Breast Cancer
Next to skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common form
of cancer among women, affecting one woman out of every
eight at some point in life. Breast cancer also occurs among men, although at a
much lower rate. Symptoms include a lump or thickening
in the breast; a clear, bloody, or yellow discharge from the
nipple; and, only in rare instances, breast pain. Cancerous
breast lumps are firm and do not shrink and expand with
the menstrual cycle. While most lumps are not cancerous,
any breast abnormality should be brought to the attention
of a doctor.
Some of the major risk factors for breast cancer include
age, family history, smoking,
alcohol consumption,
radiation exposure, and, in post-menopausal women, obesity.
For women who do not smoke, however, the most important
risk factor is exposure to the female hormone estrogen over
the course of a woman's lifetime. Approximately 75 percent
of all breast cancers are stimulated by estrogen. Higher
levels of estrogen in the bloodstream are associated with
recurrence, resistance to treatment, and mortality. These cancers
are called estrogen-dependent. Lifetime estrogen exposure is
highest if menstruation starts at an early age, a woman
bears children either late in life or not at all,
menopause
occurs late, and she uses estrogen replacement therapy.
Breast cancer is classified according to a multistage
system that measures tumor size, the amount of lymph-node
involvement, and the absence or presence of metastases to
other organs such as the bones, lungs, and liver. The main
treatment is surgery. This ranges from lumpectomy, in
which the lump itself is removed with a small amount of
surrounding tissue, through more extensive operations to
radical mastectomy, in which the breast, parts of the chest
muscle, and armpit lymph nodes are removed. After
surgery, radiation therapy or various forms of chemotherapy
may be used.
One of the most useful treatments is hormonal therapy,
including tamoxifen (Nolvadex). Estrogen interacts with
an anticancer gene known as gene p53. This gene is a
"molecular patrolman" that makes sure genetically
defective cells do not multiply. Estrogen, however, promotes so
much cellular growth within the breast that gene p53
cannot keep track of all the defective cells. Removing estrogen
reduces the rate of cell growth so that this gene can do its
job. Gene p53 is not alone in regulating cancer cells.
Another gene, p21, stops the transformation of cells into a
cancerous state even before they trigger the alarm for gene
p53. Fortunately, isoflavones from both
soy and kudzu
activate p21.
There are herbs and formulas that offset the side effects
of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, as well as
providing other benefits. Always use herbal medicine as part of a
medically directed overall treatment plan for breast cancer.
Supplements and herbs
- Astragalus capsules. Take 500-1,000 mg 3 times daily.
Stops spread of cancers that respond to gene p53.
Do not use astragalus if you have a fever or a skin infection.
- Cat's claw tincture. Take as directed on the label in 1/2 cup water with 1 tsp
lemon juice.
A potent immune stimulant.
Do not use cat's claw if you have to take insulin for diabetes. Do not use it if you are
pregnant or nursing. Do not give it to a child under age six.
- Garlic enteric-coated tablets. Take at least 900 mg daily.
Stops proliferation of estrogen-activated cancer cells, complementing tamoxifen.
Garlic counteracts the effects of bifidus and lactobacillus cultures taken as digestive aids.
Consult a doctor before using garlic on a regular basis if you are on an anticoagulant medication
as warfarin (Coumadin). Discuss the use of garlic with your doctor before having any type
of surgery.
- Green tea catechin extract. Take 240 mg 3 times daily.
Blocks estrogen receptors, reinforcing action of tamoxifen.
- Kudzu tablets. Take 10 mg 3 times daily.
Activates gene p21.
- Lentinan intramuscular injection, given by health-care provider.
Activates Iymphokine-activated killer (LAK) and natural killer
(NK) immune system cells to fight cancer.
- Maitake - Maitake-D. Take 2,000 mg 3 times daily, before meals.
Stimulates the immune system. Slows tumor growth.
- Milk thistle silymarin gel-caps. Take 120-320 mg capsules daily.
Binds to estrogen receptor sites on cancer cells.
Milk thistle may cause mild diarrhea. If this occurs, decrease the dose or stop taking it.
- Mistletoe loranthus or
mulberry mistletoe. Use only under professional supervision.
Complements chemotherapy by preventing immune suppression.
