Are Organ Removals the Only Answer to Preventing a “Genetic Marker” From Causing Cancer?
Posted on August 2nd, 2013This article was originally posted in Nutricula Magazine, on August 4th, 2013
by Al Plechner, DVM and Bob Berger, MS, MVSc, PhD
Dr. Plechner:
A recent medical procedure for preventing cancer that might have been avoided by doing a simple, inexpensive blood test, will identify an endocrine immune imbalance that a gene marker may indicate. Gene markers may identify the fact that you or your pet may have inherited a family trait that may cause cancer in the future.
What does this gene marker actually do to cause cancer?
In my experience as a veterinary practitioner, I have identified an endocrine immune imbalance in animals that seems to represent the gene marker that causes cancer. It is easily identified in members of the family that have this genetic disposition to develop the dread disease.
What is not yet totally understood is that the endocrine system regulates the immune system, which due to an elevated total estrogen, uncontrolled tissue growth (cancer) may occur in various areas in the body. My clinical studies have indicated that all affected patients, whether animal or human, have an elevated total estrogen.
Unfortunately, very few folks in the medical profession are measuring total estrogen, and this is one reason why cancer is on the increase. In woman, only the three (3) ovarian estrogens are being measured, in men, only estradiol is measured, and in animals, only one laboratory in the U.S. is measuring total estrogen.
Why does this elevated total estrogen actually occur?
It is due to the production of a deficient or defective cortisol that is produced by the middle layer adrenal cortex.
Normally a person or animal needs to produce 30-35 units of active cortisol daily in order to remain healthy and not develop allergies, autoimmunity and cancer. When this imbalance occurs, the negative feedback to the pituitary gland no longer works. Now the pituitary gland produces hormone in hopes of causing the middle layer adrenal cortex to produce more active cortisol- which it cannot provide.
The continued production of the pituitary hormone ACTH causes the inner layer adrenal cortex to respond in a direct feedback; this in turn, causes the production of high levels of estrogen and androgen.
Often, human patients that have cancer are found to have reduced or normal ovarian estrogen without having their total estrogen checked. In these instances, increased androgen levels are being produced by the inner layer adrenal cortex because of this cortisol imbalance. In addition, when considering a cancer patient, when an aromatase inhibitor is not given, the excess androgen will be turned into more damaging estrogen. This also occurs with males with their testosterone. (Aromatase is an enzyme found in the body that has this transformation ability and does occur in different types of tissue, including fatty (adipose) tissue).
To read more about this, please go to www.drplechner.com and read the article on "Aromatase". Nutricula Magazine has also published an article which will further explain this and also explains further concepts of "The Vicious Estrogenic Cycle".
Tamoxifen is also used with estrogen-responsive cancers to help slow down the uncontrolled tissue growth by blocking the receptor sites normally filled by the excess estrogen. Wikipedia likens this to; "braking off a key in the lock and not being able to insert another key". Tamoxifen also contains an anti-angiogenesis factor, which means it will help stop the development of future blood vessels for uncontrolled tissue growths. This may definitely help to treat the effects, but why not go to the cause directly.
With the concern about elevated total estrogen causing cancer, it is important for both you (and your animal) to avoid foods and household products which contain phytoestrogens and xenoestrogens.
Dr. Berger:
We normally hear about the phytoestrogens (and their intake), for both humans and animals as being positive, as most, if not all, of the attributes of phytochemicals are beneficial...and are even believed to ward-off specific cancers and other organic-based diseases. But just as the old saying goes; "too much of a good thing can sometimes be bad", one example is the overuse of specific unfermented soy-based foods.
Although the use of many fermented soy foods (i.e., Miso soup, tofu, etc.), have been shown to be quite healthy, beneficial, and to even reduce the risks of many cancers when consumed on a regular basis, the overuse of certain unfermented soy-based products (i.e., soy milk), are not so much.
You can never consume enough Miso soup for instance, but too much soy milk over a period of time can cause the estrogen receptors to become overwhelmed, over-responsive, and in some cases, non-responsive. The constant up-regulation of the estrogen receptors could initiate adverse estrogen activity, overload, and in turn, actually promote and/or support specific estrogen-driven cancers, (i.e., specific ER+ breast cancers).
There is a fine line between protecting the individual organs and systems of the body against cancer initiation, eruption, and metastasis (spread), and actually [although unwillingly] doing things that could work in reverse. For instance, a woman who is genetically prone to developing estrogen-driven breast cancer could actually increase her odds of breast cancer cell generation by overloading her estrogens receptors (in situ), and exposing herself to estrogen-like prologs, such as the incorporation of excessive amounts of unfermented soy from soy milk into her diet. Thus, instead of protecting herself against a genetically prone type of breast cancer (i.e., that her birth mother or sister was diagnosed with), she is actually increasing her risk of generating these types of cancer cells and/or their precursors.
