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Dr. Mercola
January 10 2008
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Can Colon Cancer Screenings Cause More Harm Than Good?

colon cancer, screenings, colonoscopyScreenings for colorectal cancer may not benefit patients with severe illnesses, and they may even cause harm, Yale School of Medicine researchers revealed.

Their new study estimated “payoff time” -- the minimum amount of time it takes for the benefits of a test to outweigh its harm (from complications and side effects) -- for using colonoscopy to screen for colorectal cancer among 50-year-old men with HIV, and 60-year-old women with congestive heart failure.

They found that the screening took up to five years to payoff in the men, and nearly three years among the women. Because patients with severe congestive heart failure may live less than three years, the researchers concluded that the test could cause more harm than good.

However, among the men with HIV, who can often live longer than five years, the screening would likely be beneficial.

The findings have particular importance because current guidelines encourage doctors to offer screening to everyone, regardless of individual benefit.

Dr. Mercola Dr. Mercola's Comments:
For most people, colon cancer screenings are a simple, relatively painless way to screen for colorectal cancer, which is the third most common cancer in the United States (over 52,000 Americans died from colon or rectal cancer in 2007).

During a colonoscopy a long, flexible tube with a video camera at its tip is inserted into your bowel, which allows your doctor to view the inside of your colon.

Assuming your doctor is skilled at detecting colorectal cancer and precancerous polyps, the screenings can save your life if you find a polyp before it has advanced to a certain stage. This is because removal of the small tumors is nearly always able to stop the cancer from progressing.

However, this is clearly only addressing the symptoms, and not the underlying problem. My approach is not to focus on catching the problem AFTER the fact but to be more highly proactive and prevent ALL forms of cancer.

While this may seem heretical for myself, I am choosing not to do any cancer screenings. I believe the screening would put the focus on fear and potentially increase my chances for manifesting the disease. However, I am not recommending this for everyone.  I believe that because of my healthy lifestyle, I am very confident that I am at an insignificant risk of any malignancy.

You can also achieve this confidence by applying the principles I have outlined in my most recent book, Take Control of  Your Health. Some of the cancer-preventative proven strategies are:
What to Do If You Already Have a Problem or Do Need a Screen

First of all I would not ignore any symptoms. If you have rectal bleeding you will certainly want to follow that up and seek appropriate consultations. If you want to be more proactive and have a screening performed then I strongly believe energy assessment tools are the most sensitive biological indicator available today.

There are a number of different instruments available and most all of them are highly dependent upon the skill of the practitioner. Most of these instruments are descendants of equipment developed by Dr. Voll in Germany in the 1950s.

I have had a number of different assessments done by various clinicians, but one of the best was done by Dr. Lee Cowden, one of the current leaders in energy medicine in the United States. I will tell my story in the near future, but through this technology he was able to actually reverse a progressive kidney insufficiency that was moving toward kidney failure. I am happy to report that after struggling with this issue for over eight years, only one session with him and implementing his recommendations has resulted in complete remission of my kidney challenge.

So, needless to say I am a strong believer in energy medicine and would personally always use it over conventional modalities. However, the science is weak and it can’t be broadly recommended for all. Plus, there really aren’t enough skilled clinicians like Dr. Cowden to perform these assessments, however it is a tool that you should know does currently exist.

However, at the core of nearly all cancers and disease are unresolved emotional conflicts that typically occurred before the age of 6. Along those lines there are some aspects related to colon cancer you should know of.

Overcome Ugly “Indigestible” Emotional Conflicts

Your emotions play a major role in cancer development, and colon cancer is no exception. According to the unprecedented research behind German New Medicine (GNM), developed by Dr. Ryke Geerd Hamer, M.D., every disease, including cancer, originates from an unexpected emotional shock.

But the disease that develops is not random. Dr. Hamer has mapped out precisely which area of your body will be impacted by emotional shocks to different areas in your brain. As he explains on his Web site, colon cancer is triggered by an emotional conflict that is:
  • Ugly, indigestible anger (colon)
  • Ugly, insidious, dirty ”sh** conflict“ (rectum)
  • Ugly, mean ”sh** conflict“ (sigmoid colon)
Examples of such conflicts, as Dr. Hamer explains, include:

“… A man thinks he has won the lottery and he has already invited all his friends and relatives, when it turns out that the lottery ticket was invalid. That is to say, the person has already ”snatched the lottery prize-morsel,“ but at the end he has to yield it up.

