Natural treatment of cancer
Cancer “over-diagnosing” and “over-treatment”
Do be aware!
Copyright © 2007 Healing Cancer Naturally
Before starting to read the numerous healing testimonials provided on this site, the reader’s attention is drawn to the following important observations re cancer “over-diagnosing” and “over-treatment” made by Dr. Tim O'Shea in TO THE CANCER PATIENT: “Most cancers are not found until autopsy. That's because they never caused any symptoms. For example 30 - 40 times as many cases of thyroid, pancreatic, and prostate cancer are found in autopsy than ever presented to the doctor. According to a study cited in top British medical journal Lancet 13 Feb 93, early screening often leads to unnecessary treatment: 33% of autopsies show prostate cancer but only 1% die from it. After age 75, half of males may have prostate cancer, but only 2% die from it. This means simply that the immune system can hold many problems in check, as long as it is not compromised by powerful procedures. ... A 1992 study in Journal of the American Medical Association of 223 patients concluded that no treatment at all for prostate cancer actually was better than any standard chemotherapy, radiation or surgical procedure. (Johansson)”.
A very poignant example of what this type of “overdiagnosing” can lead to in a case of “breast cancer” is furnished by L. P. whose report details the shock, trauma & disfigurement she experienced after a mammogram revealed a tiny anomaly in her left breast. Clearly, in her case (as I feel in many or possibly most other cases of official cancer diagnosis) doing “nothing” but upgrading one’s diet (which is actually frequently of central importance, not just re cancer but for overall physical and mental health recovery and/or maintenance) and generally improving one’s life and lifestyle on all levels (emotional, spiritual, environmental etc.) would have been immeasurably more beneficent, and probably led to true healing, i.e. healing at the causative level.
Indeed, one thing often forgotten is that everyone apparently "has" cancer, i.e. there are some maverick cells created all the time in most/all people’s bodies. These are officially diagnosed and labelled as cancer of course only after reaching a certain mass and when people have themselves "checked" (either because they are admonished to do so as the responsible thing to do via various "public health" announcements or because they observe symptoms of ill health in themselves). But frequently it seems what eventually kills people is not the cancer but rather the combined effect of the diagnosis (felt like a death sentence with the corresponding trauma and fear of dying, both negative emotional states which suppress the immune system) and the treatment they allow themselves to receive (invasive surgery/biopsies leading to spreading plus toxic chemotherapy and radiation, all of which possibly entail serious side effects).
In sum: not every cancer diagnosis is as serious or life-threatening as it is made out to be by what can only be called vested medical interests looking for clients (compare On cancer business). In fact, few may be.
Also compare eminent conventional and alternative cancer treatment researcher Lothar Hirneise on the positive role of tumours, On cancer diagnosing (quotes) and Real-life healing stories: the power of belief (examples showing the powerful placebo/nocebo effect both a negative and an encouraging diagnosis/prognosis can have on outcome).
Important update to Cancer “over-diagnosing” and “over-treatment”: Do be aware! (January 2010)
Here is the confirmation of many of the above warnings by a professor of medicine, researcher and accomplished author of articles published in prestigious medical journals: a review of Dr. H. Gilbert Welch’s book “Should I Be Tested for Cancer? Maybe Not and Here's Why” (on the risks vs. benefits of cancer screening in healthy [asymptomatic] people).
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