An Unwilling Cancer Student

After my surgery, I read everything I could find about breast cancer. So many books, so many articles, so many studies, trying to find out what happened and what I could do to keep it from happening again. There is so much conflicting advice in this age of information.

I Google the survival statistics, even knowing that for one individual, percentages don’t matter. You either get it again, or you don’t. All or nothing. One hundred percent or zero. And ultimately, does it matter? We are all guaranteed one visit from the Grim Reaper regardless of what we do.

What about mammograms? Do they cause cancer themselves? Some suggest so. Others swear that early detection far outweighs any risk.

Does diet make a difference? Some studies suggest so, while others seem to indicate not. Vitamins? Herbs? Green tea? Antioxidants? I use them all; take the shotgun approach.

Is cancer a failure of the immune system? Some say yes; others say no. Eat meat—don’t eat meat. Eat soy—don’t eat soy.

The geographical distribution of breast cancer is telling. Low in Africa and Asia; high in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia. Something about modern, high-tech countries is correlated with breast cancer—what is it?

Is it even possible to cut off a cancer recurrence before it starts? Some consistent factors seem to run through all the varying opinions. A diet high in raw, fresh fruits and vegetables apparently gives some protection—some of the sources I found suggested that the intact enzymes in raw foods are beneficial to the body. Eating raw fruits and vegetables is easy enough to do, and can’t hurt you even if it doesn’t work—which you wouldn’t know until the cancer grew big enough to take you down.

Vitamin D, melatonin, and selenium are associated with a lower incidence of cancer. The latest studies imply that vitamin E supplements are ineffective in preventing cancer.

I am groping in the dark, trying to find answers to something that, in the end, may have no answers. The pieces of the puzzle don’t fit together. And what good is it to have a few pieces, if you can’t see the whole thing?

Here is a list of my favorite websites for breast cancer information:

The Center for Disease Control. Has a lot of interesting statistics and general information.

The National Cancer Institute. Many articles, statistics, etc.

The Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation. Author of The Breast Book and medical authority on breast cancer. Much information about breast cancer, recurrence, survivor stories.

Susan G. Komen Organization. Covers every aspect of breast cancer.

Breast Cancer.Org. A wealth of information, open to alternative treatments as well.

Dr. Lorraine Day’s Official Website. Dr. Day overcame her own breast cancer using natural therapies.

Alternative Cancer Treatments Comparison and Testing. The best website I have found if you are looking into alternatives to conventional medical treatments.

PawPawResearch. Interesting information about the inhibiting effects of pawpaw on cancer cells.