2024-09-11 13:42:44
In the book ‘The Emperor of All Evils’, a history of cancer, Professor of Medicine at Columbia University (New York) Siddhartha Mukherjee explains the history of cancer from its first research as similar to modern treatments. These treatments do not include the pseudotherapies with which the Australian model Elle Macpherson decided to treat her breast cancer after undergoing a lumpectomy, as she herself revealed in her recent biography.
And we don’t see these therapies for a simple reason: do not follow the required scientific principles to approve treatments that have shown success and have improved the fight against cancer, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Cancer or other diseases?
To understand what cancer or cancers are, we must understand what causes cells to stop doing their jobs and begin to grow indiscriminately.
The origin of cancer is multiple, as there are different types depending on the type of cell that has lost control. In short, it is produced by different factors that generate mutations in key geneswhich gives off proteins that control growth signals. These factors can be physical (X-rays, gamma, UV), chemical (hundreds of substances that cause changes), biological (essential viruses or errors in copying genetic material before cell division ) and even physiology (hormonal changes).
There is only one step between a tumor and cancer: the one that occurs when cancer cells leave the place where they were created and go to other organs. This step is very important because it represents a big change in the ability of cancer cells and, in turn, a big problem when it comes to their elimination. This change is known as metastasis.
That is, we talk about different cells that enter the process of uncontrolled proliferation because of different factors and behave differently depending on the type of cell involved. That is why we refer to the types of cancer, with specific treatment based on the stage in it.
Elle Macpherson’s cancer
At 60 years old, Elle Macpherson has published a memoir in which she says that seven years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After consulting 32 doctors and meditating and praying on the beaches of Miami, he decided, according to him, He did not follow the advice of attacking the cancer with chemotherapy instead use an “intelligent, thorough, mind-directed approach.”
I guess that’s what Olivia Newton-John thought, before she died of breast cancer in 2022; or Steve Jobs, before pancreatic cancer ended his life, or Chinese actor Xy Ting before he died of lymphoma. All of them and many others reject traditional treatment.
Cancer cells do not think, do not meditate and do not “focus on their life”, but rather grow, reproduce, continue to grow and invade other bodies. And if we maintain the appropriate biological conditions, they will continue their uncontrolled growth and attack system.
Birth of chemotherapy
Until the 1940s, a diagnosis with cancer such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia was a death sentence. However, Sidney Farber, a young clinical psychologist, discovered that Leukemia cells need folic acid to multiply. Ideally, Farber thinks that if we use a compound to block this acid – an antagonist – we can make life difficult for these cells and reduce life expectancy to a few weeks.
Therefore, chemotherapy was born, including aminopterin, a folic acid antagonist that achieved temporary remission of the aforementioned cancer in children.
Since then, hundreds of compounds have been developed, including radiation and current immunotherapies, to kill cancer cells or stop them from multiplying. Thanks to that, having cancer is not necessarily a death sentence.
What is integrative medicine?
According to the hospitals that practice it, integrative medicine is a branch that combines traditional medicine with natural medicine to provide a holistic answer to our ailments. Saying this is very interesting, and also considering that many of our diseases, especially chronic ones, are due to poor diet and lifestyle habits in general.
We have no doubt about this: many technologies support exercise, food and healthy habits as factors that prevent many of these diseases, including breast cancer.
But can we use this type of medicine to treat cancer? The answer is no. Science-based studies accept that This type of medicine does not replace conventional treatments. And this is because once the tumor process has started, lifestyle habits can do little or nothing to get rid of the uncontrolled cells.
Therefore, combined medical treatments such as meditation, certain types of exercise, yoga, massages, a better diet and, in general, a less stressful life greatly help chemotherapy and the immune system to activate their effect and eliminate cancer cells. with a few side effects. There are scientific studies that support it.
Don’t get carried away by the decisions of celebrities
We live in a historical period in which we have thousands of different sources, but that does not mean that we make the best decisions. Elle Macpherson has said she decided against chemotherapy despite 32 doctors telling her it was the best option for her breast cancer. I hope you don’t have to regret it.
We must remember that pseudotherapy is based on a small part of science and a large part of fear and misinformation. This misinformation is worse if it comes from famous people who are followed by many people.
Science has known that the treatments proposed by some of these pseudotherapies can be relevant and positive because they help fight cancer. Knowing this effect, do not forget that Clinical trials have not been conducted to prove its effectiveness on its own.it is possible because no one will survive. Follow your doctor’s recommendations and you will have a chance.
This article was first published in The interview.
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