In cases like the fore-mentioned example above, or in other similar cases, it would actually be more advantageous for this woman to adhere to a protocol of preventive surgery, and even a double mastectomy, than to risk following a non-established regimen, such as loading up her body with excessive unfermented soy products over an extended period of time; this is my opinion, (as many, I'm sure, would not agree with me).
In reality though, organ removals that may somewhat resolve some genetic marker questions are certainly not the answer most of the time.
In many cases, before a decision to have a "preventive" double mastectomy, hysterectomy, cervix removal, prostatectomy, etc., is agreed upon and preformed, there may be pre-existing cancer cells which have metastasized to adjacent lymph nodes, proximal, and/or even distal tissues, well before these proactive, invasive procedures are performed. In these cases, which unfortunately may be more prevalent than one would normally assume, specific organ or even proximal tissue non-removal would be moot.
Pre-disease organ removal is a preventive measure that many folks may or may not have confidence in. In my opinion, unless genetics and absolute science, (and much of science is not an "absolute"), can truly prove otherwise, this would never be my preventive choice for most any disease.
My choices would be simple: get plenty of rest (not just sleep, but actual rest and relaxation), moderate exercise (gradually building up to one's potential along with medical advice), eat healthy foods (5-6 small meals/day if possible), limit fast foods and junk diets, (but don't be crazy about it-yes, a cookie is OK!), get regular physical exams, participate in activities such as meditation and Yoga, (from a qualified Yoga instructor and studio only!), and learn about bio-feedback and how it can help you.
Along with proper supplementation, (don't go overboard here either by overloading your body with too many supplements or be conned into using high-priced "snake oil"), use proven, well-researched supplements and prescribed medications if required, (as some medications should be used in many cases), and do all things in moderation, as this will help to keep your immune system strong, which is the best preventer and even fighter of cancer...this and a little luck should see you through.
Although genetics are very important, they are only one factor when it comes to our "final health determination"...and can be modified by the combination of extrinsic factors that mold us.
Dr. Plechner:
Your Health Care Professional should be able to provide for you a list of these estrogen containing products that need to be avoided.
Hopefully, now considering that cortisol deficiency is a cause of an elevated total estrogen, you can now see how stress, improper nutrition, and exercise can add to this problem.
Did you also realize that cholesterol is the precursor of cortisol, and if you lack any of the 5 enzymatic actions that turn cholesterol into cortisol, this may lead to a cortisol deficiency and an elevated total estrogen.
With certain people and animals, a diet low in cholesterol, might prove to be a problem. Just food for thought.
Approximately 10 years ago, I was presented with a male and a female Hungarian Vizslas which are hunting dogs. Both dogs had malignant splenic tumors called a hemangiosarcoma.
Both dogs had undergone surgery for the removal of this tumor, and both appeared not to have any metastasis (spread) based upon other medical tests. Both dogs had a measurable endocrine immune imbalance when tested with this simple blood test, including elevated total estrogen.
Once their imbalances were controlled with simple oral hormone supplementation, the breeder indicated to me that these two dogs were the parents of six puppies. Subsequently, the six puppies were tested and found to have a similar genetic imbalance that had been passed on from their parents.
The puppies received simple oral hormone therapy and never developed splenic cancer. My last contact with the owner indicated that both parents were free from further cancer at the age of 13, and all 6 puppies were 11 years old and 100% healthy.
A full accounting of the family and their endocrine immune imbalance levels can be seen by going to a compendium of articles called, Endocrine Immune Imbalances in Animals and Human Health Implications, containing an article, Innovative Cancer Therapy That Saves Animals May Protect Humans as Well, Townsend Letter, by Dr. A. J. Plechner, February 2004, pgs. 39- 47.
Several other articles also deal with the cause of cancer and not just their effects.
You might consider reading the following articles dealing with this endocrine immune imbalance;
"The Cause of Cancer in Animals may be the Same in Humans", nutriculamagazine.com, February 28th, 2013.
see: www.drplechner.com under Learn, Cancer and Autoimmunity the following articles:
Cancer and the Endocrine immune Connection
Identifying the Cause of Cancer and Not just Its Effects
Endocrine Immune Mediated Autoimmunity and Cancer
-------------------------------
Note: Also under LEARN, see Plechner Syndrome
