1. Cold has been shown to promote tumor growth.
Temperature matters! Thousands of years ago, heat was a typical way to maintain cancer cells. This method is still used today through a method called hyperthermia. It is a lesser-known option that cancer patients should know about. ⠀
In my experience, generally speaking, it’s not a good idea for our cancer patients to be cold. Cold has been shown to influence cancer tumor progression. I think there may be unique therapeutic interventions for cold therapy, but we don’t want to be cold all the time. It’s stressful! ⠀
2. Heat is an effective treatment for some tumors.
Hyperthermia is a simple mechanical overheating of the body to induce an artificial fever and main cancer cells. It’s relatively inexpensive, unpatentable, and doesn’t involve drugs or expensive machinery.
Hyperthermia can increase the body's immune response. In regards to cancer patients, cancer cells have been shown to disintegrate when their ambient temperature is raised by even a few degrees. "Experiments have shown that almost all investigated transplantable tumors in tissue or culture are influenced by heat, and it has been demonstrated that lower temperatures of about 41,5-42°C may destroy the viability of the tumor tissue if the exposure time is sufficiently long, i.e. up to 15 to 20 hr [16-39]" (Eur J Cancer).
3. Tumors produce lactic acid.
The normal concentration of lactate in blood and healthy tissues is about 1.5–3 mM (
30), but in cancer tissues, it can be present in up to 10–30 mm concentrations.
"As a consequence of such amounts of lactate, there is acidification of the extracellular pH in the tumor microenvironment, ranging between 6.0 and 6.5. This acidosis favors processes such as metastasis, angiogenesis, and more importantly, immunosuppression, which has been associated with a worse clinical prognosis. Thus, lactate should be thought of as an important oncometabolite in the metabolic reprogramming of cancer" (Front Oncol).
4. Some tumors can produce their own hormones.
Carcinoid tumors are part of a group of tumors called neuroendocrine tumors that can release hormones.
Carcinoid tumors use the amino acid, tryptophan to produce excess serotonin. As a result, a symptom of carcinoid tumors is extreme mood swings. Not only that, serotonin activates the stress/cortisol and aromatase-the hormone that makes estrogen. The problem is further exacerbated when a patient has nutrient deficiencies, stress, or hormone imbalances because the serotonin may be free to enter the brain and impact brain function.
5. Not all tumors are cancerous.
There is no such thing as a good tumor but not all tumors are cancerous.
Not all tumors are cancerous. Diagnosing a tumor as malignant when it is not can lead to over-treatment. At the same time, we don’t want to overlook the tumor as not an issue when it can become one. Deciphering imaging is not black and white but what I do know is that tumors are symptoms of a larger problem. It’s about understanding what caused this information to present itself in the body.