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Beat cancer without surgery or drugs?

A soon-to-be-published study by The Archives of Internal Medicine shows that some forms of cancer may under some circumstances go away without treatment. Doctors say if their findings turn out to be credible, it could change the way we approach the disease. Women diagnosed with breast cancer, for example, might be advised to opt for “watchful waiting,” whereby a tumor is monitored, rather than immediately removed, to see if it might shrink without treatment. The New York Times reported on this story and said, "At the moment, the finding has no practical applications because no one knows whether a detected cancer will disappear or continue to spread and kill."

Doctors say that if the theory turns out to be credible, this could turn into a huge point of interest within the medical community. Women diagnosed with breast cancer could be allowed to opt for a watchful waiting process, monitoring a tumor within the breast to see if it grows before deciding how to treat it.

The study was conducted by doctors in the U.S. and Norway in two consecutive six-year periods. One group was followed from 1992 to 1997. The second group was followed from 1996 to 2001. Almost all of the woman accepted mammograms. The research also found that the women who accepted regular screenings had 22 percent more cancers, although researchers stress that mammograms do not cause cancer, in fact, they save lives.

The study was no completed perfectly, and everyone in the medical community was surprised by the findings. Only time will tell how much this will change the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

More info: www.nytimes.com

Click here to read a previous Ode article about cancer

posted by Caroline Zilk on 11/25/2008 7:36 pm | COMMENTS (3)
Comments (3)

What an exciting prospect! I have known people and heard about others whose cancer has resolved spontaneously. Little attention has been given to those instances because our beliefs won't allow us to accept this. But, for decades, people have used guided imagery to fight cancer. The time is right to take a serious look at such evidence based modalities. Sharon@acmswellness.com

posted by smoconnor on 11/26/2008 9:06 am

I founded and run www.annieappleseedproject.org to provide information on ALL the other possibilities in dealing with cancer. True healing is a combination of healthy behaviors combined with acceptable, non toxic therapies that people CHOOSE based on interest, acceptance and understanding.

The conventional system is failing to succeed. I mean that literally. A study such as this demonstrates some of the false premises that have grown up around cancer. We do not need to aggressively treat everyone immediately. We have time to try kindler, gentler approaches. And perhaps for the others, combining healthy eating with exercise, relaxation, detoxification and more, will provide the right backdrop to conventional treatment.

Let's try it.

Ann F. www.annieappleseedproject.org The Annie Appleseed Project Make more informed treatment decisions

posted by annieappleseed on 12/ 2/2008 8:25 pm

I just finished reading "Anti-cancer: A new way of life" by Dr. David Servan-Schreiber that as mentioned in the last issue of Ode here: www.odemagazine.com/doc/58/how-to-help-your-body-help-itself/. What an excellent book! It too stressed the importance of eating healthy, exercise and cleaning our environment. He referred to several cases where patients were diagnosed with cancer and chose not to go down the conventional path to health. Instead they focused on their diet and leading a healthy life and the majority of them survived their cancer. Dr. Servan-Schreiber does say that there is a place for conventional medicine, but for certain cases, cancer can be kept at bay by other means. I'd be interested to hear personal cases of this.

posted by katiek on 12/ 2/2008 9:15 pm

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