breast cancer treatment Archives - Amazing Health Advances

How a Mammogram Actually Causes Breast Cancer

The AHA! Team — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 05:07:39 +0000

Abby Campbell via NaturalHealth365 – In reality, more and more studies are showing that a mammogram breast screening has some major flaws – which put women at serious health risk and actually increase the risk of cancer. An X-ray picture of the breast, called a mammogram, is heavily promoted as the ‘primary way to screen’ for breast cancer, according to Western medicine. Conventionally speaking, an annual detection screening is recommended as early as age 40 by both the American Cancer Society and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, while the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends screenings every other year starting at age 50. While mammogram guidelines differ amongst organizations, they all agree there are concerns about the test. Yet, disputes exist amongst experts when it comes to mammography detecting invasive breast cancer. So, the question remains: do the benefits outweigh the risks? In reality, more and more studies are showing that a mammogram breast screening has some major flaws – which put women at serious health risk and actually increase the risk of cancer. Strange logic: Zero-stage cancer detected but treated aggressively Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) refers to the abnormal growth of cells forming a lesion between 1 and 1.5 centimeters in diameter. While this is not cancer, approximately 25 percent (60,000 cases) of all newly diagnosed breast cancer falls within this category each year. Because evidence indicates that less than half of DCIS cases progress to invasive cancer, some experts declare it should be reclassified as a non-cancerous condition. Additionally, they recommend a “watchful eye” for women who have this condition rather than invasive therapy. After all, why treat someone who doesn’t have cancer with chemotherapy or radiation – which places their immune systems at risk for a lifetime? However, mammography proponents claim they’re saving lives through early detection and treatment of DCIS. They view it as pre-cancerous or “stage zero cancer” and believe it could eventually cause harm if left untreated. Therefore, they recommend treating it in the same manner as invasive cancer with aggressive treatments. But is this right or fair? According to Time Magazine, “Cancer has a language problem … A 57-year old woman with low-grade DCIS that will almost certainly never become invasive hears the same word as the 34-year old woman who has metastatic malignancies that will kill her. That’s confusing to patients conditioned to treat every cancer diagnosis as an emergency in a world that still reacts to cancer as though it’s the beginning of the end.” The latest round of controversy was set off about DCIS treatment after a study was published by JAMA Oncology. After a 20-year analysis of 100,000 women who were diagnosed with DCIS, the mortality rate from breast cancer of these patients was the same as the general population at 3.3 percent. Radiation from mammogram screening is a breast cancer risk While several organizations like the Susan G. Komen for the Cure heavily promote mammograms for early screening for breast cancer, it’s ironic that mammogram machines put each woman at risk for the very thing they want to prevent. The ionizing radiation used to detect breast tumors is a risk factor for breast cancer development. Additionally, the crushing compression of this test on the breast tissue may potentially spread cancer if the cancer cells are present. After several studies, Cornell University determined people who are exposed to ionizing radiation emitted from machines like the mammogram machine place themselves at risk for breast cancer. They also stated, “… female breast tissue is highly susceptible to radiation effects” as it “is one of the most sensitive tissues to the carcinogenic action of ionizing radiation.” They also revealed that it takes a minimum of five to 10 years for radiation-induced breast cancer to develop. Finally, they concluded that greater levels of radiation exposure lead to a greater risk of breast cancer. Every time a woman is exposed to this form of radiation, she is placing herself at higher risk – especially if the screening is done when there is estrogen stimulation and tissue proliferation that occurs during monthly menstrual cycles. Prevention of breast cancer is better than detection While early detection of breast cancer can be done by mammogram screening, it is not the same as “prevention.” Lifestyle choices will help you prevent cancer or any chronic illness. Be sure to eat real whole and organic foods, drink plenty of fresh (clean) water, exercise regularly, get plenty of rest, and manage stress levels. Editor’s note: Discover the best ways to naturally reduce the risk of cancer, own the Stop Cancer Docu-Class created by NaturalHealth365 Programs. Sources for this article include: NIH.gov CDC.gov Nccn.org Time.com To read the original article click here.

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Anti-Malaria Drug Fights Cancer, 9 Peer-Reviewed Studies Suggest

