(NaturalHealth365) The controversy rages on about chemotherapy treatment. Its side effects can dramatically reduce quality of life, in many cases offsetting the so-called ‘chemotherapy success rate’ and benefits.  So, if you or someone you know has breast cancer – educate yourself and make an informed decision about the best cancer care for you.

In reality, research has shown that chemotherapy can actually be harmful for patients with late stage or terminal cancers. But, now, a recent study is linking chemotherapy with impaired daily functioning in women with breast cancer.

Are breast cancer patients being told the truth?

The late Nicholas Gonzalez, MD, one of the finest examples of a physician, researcher and true healer, was quite vocal about pointing out that cancers of the breast and organs don’t respond to chemotherapy. In fact, there are over 100 different cancers types, and most of them aren’t improved by chemotherapy treatment.

According to Dr. Gonzalez, the most common cancer types including breast cancer, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer experience little to no chemotherapy success rate. The cancers that do respond to chemotherapy treatment tend to be the more rare blood cancer types like leukemia and lymphoma.

The list of chemotherapy side effects keeps growing longer

The use of chemotherapy for treating cancers of the breast and organs can lead to a range of side effects as well. These include vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, bladder issues, constipation, anemia, bleeding, edema, hair loss, bruising, chronic fatigue, neutropenia, chronic infections, lymphedema, difficultly concentrating, memory loss, nerve issues, pain, sexual and fertility issues, insomnia, throat and mouth issues, and many more health issues.

A recent study of women with breast cancer shows even more evidence of the detrimental effects of chemotherapy. When women with breast cancer received chemotherapy, 20 percent of them were found to become unable to complete basic tasks related to independent living within one year.

Functional decline lowers quality of life and is linked with the inability to recover from illnesses going forward. A survey was developed as a result of this study to help identify women at the highest risk of functional decline from chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy chemistry originally derived from wartime mustard gas surplus

Few people are aware that the use of chemotherapy as a cancer treatment has origins in the military industrial complex. In the 1940s, after World War II, the U.S. Department of Defense had a large surplus of nitrogen mustard gas, also known as nerve gas.

The autopsies of soldiers exposed to large amounts of nerve gas showed some positive effects against cancer of the bone marrow. As a result, the U.S. military contracted doctors to find medical uses for nerve gas. A nitrogen mustard derivative was developed – the first instance of a toxic synthetic drug used for cancer treatment.

Research continued, and in the late 1960s, the MOPP chemotherapy treatment by Dr. Vincent DeVita for advanced Hotchkin’s lymphoma showed significant results. These successes reinvigorated chemotherapy research and led to its eventual use as a common cancer treatment. Today, there are over 100 different varieties of chemotherapy drugs.

Chemotherapy linked with damage to memory and cognition

Despite its prevalence, studies have demonstrated the risks, side effects and lack of efficacy of chemotherapy for most cancer types. In addition to functional decline in breast cancer patients, chemotherapy has also been linked with a phenomenon called “chemo brain,” a more general type of cognitive impairment.

Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez pointed out that these impairments can be reversed through diet and a healthy lifestyle. However, he was also an advocate of avoiding chemotherapy as a cancer treatment if possible and opting instead for nutrition-based and holistic cures.

References:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.30046/abstract;jsessionid=3B0E20A5D3C716F63E1352EFE4E687D8.f02t04

https://www.burtongoldberg.com/home/burtongoldberg/contribution-of-chemotherapy-to-five-year-survival-rate-morgan.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15630849

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-06-women-early-stage-breast-cancer.html

https://www.sciencenewsline.com/news/2016062801070050.html

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