A Root Cause Approach to Cancer: What Really Causes It?

Cancer is on the rise. And it is especially on the rise for those under 50 years old. 

While this statistic can feel impersonal, brain cancer blindsided me at the age of 33. It personalized the statistic in a moment, and now when I see statistics on the rising incidence of cancer, it hits different. These are young sons and daughters, moms and dads, sisters, brothers and friends. 

Today, 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women are at risk of a cancer diagnosis. We have to begin asking the question “why?” And equally important, we need to begin making changes in order to reverse the trend. 

Despite plenty of data and evidence, the traditional healthcare system often ignores environmental concerns and lifestyle factors as cancer-causing. I’ve taken a deep dive into all kinds of research since my own cancer diagnosis, and I want you to be aware of the correlations I’ve discovered.

Research shows us that things like estrogen, asbestos, cigarette smoking, radiation, glyphosate, EMF, infections (bacteria, virus and parasites) can actually be cancer-causing. And all of these are incredibly prevalent in today’s society. I do think cancer is mutli-faceted and afterall it is the immune system going hay-wire and not working properly so what I want to do is talk about some things that stress the immune system. 

I also want to share in this article that each type of cancer and diagnosis are unique and it is best that you work with a provider. Standard of care treatment options can not only be necessary, but also life saving. But what I don’t want you to miss is that you also must do things to mitigate the risk or recurrence of cancer that most traditional oncologists will not share with you. 

The importance of a root cause approach to cancer. 

I am convinced that taking a root cause approach to oncology is the most effective and necessary approach for:

1. Prevention of cancer
2. Healing of cancer
3. Prevention of cancer recurrence

A root cause approach to cancer looks at all of the possible contributing factors to cancer. From there, one can treat or eliminate these unique causes. For some people, it may mean treating parasites and reducing EMF exposure. For others, it might mean quitting smoking and cleaning up their diet. Every person has unique exposures, lifestyle habits and contributing factors. And these root causes can and should be addressed. 

Known and potential carcinogens. 

This is not a comprehensive list of known and possible carcinogens, but these are some of the bigger contributing factors I have found after diving into multiple bodies of research:

• Oral contraceptives
• Asbestos (hazardous material)
• Tobacco
• Radiation
• Glyphosate and other pesticides
• Radiofrequency EMFs
• Aflatoxins (mold) 
• Alcoholic beverage consumption
• Benzene (environmental chemical found in crude oil, gasoline, cigarette smoke)
• Heavy metals (such as cadmium and cadmium compounds) 
• Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
• Formaldehyde (a chemical) 
• Helicobacter pylori (chronic bacterial infection)
• Radon (radioactive gas)
• Ultraviolet (UV) radiation, broad spectrum
• Nitrate or nitrite (ingested) under conditions that result in endogenous nitrosation
• Non-arsenical insecticides (workplace exposures in spraying and application of)

• Other bacterial, viral or pathogenic infections

As I stated, the above is not a comprehensive list of known and probable carcinogens. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organization (WHO), and the US National Toxicology Program (NTP) have published Lists of Known and Probable Human Carcinogens. You can find the NTP’s fifteenth edition list right HERE. And you can find the IARC’s list of classifications right HERE. 

Now let’s look at some of the research behind these carcinogens and the types of cancers they may cause.

Research of correlations between environmental factors to cancer.

Oral Contraceptives

Estrogen dominance is a risk factor for hormonally driven cancer including breast and cervical cancers. Estrogen and progesterone stimulate the development and growth spread of these types of cancer cells. 

This is a huge consideration when choosing whether or not to use birth control such as the pill, which is delivering synthetic estrogen to the body. Because birth control pills contain synthetic versions of estrogen and progesterone, they could also increase cancer risk.

Additionally, steroidal estrogen is on the “Known to be a human carcinogen” list by the National Toxicology Program, Department of Health and Human Services.  

Asbestos

Asbestos is also on the “Known to be a human carcinogen” list by National Toxicology Program, Department of Health and Human Services. It was discovered to be a known carcinogen in 1980. 

Studies in humans have shown that exposure to asbestos causes respiratory-tract cancers, mesothelioma of the lung and abdominal cavity, and cancer of other tissues. Co-exposure to asbestos and tobacco smoke increased the risk of lung cancer in a synergistic manner. 

Asbestos has been found in thousands of different products including: vinyl flooring, patching compounds, paints, ceilings, ceiling tiles, insulation of all kinds, roofing shingles and siding, home appliances, fire retardant clothing and more. 

Tobacco

Smoke from tobacco, such as that of cigarettes, has been found to have a causal relationship with at least 20 different types of cancer. This has been well documented in both past and present research. 

Decades of research have consistently established the strong association between tobacco use and cancers including: lung, oral cavity, esophageal, bladder, kidney, pancreatic, stomach, and cervical cancers, and acute myelogenous leukemia. Further support is demonstrated by the lung cancer death rates in the United States, which have mirrored smoking patterns.

This extensive body of evidence estimates that cigarette smoking causes 30% of all cancer deaths in the United States. Smoking avoidance and smoking cessation result in decreased incidence and mortality from cancer. 

Another important note on smoking is the evidence of parental smoking and its causation of cancer in children. Parental smoking is positively associated with hepatoblastoma and childhood leukemia (particularly acute lymphocytic leukemia). 

Radiation

X‐Radiation and Gamma Radiation are on the “Known to be a human carcinogen” list by National Toxicology Program, Department of Health and Human Services. 

