the procedure and substances necessary to restore that balance. That's what I mean by "taking charge of your own health care."
The dead algae (cancer cells) are disposed of by your body's normal "vacuuming" system. Too rapid a "die-off" of the cancer cells can cause problems with this cleansing system. That's one reason you need "assistance." The treatments I recommend are gentle enough that they can be taken until you find the perfect "holistic" physician to monitor your recovery.
Get started! Order my e-book or paperback by clicking here and start down the road to complete recovery and vibrant health with natural cancer cure and prevention as an alternative treatment.
Cancer of the Anal (Anus) Cancer of the Liver Cancer of the Ovaries
Cancer of the Bladder Cancer of the Lung
Cancer of the Blood (Leukemia) Cancer of the Pharyrx
Cancer of the Bone Cancer of the Pancreas
Cancer of the Breast Cancer of the Penis
Cancer of the Brain Cancer of the Prostate
Cancer of the Cervix (Cervical) Cancer of the Skin
Cancer of the Colon (Rectum) Cancer of the Stomach
Cancer of the Uterine ( Endometrial) Cancer of the Testicle
Cancer of the Esophageal (Esophagus) Cancer of the Thyroid
Cancer of the Mouth (Oral Cancer) Cancer of the Vaginal
Mesothelioma Cancer Melanoma (Skin Cancer)
Cancer of the Kidney Cancer of the Gall Bladder
Cancer of the Larynx Cancer Treatment Side Effects
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
About The Author: Bill Henderson is the author of "Cure Your Cancer" and "Cancer Free" whose full-time job is helping cancer patients become cancer-free as a labor of love.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Health: What is Cancer?
The body is made up of many types of cells. These cells grow and divide in a
controlled way to produce more cells as they are needed to keep the body
healthy. When cells become old or damaged, they die and are replaced with new
cells to sustain the body's health.
However, sometimes this orderly process goes wrong. The genetic material (DNA) of a cell can become damaged or changed, producing mutations that affect normal cell growth and division. When this happens, cells do not die when they should and new cells form when the body does not need them. The extra cells may form a mass of tissue called a tumor. And not all tumors are cancerous; tumors can be benign or malignant.
Benign tumors aren't cancerous. They can often be removed, and, in most cases, they do not come back. Cells in benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body.
Malignant tumors are cancerous. Cells in these tumors can invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body. The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another is called metastasis. Leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow and blood, and does not form tumors.
Cancer is a term used for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and are able to invade other tissues. Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems.
Cancer begins when cells in a part of the body start to grow
out of control. There are many kinds of cancer, but they all start
because of out-of-control growth of abnormal cells.
Cancer is not just one disease but many diseases. There are more than 100 different types of cancer. Most cancers are named for the organ or type of cell in which they start. Cancer types can be grouped into broader categories. The main categories of cancer include: Carcinoma - cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma - cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia - cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood. Lymphoma and myeloma - cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers - cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord.
All cancers begin in cells, the body's basic unit of life. To understand cancer, it's helpful to know what happens when normal cells become cancer cells.
How a normal cell becomes cancer
Normal body cells grow, divide, and die in an orderly fashion. During the early years of a person's life, normal cells divide faster to allow the person to grow. After the person becomes an adult, most cells divide only to replace worn-out or dying cells or to repair injuries.
Because cancer cells continue to grow and divide, they are different from normal cells. Instead of dying, cancer cells outlive normal cells and keep forming new abnormal cells. Another difference between cancer cells and normal cells is that cancer cells can invade (grow into) other tissues. Being able to grow out of control and to invade other tissues makes a cell a cancer cell.
Cells become cancer cells because of damage to DNA. DNA is in every cell and directs all its actions. Most of the time, when DNA gets damaged the cell can fix it. If the cell can’t repair the damage, the cell dies. In cancer cells the damaged DNA is not repaired, but the cell doesn’t die like it should. Instead, this cell goes on making new cells even though the body does not need them. These new cells will all have the same DNA damage as the first cell does.
People can inherit damaged DNA, but most of the time DNA damage is caused by something we are exposed to in our environment. Sometimes the cause of the DNA damage is something obvious, like cigarette smoking. But many times no clear cause is found.
