Borstkanker en natuurlijke progesteron (Engels)

Could Bio-Identical Progesterone Have Prevented Elizabeth Edwards’ “Incurable Cancer” ?

Last week’s media reports that Elizabeth Edwards’ cancer had recurred stirred up a lot of discussion about what it means to have an “incurable cancer”. In layman’s terms, a cancer is incurable if it can’t be cured, or completely eradicated, but can be held in check sometimes for years. The key question for Ms. Edwards, and others like her whose cancer has metastasized or spread to other tissues or organs within their body, is whether or not the cancer is hormone dependant. A hormone dependent cancerous tumor is a tumor that needs hormones, specifically estrogen, in order to grow and progress. The medical term for these types of tumors is estrogen receptor-positive. A critical question is “Where does the tumor get the estrogen that feeds its growth?” The answer can be different for different women. Let me explain. Estrogen and progesterone hormones are produced by the female ovaries. Estrogen fuels cell growth which, if unchecked, can be a precursor of cancer. When the internal levels of estrogen and progesterone are balanced, however, progesterone neutralizes estrogen’s ability to stimulate cell growth. In other words, progesterone evidences a natural antiestrogenic action. When internal progesterone levels are sufficient to balance estrogen levels there will not be enough “extra” estrogen circulating within the body to stimulate estrogen receptor-positive tumor growth. Three common factors can cause the ratio of progesterone to estrogen to become unbalanced and thereby foster a condition of estrogen dominance. These are age, body fat and the use of synthetic estrogen replacement therapies. When the body is estrogen dominant, estrogen dependant tumors get “fed” and they grow. §  Age creates a naturally occurring condition of estrogen dominance. In all women, progesterone production begins to decline in the early to mid- thirties. Progesterone levels actually decline 120x more rapidly than estrogen levels. §  Fatty tissue within the body also produces estrogen. This means, that regardless of her age, if a woman is overweight she is more likely to be estrogen dominant. §  Synthetic estrogen replacement therapies, such as Premarin or Prempro, raise the levels of circulating estrogen within the body. Once again the body becomes estrogen dominant. Today, in the United States, Tamoxifen is the drug of choice to treat estrogen dependant tumors. Tamoxifen acts as an antiestrogen thereby blocking estrogen’s ability to stimulate cell growth. Here is my question: What if Elizabeth Edwards, and other women like her with estrogen receptor-positive breast tumors, had used bio-identical progesterone to replace their progesterone deficiencies and neutralize their condition of estrogen dominance? Would they have been able to prevent the development of their initial breast cancer tumors? Just as potent a question: Could the antiestrogen action of bio- identical progesterone help prevent the recurrence and metastasis of their estrogen receptor-positive tumors? I do not have a conclusive answer to the above questions but I do know this. In over a decade of treating women suffering from hormone imbalances, I have never had a woman on my bio-identical progesterone therapy regimen who has developed breast cancer.I also know that multiple European medical studies examining the antiestrogen action of progesterone in breast tissue validate my clinical experience. Is more research needed? Absolutely! Women in the United States like Elizabeth Edwards – and like you – need truth and answers regarding their risks of developing breast cancer and what they could be doing right now to prevent it. Be well. Dr. Randolph

Jodium behandelt borstkanker

Iodine Treats Breast Cancer, the Evidence is Overwhelming

Spontaneous Regression of Breast Cancer With Iodine

In his Iodine book, David Brownstein MD reports three cases of spontaneous regression of breast cancer after iodine supplementation.(1)(page 63)

The first patient, Joan a 63 year old English teacher, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1989, declined conventional treatment, and took 50 mg per day of Iodoral, (Iodine). Six weeks later, a PET scan (left image) showed, “all of the existing tumors were disintegrating”.

The second patient, 73 year old Delores, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003. She declined conventional treatment with radiation and chemotherapy. Instead, Dolores took 50 mg of Iodoral daily. A follow up ultrasound of the breast 18 months later showed,” It appears that these malignancies have diminished in size since the last examination. Interval improvement is definitely seen,” Two years later a follow up mammogram and ultrasound failed to show any abnormality and were read by the radiologist as normal.