Another example would be that a patient suffers an indigestible conflict because he has just ”swallowed a morsel“ but cannot ”digest“ it. For instance, he just bought a house but suddenly discovers that the contract of purchase is invalid, that he has been cheated, and that he has now lost the house.”

How do your emotions trigger illness? By causing very real physical changes in your body. A traumatic emotional experience, whether it’s the loss of a loved one, a severe worry or any other threat or panic, causes you stress on a physical and emotional level. It also, according to Dr. Hamer, causes a brain lesion that can clearly be seen on a CT scan.

This lesion is confirmation to your brain of the shock you have experienced, and it then transmits a biochemical signal to the corresponding body cells that can result in tumor growth, visual or hearing impairment, paralysis, diabetes or any other disease (depending on the area of your brain affected).

The solution is not to treat the physical symptoms, but instead to get to the bottom of the emotional conflict, and heal yourself emotionally.

My favorite form of emotional healing is Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). If you’re not yet familiar with it, it’s a tool you can use everyday to free yourself of emotional challenges.

If you listen to these fundamental laws of nature -- to eat healthy foods, exercise and deal with your emotional hurdles -- it will go a long way toward keeping you out of the doctor’s office and helping you prevent cancer altogether.
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Community Comments ( 116 )
 		Comment on this Article
  
  
Kissamee
 [ Joined on 12/07 ] [ Posted on December 29, 2007 ]
22 Points        
   
 
Apprentice User
I was reading this: "If you had done a colon cleanse you would not have got cancer" is one of the most insulting, ignorant, rude things to say to anyone who has dealt with, or lost someone to cancer.

I routinely do cleansing; liver and colon, it is a good idea to remove poisons that collect, but to say if you don't you'll get cancer, or if you had you wouldn't have got cancer is wildly ridiculous, and sweepingly generalizing to a dangerous degree.  Dangerous?  Yes, any violent expulsion of fecal matter can rupture damaged membranes and any diverticula, to even pierce through a weakened colon wall.  I would say cleanses are not a panacea for people who have neglected their bodies and not listened to the subtle signals that tell one it's time for some exploration into what's wrong.    By the time many people realize there is a problem it's way too late for a cleanse, it's time for surgery.

Not even an allopath would dare to diagnose in a message group.

Kel
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
Sheila C
 [ Joined on 12/06 ]  [ Posted on December 29, 2007]
-7 Points        
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola
Hi Kel, please read that again, and the rest of the posts too.  I never said if you don't do a colon cleanse you will get cancer.  And no one is talking about violent expulsion.  I've heard you have some pretty gross infomercials, but I have never seen them.  Is this where everyone is getting their information from?  You are out of the loop on this one, girl.  Previously on another site, Islander and I got into it about colon cleanses.  I could never understand why they were so against them.  Now the truth is starting to come out.  Sorry I had to be so harsh, but hopefully we will get there. 
Mercola
  
Kissamee
 [ Joined on 12/07 ]  [ Posted on December 29, 2007]
5 Points        
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola
Sheila, I was not talking about you or even anyone in particular, I was just tossing my hat in.

Kel
  
  
Islander
 [ Joined on 03/07 ] [ Posted on December 27, 2007 ]
22 Points        
   
 
Moderator User
Sheila:
First: members come here to learn, to exchange ideas, to share experiences and to reflect. Most do not come with the intention of abusing others. I have no "clique" as you call it, and I feel no need to "defend" myself, but if others speak up on my behalf, it is because they perceive that you have crossed a line. Personally, I just shrug it off for the temporary irritant that it is.

Second: I try to maintain a civil tone but sometimes my patience is exhausted. I feel like I am being stalked when I am confronted with an unrelated post from the past. Are you keeping an "Islander" file?

