Disclaimer: This blog is a source of general breast cancer metastasis information; it is not designed to provide specific protocols for your specific case. Please speak with your medical team to determine the best course of action for your body.
We live in an environmentally complex world inundated with foreign chemicals that assault our bodies every day. In the 1940s, the chances of developing breast cancer were 1 in 40. Now it is 1 in 3 will develop some form of cancer, and 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer.
What you put into your body, mind, and heart influences your cells’ ability to fight or welcome dis-ease. Researchers [1] at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have backed this up with countless studies that concluded: “Cancer is a preventable disease that requires major lifestyle changes. Only 5-10% of all cancer cases can be attributed to genetic defects. The remaining 90-95% have their roots in the environment and lifestyle.”
Chemotherapy and other treatments are doing their job of shrinking the tumor! This is fantastic…except you possibly just learned that metastasis is happening. Cancer cells and perhaps a tumor have taken up real estate in a new part of your body. While this may be terrifying news, I want to reassure you that with major lifestyle changes, the right treatments, and careful monitoring, you can be in control of metastasis. Breast cancer is not one disease; it is an accumulation of many illnesses and weaknesses in the body. Therefore, there are many things you can do to heal, restore, and strengthen your body so that cancer can no longer exist.
Test, so you don’t have to guess and stress.
There are several types of testing for monitoring the tumor, circulating tumor cells, breast cancer stem cells, etc., so you can know exactly what is happening in your body. This information can help you create the best plan of action for treatments and lifestyle changes. Testing can help you understand what is working to shrink the tumor and what needs to be done to manage metastasis.
Here are a few testing and monitoring options to review:
- Liquid Biopsy: These are groundbreaking new types of blood tests that can detect Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) traveling through your blood. Both provide evidence that you have a cancerous tumor and provide genetic information about the cancer. Oncotrail and Onconomics Plus tests from RGCC and Signatera™ For Breast Cancer are liquid biopsy options.
- Oncotrail RGCC [2]: A safe and easy way to monitor the risk of recurrence is by taking RGCC’s Oncotrail blood test. [2] This test provides crucial information on the presence of circulating tumor cells (part of cancer stem cells) and their concentration in people who have a confirmed diagnosis of specific forms of cancer, including breast, colon, and prostate cancer. It will also tell you which natural (and pharmaceutical) substances would help your body the most. To learn more, please read this blog post [3] on RGCC tests.
- Signatera™ For Breast Cancer [4]. a custom-built blood test that uses the patient’s own tumor tissue, it can detect molecular residual disease (MRD) in the form of circulating tumor DNA (small fragments of DNA released by cancer cells). In simple terms, it helps you and your medical team know if the cancer is shrinking, growing, or coming back. Please learn more via this blog post [5] on Signatera™ For Breast Cancer.
- C-reactive protein (CRP): This is an inflammatory marker test that can be easily done through your primary physician. Inflammation can stimulate the production of breast cancer stem cells, and high CPR levels are a known indicator of a poor prognosis.
- Nutrition Genome Wellness Test: This test covers over 170 health categories and provides comprehensive action steps. Please learn more about this amazing test via this blog post [6] and this podcast episode [7].
Remember: Regardless of which test you use, ALWAYS back it up with a second test. No stand-alone screening tool is 100% accurate. To learn more about types of breast cancer testing, please click here. [8]
Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs)
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are tumor cells that shed from the primary tumor and pass through a vessel wall so they can enter the blood or lymph systems, causing metastasis. This is because they can colonize and proliferate, causing new tumors in different areas of “suitable conditions” in your body. For a full explanation, please read this 2023 study [9]. Simply put, CTCs act and work differently than the tumor. Just because the tumor is shrinking does not mean you are managing the circulating cells and stem cells, which could be a cause of metastasis.
Breast Cancer Stem Cells (BCSCs)
Currently, traditional treatments such as chemo and radiation only kill off breast cancer cells—NOT breast cancer stem cells or even CTCs. Both can be responsible for metastasis or even relapse even after all “observable” signs of a tumor are gone. BCSCs are a small subpopulation of breast cancer cells within a cancer microenvironment that establish a reservoir of self-sustaining cells. Breast cancer stem cells are able to self-renew and can contribute to recurrence and metastatic lesions.
If “reprogrammed,” BCSCs can cause a tumor to grow and quickly spread throughout the body. For example, radiation therapy can stimulate the growth and spread of breast cancer stem cells. The good news is there are also a number of ways to naturally suppress the growth of BCSCs and CTCs by educating yourself, eating strategic foods, energetically repairing, detoxing, and taking specific supplements. A few of my favorite options are listed below!
Natural ways to stop CTCs and BCSCs
- Educate and empower yourself. The Beljanski Foundation is one of the leading research groups on weakening and destroying BCSCs through their mission: “..to
[10] - stu [11]dy and share knowledge of effective non-toxic natural answers that work both alone and in synergy with traditional Western medicine to cure cancer and other chronic diseases the natural way.” Please learn more via my blog post and podcast episode [10] on The Beljanski Foundation [12].
- Cut out sugar. “Sucrose consumption increased breast tumor growth and increased metastasis of breast cancer cells into the lungs.” (Study [13]) Simply put: sugar can turn on cancer pathways that increase growth and metastasis. Please learn more and discover delicious ways to enjoy life without sugar via this blog post. [13]
- Heal Your Emotions. Please check out Dr. V’s Energy Healing Library [14] to discover ways to resolve emotional conflicts so that your physical body can heal.
- Detox cancer-causing toxins. We live in a highly toxic world that creates “suitable environments” in our bodies for cancer to live and spread. Therefore, detoxing is a must for stopping metastasis and healing cancer. Please learn about coffee enemas and other ways to reduce your toxic load via this blog post. [15]
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Take specific supplements.
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- Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP). It may help suppress cancer cells from grouping together to form adhesions or develop a metastasis by acting as a ligand (a substance that binds to another chemical to form something larger). By binding to the galectin-3, it can inhibit it from doing other damage, as slippery cancer cells can’t stick to cells in other parts of the body. Please learn more via this blog post. [16]
- Curcumin. Best known for its inflammation-lowering effects, curcumin is also an inhibitor of cancer stem cells. Learn more via this blog post [17] and buy directly from my shop. [18]
- Ginger. Ginger contains a phytonutrient called 6-shogaol that has the ability to specifically target cancer stem cells. This study [19] found
that the cytotoxic effect of ginger was 1,000 times more effective at inhibiting Breast Cancer than the common chemotherapy drug Taxol. Taxol also has little to no effect on Breast Cancer stem cells. Ginger can be taken as a supplement, and check out these yummy ginger recipes here [20]! - Matcha Tea. Matcha green tea is one of the best sources of Epigallocatechin gallate. EGCG has the ability to stop Breast Cancer stem cells in their tracks (please review this study). I recommend drinking Superfood Science’s Matcha Tea [21] and learning more about matcha and breast cancer via this blog post [22].
- High Dose Melatonin. Melatonin is a cyto-toxic hormone. In other words, it kills cancer cells and cancer stem cells. Read about all the benefits of this powerful anti-oxidant here. [23]
- Immune Complete. It gives your immune system a major boost via herbs that support normal natural killer (NK) cell activity and the balance of cytokines, which are the regulatory proteins released by immune cells to fight off metastasis, illnesses, and diseases. You can purchase directly via My Shop [24].
Now, use this information and the tools available to have a positive impact on your healing journey.