Search online and you’ll be overwhelmed with the information you find out about the nasty c-word, that’s right, cancer. So many of us have been impacted by it, either directly or through the life of a loved one. It is probably one of the poorest understood prevalent diseases we have today. Let’s tackle some of the most common misconceptions that are out there about cancer.
Myth 1: Cancer is a new disease.
It seems ubiquitous now that cancer has not left a corner of this globe unaffected by it. Prostate, breast and lung cancer have become the most commonly diagnosed of the deadly disease. Cancer itself however is not new, Hippocrates in 460 B.C. made reference to cancer as ‘carcinos’ in the breast. The earliest references to cancer however predate this even further in Egyptian manuscripts. Egyptian papyrus that are believed to be as old as 2500 B.C. reference a surgical procedure to treat what can be translated as tumors in the breast.
Perhaps our misconceptions about cancer being new have more to do with the fact that we are much more aware of cancer in its many manifestations and our ability to diagnose has dramatically increased. Another reason cancer is becoming more prevalent is because we are living longer and the older we are the more likely we have to be exposed to the cell damage that is cancer.
Myth 2: A specific diet can prevent or cure cancer
The many theories of anti-oxidant rich fruits and vegetables helping prevent or cure cancer has no scientific merit. The empirical evidence just does not support any specific food or fruit to prevent or turn back the cell mutation that is in cancer. There is an entire industry of ‘miracle cures’ that are doing nothing except robbing people of hope and making the promoters of these products very rich. This should not be misconstrued as to say, ‘don’t eat healthy’ – it just means that there is no miracle superfood or foods. The overwhelming evidence supports that a healthy lifestyle overall strengthens the body and gives you the greatest chance to not suffer from this disease and/or to recover from it quickly. This healthy lifestyle can be defined by regular exercise, maintaining a great boy mass index, refraining from carcinogenics in cigarette smoke and polluted areas along with not drinking alcohol. This advice although not so glamorous, is effective.
Myth 3: A miracle cure is available in obscure natural remedies…
The power of social media has its positives and negatives. On one hand revolutions have started to bring about a positive change but the issue that we have sometimes is that opinions are being misconstrued as facts. Empirical evidence should be required from the extraordinary claims made by some of the stuff we see online. Pardon the bluntness but if a remedy is being aggressively marketed through Facebook and Google ads – I’m sure a portion of those funds can be invested on doing scientific tests to prove the effectiveness of such a treatment.
Yes, many modern medicines can be traced to natural ingredients but these ingredients were tested empirically and reviewed by scientific peers and were then approved for human application. Also, the natural ingredients have been purified and tested in a laboratory to optimize the concentration that would be best suited for the particular illness.
Myth 4: Cancer is almost always incurable
THERE IS HOPE! Yes, the treatments are painful and the process is scary but there are procedures that have been working and we are making progress to tackle this deadly disease. We have made tremendous progress in fighting cancer and as man has shown in the past, eventually we will get there and win this long struggle. Some common treatments that have been working are:
a) Cancer surgery: This is still the most successful method to deal with cancer that is diagnosed early. If we can remove the cancerous cells – most patients have a strong fighting chance to be completely cured of the illness.
b) Chemotherapy treatment: One of the first forms of dealing with cancer. It is the introduction of chemical drugs into the body to fight the cancerous cells. Chemotherapy is becoming more and more successful; again the time of diagnosis is critical for success. Advancements are being made to make this drug application more targeted and thus more effective.
c) Radiotherapy treatment: Can be used on its own or in combination with other methods to radically destroy the cancerous cells. This usually involves the introduction of radioactive substances to help the dividing cancer cells from multiplying and die off completely. Improvements are being made for real time imaging so the radiotherapy can be more targeted, one such method is the cyberknife method being practiced by many top international hospitals.
d) The yet to be approved Canadian drug DCA (not yet cleared for use): This is still in testing phase in Canada and hopefully this will be a targeted method of drug application for cancer patients.
The major improvements in cancer treatment have been in using the older techniques of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in a more targeted way, i.e. cyberknife treatments. Also, early diagnosis is effective because then surgery can be undertaken to remove the cancerous cells before they multiply. A healthy lifestyle as mentioned above, regular checkups are the best prevention techniques but if you are diagnosed, have hope, many people, the majority are surviving cancer and living long healthy lives. There are many treatments available both whether you live in the developed or developing world.
For a list of top cancer hospitals in North America, check out www.Healthgrades.com , if you are looking for International hospitals, there are fantastic JCI accredited (USA accredited) hospitals throughout Thailand, India, Singapore and many other places with tremendous success records with Cancer treatment, you can check them out along with patient reviews and get a free quote from a particular hospital at www.doctorsBB.com (Doctors Beyond Borders). Check them out as well.
