Breast cancer is the most common cancer -- diagnosed in about 211,000 U.S. women each year -- and the second-biggest killer cancer, after lung, among women. That may be why some are willing to do just about anything to prevent it.
Many women with long histories of breast cancer in their families have volunteered to donate their bodies to a study raising hope that a new class of drugs may present women at an increased risk for breast cancer a safe way to protect themselves.
Studies like this, however, have raised serious ethical concerns about whether the potential benefits of the drugs outweigh the risks.
The ExCel Trial
The study, referred to as the ExCel trial, is running tests on Aromasin (exemestane), one of a class of new drugs called aromatase inhibitors that block formation of estrogen, which can spur the growth of breast cancer cells.
Such drugs have been found to reduce the relapse rate for breast cancer at least as effectively as tamoxifen, the only other estrogen-blocking drug available. (However, tamoxifen has been found to raise the risk of blood clots, uterine cancer and endometrial cancer, hindering many women from taking it.)
The ExCel trial will involve:
About 4,500 postmenopausal women who are considered at high risk for breast cancer.
Half the women will take Aromasin while the other will take a placebo.
An independent panel of experts will supervise the study and analyze the data every six months (for five years) for any signs of unexpected side effects.
The goal? Researchers hope the data will determine whether the drugs can prevent first cancers, as well as which women are most likely to be protected by the drugs.
Danger Waits ...
Despite the touted benefits, a number of bioethicists have a problem with testing new and potentially toxic drugs on healthy women. In fact, some believe it's difficult to get true informed consent on studies like these because some women have an overly heightened fear of breast cancer and likely have a larger expectation of a benefit than is realistic.
What's more, some findings suggest that aromatase inhibitors may increase the risk of osteoporosis, making women prone to potentially serious fractures.
Washington Post May 22, 2005
Fear is a very powerful motivator and the drug companies are some of the most clever marketers on the planet. They are using fear of cancer to sell even more of their product.
While I am a firm believer in the free-enterprise, capitalistic system, the success of this model is largely related to the spiritual beliefs of the individuals that control the corporation. If those individuals are not rooted in foundational belief systems that value love of others, not love of self, at their core, then this type of behavior is to be expected.
However, it is incomprehensible to me how any spiritually mature individual would ever consider -- even for a moment -- selling a product that would knowingly cause long-term harm to people for the sole purpose of generating profits for the corporation and individual.
Most people (not drug companies, though) are confused about the real cause of cancer and all disease. In no way, shape or form is it related to a drug deficiency or some random event that is waiting in the wings to strike us down.
The vast majority of the time it is completely related to circumstances that we are in complete control of. Isn't that refreshing? We can influence, and have the power to modify, the risk of whether or not we will develop cancer or, for that matter, any chronic degenerative disease.
No pill could ever replace the benefits that a healthy diet and lifestyle can have on your body. At best they are Band-Aid solutions that can temporarily adjust for imbalances present in your body. At worst, they can have deadly side effects of their own.
If you are living in a fear mode of cancer, there are a number of simple, yet very powerful, steps you can take to radically lower your risk of cancer in the future. Some of the most important ones are as follows:
Control your insulin levels. Make certain that you limit your intake of processed foods and sugars as much as possible.
Get appropriate amounts of animal-based omega-3 fats, and make sure you use cod liver oil if you don't have regular access to sun exposure.
Get appropriate amounts of exercise. One of the primary reasons exercise works is that it drives your insulin levels down. Controlling insulin levels is one of the most powerful ways to reduce your cancer risks.
Normalize your vitamin D levels by getting enough sunshine.
Eat according to your metabolic type. The potent anti-cancer effects of this principle are very much underappreciated. When we treat cancer patients in our clinic, this is one of the most powerful anti-cancer strategies we have.
Have a tool to permanently erase the neurological short-circuiting that can activate cancer genes. Even the CDC states that 85 percent of disease is caused by negative emotions. It is likely that this factor may be more important than all the other physical ones listed here, so make sure this is addressed. Energy psychology seems to be one of the best approaches and my particular favorite tool, as you may know, is the Emotional Freedom Technique.
Only 25 percent of people eat enough vegetables, so by all means eat as many vegetables as your nutritional type allows. Ideally, they should be fresh and organic. However, please understand that, frequently, fresh conventionally grown vegetables are healthier than organic ones that are older and wilted in the grocery store. They are certainly better than no vegetables at all, so please don't use that as an excuse. If you are a carb nutritional type, you may need up to 300 percent more vegetables than a protein nutritional type.
Make sure you are not in the two-thirds of the population who are overweight and maintain an ideal body weight.
Get enough high-quality sleep.
Reduce your exposure to environmental toxins like pesticides, household chemical cleaners, synthetic air fresheners and air pollution.
Boil, poach or steam your foods, rather than frying or charbroiling them.
Related Articles:
Exercise Reduces Breast Cancer Vitamin A: Little Known Secret to Preventing Breast Cancer Breast Cancer Risks Grow With High-Carb Diets
Exercise Reduces Breast Cancer
Vitamin A: Little Known Secret to Preventing Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer Risks Grow With High-Carb Diets