Chasing Cancer - Part II

What causes cancer?

Cancer occurs when cells are triggered to grow abnormally. Triggers include genetics, radiation, and carcinogens.

I finished watching the marketplace venture on Chasing Cancer. Our main question is "Why is cancer so common? The statistics say now that the rate for cancer is 1/2 people get cancer!!! One out of two people. That is too Scary for me. Wendy Mesley begins our journey of discovery by first taking a blood test of herself to see what kind of chemicals and carcinogens are in her system. The result was 44/60, she got 44 out of 60 carcinogens that can harm us. My first reaction was too high is it not? Well, it is considered normal. NORMAL! We have been mirage.

When she first got cancer, she asks many questions about it. WHy Me? She ate healthy, exercise, and live a clean lifestyle. The Canadian Cancer Society says that "healthy lifestyle choices could prevent 50 per cent of cancers. They say a "small percentage" of cancers are linked to environmental toxins, or carcinogens." That just does not make sense to me when the result of the blood test was 44/60. The data is telling us something. Read it. Start to ask. Be curious. The Canadian Cancer Society tells us we can prevent cancer by not smoking, eating veggies, exercise, staying out of the sun, getting screen regularly, visit the doctor and dentist regularly and avoid cancer - causing substances. Is that the whole truth? Is that really enough? Why are cancer still rising? "The more money you spend on cancer, the more cancer you get," Is it the fish, the food or the fishbowl?

Something to think about. The Canadian Cancer Society spends about 10% percent of its budget on prevention. Why? What about the Cancer drug companys? Are they finding a cure or finding treasure of gold? The Cancer industry."In 2006, cancer drugs will be the fastest growing class of pharmaceuticals in the world, exceeding $37 billion in sales." Perhaps cancer is profitable. More drugs, screening, treatment, more disease and greater profit?  "The more drugs are bought, the higher the profit. The more disease there is, the greater the profit." Prevention should be address but why isn't it? "There are no companies that are devoted to cancer prevention as there are to cancer treatment," says Dr. James Holland. "There's no incentive economically for them." Isn't the Canadian Cancer Society about saving lives? And drug companies? Not. "We save lives by prevention not by trying to treat it says Dr. Sam Epstein (a cancer expert).

Facts:

*1 in 2.3 men and 1 in 2.6 women will have cancer in their lifetime.

*A low-fat diet used to be touted as a cancer-fighter. Recent studies cast that into doubt.

*The research found that women who switched to a low-fat diet later in life did not see a reduced risk of breast cancer, colorectal cancer or heart disease.

*Changing diet after age 50 may not work as well as eating healthy foods earlier in life

*But researchers say older women shouldn't give up trying to eat healthy. They say the focus should be on reducing saturated fats and trans fats found in processed foods, meat and some dairy products.

*Meanwhile, prostate cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, thyroid and testicular cancers are all increasing. All have links to environmental contaminants.

*According to the Canadian Cancer Society, over six million people die of cancer worldwide each year. The problem will be 50 per cent greater by 2020.

How much do we know?

The Pill:
In 2005, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer re-classified certain oral contraceptives as carcinogenic to humans with slightly increased risks for cervical, liver and breast cancer. While the overall benefits of oral contraceptives may be beneficial, it concluded, more study is needed.

Beef:
Meanwhile, the European Union has banned the import of Canadian beef injected with growth hormones. At least one of the hormones is carcinogenic.

Canada and product ingredients:
as of January 1, 2005, under the European Union 7th Amendment Cosmetic Directive, cosmetics companies selling products in the EU were ordered to refrain from using certain suspected cancer-connected ingredients, used in some fragrances, hair sprays and nail polishes. In Canada, those chemicals are still found at the cosmetics counter.

Why is Canada so behind the European? "You get cancer by being exposed to this whole range of chemicals, often at critical periods of your development, and over a long period of time." No matter how little you are expose to the dose, it is still a dose and you accumulate doses over time!!!

Good News on product labelling!
In November 2006, new labelling regulations will require manufacturers to list ingredients on personal care products Canada.

What can we do!! Conscious consumption.

1. Pay close attention to what you're exposing yourself to when you bring products into your home.

*killing products - insectides, weed killers with ingredients such as Amitrole, Captan, Chlorothalonil, Dicofol, Naphthalene,  Paradichlorobenzene, Phenoxy herbicides, Tetrachlorvinphos, Trifluralin.(If the word is sciencitific, you can't pronounce it, don't buy it.)

*Cleaning products - with ingredients such as Silica (found in some abrasive cleaners, brass cleaners), Trisodium nitrilotriacetate (NTA) -(Found in laundry detergents.)

2. Be mindful of food and drinks.

*The International Agency for Research on Cancer (World Health Organization) classifies alcoholic beverages as carcinogenic to humans.

*As for food, from 1994 – 1998, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency tested samples of a variety of meat, produce and dairy products for the presence of pesticides. The results were released to the public in 2002 and showed significant amounts of contamination from dozens of pesticides including carcinogens such as captan, chlorothalonil and benomyl.

3. Buy organic! If you are in Canada, try (spud.ca) they deliver a box of fresh organic veggies and fruits to your door :) They are awesome. I used them.

In its CancerSmart Consumer Guide, Mae Burrow's Labour Environmental Alliance Society lists the 15 most likely contaminated and the 15 least likely contaminated fruits and vegetables, based on data from the CFIA's 1994-1998 tests:

Most contaminated food list: (That means that you should buy organic for those kinds of food.)

Apples
Bell peppers (additions from Dr. Greger MD's list.)
Celery
Cherries
Grapes
Grapefruit
Lettuce (leaf)
Lettuce (head)
Nectarines
Oranges
Peaches
Pears
Potatoes
Snow peas
Spinach
Strawberries

4. Be food choosy. Perhaps it is best to vegetarian / vegan?

Acrylamide - (Produced when certain foods (particularly high-starch foods such as french fries or potato chips) are cooked at temperatures over 120 degrees Celsius.

Nitrosamines - Chemical compounds formed by the reaction of amines and amino acids with nitrite (used as a preservative in cured meats).

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) - PCBs bio-accumulate in the fat of humans and animals, including fish.

After all this information, I am very interested in getting a blood test and seeing what kind of chemicals are in my body. What about you?

For further details, check CBC Marketplace