Here is a video explaining clearly how and why cancer spreads, using prostate cancer as an example. In the process the video also explains why it is that cancer is more likely to strike the older we get, the basis of the comment that cancer is the reward we get for getting old.
(Via Gawker.)
“Prostrate”?
Otherwise, cool video and meaningful for me since my father-in-law has been fighting prostate cancer for several years.
Thanks. I’ve corrected it.
They left out a lot.
It’s hard to fit everything into a 4 minute video, and given that the message of this video is “get educated about prostate cancer”, this strikes me as an acceptable and expected result.
That’s interesting that the video mentioned diet and lifestyle as agents for increasing the likelihood of prostate cancer. I read a book called The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. who makes a compelling argument stating that eliminating animal protein (namely the protein casein) from one’s diet can dramatically reduce the chances of getting heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and other chronic diseases. Similar to the video, the author points out that people in China who consume a largely plant-based diet tend not to suffer from Western diseases (cancer, etc.). He goes into detail about the mechanism for various diseases and how animal protein plays a part in it. The data are hard to argue. It appears to me to be a very credible source and not one of those woo-woo type claims. I’d be interested to hear what others think of this book.
I work in cancer research. It is true that certain diets lead to an increase in cancer -- in particular diets rich in grilled or burnt red meat and less green vegetables cause an increase in colon cancer. Diet is not, however, the only thing that is important -- for example viral infection (such as HPV or Hepatitis B) are important causes of cancer in some parts of the world and bacterial infection -- Heliobacter pylori, is also a factor for stomach cancer. The most significant factor, however is age. Our bodies have not evolved for living past middle age without serious risks of malfunction (and cancer is about the most likely cellular malfunction).
the author points out that people in China who consume a largely plant-based diet tend not to suffer from Western diseases (cancer, etc.)
People in China tend to suffer from different cancers from people in the west, but they do certainly get cancers. Hepatoma (liver cancer) and stomach cancers are both more common in China than in the US and western Europe. Also remember China’s population is, on average, younger than the US and Europe’s. Cancer is a disease of the old.
In short, I wouldn’t suggest jumping to the conclusion that Chinese style diets will prevent cancer.