- Quercetin tablets. Take 125-250 mg 3 times daily, between meals.
Accelerates cancer cell death in treatment for multi-medication-resistant cancer.
Do not use quercetin if you are taking cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimunne) or nifedipine
(Adalat, Procardia).
- Red wine catechins Resveratrol tablets. Take 125-250 mg 3 times daily.
Stops cellular processes that cause tumor development and growth.
- Soy isoflavone concentrate tablets. Take 3,000 mg daily.
Blocks estrogen from cancer cells. Activates gene p21.
- St. John's wort capsules. Take 300 mg 3 times daily.
Prevents spread of cancer to tissues between chest wall and lungs.
Do not use St John's wort if you are on prescription antidepressants or any medication that
interacts with MAO inhibitors. Use it with caution during pregnancy. This herb may increase
the chance of developing sun blisters if you are out in the sun for too long.
- Turmeric curcumin tablets. Take 250-500 mg twice daily between meals.
Activates p53; suppresses other genes that activate cancers.
- Vitex capsule, tablet, or tincture. Use as directed on the label.
May inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells.
HERBS TO AVOID - Women who have breast cancer should avoid the
following herbs: cordyceps,
dan shen,
fennel,
licorice, and
peony.
Additional things you may do
- Avoid accumulating body fat through exercise and by
eating the right kind of dietary fat in appropriate
quantities. This means you should not eat red meat, butter, and
lard, especially if you have not yet entered menopause, as
these fats can promote cancer development. Instead, you
should eat omega-3 fatty acids, the kinds of fats that protect
against cancer. Omega-3s are found in fish oils-eating two
to three servings of salmon, tuna, sardines, or other
coldwater fish a week, or taking fish oil capsules, can supply
the omega-3 you need. Other healthy fats include
olive oil
and similar monosaturated fats.
- Women who eat vegan diets, or diets that include no
animal products at all, should consume plant oils on a daily
basis. Laboratory research suggests that beta-sitosterol, a
component of almost all vegetable fats, greatly reduces the
growth of estrogen-stimulated breast cancer.
- Eat fruits and vegetables that are rich in
beta-carotene.
On average, women with breast cancer tend to have lower
levels of beta-carotene in their blood, although doctors
cannot say whether this is a cause or a result of the disease.
A small-scale study in Italy found that beta-carotene given
with other, related carotene compounds increased the
tumor-free period among women who had already had
breast cancer. The safest and most effective way of
maintaining healthy levels of beta-carotene is to consume three
or more servings of dark-green, yellow, or orange
vegetables and citrus fruits daily.
- Eat broccoli. Of all the cruciferous (cabbage family)
vegetables, broccoli appears to have the greatest cancer fighting potency. Broccoli contains sulphoraphane,
a compound that helps the body begin to eliminate carcinogenic
toxins in as little as ten days after it is included in the diet
on a daily basis. It also keeps estrogen from binding to and
stimulating the growth of breast cancer cells. Sulphoraphane
survives both steaming and micro waving.
- Avoid fried foods and charcoal-grilled meats. Studies
indicate that daily consumption of fried foods can raise the
lifetime risk of getting breast cancer from one in nine to
two in nine, and that daily consumption of grilled meats
can raise the risk to five in nine.
- Do not binge on sweets and starches. Eating a lot of
sweet or starchy food at once causes the body to release a
massive amount of the hormone insulin, which seems to
accelerate the growth of breast cancer cells. If you have
diabetes, try to manage your diet so that you maintain
healthy blood-sugar levels with the smallest amount of
insulin possible.
- Get a little sun. There is some evidence that vitamin D
can help transform breast cancer cells into healthy cells.
Vitamin D supplements are not necessary; all that is
needed for the body to manufacture adequate amounts of
vitamin D for fighting cancer is to expose your hands and face to sunlight for twenty minutes each day. Do not use
sunscreen during this twenty-minute period, since sun
blocks screen out the kind of ultraviolet light that
stimulates the natural production of the vitamin. The
effectiveness of vitamin D in fighting cancer, in turn, depends on
adequate supplies of vitamin C, which is best provided by
daily servings of fruits and vegetables.
- Make sure your diet includes fresh apples, cherries,
grapes, plums, and all types of berries.
