Chapter 7A: Behind the Buzzwords: Science, Cancer
Basic Concepts – Science, Cancer
This chapter covers the pursuit of knowledge, discoveries, and claims about basic concepts (physiological) relevant to later discussions. Some are controversial. Hopefully you understand by now that I do not claim to possess absolute universal truths. Personally, people who pretend to know everything annoy the hell out of me. I am a humble medical nerd who can’t turn off my curiosity or powers of analysis. Since those qualities played a valuable role in my miraculous recoveries, people tend to want to hear them (if only to troll me LOL). I hope sharing my research and lines of thought about these basic concepts sparks your curiosity and analytic thought to help you determine your path to health. If nothing else, I wish to emphasize the body’s beautiful ability and insatiable desire to achieve homeostasis and heal itself.
Basic Concepts: Science
The scientific method involves making observations, creating hypotheses, testing hypotheses by isolating and controlling variables, recording data, drawing conclusions, and replicating results. If done correctly, it is the best method for determining the relationship between variables. As I ranted about in Whatever Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Strong, problems arise when human failings such as ego, ignorance, dogma, and greed get in the way. Dr. John Ioannidis analyzed published research and concluded that 90% of medical research is wrong and that the majority of results cannot be replicated. Perhaps this inadequacy is reflected in the phenomenon of ‘one day, something’s good for you and the next day it’s gonna kill you.’ Coffee or a glass of red wine a day are great examples of that ping-pong game. It’s very frustrating when you’re trying to use science to determine what path you should take. Who to believe?
Plus, as I mentioned earlier, when you have been given weeks to live, you don’t have time to wait for that clinical trial that is just a gleam in some scientist’s eye. All that being said, one should always look for scientific research published in a peer-reviewed journal one can trust as a first line of inquiry. If there is none to be found, use logic and common sense to evaluate the information you can find. Reflect deeply on your own body. It’s smarter than you think. Your brain subconsciously computes all sorts of data about your body and it’s surroundings. Access that meta-knowledge and test what you are learning against it. I believe in you and your ability to determine your best path.
When evaluating medical research, there are some basics to keep in mind. In vitro (‘test-tube’) experiments involve using microorganisms, cells, or biological molecules isolated from their biological context. In vivo studies take place in living organisms… plants and animals, including humans. Clinical trials take place in humans and represent the last step before a substance or procedure is approved by the FDA for use in humans. Patients are separated into groups and receive different treatments to determine their efficacy and safety. There are 4-5 phases in a clinical trial. Something that has progressed through FDA approval very likely started out being studied in vitro, then in vivo, then through all phases of a clinical trial. The more phases a study progresses through, the more probable its results reflect reality. Many studies die along the way because efficacy and safety weren’t demonstrated.
Another important concept to keep in mind is causality vs. correlation. In a causal relationship, one variable causes another variable to express in a certain way. In a correlational relationship, a change in one variable may coincide with a change in another but causality has not been demonstrated. It could be that a third, perhaps unknown, variable is causing them both to express the way they have, Ideally, science determines the exact nature of the relationship between variables. This is applicable to studying causes or cures.
Basic Concepts: Cancer
Stage O.Cancer in situ or, ‘in place.’ Located where they started, these cancers have not spread to nearby tissues. Highly curable, by removing tumor.
Stage I. Small cancer or tumor that hasn’t penetrated deeply into nearby tissues nor spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
Stage II and III. Larger cancers or tumors that have penetrated deeply into nearby tissue and/or spread to lymph, but not to other parts of the body.
Stage IV. Cancer has metastasized to other organs or parts of the body. It is considered incurable and terminal. (oh yeah? hold my beer…)
Useful Links:
–Oncology is changing guidelines for staging BC to factor in genomic testing of tumor DNA
– Breast Cancer Treatment Overview
As I outlined in Causes & Cures, cancer survives and grows through 3 mechanisms… by outsmarting the programmed cell death of apoptosis, by creating it’s own blood supply (angiogenesis), and by metastasizing (colonizing the rest of the body). All effective treatment mechanisms target those processes. The National Cancer Institute defines remission as a decrease in or disappearance of signs and symptoms. In partial remission, some, but not all, signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared. In complete remission, all signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared, although cancer still may be in the body.
