TROPHOBLASTS AND THEIR RELATION TO CANCER
by
Lawrence Wilson, MD
© October
2011, The Center For Development
An
unusual human and mammalian cell type is possibly responsible for all cancer in
the body. This is called the
trophoblastic theory of cancer. To
save time, I am going to explain this by excerpting a page or two from another
book, Sauna Therapy,
where the topic is addressed in more detail:
In
1902, Dr. John Beard published a paper in The
Lancet on the trophoblastic theory of cancer (Beard, J., 1902). It is quite simple and has never been
disproven. In fact, it recently
received strong confirmation by scientists at the University of Michigan
(Townsend Letter, #240, 2003). Dr.
Beard showed that a normal tissue of the body, the trophoblast, exhibits
characteristics identical to cancer.
It is invasive, metastatic, forms new blood vessels (angiogenesis) and
has the same specific markers and chemical composition as cancer cells.
The
trophoblast is a totipotent or stem cell that grows around the developing fetus during the first eight
to twelve weeks of pregnancy. The
word trophoblast means 'nourishing the baby'. It burrows into the lining of the mother's uterus and
supplies the fetus with blood until the placenta forms. It is essential for life.
The
trophoblast normally disappears between 8 and 12 weeks of pregnancy. If it overgrows, the result is a very
virulent form of cancer, choriocarcinoma.
It usually kills both mother and fetus within a few weeks.
One
may say, if the trophoblast only develops during pregnancy, how can it explain
all other cancers? Dr. Beard found
that the stem cells that form the trophoblast are present all over the body in
small numbers. Given the right
stimulus, they begin to grow. A
key to understanding cancer is to understand what makes these cells grow.
The
primary stimulus for the growth of the trophoblast is high estrogen, as occurs
during pregnancy. Estrogen is
associated with cell proliferation.
Modern medicine acknowledges that estrogen is a carcinogen, for which
reason estrogen inhibitors are among the drugs used for cancer.
One
may ask, why does so much cancer occur in men, or in post-menopausal women who
do not produce as much estrogen?
The answer is that everyone's adrenal glands and perhaps other sites
produce estrogens, in both sexes and at all ages.
Normal
estrogen production by the adrenal glands or ovaries is not a problem. The liver converts the potent estrogens
such as estrone to a harmless form.
However, when the liver is toxic or otherwise compromised, it cannot
detoxify estrogen properly.
Estrone increases and the stage is set for cancer. Guyton explains the fate of the
estrogens as follows:
ÒThe
liver conjugates the estrogens É and about one-fifth of these conjugated
products are excreted in the bile while most of the remainder are excreted in
the urine. Also, the liver converts the potent estrogens, estradiol and estrone, into an
almost impotent estrogen, estriol.
Therefore, the liver plays an important role in removing those estrogens
from the blood. Indeed, diminished liver function actually
increases activity of estrogens in the body, sometimes causing hyperestrinism." (Guyton,
p.1010) (italics are mine)
Liver
toxicity today is the rule rather then the exception. Causes for liver toxicity include:
á
Toxins in the
food supply. These include toxic metals,
pesticide residues, preservatives and thousands of other additives used in
prepared foods. Some pesticides
and other chemicals mimic the effects of estrogen by occupying estrogen binding
sites. This may cause more
estrogens to circulate freely in the body. An interesting recent study found that cadmium mimics the
effects of estrogen (Nature, August
2003).
á
Thousands of
organic chemicals and toxic metals in the environment. Besides food, sources of toxins include
contaminated air, dental materials, especially silver amalgam fillings, and
skin contact with toxins in solvents, detergents, skin care products,
chlorinated and fluoridated water and other household and industrial
chemicals. Building materials,
carpets, plastics and office machinery may also outgas toxic chemicals.
á
Radiation
exposure damages the liver. Everyone
is exposed to some ionizing radiation from bomb fallout, nuclear plant
accidents, medical x-rays and other uses of radiation.
á
Prescription, over-the-counter and other remedies. Almost all pharmaceuticals are
synthetic chemicals that must be detoxified and excreted, primarily by the
liver. Drug residues are present
even in tap water supplies.
Vaccines may be preserved with toxic metals. Many herbs are toxic as well, though much less than most
drugs. Vitamin products that
contain sea minerals and land-based mineral deposits often contain toxic
metals. A portion of any
ingested drug or chemical remains in the body, often for years. These will build up and can be an
important source of liver toxicity.
á
Adrenal
exhaustion. This is an indirect
cause. Adrenal weakness
contributes to a slow oxidation rate and sluggish liver activity. Also, the body compensates for adrenal
depletion by accumulating toxic levels of copper, iron, chromium, selenium,
manganese, aluminum, cadmium, iron, lead and other metals that are toxic to the
liver.