- Take extra fiber daily. Fiber keeps toxic wastes from
being absorbed into the bloodstream.
- Eat onions and
garlic, or take garlic supplements.
- Relaxation techniques such as writing, meditation,
yoga, or massage therapy can aid in battling breast cancer.
- Hormonal therapy uses medications that act like estrogen
within the body. They attach to cells at the same places
estrogen does, but stimulate less cell growth. This gives
genes p21 and p53 less work to do. Tamoxifen (Nolvadex)
is a medication widely used after surgery for this purpose.
However, while tamoxifen reduces the risk of breast cancer, it
increases the risk of uterine cancer.
- The hormone melatonin produces a hundredfold
increase in the effectiveness of tamoxifen. Used by itself or
with astragalus, it also increases the effectiveness and
reduces the side effects of an immune-system component
called interleukin-2 that is sometimes used in treatment. Laboratory tests have found that
selenium and
magnesium reduce the incidence of new breast cancers when
taken with adequate dietary supplies of vitamins A,
C, and
E. Vitamin E is especially important for the anticancer
action of selenium. While this vitamin has no direct effect
on breast cancer, it can prevent the progress of mammary dysplasia, a precancerous condition of breast disease, to
full-blown cancer. A dosage of 600 international units per
day is adequate, along with daily doses of 150 micrograms
(but no more) of selenium and approximately 1,000
milligrams of any magnesium supplement.
- Breast tissue is especially vulnerable to damage from
the carcinogens in tobacco smoke at two points in a
woman's life, during puberty and during pregnancy, when
breast cells are actively dividing. Secondhand smoke
exposure during these times increases the risk of cancer.
- Surveys have found that while nearly 25 percent of
women perform breast self-examination seldom or never
at all, as many as 18 percent examine their breasts daily or
more often. Ironically, excessive self-examination also can
interfere with effective treatment, since doctors making
diagnostic decisions on the basis of these exams tend to
falsely identify growths as cancer. If you are sufficiently
concerned about breast health to make a daily exam, see a
doctor for a complete workup.
- Do not take supplements containing iron. Iron may be
used by tumors to promote growth.
- Folic acid has no effect on breast cancer in women who
do not drink, but protects against breast cancer in women
who drink more than 15 grams of alcohol (the equivalent of
two to three drinks) per day. Doctors writing in the Journal
of the American Medical Association recommend taking at
least 300 micrograms of folic acid daily.
- Estrogen replacement therapy may increase the risk of breast cancer in women
who have never had breast cancer before.
- If you experience itching, redness, and soreness of the
nipples, especially if you are not currently breast-feeding a
baby, seek evaluation by a physician. These can be
symptoms of Paget's disease, a form of breast cancer.
- Frequent exposure to medical x-rays has been linked to
an increased risk of breast cancer.
- Early or prolonged use of permanent dark hair dyes
have been linked to breast cancer.
- The stress of being diagnosed and treated for breast
cancer in itself weakens the immune system. Psychological
stress diminishes the capacity of natural killer (NK) and
T cells to fight infection both during and after treatment for
cancer. For this reason, stress management is extremely
important to recovery.
- Lymphedema is a swelling of the tissues that may
follow cancer surgery.
Other beneficial herbs
Breast cancer in men
Breast cancer strikes men only 1 percent as often as it
strikes women. Because it is not often suspected as a
cause of symptoms, it is often discovered at an advanced
stage. Risk factors for breast cancer in men include
diseases in which the body produces too much estrogen,
family history, radiation exposure, and exposure to the
tropical disease organism Schistosoma. In general, the
same treatments are used for men as for women, except
that in men spread of the disease may be treated by
removal of the testes to eliminate the hormones that
stimulate cancer growth.
Men who have breast cancer should consult with their
physicians about the advisability of the herbs or formulas
recommended for women to reduce estrogen production.
Both men and women who have been exposed to the
tropical disease schistosomiasis may benefit from the use
of agrimony, as this disease can contribute to the
development of both breast tumors and benign calcified
cysts that appear as cancers on mammograms. Agrimony
contains compounds that interrupt the life cycle of the
parasite. It also stimulates B cells, immune-system cells
that produce antibodies against cancer and various forms
of infection. Take 1 cup of agrimony tea two to three
times daily for up to three months.
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