AHA Publisher — Wed, 11 May 2022 07:00:55 +0000

Sara Middleton via NaturalHealth365 – Can a cheap drug used to fight malaria have a protective effect against cancer? As it turns out, data from at least nine peer-reviewed studies say yes. The drug in question? None other than ivermectin has gained much notoriety thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns about widespread suppression of early treatments for the viral illness. Nobel Prize-Winning Drug, Considered One of the World’s “Essential Medicines” by the World Health Organization, Also Shows Promise in the Fight Against Cancer Ivermectin certainly became a household name during the pandemic, thanks largely to early laboratory research showing that the drug could inhibit the replication of SARS-CoV-2. While these findings – featured in a June 2020 study by Caly et al. published in Antiviral Research – involved Petri dishes only, the researchers’ work was corroborated with plenty of real-world clinical evidence, as doctors worldwide began treating their COVID-19 positive patients with ivermectin. The treatment appeared to be a great success, at least before health officials began prohibiting or otherwise disincentivizing these doctors from prescribing the drug. However, the apparent success of ivermectin in treating a viral illness like COVID-19 isn’t unusual when we consider the history of the drug. The drug first made the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines in 1987 for its effectiveness against onchocerciasis or river blindness. Ivermectin also has uses against other parasitic diseases, including lymphatic filariasis, strongyloidiasis, trichuriasis, ascariasis, hookworm diseases, scabies, and ancylostomiasis. (Scientists Satoshi Omura and William Campbell were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2015 for their work in using ivermectin to treat roundworms.) Research – including a study published in the April 2020 edition of The Lancet Infectious Diseases – also finds that ivermectin appears to have anti-malarial benefits. But the benefits don’t stop there. Rounded up nicely in an article published on April 15, 2022, on the website Cancer.news, at least nine peer-reviewed studies show that ivermectin may be able to fight off cancer cells. Among the studies is a 2017 paper from Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, which found that ivermectin could suppress kidney tumor growth while concurrently offering a protective effect on healthy kidney cells. In the Fight Against Cancer, Will Affordable Drug Options Remain Available? A growing body of research shows early support for ivermectin in the treatment of a wide variety of cancers, including kidney, breast, intestinal, lung, colorectal, esophageal, and ovarian cancers. Experts agree that ivermectin appears to have a generally good safety profile. However, as with any drug, ivermectin does have a risk of side effects, including dizziness, vomiting, stomach pain, bloating, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, weakness, fatigue, uncontrollable shaking, and chest discomfort. The drug’s package insert also warns against the use of ivermectin during pregnancy (Pregnancy Category C), in part because there are “no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women” (nor in pediatric kids weighing less than 15kg, for that matter). The drug is also excreted in breastmilk. Contraindications notwithstanding, it remains to be seen whether the medical and scientific communities will further study this compound for its use against cancer. Then again, the skeptics among us will say that the drug is incredibly inexpensive compared to other conventional cancer treatments … so why would conventional healthcare providers pass on the opportunity to drive profits with pricier care? Sources for this article include: NIH.gov FDA.gov Cancer.news NIH.gov Medlineplus.gov Essentialmeds.org NIH.gov USAtoday.com To read the original article click here.

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Tricking the Body to Treat Breast Cancer

AHA Publisher — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 07:00:43 +0000

Sanford Burnham Prebys via Newswise – With the help of two new grants from the National Institutes of Health totaling more than $4.4 million, Sanford Burnham Prebys professor Charles Spruck, Ph.D., and his team are refining a cutting-edge breast cancer treatment. The new approach, known as viral mimicry, tricks the body into thinking that it has a viral infection, stimulating immune responses that can help the body fight cancer and improve the effects of other treatments. “Modern cancer treatment relies on using multiple treatment strategies to minimize the risk of resistance, so the beauty here is that while we’ve found that our approach has anti-tumor properties when used alone, it also has the potential to work synergistically with other treatments,” says Spruck. “Fortunately, it is cancer-specific, so unlike chemotherapy, this treatment won’t harm healthy cells, thus also limiting adverse side effects.” ER+ Breast Cancer Is Treatable, But Frequently Recurs Breast cancer is the most common cancer globally, and about 70% of all breast cancer cases are ER+, meaning that cancer cells use the hormone estrogen to grow. In the United States, there are about 3 million people living with ER+ breast cancer. Because ER+ tumors rely on hormones to grow, they can be inhibited with anti-hormone therapies, which are much less toxic than standard chemotherapy. Early-stage ER+ breast cancer is usually responsive to treatment, but a significant proportion of patients go on to have a relapse when the cancer returns, often traveling to other areas of the body. These relapses tend to be much more treatment resistant and often occur many years after the initial cancer is gone. “For survivors, there’s always the risk of a relapse that could resist treatment and eventually kill them,” says Spruck. “That’s a terrifying prospect to live with, especially if you’re otherwise healthy and cancer-free. That’s why we need to develop better, less toxic treatments.” Useful Viruses Are in Our Genome The new approach takes advantage of a bizarre evolutionary feature of our genome called endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). These are small, repeated sections in our genome that were left behind by viruses infecting our ancient ancestors. Unlike regular viruses, ERVs do not make us sick. Instead, they help control gene expression by moving around and inserting themselves into different locations in our genome. ERVs don’t make us sick because they are usually silent, meaning that the proteins they encode are not expressed in the body. However, researchers have found that it’s possible to reactivate these fragments in cancer cells and fool the body into mounting an immune response. “The body thinks there’s an infection, which kicks the immune system into high gear,” says Spruck. “This makes cancer cells more receptive to immunotherapy and can slow tumor growth, but without the harsh side effects of chemotherapy.” Bringing Viral Mimicry to the Clinic With the new grants, the team will more fully explore how viral mimicry can be used to fight ER+ breast cancer. The team is also working on converting its approach, which has only been studied in a lab setting, into a drug that can be administered in the clinic. “We’re still a few years out from using this in the clinic, but we’ve seen that it works in the lab, and once it does make it into the clinic, it’s going to be safer and less toxic than current treatment options,” adds Spruck. The researchers are also confident that the method will be applicable to other cancers beyond ER+ breast cancer. “We discovered the pathway in breast cancer, but the fact remains that with a few exceptions, the majority of tumors are cold for most cancers,” says Spruck. “We’re not just improving breast cancer treatment, we’re opening a door to a new way of approaching cancer.” To read the original article click here.

