Surgical removal of tumors can both heal and spread metastases

The surgical removal of  primary tumors is the main standard of care for most cancers, especially for the solid cancers. From the point of view of holistic oncology and science this approach has been a mistake.  The “cut it out” dogma is based on the false belief that the tumor is the cancer, so by removing the tumor, the surgeon hopes to remove the cancer. The evidence shows the opposite, cancer is a systemic disease spurred by intelligent and adapting cancer cells. When a surgeon surgically removes most tumors (unless it’s small and well encapsulated), there are multiple cancer pathways that are nefariously activated.

“Our study demonstrated surgical wound had promoting effect on tumor growth and pulmonary metastasis of human breast cells, if tumor cells remain in bodies. This effect might be related to the postoperative interaction of cancer and host cells, which resulted in expression of Pro-MMP-9. Surgical process could also increase the VEGF expression in tumor tissues”. (1)

Sadly, the metastatic recurrence coming from surgical removal is far more serious than the original tumor. Most cancer patients dont die from tumors, but do die from metastasis, regarding which little is done to holistically offset it’s progression, save for more chemo, more targeting drugs, more radiation and more surgery, one mechanism of which  enhances cancer cell adhesion and metastasis signaling.

The Adhesion Mechanism

Cancer cells that have broken away from the primary tumor utilize the adhesion mechanism to spread and colonize distant organs. One of those adhesion cells is called galectin-3, it is present on the surface of cancer cells, they act  like velcro by allowing free-standing cancer cells to adhere to each other.

Furthermore, the adherence of circulating tumor cells (CTC) to the blood vessel walls is an essential step for the process of metastasis to be triggered.

At which point these cancer cells will be better protected from the immune system.

For some of these reasons and contrarily to allopathic oncology, integrative and holistic oncology experts usually prefer to bypass surgery with safer, more efficient and cost friendly modalities. (2)

When surgery is indicated, different integrative and holistic techniques should be used to avoid and-or mitigate the above-mentioned adhesion event as well as other metastatic mechanisms. See the Holistic Oncology documentary movie   and Advanced Cancer Research Institute’s workshops and blogs for additional evidence.

Surgery can also provoke an immune response

When surgical resection occurs, inflammation ensues and as a result, the immune system may kick in to better recognize cancer cells. While this would be therapeutic and possibly curative, it does not happen that often or at least, I have not seen much evidence on this question.

More Later.

Under construction

REFERENCE NOTE 1

Surgical excision promotes tumor growth and metastasis by promoting expression of MMP-9 and VEGF in a breast cancer model.

T Zhao, W H Xia, M Q Zheng, C Q Lu, X Han, Y J Sun
Jiangsu Key Lab of Human Functional Genomics, Department of Cell Biology, Nanjing Medical University, China.
Experimental oncology 04/2008; 30(1):60-4.

ABSTRACT Surgery is still the main curative therapeutic modality for breast cancer. Although surgery often results in the successful removal of the primary tumor, its process could increase the risk of metastases of residual cancer cells. Understanding of the connection between breast cancer metastasis and surgical wound will lead to the establishment of a proper treatment strategy for postoperative cancer patient.

To study the influence of surgical procedure on the metastasis of primary breast cancer. We established MDA-MB-435 human breast cancer xenograft model. Levels of Pro-matrix metalloproteinase 9 (Pro-MMP-9) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in host serum and tumors were tested at different time points with ELISA and zymography and correlated to tumor growth and postoperative metastasis.

Our study demonstrated surgical wound had promoting effect on tumor growth and pulmonary metastasis of human breast cells, if tumor cells remain in bodies. This effect might be related to the postoperative interaction of cancer and host cells, which resulted in expression of Pro-MMP-9. Surgical process could also increase the VEGF expression in tumor tissues.

Surgical wound-produced host Pro-MMP-9 and tumor cell VEGF might be important mediators leading to metastasis of residual breast cancer after surgery.

(2).  For example, monoclonal antibody Perjeta, a  targeting drug, not only causes significant side toxic effects, but is quite expensive. Wholesale 4900 dollars for 425 mg, not even a month worth, when the “clinical benefit” is measured in a few months. On the other hand, integrative techniques like high doses of Vitamin C and holistic techniques like  hyperthermia and enzyme therapy cost much less and are usually devoid of toxic effects while being rich in therapeutic efficiency.

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