541-323-3833A Breast That May Not Need Surgery?
It seems perfect to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month with news about a breast condition that may benefit from more awareness — and less treatment. The time may have come to start treating some DCIS like early prostate cancer — watching and waiting instead of treating. Some women with low grade DCIS and low risk tumor genomes may not need surgery. A 23-year retrospective study of 57,222 women found that surgery on low grade DCIS did not save lives from breast cancer. Instead, these women could be managed with watchful waiting (also called active surveillance). Who does this...
Read MoreTarget BRCA & Cancer-Causing Genes
While the commonness of the BRCA gene has stayed stable for generations, the number of BRCA-caused cancers continues to rise. Why? Because diet and lifestyle guide the expression of the BRCA gene. What does the BRCA gene do? BRCA is an “off switch” for damaged cells, which scientists call a tumor suppressor gene. Our bodies make cancer cells all the time. Tumor suppressor genes tag these damaged cells for destruction before a cell can multiply and become a cancer. I’m a man. Why should I care? BRCA is one of many tumor suppressor genes. P53 is another, and is mutated in...
Read MoreAsk the Doctor: Soy And Breast Cancer
Q: I’m a 3 year survivor of estrogen sensitive breast cancer. I read conflicting news about soy. Should I eat soy or avoid it? A: When we review all the large nutritional studies together, the conclusion is clear. Soy does not increase the risk of recurrence for any type of breast cancer. Breast cancer survivors do not need to avoid soy. For an excellent review of the science, read this article by naturopathic oncologist Dr. Tina Kaczor. So, the choice of whether or not to eat soy is up to you. If you do eat soy, choose organic to avoid genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Click...
Read MoreCopper, Zinc, And Tumor Blood Vessels
Copper… Gorgeous on roofs and in sculpture. And I love skiing at Denver’s Copper Mountain. But copper in my cold water pipes or cookware? No thanks! For tumors to grow, they need blood and the oxygen that it brings. Avastin targets tumor blood vessel development, but the blood vessels then come back as soon as the Avastin is stopped. So, what else targets tumor blood vessels? Copper and Zinc To grow new blood vessels, tumor cells need specific growth factors. To activate, these growth factors have to bind to copper. Copper is believed to be a key switch that turns on tumor blood...
Read MoreEuropean Mistletoe: Season’s Greetings and Healings to You!
Mistletoe is more than Christmas and kisses. The purified extract is a powerful immune boosting therapy used by 60% of German cancer patients. Clinical trials show that mistletoe: Lengthens lifespan 77% in people with pancreatic cancer Improves quality of life and immune function in people with stomach cancer Improves quality of life in breast cancer survivors Slows progression of sarcoma, melanoma, and colon cancer. Is active against ovarian cancer May increase survival in metastatic cervical cancer Extends survival in stage II and stage III melanoma Mistletoe is an immune therapy. It...
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