á
Nutrient
deficiencies. Most people have nutrient
deficiencies. These impair the
liver's normal detoxification pathways.
Nutrient deficiencies are the result of poor quality diets, poor eating
habits and impaired digestion.
Also, stress increases the need for nutrients.
á
Impaired
digestion. Poor digestion causes the
production of toxic substances in the intestines due to fermentation and
putrefaction of food. A vicious
cycle occurs in which the toxic liver does not produce enough bile and
digestive enzymes. Food is then
poorly digested, which generates toxins that in turn worsen the condition of
the liver. This further impairs
enzyme production, which results in more toxins in the intestines.
á
Improper bowel
flora such as candida albicans and other pathogenic organisms. These can
produce deadly toxins in the intestines.
Candida albicans, for example, produces alcohol and acetaldehyde.
á
Chronic
infections anywhere in the body.
Bacterial and other infections generate endotoxins and exotoxins. Chronic infections are much more common
than imagined. I estimate most
people have a dozen low-grade chronic infections. Common sites are the teeth, eyes, ears, throat, bladder, bronchials,
intestines and skin.
á
Stress from any
cause activates the sympathetic nervous system, which in turn reduces liver
activity. Stress also impairs
digestion, which leads to more toxin generation in the intestines.
á
Autonomic
imbalance, in particular excessive sympathetic nervous system activity. The sympathetic nervous system inhibits
the activity of the liver. This is
explained below in more detail.
á
Fatigue. Fatigue can be
an important factor in liver toxicity.
Sauna
therapy can be most helpful for many of these imbalances. It helps with detoxification, chronic
infections, inhibiting the sympathetic nervous system, decongesting the
internal organs and improving circulation. Sauna therapy thus can assist with several mechanisms that
inhibit abnormal trophoblast activity.
At
about 12 weeks of pregnancy, the trophoblast usually stops growing and the
placenta takes over the function of nourishing the fetus. Dr. Beard found that enzymes produced
by the fetal and maternal pancreas stop the growth of the trophoblast.
This
is the basis for the use of pancreatic enzymes in the treatment of cancer
advocated by Dr. William Kelley, DDS and others
(Kelley, W.D., 1997). Large
quantities of pancreatic enzymes are given by mouth, which inhibit the growth
of malignant cells.
The
pancreas plays another role.
Pancreatic enzymes are needed for proper digestion. A weakened, toxic or depleted pancreas
contributes to a toxic liver by failing to provide adequate enzymes for
complete food digestion.
Many people do not produce enough pancreatic enzymes or they overeat,
exceeding their digestive capacity.
These pancreatic enzymes are not the same as "food enzymes"
found in raw food. Ideally, excess
pancreatic enzymes are secreted so that any cancer that begins to develop will
be destroyed.
Causes
for deficient pancreatic activity are similar to the causes of liver toxicity. They include stress, poor-quality
diets, poor eating habits, infections and toxic exposures. For this reason, sauna therapy
can be most helpful to restore pancreatic activity.
An
important cause of impaired pancreas and liver activity is excessive activity
of the sympathetic nervous system.
This branch of the autonomic nervous system is sometimes referred to as
the fight-or-flight response system.
It prepares the body for a stress response and inhibits the activity of
the liver, kidneys, pancreas, intestines and stomach. These are the organs of detoxification and the organs needed
to produce digestive enzymes and cancer-fighting proteolytic enzymes (enzymes
that digest foreign proteins).
Excessive
activity of the sympathetic nervous system is extremely common today. Causes include stress, hurried or busy
lifestyles, toxic metals, nutrient deficiencies, some toxic chemicals and
negative attitudes such as fear, worry, anger, resentment and guilt. These factors keep the body in a
fight-or-flight or sympathetic state.
Many
cancer patients have a sympathetic dominant personality. This means they have difficulty
relaxing and are often hard on themselves and others. They are often fearful, angry, guilty, perfectionistic,
resentful or use other mechanisms that cause the body to remain in a
sympathetic state much of the time.
People who exercise too much, worry a lot, work too hard or are
obsessive often overwork the sympathetic nervous system.
Therapies
that inhibit the sympathetic nervous system are marvelous for cancer
patients. These include saunas,
coffee enemas, colon therapy, pancreatic enzyme therapy and minerals including
calcium, magnesium and zinc. Lots
of rest, relaxation techniques, meditation, bodywork, biofeedback and other
methods are also helpful. –
(end of excerpt from Sauna Therapy book.)
For
more on this and related topics, read Cancer And
Alternative Therapies, The Cancer Pioneers,
Stem Cell Therapies and Bone Marrow Transplants on this
website.
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