A cancer cell has many mistakes in its DNA -- having damage in just one spot does not cause cancer. Even when someone inherits damaged DNA, more mistakes in their DNA are needed before a cancer will develop. Staying away from things that are known to damage DNA (like smoking) as a part of a healthy life style lowers the chance that more DNA damage will take place. This can reduce the risk of cancer -- even in people who have an inherited tendency to get cancer.
How cancer grow and spread
In most cases the cancer cells form a tumor. Some cancers, like leukemia, do not form tumors. Instead, these cancer cells involve the blood and blood-forming organs and circulate through other tissues where they grow. But sometimes the extra cells in these blood cancers may also form a mass of tissue called a tumor.
Cancer cells often travel to other parts of the body, where they begin to grow and replace normal tissue. This process is called metastasis. It happens when the cancer cells get into the bloodstream or lymph vessels of our body.
But no matter where a cancer may spread, it is always named for the place where it started. For example, breast cancer that has spread to the liver is still called breast cancer, not liver cancer. Prostate cancer that has spread to the bone is metastatic prostate cancer, not bone cancer.
Not all tumors are cancerous. Tumors that aren't cancer are called benign. Benign tumors can cause problems -- they can grow very large and press on healthy organs and tissues. But they cannot grow into (invade) other tissues. Because they can't invade, they also can't spread to other parts of the body (metastasize). These tumors are almost never life threatening.
How cancer differ
Different types of cancer can behave very differently. For example, lung cancer and breast cancer are very different diseases. They grow at different rates and respond to different treatments. That is why people with cancer need treatment that is aimed at their particular kind of cancer.
How common is cancer
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Nearly half of all men and a little over one third of all women in the United States will develop cancer during their lifetimes.
Today, millions of people are living with cancer or have had
cancer. The risk of developing most types of cancer can be reduced by
changes in a person's lifestyle, for example, by quitting smoking and
eating a better diet. Often, the sooner a cancer is found and treatment
begins, the better are the chances for living for many years.
Health: Treatment of Cancer
Choice of cancer treatment is influenced by several factors, including the specific characteristics of your cancer; your overall health condition; and whether the goal of treatment is to cure your cancer, keep your cancer from spreading, or to relieve the symptoms caused by cancer. Depending on these factors, you may receive one or more of the following treatment:
- Surgery treatment
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Hormonal therapy
- Targeted therapy
- Biological therapy
One or more treatment modalities may be used to provide you with the most effective treatment. Increasingly, it is common to use several treatment modalities together (concurrently) or in sequence with the goal of preventing recurrence. This is referred to as multi-modality treatment of the cancer.
The successful treatment of cancer often
requires the involvement and coordination of several different
treatment approaches. This is referred to as multi-modality treatment
and may consist of surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and/or
hormonal therapy. It is important to understand that surgery is a
local treatment and is only capable of treating the cancer cells
removed during surgery.
By the time a cancer is diagnosed, many patients will already have experienced spread of cancer cells through the blood and lymph system to other locations in the body. These cancer cells are referred to as micrometastases and currently available tests cannot always detect micrometastases. Information obtained during surgery and from other tests determines the likelihood of the cancer having spread and whether additional treatment with chemotherapy, radiation, or hormonal therapy is necessary.
The type of cancer treatment your doctor
recommends depends on the type of cancer, the size and location of the
tumor, whether the cancer has spread, and your overall health.
The most common cancer treatment including surgery, radiation therapy,
and chemotherapy, may be used either alone or in
combination with other therapies. Other cancer treatment options
include targeted therapy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy, and bone
marrow/stem cell transplantation. In addition, patients are encouraged
to consider clinical trials when making treatment plan decisions. A
clinical trial is a research study to test a new treatment to prove it
is safe, effective, and possibly better than the standard treatment.
Your doctor can help you review all clinical trial options.
The first treatment a person is given is called first-line therapy. Adjuvant therapy is treatment that is given after the first treatment (such as chemotherapy after surgery). Neoadjuvant therapy is treatment that is given before the primary treatment (such as radiation therapy before surgery).
As cancer health care becomes more specialized, many people are now treated
by a team of doctors, nurses, and other health care specialists.