Finally: this sure looks a lot like trolling, i.e. deliberately posting provocative or inflammatory comments with the intent of arousing emotions. It is reasonable to expect disagreement on any topic, but you are unwilling to let it go at that. Kindly withdraw now and leave the medical advice to Dr. Mercola.
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
Sheila C
 [ Joined on 12/06 ]  [ Posted on December 28, 2007]
-15 Points        
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola
Islander, let me start again.  I wish with all my heart that you had done a colon cleanse 10 years ago.  Then it would have saved you all the pain and suffering that you have gone through.  I so strongly believe this that I have been persecuted and my character has be assassinated because of it.  But I still hold firm.  You may initially have thought it was your gastroenterologist and oncologist who saved you, but don't kid yourself, you are still here 8 years later because you took control of your health.  And good for you!  I know I can't convince you, but would like to quote this from the following site "Nearly all the problems you are likely to have from cancer are related to the large bowel"
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=14326
Also there are a few more you should see, if you don't mind.
http://www.naturalhealthtechniques.com/SpecificDiseases/bowelmovements.htm
http://www.blogs.insidetoronto.com/naturopathic_perspectives/digestion-and-elimination/hea lthy-bowel-movements/
http://www.askahealer.com/what-is-healthy-stool.htm
http://www.colon-cleanse-constipation.com/bowel-movements.html
What do you think?
Mercola
  
Patty D
 [ Joined on 06/07 ]  [ Posted on December 29, 2007]
15 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
Sheila, what the heck is it going to take to make you see that some people get cancer regardless of what they did or didn't do?  From what I've seen Islander write, she has always grown her own ORGANIC produce, had her own cows and goats etc etc.   All you do by blaming the person is hurt the person who suffered the illness and confuse everyone else.  Blanket statements such as this one are tremendously harmful to people who are just learning about alternative health and painful to those who have suffered diseases such as colon cancer.  Frankly, I'm sick of you trying to "force" your beliefs on others regardless of whether or not you hurt somebody.   Even worse, is you haven't answered anyone's questions nor produced evidence that colon cleanses prevent or cure cancer.  I'm only bothering to reply to protect anyone just coming across this material for the first time.   You appear to have a very unhealthy bowel fixation.  I don't mind listening to other opinions but I do mind when your so called opinion becomes a personal attack against others, especially people who are complete strangers to you.  What if somebody reading this has just been diagnosed, runs out and does a colon cleanse in the mistaken belief that that will cure them and they die BECAUSE OF YOU?  LAY OFF!!!
Mercola
  
Sheila C
 [ Joined on 12/06 ]  [ Posted on December 29, 2007]
-23 Points        
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola
Hi Patty, did you even check out those links I posted?  As they are other people's opinions, not just my own.  Obviously there are other factors involved in cancer (stress, nutritional deficiency, pesticides), but a colon cleanse is the first step, especially for those who do not eat organic.  Most people come to see my herbalist because they are having health issues.  I would estimate approx. 70% of new clients, the biggest issue is their colon.  A lot of other health ailments disappear just by doing a colon cleanse.  But usually it is this that triggers their "taking control of their health".  With BeyondOrganic's dad, I am positive it was the agent orange.  As everyone that I ever heard of who was in contact with the stuff, has either died or is dying of cancer.  Even our government paid out some of those who served and were exposed to agent orange.  There is more to Islander's story than she says, I hope that she can confide in us.  As I said in another post here, there are other non invasive ways of being diagnosed with cancer.  Not everyone needs a colonoscopy to determine if they have cancer.  There is also live blood cell analysis.
Patty, could you please show your proof that someone died from taking a herbal colon cleanse.
Mercola
  
Patty D
 [ Joined on 06/07 ]  [ Posted on December 29, 2007]
19 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
Sheila, I promised myself to say no more but....my comment did NOT refer to somebody dying from the cleanse (although I see it as possible with various conditions that might result in dehydration, electrolyte imbalance etc).  I was referring to somebody who has colon cancer believing your posts that a cleanse will cure it, not getting treatment and dying from that.  That's the type of harm I want to prevent.   Blood cell analysis I believe, is a big hoax and yes, I've done a lot of research on it.  Allopathic blood tests for certain cancer markers are notoriously unreliable so, in the case of colon cancer, I do believe a colonoscopy and biopsy is the best way to diagnose.  Again, prevention is everything, but nobody living in today's society can prevent exposure to all toxins.   How can you have the audacity to state that Islander needs to confide some deep dark secret.  Your arrogance is appalling.   BTW...yes I checked out the links you've given and I'm no more convinced of anything than I was at the start.  I don't buy into most of allopathic medicine anymore BUT I'm not going to buy into everything alternative either.  If it's not likely to hurt me and sounds like it may help, I'll try it.  Clay for detox worked.  Vitamin C purge (which resulted in a colon cleanse) seems to have stopped a bad respiratory infection.  I'm very open minded and if it doesn't seem harmful, will rely on anecdotal evidence to make a decision.  I also believe in things that have no scientific explanation.  I tend NOT to believe stuff that comes from sites whose primary purpose is to sell, not educate.  
Mercola
  
