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

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