Can Surgery or Biopsy Spread Cancer?

Can Surgery or Biopsy Spread Cancer?

Minimizing Risks and Maximizing Survival

The question, "Can surgery spread cancer?" has a straightforward answer: Yes. However, this article offers suggestions on minimizing risks and potential damage. Adopting the right diet for surgery, taking certain supplements, and using antihistamine drugs like Cimetidine, Desloratadine, or Loratadine can reduce the risk of cancer spread and increase survival rates.

Two-thirds of cancer patients undergo surgery. Over the past decade, a growing debate questions whether this conventional medical approach to cancer might be exacerbating the issue. Cancer surgery may inadvertently increase metastasis and accelerate the cancer growth rate in the body.

Understanding the Metastasis Process

Before discussing how surgery can cause metastasis, let's put the process into context. A cancer cell must first breach the surrounding connective tissue, enter the bloodstream, travel through the body undetected, and infiltrate a target organ. While this is not an easy task, cancer has developed a slow, steady program to achieve it. Surgery may inadvertently aid this process by damaging surrounding connective tissue, providing direct access to the bloodstream and lymphatic system, and stimulating biochemical changes that help cancer cells spread.

How Surgery Can Encourage Cancer Spread

Surgery can inadvertently promote cancer proliferation through several mechanisms:

1. Biochemical changes: Surgery triggers fundamental biochemical changes in the body, including stress, inflammatory response, and the production of healing hormones. Additionally, doctors administer anesthetics and antibiotics, which may also affect the body. Non-related surgery has even been observed to precipitate cancer in some cases.

2. Pre-cancer cells: Cancers often produce secondary pre-cancer cells that travel throughout the body and lie dormant in other tissues. Research has shown that primary tumors can produce chemicals that inhibit vascular growth to these dormant cancer cells, preventing rival tumors from forming. Removing the primary tumor may allow these dormant cells to become active. Suppressing Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) with natural compounds like curcumin, green tea (EGCG), resveratrol, milk thistle, and genistein may help counteract this effect.

3. Healing process: The healing process from surgery results in increased growth hormone levels, which cancer cells can exploit. Surgeons are aware of this and have been working to minimize surgery, such as using lumpectomies or keyhole surgery.

4. Inflammation: Surgery can cause localized inflammation through eicosanoids, short-lived but highly active hormones. Cancer thrives on inflammation, which promotes its spread. Reducing inflammation with omega-3 from fish oil, small doses of aspirin, ginger, garlic, aloe vera, curcumin, and resveratrol can help.

5. Microbiome damage: Antibiotics and drugs administered during surgery can damage your gut microbiome, which is essential for controlling your immune system and maintaining overall health. To counteract this, read our "Heal Your Gut" article and consider taking probiotics and B complex vitamins during the surgery period.

6. Vitamin D reduction: Surgery-related antibiotics and drugs can reduce plasma levels of vitamin D, which is crucial for cancer patients' survival. Supplement with at least 5,000 IUs of vitamin D daily.

7. Immune system suppression: Anesthetic used during surgery can suppress the immune system, making it more difficult to fight off cancer cells. Strengthen your immune system before surgery with supplements like astragalus, cat's claw, turmeric, echinacea, total natural vitamin E, zinc, selenium, grape seed extract, and natural vitamin C with bioflavonoids. Vitamins D and K have also been shown to help combat cancer cells.

8. Acidic conditions: The drugs and anesthetics used during surgery, along with stress, can make the body more acidic. Research from Arizona, Chicago, and H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center has shown that acidic conditions in the body increase metastases from tumors and create a favorable environment for metastatic cells to take hold and form new tumors. Alkalizing your body through diet can help counteract this effect and reduce the risk of cancer spreading after surgery.

In conclusion, while surgery can indeed spread cancer, there are various strategies you can employ to minimize the risks and potential damage. By adopting a healthier diet, taking specific supplements, and working closely with your healthcare team, you can increase your chances of successful cancer treatment and improve your overall well-being. Always consult with your doctor before making any changes to your treatment plan or incorporating new supplements into your regimen.