(NaturalHealth365)  For over 70 years, cancer surgeons have followed the same protocol: cut out the tumor, then remove surrounding lymph nodes to prevent cancer from spreading.  It’s been standard practice since the 1950s, written into treatment guidelines, and performed on millions of patients.

Now, researchers from the University of Melbourne’s Peter Doherty Institute have published findings in Nature Immunology that turn this approach on its head.  Lymph nodes aren’t passive bystanders in cancer – they’re active training grounds for cancer-fighting immune cells. And removing them during surgery may be sabotaging the body’s ability to fight back.

The medical mistake that’s been standard practice for decades

Lymph node removal during cancer surgery – called lymphadenectomy – became standard of care in the mid-20th century based on a simple theory: cancer spreads through the lymphatic system, so removing lymph nodes near tumors should stop metastasis.

This approach has dominated oncology ever since.  Breast cancer patients routinely have axillary lymph nodes removed.  Prostate cancer patients lose pelvic lymph nodes.  Melanoma patients have sentinel lymph nodes biopsied and often removed.  The practice became so ingrained that questioning it seemed heretical.

But here’s what conventional oncology missed: lymph nodes are immune command centers, not cancer highways.

What holistic physicians have been saying all along

While this research is groundbreaking for conventional oncology, holistic cancer physicians have questioned aggressive surgical approaches for decades.

The late Nicholas Gonzalez, MD – whose metabolic cancer protocols achieved remarkable results – warned that conventional cancer treatment often weakens the body’s natural defenses at the worst possible time.  He emphasized supporting immune function rather than destroying it.

Thomas Lodi, MD, MD(H), integrative oncologist, has long cautioned about what he calls “the cancer diagnosis trap” – the cascade of aggressive interventions that follow diagnosis, often before patients understand their options or the long-term consequences of each treatment decision.

Many holistic cancer doctors emphasize that the immune system is the body’s primary cancer defense.  Tumors develop when immune surveillance fails.  Therefore, any treatment that further compromises immune function – like removing lymph nodes that actively fight cancer – works against the body’s natural healing capacity.

The radiation-surgery-chemo paradigm is crumbling

Western medicine’s “cut, burn, poison” approach to cancer has dominated for decades, but mounting evidence suggests this aggressive model often does more harm than good – especially when it destroys the immune system patients desperately need.

The Melbourne research provides molecular proof of what integrative physicians have observed clinically: the body has sophisticated cancer-fighting mechanisms that conventional treatment inadvertently dismantles.

Natural cancer prevention strategies that support immune function

Rather than waiting for cancer to develop and then removing the organs that fight it, prevention focuses on maintaining robust immune surveillance.

Eliminate immune-suppressing foods: Sugar feeds cancer cells and suppresses immune function.  Industrial seed oils drive inflammation.  Processed foods contain carcinogens and lack nutrients needed for immune health.  Focus on organic vegetables, wild-caught fish, 100% grass finished meats, and healthy fats like organic avocados.

Support lymphatic flow: Unlike blood circulation, the lymphatic system relies on movement.  Regular exercise, rebounding, dry brushing, and massage support lymphatic drainage and immune cell circulation.

Reduce toxic burden: Environmental toxins overwhelm the immune system.  Filter your water, choose organic when possible, avoid synthetic fragrances and personal care products with harmful chemicals, and minimize EMF exposure.

Optimize vitamin D: Vitamin D is crucial for immune surveillance and cancer prevention.  Get sensible sun exposure and consider supplementation – most cancer patients are severely deficient.

Manage stress: Chronic stress elevates cortisol, which suppresses immune function.  Prioritize sleep, practice stress reduction, and address emotional trauma that weakens immunity.

Support detoxification: The liver, kidneys, and lymphatic system work constantly to eliminate toxins and cancer cells.  Support these pathways through adequate hydration, organic cruciferous vegetables, and regular movement.

Comprehensive cancer prevention and treatment strategies

This research reveals a fundamental flaw in conventional cancer surgery – removing the very organs that train immune cells to fight tumors.  For patients facing a cancer diagnosis, this raises critical questions about treatment approaches that preserve rather than destroy immune function.

If you want to discover what leading cancer experts know about prevention, treatment, and supporting your body’s natural defenses, get access to Jonathan Landsman’s Stop Cancer Docu-Class, featuring 22 scientists and doctors revealing evidence-based strategies conventional oncology ignores.

Discover the true survival rates of standard cancer treatment, shocking admissions from oncology, and how to detect cancer much earlier before the disease becomes life-threatening.  Learn about the best anticancer supplements, vitamin C therapy protocols, how to avoid fatal diagnostic mistakes, and comprehensive approaches that support rather than destroy your immune function.

Sources for this article include:

Nature.com
Sciencedaily.com