The conventional view of cancer is well known. Cells become cancerous as a result of transformation that removes control of their ability to reproduce. Treatment involves surgery to remove the tumor, and chemotherapy and radiation to kill the transformed cells.
Increasingly the inadequacy of this view is acknowledged even by conventional medicine. Cancerous transformation of cells is now understood as common, not rare, and held in check by the immune system, which surveilles to identify and address it. Although the provocative stimuli that promote transformation may be episodic – toxin exposures and infections – cancer is additionally a failure of the immune system to protect against it. Such failure results from other factors, not always but often identifiable – particularly metabolic (dietary and exercise related), and stress and energetic (sleep, psychological, spiritual).
Although excising or killing cancer cells can be successful as a treatment strategy, it has significant limitations. In some cases, by the time of diagnosis, the cancer has spread beyond its primary site, and may not be identifiable with standard blood testing and imaging. Treatment to kill microscopic area of cancer growth is difficult and often results in the death of non-cancer cells.
Diagnosis and treatment of cancer is evolving. Medications that impact the immune system are now commonly used in conventional oncologic practice. Other modalities are also being explored: local hyperthermia (heating cancer cells, often in conjunction with radiation therapy), cryoablation (freezing cancer cells to kill them and stimulate a cancer-specific immune response).
Cancer patients concerned with the toxic effects of inadequate response to conventional treatment, have often looked for complementary treatment approaches. We now have methods of early diagnosis for high risk patients and of surveillance to identify recurrence (blood testing for cancer DNA). Additionally, we seek to restrict the ability of cancer cells to grow and improve the capacity of the immune system to identify and kill them through dietary, herbal, nutrient, oxidative, and repurposed use of medications; more information is available here and here. Importantly, we see cancer as an illness of body, mind, and spirit, and provide energy-based healing in the broader sense. The science in these areas is evolving, and there is inadequate research to make any claims about impact on outcomes. But many people with cancer want to do everything they can as part of a healing process, and we seek to support them through our practice.