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Here is a fact that may surprise you: According to a ground-breaking 14-year study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, although there are some cancers that have a higher rate of long-term survivability in response to chemotherapy, the overall 5-year survival rate for cancer patients who utilize cytotoxic chemotherapy alone is only 2.1%.
According to the researchers: “To justify the continued funding and availability of drugs used in cytotoxic chemotherapy, a rigorous evaluation of the cost-effectiveness and impact on quality of life is urgently required.”
There are a few key reasons why traditional treatments for cancer have such a low rate of survival. The most obvious reason is that these invasive and toxic procedures destroy the immune system. Another reason that is not as well known, however, is the fact that traditional therapies do nothing to eradicate the specific cancer stem cells that often remain within the initial cancer area. And these stem cells have the ability to regrow cancer tumor cells again and again.
According to researchers at Stanford School of Medicine: “Shrinking a cancerous tumor may offer temporary relief….but it will not offer a long-term cure if the Cancer Stem Cells are not eliminated.”
What are Cancer Stem Cells?
Healthy stem cells exist in every organ in your body and are absolutely vital for health and well-being. They are “blank slates” but are also
“regenerative powerhouses” that carry within them the potential to develop into many different kinds of cells needed for healthy bodily functions. They contribute to your body’s internal repair mechanisms, especially during the early years of development and they have the ability to divide without limit and to replenish the numbers of cells in a particular area that may be dwindling. Although they can remain a stem cell, they also have the ability to turn into a muscle cell, an organ cell or even a brain cell.
Of course, stem cells can also change into cancer cells under the right conditions; when this happens, then they become deadly. For those with Breast Cancer, according to the principles of cancer stem cell theory “Breast Cancer Stem Cells can be responsible for a relapse even after all ‘observable’ signs of tumor are gone.”
Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) have the ability to lay dormant until long after treatment has completed and then they can turn into other types of cancer tumor cells, spreading to other parts of the body in the process known as metastasis. BCSCs in particular have been shown to be highly “tumorigenic” (i.e. prone to growing new tumors). What’s more, recent research has shown that traditional chemotherapy treatment may increase the number of BCSCs and other Cancer Stem Cells, thus contributing to a higher rate of tumor growth overall.
What YOU Can Do to Eliminate Cancer Stem Cells
If you are learning about CSCs for the first time, this news may be shocking. Don’t lose hope! Whether you choose to undergo radiation treatment or not, there ARE things you can do to eliminate cancer stem cells. The really good news is that there are natural substances whose specific job it is to destroy cancer cells and cancer stem cells.
Nature never ceases to amaze!
Here are just a few completely natural elements that have been proven to hunt out and destroy Cancer Stem Cells while leaving healthy cells alone:
- Sulforaphane. Sulforaphane is found in cruciferous vegetables and especially in broccoli sprouts. It has been proven by numerous studies to destroy Cancer Stem Cells, especially in the ground-breaking work of Dr. Paul Talalay of John Hopkins University.
- Curcumin. Studies have shown that when curcumin, an anti-inflammatory substance derived from turmeric, is combined with the substance peperine (from black pepper) the duo can eliminate BCSCs
- Ginger. Ginger contains the chemical 6-shogaol, which has been proven specifically to target and kill BCSCs
- Resveratrol. Resveratrol is a Cancer Stem Cell- killing plant compound that is found in the skin of red grapes and other dark berries, especially blueberries. It can also be found in red wine and dark chocolate
- Turkey Tail mushrooms. Mushrooms have long been known to have many immune-boosting and cancer preventative properties. However, a string of studies beginning in the early 2010’s also discovered that Turkey Tail mushrooms from Asia in particular have strong Cancer Stem Cell busting properties, especially for prostate and breast cancers.
If you are concerned about whether you still have Cancer Stem Cells in your system, consider getting a test called the Breast Oncotrail. Then put your reliance on one of the many natural substances that can not only boost and repair your immune system naturally, but also have the ability to keep Cancer Stem Cells and BCSCs forever at bay.
