02/09/2022
I
Too many times I hear that cancer is genetic, or there's nothing which can be done to treat cancers, especially naturally.
If cancer is genetic, then there should be one or many cancer genes to cause it.
But there aren't any cancer genes! That might be surprising to you, but there aren't any.
Some people might say, "oh but there's the BRCA gene which causes breast cancer!", but the BRCA genes are actually a preventative gene which protects AGAINST breast cancer! What may happen in only some cases of breast cancer is that the BRCA genes become mutated or changed for a number of reasons or causes, to reduce the protective effect of the BRCA genes and this then increases your risks of this cancer. The BRCA gene doesn't cause the cancer. And having mastectomies (breast removal) doesn't prevent breast cancer either.
The BRCA gene is also a good example of how breast cancer is not genetic. While it might appear in some families to see breast cancer across several generations of women, and across aunts and cousins, it is better explained that they eat the same or similar poor food choices, have the same lifestyle (smoking, alcohol, lack of exercise, etc), the same exposure to environmental toxins, and other factors in common. The Cancer Research UK group says that only 5-10% of cancers are due to an inherited faulty gene. Or in other words, 90-95% of cancers are NOT genetically inherited (Cancer Research UK, 2021).
Almost all cancers are from EPIgenetic causes, from environmental factors interacting with your genes to either turn off the protective genes (like the BRCA genes) or from other factors which may cause mutations in genes, such as from smoking, excessive alcohol, toxins and chemicals, viruses, radiation, nutrient deficiencies, and other causes which affect your immune system function as your immune system actively finds and destroys cancer cells. As most of these factors can be prevented, stopped or fixed, and the immune system function CAN be improved, there is a lot which can be done to prevent or reduce cancer incidences or cases.
Preventing or treating cancer needs a thorough investigation of all possible causes, and fixing those, and improving immune system function and whole body health.
Stay healthy!
References:
Cancer Research UK. (2021). Family history and inherited cancer genes. Retrieved 2nd September 2022 from https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/inherited-cancer-genes-and-increased-cancer-risk/family-history-and-inherited-cancer-genes