Usually one doctor, often the medical oncologist, will lead the
coordination of the person's health care. It is also important that people with cancer and their families feel
comfortable about their doctor and his or her recommended treatment
plan. It is always appropriate to seek a second opinion.
Before beginning treatment, consider asking the doctor about the goals of treatment, how long the treatment will take, and the potential side effects. Knowing what to expect before treatment begins can reduce any fear and anxiety you may be feeling about your cancer treatment plan.
Diagnosing recurrent cancer and treatment
After successful treatment of cancer ends, patients are given a plan
for follow-up care to help monitor a patient’s recovery and lower the
health risk of recurrence. Follow-up care begins after cancer treatment ends
and usually includes visits to the doctor and a schedule for tests.
However, there may not always be tests available that can help find a
recurrence, so it is important for patients to learn the symptoms they
should be aware of so that they can report these to the doctor. Often,
a recurrence is identified by a patient between scheduled doctor
visits. If your doctor suspects that your cancer has recurred, he or
she may order additional diagnostic tests, such as laboratory tests,
imaging studies, or biopsies.
Once a cancer recurrence is diagnosed, a treatment plan is developed.
Whereas 50 years ago little could be done for a patient whose cancer
had recurred, this is no longer true. The recurrent cancer often can be
successfully eliminated from the body. If elimination is not possible,
the goals of treatment may include controlling tumor growth, limiting
pain, managing side effects, and helping the patient to lead a normal,
active life for as long as possible—often for many years.
Many of the same factors that were considered when planning treatment
for the primary cancer are considered in planning treatment for a
recurrent cancer. These include the type, location, and size of the
recurrent cancer, as well as a patient's overall health. Other factors
include the type of treatment originally received, how the cancer
responded to treatment, the side effects from the original treatment,
and how long ago treatment ended.
You may also be offered a different
treatment or a new treatment that might not have been available when
the original cancer was diagnosed. Some of the treatments available for
recurrent cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy,
hormone therapy, targeted therapy, biologic therapy, and a clinical
trial (a research study involving people).
For some types of cancer, bone marrow/stem cell transplantation may be appropriate. If the goal of treatment is to alleviate symptoms, then palliative care may be offered. When deciding among treatments, it is important to consider the goals and expected benefits of each treatment, as well as the possible health risks, side effects, and the effect on quality of life. In some cases of recurrent cancer, treatment may need to be more intensive.
Health: Prevention of Cancer
Cancer Prevention and risk-reduction strategies can greatly lower the physical, emotional, and financial burden of cancer and improve the overall health of cancer survivors, including lowering the risk of the cancer coming back or the formation of a second cancer.
Although the risk of developing cancer can be greatly reduced by avoiding risk factors, not all cancers are preventable.
The summaries in the cancer prevention section of PDQ address the prevention of specific types of cancer. Prevention is defined as the reduction of cancer mortality via reduction in the incidence of cancer. This can be accomplished by avoiding a carcinogen or altering its metabolism; pursuing lifestyle or dietary practices that modify cancer-causing factors or genetic predispositions; and/or medical intervention (chemoprevention) to successfully reverse preneoplastic changes.
Much of the promise for cancer prevention comes from observational epidemiologic studies that show associations between modifiable lifestyle factors or environmental exposures and specific cancers. Evidence is now emerging from randomized controlled trials designed to test whether interventions suggested by the epidemiologic studies, as well as leads based on laboratory research, result in reduced cancer incidence and mortality.
The most consistent finding, over decades of research is the strong association between tobacco use and cancers of many sites. Hundreds of epidemiologic studies have confirmed this association. Further support comes from the fact that lung cancer death rates in the United States have mirrored smoking patterns with increases in smoking followed by dramatic increases in lung cancer death rates, and more recently decreases in smoking followed by decreases in lung cancer death rates in men.
Infections may also be associated with cancer development. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a necessary event for subsequent cervix cancer, and vaccine-conferred immunity results in a marked decrease in precancerous lesions. Likewise, Epstein-Barr virus has been associated with Burkitt lymphoma and Helicobacter pylori with gastric cancer, although specific anti-infective interventions have not yet proven effective in preventing these cancers.
Additional
examples of modifiable cancer risk factors include alcohol
consumption (associated with increased risk of oral, esophageal,
breast, and other
cancers), physical inactivity (associated with increased risk of colon,
breast,
and possibly other cancers), and obesity (associated with colon,
breast, endometrial, and possibly other cancers).