Most importantly, stay positive – the mind is the most powerful drug at our disposal. A strong will along with a great support network of loved ones can make all the difference. Stay healthy, God bless.
Myth 1: Cancer is a new disease.
It seems ubiquitous now that cancer has not left a corner of this globe unaffected by it. Prostate, breast and lung cancer have become the most commonly diagnosed of the deadly disease. Cancer itself however is not new, Hippocrates in 460 B.C. made reference to cancer as ‘carcinos’ in the breast. The earliest references to cancer however predate this even further in Egyptian manuscripts. Egyptian papyrus that are believed to be as old as 2500 B.C. reference a surgical procedure to treat what can be translated as tumors in the breast.
Perhaps our misconceptions about cancer being new have more to do with the fact that we are much more aware of cancer in its many manifestations and our ability to diagnose has dramatically increased. Another reason cancer is becoming more prevalent is because we are living longer and the older we are the more likely we have to be exposed to the cell damage that is cancer.
Myth 2: A specific diet can prevent or cure cancer
The many theories of anti-oxidant rich fruits and vegetables helping prevent or cure cancer has no scientific merit. The empirical evidence just does not support any specific food or fruit to prevent or turn back the cell mutation that is in cancer. There is an entire industry of ‘miracle cures’ that are doing nothing except robbing people of hope and making the promoters of these products very rich. This should not be misconstrued as to say, ‘don’t eat healthy’ – it just means that there is no miracle superfood or foods. The overwhelming evidence supports that a healthy lifestyle overall strengthens the body and gives you the greatest chance to not suffer from this disease and/or to recover from it quickly. This healthy lifestyle can be defined by regular exercise, maintaining a great boy mass index, refraining from carcinogenics in cigarette smoke and polluted areas along with not drinking alcohol. This advice although not so glamorous, is effective.
Myth 3: A miracle cure is available in obscure natural remedies…
The power of social media has its positives and negatives. On one hand revolutions have started to bring about a positive change but the issue that we have sometimes is that opinions are being misconstrued as facts. Empirical evidence should be required from the extraordinary claims made by some of the stuff we see online. Pardon the bluntness but if a remedy is being aggressively marketed through Facebook and Google ads – I’m sure a portion of those funds can be invested on doing scientific tests to prove the effectiveness of such a treatment.
Yes, many modern medicines can be traced to natural ingredients but these ingredients were tested empirically and reviewed by scientific peers and were then approved for human application. Also, the natural ingredients have been purified and tested in a laboratory to optimize the concentration that would be best suited for the particular illness.
Myth 4: Cancer is almost always incurable
THERE IS HOPE! Yes, the treatments are painful and the process is scary but there are procedures that have been working and we are making progress to tackle this deadly disease. We have made tremendous progress in fighting cancer and as man has shown in the past, eventually we will get there and win this long struggle. Some common treatments that have been working are:
a) Cancer surgery: This is still the most successful method to deal with cancer that is diagnosed early. If we can remove the cancerous cells – most patients have a strong fighting chance to be completely cured of the illness.
b) Chemotherapy treatment: One of the first forms of dealing with cancer. It is the introduction of chemical drugs into the body to fight the cancerous cells. Chemotherapy is becoming more and more successful; again the time of diagnosis is critical for success. Advancements are being made to make this drug application more targeted and thus more effective.
c) Radiotherapy treatment: Can be used on its own or in combination with other methods to radically destroy the cancerous cells. This usually involves the introduction of radioactive substances to help the dividing cancer cells from multiplying and die off completely. Improvements are being made for real time imaging so the radiotherapy can be more targeted, one such method is the cyberknife method being practiced by many top international hospitals.
d) The yet to be approved Canadian drug DCA (not yet cleared for use): This is still in testing phase in Canada and hopefully this will be a targeted method of drug application for cancer patients.
The major improvements in cancer treatment have been in using the older techniques of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in a more targeted way, i.e. cyberknife treatments. Also, early diagnosis is effective because then surgery can be undertaken to remove the cancerous cells before they multiply. A healthy lifestyle as mentioned above, regular checkups are the best prevention techniques but if you are diagnosed, have hope, many people, the majority are surviving cancer and living long healthy lives. There are many treatments available both whether you live in the developed or developing world.
For a list of top cancer hospitals in North America, check out www.Healthgrades.com , if you are looking for International hospitals, there are fantastic JCI accredited (USA accredited) hospitals throughout Thailand, India, Singapore and many other places with tremendous success records with Cancer treatment, you can check them out along with patient reviews and get a free quote from a particular hospital at www.doctorsBB.com (Doctors Beyond Borders). Check them out as well.
Most importantly, stay positive – the mind is the most powerful drug at our disposal. A strong will along with a great support network of loved ones can make all the difference. Stay healthy, God bless.