Both x-rays and gamma rays are forms of high-frequency ionizing radiation, which means they have enough energy to remove an electron from (ionize) an atom or molecule. Ionizing radiation can damage the DNA inside a cell. Sometimes this can lead to cancer later on.

Ionizing radiation increases the risk of brain and central nervous system tumors. Ionizing radiation, including x-rays and gamma rays, at moderate to high doses stands as the sole recognized environmental risk factor for brain and central nervous system tumors. However, our understanding of the effects of lower exposure levels remains incomplete. 

Glyphosate and other pesticides

Glyphosate has been declared a likely carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization. Essentially, this means it is “probably carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2A).

Glyphosate is the world’s most widely used broad-spectrum herbicide, and it has been the subject of recent controversy regarding its potential to cause cancer. A meta-analysis was conducted, including the latest data from the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) published in 2018 and five case-control studies. This meta-analysis revealed that individuals with the highest glyphosate exposure had a 41% increased risk of lymphoma cancer. Yet another research study provided more evidence for an association between exposure to glyphosate and increased risk for lymphoma. Sensitivity tests confirmed the validity of these findings. 

Radiofrequency EMFs

In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) categorized radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) from mobile phones and similar devices as a Group 2B possible human carcinogen. This decision was based on several different studies, including the Hardell group’s research from Sweden and the IARC Interphone study. 

According to this study, cell phone usage is associated with increased risk for glioma and acoustic neuroma. Epidemiological evidence suggests an increased risk of brain tumors associated with mobile phone use, particularly in long-term and high-usage scenarios. These findings show the importance of continued research and caution in the area of EMFs. 

Infections

Infections of many kinds – including parasitic, bacterial and viral – can lead to cancer. While this may seem vague, recent research is only mounting on the causal relationships between different types of infections and cancer. 

The HPV virus has been shown to have a causal relationship to cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is by far the most common HPV-related disease. About 99.7% of cervical cancer cases are caused by persistent genital high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. 

The parasite Toxoplasma gondii has been linked in research to brain cancer. Research studies support the close relationship between T. gondii infection and incidence of brain tumors.

The parasite Trematode worms of the genus Schistosoma is linked to bladder cancer. Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease historically known as bilharzia. This study shows the link between the parasite and its causation of bladder cancer. It is a recognized carcinogen and the 2nd leading cause of bladder cancer worldwide. 

The bacteria H. pylori  is linked to gastric cancer. Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The gastric microbiota H. pylori plays a critical role in the development of GC. And H. pylori infection is now considered a major risk factor for GC.

Mold is considered an aflatoxin. And it is linked through research to liver cancer. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains one of the most common malignancies and the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with surgery being the best prognostic tool. Among the well-known causative factors of HCC are chronic liver virus infections, chronic virus hepatitis B (HBV) and chronic hepatitis virus C (HCV), aflatoxins (mold), tobacco consumption, and non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFLD). 

Toxic Thoughts

According to the American Medical Association, if a cancer cell is present in the blood stream or tissues and the person has a healthy immune system, the probability that cancer will develop is 1 in a million. That’s excellent odds for not developing cancer.

However, during high stress, interleukin 2 (which acts as a natural “police” against cancer) can be damaged by the high levels of stress hormones. Then, it is no longer able to function properly and can fail to detect/destroy cancer. The high levels of cortisol also distort the DNA of killer cells of the immune system so that they are less effective in killing cancer cells. 

“The program’s preliminary work suggests that forgiveness lowered the stress hormone cortisol that in turn affects the immune system, but only when the patients forgave the ones they blamed.” University of Maryland – Institute of Human Virology

The link between thought life and physical health is one that is being explored in more depth recently. Findings have been astounding at just how much our emotional and mental lives affect our physical lives. This includes cancer!

10 easy actions to take now for prevention.

While it is easy to become overwhelmed by the many factors that may lead to the development of different types of cancer, here are ten easy actions you can take today to significantly lower your risk for cancers of all kinds:

1. Quit smoking (any kind) and do not chew tobacco or use tobacco products. 
2. If living in an older home, take proper precautions to ensure all materials in the home are asbestos-free. 
3. Choose alternative birth control methods from the pill or other synthetic hormonal treatments. 
4. Make necessary lifestyle changes to balance hormones and reduce estrogen dominance. Here is a great article to get you started on naturally balancing hormones. 
5. When possible, avoid X-rays. Detox properly after necessary X-ray and/or Gamma ray exposure. 
6. Eat organic to reduce pesticide exposure. 
7. Get rid of all weed-killers, pesticides, herbicides and other harmful toxins in the home. Switch to non-toxic cleaning and personal care products. Remove fragrances from the home. 
8. Best case scenario is to hardwire your home and get rid of wifi. Next best, turn off wifi when you’re not using it. Turn off wifi at night. Sleep with your phone in another room. 
9. Treat underlying infections from bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc. I’m doing a guided parasite cleanse with the TDW Community, where I take members through how to do one step-by-step from the comfort of their own home around full moons. 
10. Optimize immune function by eating real + whole foods, sleeping well, reducing stress, supplementing wisely, moving your body regularly, sweating, and getting outside as much as possible. 

Stay Updated on All Things Wellness

At Taylor Dukes Wellness, we are always working on new ways to serve you on your health journey. Be the first to learn about new healthy living resources, blog posts and TDW offerings, by getting on my insider list here.