The third patient, 52 year old Joyce was diagnosed with breast cancer two years prior (left image), and started on Iodoral, 50 mg per day. Three years after starting Iodoral, her follow up mammograms and ultrasound exams show decreasing size of the tumor with no progression.(1)

Iodine Deficiency Causes Breast Cancer 

Iodine deficiency is associated with a higher rate of goiter and breast cancer. Similarly, higher dietary Iodine intake is associated with less goiter and breast cancer. For example, Japan has the highest dietary intake of iodine (13 mg per day), and the lowest rates for goiter and breast cancer. However, when Japanese women immigrate and change dietary intake of Iodine to the lower 150 mcg/day in America, breast cancer rates increase.(1)

Iceland is another country with high Iodine intake and low rates for goiter and breast cancer. The high dietary iodine came from the fishing industry before WWI. In those days, the fish meal was fed to dairy cows providing milk with high iodine content. After WWI, the fish meal was eliminated from the dairy cows, and breast cancer rates soared ten-fold. (2)

Animal studies

Iodine deficient diets in animals induces breast cancer and goiter.(1)

Iodine Research from Mexico, India and Japan. 

India

The Shrivastava group in India reported molecular iodine induces apoptosis (programmed cell death) in human breast cancer cell cultures. “Iodine showed cytotoxic effects in the cultured human breast cancer cells”.(3) 

Mexico

From Mexico, the Carmen Aceves Velasco Group reported Iodine to be safe, with no harmful effects on thyroid function, and an anti-proliferative effect on human breast cancer cell cultures.(5)(6)(7) Their 2009 paper reported the mechanism by which Iodine works as an anti-cancer agent. Iodine binds to membrane lipids called lactones forming iodo-lactones which regulate apoptosis (programmed cell death). Iodine causes apoptosis which makes cancer cells undergo programmed cell death.(4) Dr. Aceves concluded that continuous molecular iodine treatment has a “potent antineoplastic effect” on the progression of mammary cancer. (10)

Japan

From Japan, Dr Funahashi reported a common seaweed food containing high iodine content is more beneficial than chemotherapy on breast cancer. “He found that administration of Lugol’s iodine or iodine-rich Wakame seaweed to rats treated with the carcinogen dimethyl benzanthracene suppressed the development of mammary tumors. The same group demonstrated that seaweed induced apoptosis in human breast cancer cells with greater potency than that of fluorouracil, a chemotherapeutic agent used to treat breast cancer.”(8)

Mechanism of Action-Altering Gene Expression

A 2008 paper by Bernard A. Eskin MD showed that Iodine actually altered gene expression in breast cancer cells, inducing programmed cell death. (9)

Lung Cancer and Iodine

A 2003 study by Ling Zhang showed that molecular Iodine caused lung cancer cells to undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis). These lung cancer cells had been genetically modified to increase iodine uptake.(12) Interestingly, a 1993 case report describes spontaneous remission of lung cancer in a patient incidentally treated with Amiodorone which contains iodine (about 9 mg per day).(13)

In Conclusion

Current Iodine research calls for use of molecular Iodine for all patients with breast cancer.(10)(11) Other cancers such as lung and prostate may also benefit. Further research on Iodine as cancer chemotherapy should receive top priority for NIH funding.

Iodine in the form of Iodoral tablets is available OTC, on the internet without a prescription.

For hyperlinked references and illustrations: see the original article .

Disclaimer click here: 

The reader is advised to discuss the comments on these pages with his/her personal physicians and to only act upon the advice of his/her personal physician. Also note that concerning an answer which appears as an electronically posted question, I am NOT creating a physician — patient relationship. Although identities will remain confidential as much as possible, as I can not control the media, I can not take responsibility for any breaches of confidentiality that may occur.

Financial disclosure: the author has no financial interest in any company which manufactures iodine supplements.

Author- Jeffrey Dach MD