Observational evidence shows associations between alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and obesity and increased incidence of certain cancers. More research is needed to determine whether these associations are causal and whether avoiding these behaviors would actually reduce cancer incidence. Other lifestyle and environmental factors known to affect cancer risk (either beneficially or detrimentally) include certain sexual and reproductive practices, the use of exogenous estrogens, exposure to ionizing radiation and ultraviolet radiation, certain occupational and chemical exposures, and infectious agents.
Food and nutrient
intake have been examined in relation to many types of cancer. As a
general rule, epidemiological studies have suggested associations
between diet and cancer development, but prospective observational or
interventional studies have not provided strong support. For example,
case-control epidemiological studies suggest an association between
high fruit and vegetable consumption and reduced risk of various
cancers, but prospective cohort studies have not observed such strong
protective associations.
On the basis of population-based epidemiologic
data, high-fiber diets were recommended to prevent colon neoplasms, but
a randomized controlled trial of supplemental wheat bran fiber did not
reduce the risk of subsequent adenomatous polyps in individuals with
previously resected polyps. Ecologic, cohort, and case-control studies
found an association between fat and red meat intake and colon cancer
risk, but a randomized controlled trial of a low-fat diet in
postmenopausal women showed no reduction in colon cancer.
The low-fat diet did not affect all cancer mortality, overall mortality, or cardiovascular disease. Multivitamin and mineral supplements have been advocated for cancer prevention, but the evidence is insufficient to support their use. For example, beta carotene was thought to prevent or reverse smoking-related changes leading to lung cancer, but two prospective placebo-controlled trials found that smokers and former smokers had increased lung cancer incidence and mortality. A large randomized trial is currently under way to investigate whether men taking daily selenium or vitamin E or both experience a reduced incidence of prostate cancer in comparison with men taking placebo pills.
Over the past several decades, much progress
has been made in understanding the causes of cancer, as well as the
ability to screen for various types of cancer.
For instance, we
now know that the risk of developing cancer can be greatly reduced by
avoiding certain things that are known to cause cancer, such as
smoking, second-hand smoke, and overexposure to the sun. We also know
that other factors, such as good nutrition and regular exercise, help
lower the health risk of many different cancers.
Regardless of the type
of cancer, it is clear that early detection of the disease is key to
improved survival. Screening—including going for regular check-ups,
performing self exams, and following guidelines for additional
screening tests, such as mammography and colonoscopy—is essential to
early detection and prevention.
Doctors have identified several ways of reducing your cancer risk, such as:
- Stop smoking. If you smoke, quit. If you don't smoke, don't start. Smoking is linked to several types of cancer — not just lung cancer. Quitting now will reduce your risk of cancer in the future.
- Avoid excessive sun exposure. Harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can increase your risk of skin cancer. Limit your sun exposure by staying in the shade, wearing protective clothing or applying sunscreen.
- Eat a healthy diet. Choose a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Select whole grains and lean proteins.
- Exercise most days of the week. Regular exercise is linked to a lower risk of cancer. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. If you haven't been exercising regularly, start out slowly and work your way up to 30 minutes or longer.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese may increase your risk of cancer. Work to achieve and maintain a healthy weight through a combination of a healthy diet and regular exercise.
- Schedule cancer screening exams. Talk to your doctor about what types of cancer screening exams are best for you, based on your risk factors.
- Ask your doctor about immunizations.
Certain viruses increase your risk of cancer. Immunizations may help
prevent those viruses, including hepatitis B, which increases the risk
of liver cancer, and human papillomavirus (HPV), which increases the
risk of cervical cancer and other cancers. Ask your doctor whether
immunization against these viruses is appropriate for you health wise.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: This information is not presented by a medical practitioner. Therefore any content of this site is strictly intended for educational and informational purpose only. Any access to this site is strictly on a voluntary basis and at the sole discretion of the user. No content of this site is intended as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, nor constitute the practice of any medical profession or health care provider. The information provided on this site is here to educate visitors on health issues that may affect their lives. Otherwise, always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. And never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.
Sources: NIH News In Health/National Institutes of Health/National Library of Medicine/Dept of Health and Human Services_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