BeyondOrganic
 [ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on December 29, 2007]
12 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
Good job Patty! :)
Mercola
  
Sheila C
 [ Joined on 12/06 ]  [ Posted on December 29, 2007]
-22 Points        
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola
Hi Patty, so you have chosen to incorporate a Vitamin C colon cleanse?  Wow, I thought you were against them?  Another alternative is aloe vera.  I was just suggesting a product that may work well, as have you.  I am not here to sell anything.  But I am sure by now you have closed your mind off to anything that I have to say.  But if a relatively healthy person dyed of dehyradration, wouldn't that just be stupidity?  You cannot tell me that that person's body wasn't crying out for days, for water.  And do you honestly believe that a person would take that one comment I made and run with it.  That insults everyones intelligence.  I do not take back the comment about the nurses.  That is their mentality, no one can know better than them.  Sorry to inform you, I know perfectly well how the colon works.  I can read and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out.  Why do you feel that it is priviledged knowledge that only the regular medical community knows about?
Mercola
  
Sheila C
 [ Joined on 12/06 ]  [ Posted on December 30, 2007]
-11 Points        
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola
Hi Patty, could you please provide the link that proves that live blood cell analysis is "a big hoax".




Mercola
  
BeyondOrganic
 [ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on December 30, 2007]
13 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
"As I said in another post here, there are other non invasive ways of being diagnosed with cancer.  Not everyone needs a colonoscopy to determine if they have cancer."

Since someone here feels the need to go on and on and on.....
The above comment that I copied and pasted has bothered me a bit.  I want to make it clear that I went in and will continue to go in for a colonoscopy NOT to find out if I have cancer, but to rather find out if I have a polyp (thankfully I didn't this time).  If they find a polyp they can remove it long before it ever has a chance of turning into cancer.  Whereas most polyps if given the time, will eventually turn into cancer.   I don't ever want to go through what my poor dad did.  Colon and rectal cancers seem to be one of the few that can be prevented with a colonoscopy and polyp removal.  
  
  
foxtroter_203
 [ Joined on 09/06 ] [ Posted on December 26, 2007 ]
21 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
Concerning Dr. Shultz, I do have to advise some caution. 

I do not dispute that Dr. Shultz and his mentors Dr. Bernard Jensen (who was a chiropractor if I recall correctly) and Dr. John Christopher (founder of School of Natural Healing in Utah) have helped many people back to health.

Unfortunately, many of the healing  techniques that are used by his mentors (Aromatherapy, Iridology and Reflexology) along with herbology do not have good scientific studies to support the degree of claims of success that are given to them.  I am not saying just because there are not good scientific studies to support them that they are completely invalid, just be cautious.

I believe that many of the bloggers on this site like to follow Dr. Mercola and others similar to him because they tend to have some good biochemistry, endocrinology and science to support the claims.

Unfortunately, many practitioners in alternative health provide theoretical biochemical proposals to support their clinical observations. 

There is a subtle but important distinction between the two approaches.
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
Sheila C
 [ Joined on 12/06 ]  [ Posted on December 27, 2007]
-26 Points        
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola
Hi Dr. Fox, do you practise any energy medicine?  Are you open to that concept?  As a chiropractor, I would think that you would be more open minded.  It wasn't that long ago that chiropractors were considered quacks, not that I believe this, but you have to admit that chiropractors were once considered "on the fringe".  The muscle stress test is used in Kinesiology.  As with anything, it takes training and practise.  Please check out this site www.bodytalksystems.com.
Maybe Dr. Mercola could explain his BEST sessions for you.
Mercola