International Cancer
Research:
Plants Cure Cancer,
Not Chemicals or Radiology
Unbeknownst to most, a Copernican revolution has
already taken place in cancer theory. Today, the weight of evidence indicates
that plants and not chemicals are the solution for reversing the global cancer
epidemic.
Our understanding of what causes cancer has undergone
something akin to a Copernican revolution in the past decade. Biological
fatalism has been the predominant force in medicine over the past half century,
where most conditions including cancer were believed predestined 'in the
genes,' and therefore impossible to reverse. Instead of looking for root cause
resolution of disease (RCRD), we resigned ourselves to 'finding it early' and in the case
of cancer, when doing so (even when it
was benign), we waged war against it, quite literally using weapons
grade materials (mustard gas- and nuclear materials-derived agents). Now,
however, in this factors above (epi-) the control of the genes – epigenetic
factors – are taking center stage; these include environmental exposures,
stress, nutritional factors, and various lifestyle-based variables that are
within the ambit of our control and volition, and which are often reversible.
In other words, cancer is now being understood as
epigenetic dysfunction, a direct and even adaptive response to the
post-industrial, carcinogen-saturated environment, in addition to a diet of
faux, mostly chemically-produced 'food,' combining to produce an environment –
'inner terrain-- within the body ideal for cancer promotion.
Indeed, in a new study published in the journal Food
and Chemical Toxicology titled,
"The use of plant-derived bioactive compounds to target cancer stem cells
and modulate tumor microenvironment," the authors note the powerful
implications of this new epigenetic view of cancer:
"A fundamental aspect to be taken
into account is that epigenetic changes can possibly be reversed by modifying
epigenetic factors, such as diet and lifestyle. Nowadays, identification of
these factors is crucial to develop epigenetically-based preventions and more
effective anti-cancer intervention strategies."
Moreover, they note that natural interventions are
once again (after countless millennia of worldwide use), at the cutting edge of
medical intervention:
"Virtually, all dietary compounds
have the ability to act at the epigenetic level in cancer cells thus
influencing the epigenome in a positive or negative way. Particularly, plant
derived compounds, such as polyphenols, have the capacity to reverse adverse
epigenetic mutations in cancer cells, to inhibit tumorigenesis progression, to
prevent the metastatic process or to sensitize cancer cells to chemo and
radiotherapy (Vanden Berghe, 2012)."
The new study highlighted the following points, the
implications for the future of cancer treatment are truly revolutionary:
·
Cancer
stem cells (CSCs) are chemo-radiotherapy resistant, causing tumor relapse.
·
CSCs
are known to reside within specific hypoxic and acidic tumor niches.
·
Phytocompounds
affect CSC self-renewal, metabolism and microenvironment.
As we have covered
extensively in previous posts, the discovery of a subpopulation within tumors of
cells known as cancer stem cells, reveals that our half-century old war on
cancer, officially inaugurated in 1971 with Nixon's signing of the National
Cance
r Act, was extremely misguided. The notion that cancer
is simply a by product of cells within the body going rogue due to DNA damage
and replicating clonally through fundamentally chaotic – stochastic –
processes, has been called into question by the discovery that tumors are
actually sophisticated, hierarchically organized communities that express
highly intelligent, survival-based behaviors, albeit evolutionary
ancient in origin. The
establishment views cancer as something 'you have or don't have,' and the
equivalent of being infected by 'terrorist-like' cancer cells that must be
treated as an enemy and obliterated by any means necessary. This treatment
ensues regardless of the collateral damage to the patient. The emerging and far
more nuanced cancer stem-cell based perspective, precipitated primarily by
epigenetic factors – e.g. chemical exposure, dietary incompatibilities,
metabolic acidosis and low oxygen (hypoxia) – offers a far more promising and
empowering view of prevention and treatment.
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