Cancer

Cancer is currently the second most common cause of death in the United States. The incidence and mortality rate of the disease is shocking:

• Over 1,500 Americans die from cancer every day.
• One out of every four people loses their lives to cancer.
• Approximately 50% of men and 35% of women will develop some form of cancer during his or her lifetime.

Cancer develops in the body when abnormal cells begin to rapidly multiply. Normally, the body’s immune system will detect these abnormal cells and mount an attack-and-destroy response to handle them. However, when the immune system is weak, abnormal cells can escape destruction and develop into a tumor. A tumor is a group of abnormal cells confined to one location, usually posing little threat to a person’s life. However, if these cells spread (metastasize) into other parts of the body, they can be deadly. In fact, 90% of all cancer deaths result from metastasis.

Symptoms & Diagnosis

Though these symptoms are not always definite, the following are frequently associated with cancer: unusual discharge or bleeding, indigestion or difficulty swallowing, changes in bowel or bladder habits, a sore that does not heal, a thickening or lump in the breast or any other part of the body, obvious changes in a wart or mole, or nagging cough or hoarseness.

When cancer is a possibility, physical exams, a medical history, and diagnostic imaging may result. Certain tumors are visible by either x-ray, MRI, or CT scans. An endoscopy allows a direct look at internal organs, while a biopsy removes tissue for examination by a medical pathologist. With some radiation techniques, a patient may swallow or receive injections of radioactive dyes to make certain tumors appear with more detail in imaging procedures.

Medical Treatment

Radiation and chemical toxicity are widely known to cause cancer. It may then come as a surprise that these two known carcinogens are frequently used as treatments. The vast majority of mainstream medical cancer therapies involve attacking cancerous cells with lethal chemicals, devastating radiation, and invasive surgery – known as the “cut, poison, and burn” approach. Currently, 50% of all cancer patients receive radiation therapy at some point during their illness.

These types of treatments destroy both diseased cells and healthy cells which is why patients surviving these therapies often continue to struggle as their weakened bodies develop new diseases or tumors. Furthermore, these treatment regimens do not take into account the multidimensional aspect of each unique type of cancer or the question of its origin. Treating cancer with a “one-size-fits-all” strategy not only decreases the success of the treatment but also wreaks havoc on the patient’s compromised immune system.