Cancer, a fast-killing disease, is avoidable?

Oladapo Ashiru
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By environmental causes, we mean what is around you each day that may eventually cause cancer. This could include tobacco smoke, the sun, natural and man-made radiation, work place hazards, asbestos, etc.

Some of these are avoidable and some aren’t. Most are only contributing factors to causing cancers — part of the jigsaw puzzle that scientists are still trying to put together.

Viruses  

Viruses can cause some cancers; but this does not mean that these cancers can be caught like an infection. What happens is that the virus can cause genetic changes in cells that make them more likely to become cancerous.

These cancers and viruses are linked: Cervical cancer and other cancers of the genital and anal area, and the human papilloma virus (HPV); primary liver cancer and the Hepatitis B and C viruses; lymphomas and the Epstein-Barr Virus; T cell leukaemia in adults and the Human T cell leukaemia virus; HPV also probably leads to oropharyngeal cancer and non melanoma skin cancers in some people.

There will be people with primary liver cancer and with T cell leukaemia who haven’t had the related virus. But infection increases their risk of getting that particular cancer.

With cervical cancer, scientists now believe that everyone with an invasive cervical cancer has had an HPV infection beforehand.

Many people can be infected with a cancer-causing virus and never get cancer. The virus only causes cancer in certain situations. Many women get a high risk HPV infection, but never develop cervical cancer.

Another example is Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). These are some facts about EBV: It is very common — most people are infected with EBV; people who catch it late in life get glandular fever and have an increased risk of lymphoma.

In sub Saharan Africa, EBV infection and repeated attacks of malaria together cause a cancer called Burkitt’s lymphoma in children. In China, EBV infection (together with other unknown factors) causes nasopharyngeal cancer.

In people living with AIDs and transplant patients, EBV can cause lymphoma. About four out of 10 cases of Hodgkin’s lymphoma and a quarter of cases of Burkitt’s lymphoma (a rare type of non Hodgkin’s lymphoma) seem to be related to EBV infection.

Bacterial infection  

Bacterial infections have not been thought of as cancer-causing agents in the past. But studies have shown that people who have helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection of their stomach develop inflammation of the stomach lining, which increases the risk of stomach cancer. Helicobacter pylori infection can be treated with a combination of antibiotics.

Research is also looking at whether substances produced by particular types of bacteria in the digestive system can increase the risk of bowel cancer or stomach lymphomas. Some researchers think that particular bacteria may produce cancer-causing substances in some people. But research into this issue is still at an early stage.

If bacteria do play a part in causing cancer, this could be important in cancer prevention. Bacterial infections can often be cured with antibiotics, so getting rid of the infection could be a way to reduce the risk of these types of cancer.

Detoxification and cancer prevention

Toxins are poisonous substances that interfere with normal physiology and negatively impact bodily function. Toxins are produced inside the body through normal and abnormal processes. Some toxins are by-products of metabolism and imbalances in the digestive system. Abnormal processes often occur due to accumulation of toxins over time. Toxins also enter the body through exposure from the outside environment from contaminated water, contaminated food, indoor and outdoor pollution, sun exposure, smoke and tobacco use, excessive alcohol, heavy metals, pharmaceutical drugs, infectious diseases, chemical dependency, chemicals and radiation, etc.

What is detoxification?

Detoxification is the process of ending accumulation of and actively eliminating toxins in the body. The link between detoxification and cancer therapies is an important topic to learn about when creating an integrative cancer care plan. The body has natural built-in functions for detoxification. But naturally occurring detoxification may not adequately eliminate toxins in the body for a number of reasons.

People are constantly exposed to toxins. If the body cannot adequately detoxify, the accumulation of toxins often creates inflammation and other health problems that may result in diseases such as cancer. Toxicity may be associated with suppressed emotions and thinking. A lack of expression may cause depression, anxiety, other unhealthy feelings, stress and physical ailments. Toxic relationships may also contribute to toxicity in the body.

Role of orthomolecular supplements in cancer prevention

Other common names: megavitamin/megamineral therapy, nutritional medicine.

Orthomolecular medicine is the use of high doses of vitamins, minerals or hormones to prevent and treat a wide variety of conditions. It is also the restoration and maintenance of health through the administration of adequate amounts of these substances which are normally present in the body.

The doses are well above the recommended daily allowance and may be used along with special diets and conventional treatment.

Although the scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of orthomolecular supplements in cancer prevention is still being researched, it has been found to be a useful adjunct to the prevention therapy, especially where food eating is difficult. Studies have shown that taking supplements is not as effective in cancer prevention as eating foods that contain the vitamins or minerals. Research is still ongoing in this area.