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Studies Suggest a Fasting Diet Could Boost Breast Cancer Therapy

AHA Publisher — Fri, 24 Jul 2020 07:00:13 +0000

University of Southern California via EurekAlert – A USC-led team of scientists has found that a fasting-mimicking diet combined with hormone therapy has the potential to help treat breast cancer, according to newly published animal studies and small clinical trials in humans. In studies on mice and in two small breast cancer clinical trials, researchers at USC and the IFOM Cancer Institute in Milan — in collaboration with the University of Genova — found that the fasting-mimicking diet reduces blood insulin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) and leptin. In mice, these effects appear to increase the power of the cancer hormone drugs tamoxifen and fulvestrant and delay any resistance to them. The results from 36 women treated with the hormone therapy and fasting-mimicking diet are promising, but researchers say it is still too early to determine whether the effects will be confirmed in large-scale clinical trials. The research was published in the journal Nature. “Our new study suggests that a fasting-mimicking diet together with endocrine therapy for breast cancer has the potential to not only shrink tumors but also reverse resistant tumors in mice,” said Valter Longo, the study’s co-senior author and the director of the Longevity Institute at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and professor of biological sciences at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. “We have data that for the first time suggests that a fasting-mimicking diet works by changing at least three different factors: IGF1, leptin and insulin.” The researchers say the two small clinical trials are feasibility studies that showed promising results, but they are in no way conclusive. They believe the results support further clinical studies of a fasting-mimicking diet used in combination with endocrine therapy in hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. The scientists also contributed to a recent clinical study of 129 breast cancer patients conducted with the University of Leiden. The results, published last month in Nature Communications, appeared to show increased efficacy of chemotherapy in patients receiving a combination of chemotherapy and a fasting-mimicking diet. In the two new small clinical trials — one of which was directed by the study co-corresponding author Alessio Nencioni — patients with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer receiving estrogen therapy along with cycles of a fasting-mimicking diet seemed to experience metabolic changes similar to those observed in mice. These changes included a reduction in insulin, leptin and IGF1 levels, with the last two remaining low for extended periods. In mice, these long-lasting effects are associated with long-term anti-cancer activity, so further studies in humans is needed. “Some patients followed monthly cycles of the fasting-mimicking diet for almost two years without any problems, suggesting that it is a well-tolerated intervention,” Nencioni said. “We hope this means that this nutritional program that mimics fasting could one day represent a weapon to better fight cancer in patients receiving hormone therapy without serious side effects.” “The results in mice are very promising. And the early clinical results show potential as well, but now we need to see it work in a 300- to 400-patient trial,” Longo explained. The data also suggest that in mice, the fasting-mimicking diet appears to prevent tamoxifen-induced endometrial hyperplasia, a condition in which the endometrium (or the lining of the uterus) becomes abnormally thick. The study authors believe this potential use of the fasting diet should be explored further, given the prevalence of this side effect of tamoxifen and the limited options for preventing it. Approximately 80% of all breast cancers express estrogen and/or progesterone receptors. The most common forms of hormone therapy for these breast cancers work by blocking hormones from attaching to receptors on cancer cells or by decreasing the body’s hormone production. Endocrine therapy is frequently effective in these hormone-receptor-positive tumors, but the long-term benefits are often hindered by treatment resistance. Several clinical trials, including one at USC on breast cancer and prostate patients, are now investigating the effects of the fasting-mimicking diets in combination with different cancer-fighting drugs. “I like to call it the nontoxic wildcard for cancer treatment,” Longo said. “These clinical studies we have just published — together with the many animal studies published in the past 12 years — suggest that cycles of the fasting-mimicking diet has the potential to make standard therapy more effective against different cancers, each time by changing a different factor or nutrient important for cancer cell survival.” To read the original article click here.

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