Conventional and Unconventional Cancer Treatments - Part One

To be diagnosed with cancer is a traumaticdiarrhea, fatigue and nausea are some of the
experience in life. Out of desperation, a cancerother unpleasant side effects as well.
patient often immediately turns to differentRadiation therapy is the use of high-intensity
cancer treatment options. There is an array ofX-rays to destroy cancerous cells. Essentially,
treatment options available, both conventional andchemotherapy therapy damages cells by
unconventional, that it may be stressful for adestroying the genetic material that controls how
cancer patient to make a wise choice.cells grow and divide. Radiation is much more
Conventional cancer treatments generally includeharmful to cancerous cells than it is to normal cells.
surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.While both healthy and cancerous cells are
Cancer surgery is an invasive procedure involvingdamaged by radiation, the goal of radiation
the removal of a cancerous tumor. Surgery istreatment is to destroy as few normal, healthy
generally recommended if the cancer is operable,cells as possible during the radiation process.
if it is in its early stage (there are four stages ofIn mainstream treatments, more than half of the
cancer: the first stage being the earlypatients receive some type of radiation therapy
development stage, and the fourth stageto kill cancerous cells. Radiation therapy may be
indicative of advanced cancer), or if the tumor isused before surgery to shrink a cancerous tumor,
localized, that is, without spreading to other partsduring surgery to direct large doses of radiation at
of the body. The problem is that it maya tumor, or after surgery to inhibit the growth of
sometimes be difficult to determine the exactany remaining cancerous cells. Radiation therapy
stage of cancer development.may also be used with chemotherapy not only to
All surgery is invasive, and all cancer surgery isdestroy cancerous cells, but also to shrink tumors
traumatic - causing cancer stress. Cancer surgeryin order to decrease the pressure, pain or other
reduces the body's resistance to cancer, andsymptoms they may have caused.
therefore predisposing the patient to recurrenceSores or ulcers in the mouth, throat, or intestines
of the disease. In addition, surgical biopsy maymay develop after radiation therapy, causing
actually contribute to the spread of cancer,difficulties in eating, thereby affecting the nutrition
according to some studies.of patients. In addition, patients who have
Chemotherapy involves the application ofundergone radiation therapy may have a higher
chemicals not only to shrink the cancer but alsorisk of developing leukemia.
to wipe out any cancerous cell that may remainRemember, cancer is a multi-billion dollar industry,
hidden in the body after all visible cancer has beeninvolving pharmaceutical companies and the
removed during the surgery.medical profession. This alone explains why
The problem with chemotherapy is that theseWestern medicine does not want any focus on
chemicals are extremely toxic not only tounconventional cancer treatments. As a matter of
cancerous cells but also to nearby healthy cellsfact, most Western doctors know very little
and tissues. These toxic chemicals suppress boneabout alternative cancer treatments because
marrow, which may lead to low immunity tothese unconventional treatments seldom find their
infections due to reduction in white blood cellway into prestigious medical journals. Some states
production. Infection could be a major cause ofeven have enacted laws to prohibit unorthodox
disease in patients who are already weak incancer treatments. Understandably, there are
immunity. Other lethal side effects ofmany unethical cancer quacks exploiting and
chemotherapy include damage to muscles of thepreying on the fears of many cancer patients.
heart, loss of fertility, and risk of developing aHowever, some unconventional treatments are
second cancer. In addition, loss of appetite,effective in combating and controlling the disease.