Lack of information and misinformation are rampant in the cancer field.  Most people are unaware that most traditional cancer treatments don’t work and that there are alternatives.  When I make this statement many people  are quick to refer to a friend or relative who had cancer a couple of years ago and recovered.  However, the recovery may be temporary, as there is a very high recurrence rate for many types of cancer. 

The Canadian Breast Cancer Network conducted a survey showing that only 1 in 10 breast cancer patients are aware that there is a risk of relapse five years after tamoxifen treatment.  Yet, according to Dianna Schreuer, past president of the Canadian Breast Cancer Network, one third of survivors will experience a recurrence. 

The survey showed that less than half of breast cancer patients recall receiving information from their doctors about support and/or recurrence, and only 8% of those surveyed believed they were at risk for a recurrence.  61% stated that they felt recurrence was unlikely.  75% stated that completing the tamoxifen regimen made them feel optimistic about the future, and 63% felt they had won the battle.

In other words, the impression and beliefs these women have about their health is significantly different than the reality of their situation.  Again, this is common in the cancer “industry.”

Here is the reality for breast cancer patients.  Most breast cancers are estrogen positive, and most women receive treatment for their cancer that an increasing number of doctors are starting to acknowledge is overkill.  Tamoxifen is often prescribed as a follow-up treatment.  There are serious side effects from tamoxifen, and the drug confers little benefit in absolute terms.

Estrogen levels are easily lowered for most women by consuming a low-fat, high-fiber plant based diet, exercising, and by achieving and maintaining optimal weight and body composition.  Women should be given this information both as a means of preventing breast cancer, and certainly as a primary means for preventing recurrence.  Dietary excellence and optimal habits are considerably more effective than tamoxifen without the negative side effects.

Hopefully, we can look forward to a time when the expectations and beliefs about disease prevention and reversal begin to line up with the reality of the science in these areas.