Every Cancer Begins As An Infection

I am certain that all cancers begin as infections. The medical education I received at the University of Chicago and the experiences I've had as a Stage 4 breast cancer patient have made that crystal clear to me. Every mystery about cancer, everything we do not understand, is explained and crystal clear when you look at cancer as the result of an infection altering the body's functions.

I've started a literature search online to find the mechanism by which a fungal infection could trigger carcinogenesis (the "start" of cancer). The very first reference I found had the answer, a review entitled, "Fungal Invasion of Normally Non-Phagocytic Host Cells," by Scott G. Filler and Donald C. Sheppard, PLoS Pathog 2(12): e129.doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.0020129.

In this review, the authors describe how fungal organisms trigger healthy cells like skin and lung cells to absorb them. This means that in any fungal infection, the infecting organisms are located INSIDE the cells, where they can disrupt a cell's normal functions.

In addition, the review describes how some fungi block apoptosis in the cells they infect. Apoptosis is programmed cell death, the chemical signals that tell a cell when it's time to die, that give cells a definite lifespan. Without programmed cell death, the cells become immortal, multiplying out of control. Loss of apoptosis is the very heart of carcinogenesis.

An example given in the review describes how Aspergillus fumigatus (tree mold), a common human pathogen, infects lung cells (type II pneumocytes) when the mold spores are inhaled and how Aspergillus blocks apoptosis in the lung cells. This is a clear, simple mechanism for the start of lung cancer. Everyone inhales mold spores, probably on a daily basis. When the spores are absorbed into our lung cells and apoptosis is blocked, the cells are transformed into cancer cells. Our immune systems detect the altered cells and destroy them before they can multiply into tumors. Smokers are unable to destroy these cancer cells because their physical defenses and immune systems are damaged by the tar and nicotine they inhale, so the cancer cells multiply into malignant tumors.

I am dumbfounded that this information is already in the literature but has been overlooked by researchers. EVERYONE wants to find the cure for cancer and the assumption that cancer is caused by defective genes has NOT led to a cure despite decades of research. The death rate due to cancer has never improved! The answer is under our noses and the basic facts are already in the literature.

Every cancer begins as an infection. Some start as viral infections, like cervical cancer, some start as fungal infections, like my breast cancer. Other types of human pathogens may cause cancer as well. We'll know when we start looking for the causative organisms in malignant tissue specimens.

The cure for the most common types of cancer is so close! Medications that cure these infections already exist and are already FDA-approved. We just need to make the connection so these effective medications can be used to save cancer patients!

If you know any medical researchers or cancer activists you believe would be interested in what I'm saying and would want to pursue it, PLEASE forward this blog to them or email me so I can contact them.

Cancer patients are dying every day. We need to begin administering effective anti-infective medication to them ASAP. Every day lost means more lives lost.