Statistics
In the US, men have a 43% and women a 38% chance of being diagnosed with cancer. Approximately, 77% of cancers are diagnosed in people 55 or older. Lung, prostate, and stomach cancers are most common in men. Lung and breast cancer are the most common in women. Survival rates for lung cancer are less than 20%. Between 2000 and 2050, new cancer diagnoses are expected to double. According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, total annual cost of cancer care in the US will reach $175 billion by 2020, an increase of 40% from 2010. (See Resources & Statistics link in the footer)
Warning signs
Early detection increases survival. These basic symptoms mayindicate cancer and discussing them with a doctor is advisable.
Chest pain, chronic cough, difficulty breathing, trouble swallowing
Skin changes, changes in edges, shape, size, and color of moles
Swollen face, legs, glands, or lymph nodes
Recurrent fevers and infections
Pelvic pain, increased menstrual pain, or needing to pee frequently
Back pain, right side especially
Nail appearance change
Abnormal vaginal bleeding
Abnormally painful breasts
Nipple appearance change
Bruising and bleeding
Fatigue and weakness
Abdominal cramps or loss of appetite
Sudden unexplained weight gain, bloating, or weight loss
Rectal bleeding (or blood in stool or urine)
Breast Cancer
Over a quarter of a million of new breast cancer cases are diagnosed and over 40,000 deaths occur every year (over 100 die every day) in the US (1.67 million worldwide). Average 5-year survival rate is 90%, 10-year 83%. If cancer is only in the breast (61% of cases), the 5-year relative survival rate is 99%. 25-30% of breast cancer cases will progress to Stage IV. Roughly 6% of new diagnoses are metastatic (de novo Stage IV). 5-year survival rate for Stage IV is around 20%. Median survival after Stage IV diagnosis is three years.
Approximately three and a half million US women are currently living with breast cancer, 150,000+ with Stage IV. Although incidence of diagnosis is the same between Caucasian and African-american women, the latter are more likely to die from it. Men also get breast cancer (<1% of cases). One doesn’t die from cancer in the breast but from it traveling to a vital organ, yet <5% of research funds are devoted to Stage IV. : (
When diagnosed with Stage IV MBC, we are told there is no cure. They tell us that once you’re diagnosed, it doesn’t go away, it just spreads to new places. We are ‘treatable but not curable.’ There is no celebratory ‘end of treatment.’ We are in treatment for life and live scan to scan.‘Survivor’ and ‘remission’ are not words we get to use. “It will kill us if something else doesn’t get us first.” The terms NED (no evidence of disease) or NAD (no active disease) are the best we can hope for. One has only to look at the war-torn debris of my spine and pelvis to see evidence of the damn disease and ‘activity’ is not always detected so, I prefer my mishmash… NEAD (no evidence of active disease).
Pretty bleak, huh? But don’t you go off and die just because the guy in the white coat said you will. I represent what is possible. I believe in you…
At any given moment, you have the power to say,
this is not how the story is going to end. — M.H.S. Pourri
Breast cancer sub-types
Doctors and pathologists sub-type Breast cancer by its receptor status for certain hormones: estrogen and progesterone (HR) and human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2). Treatment is a function of it. I am HR-/HER2+. The National Cancer Institute breaks down the incidence of sub-types as follows.
HR+/HER2− (73%) Triple-negative (13%)
Triple-positive (10%) HR−/HER2+ (5%)
This basic concepts post is from Book 2 of my Thrive Tribe Series, What I Did and Do and Why, a naturopathic protocol that helps me to survive and thrive, available from the bookstore, starting at $7. I am posting the entire book sequentially, in its entirety, on this blog once a week. Subscriptions are free.
Nothing contained on this website nor in my blogs or books should be construed as medical advice. I am not a doctor. I am a Stage IV metastatic breast cancer thriver who is currently NEAD and simply sharing my journey in the hopes it helps you to find your power and path. Please research anything I share to determine if it is a good choice for you. I believe in you! Bless you all on the path you choose.
All original content contained on this blog, What I did and do and why, is copyrighted 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 Kaiulani Facciani, Snarling Wolf, Inc.
