Unitarian or Trophoblastic theory of cancer (Die- Hard cells)

I have been reviewing some of the theories regarding the cause of cancer. (if you know the cause– then you would be able to find the solution).
According to wikipedia
Trophoblasts (from Greek trephein: to feed, and blastos: germinator) are cells forming the outer layer of a blastocyst, which provide nutrients to the embryo and develop into a large part of the placenta. They are formed during the first stage of pregnancy and are the first cells to differentiate from the fertilized egg. This layer of trophoblasts is also collectively referred to as “the trophoblast”,[1]

A developing cancer- same as trophoblastic invasion

Unitarian means– this is the single cause of all types of cancer. (Note: the Fungi Theory as a cause of all cancer is also considered Unitarian– I will write about my thoughts around Fungi Theory some other day).

Most scientific breakthroughs are normally ridiculed first– scientists who discovered it die first– and their discoveries usually revisited a few years/decades after their deaths.

BACK to the Trophoblatic THEORY— The following hypothesis are the basis of this theory:
1.) — cancer cells arising from a common origin (which has been thoroughly explained and published as the Unitarian or Trophoblastic theory of cancer in 1950)
2.) cancer is caused by–differentiated trophoblast proliferation
3.) differentiated trophoblast profliferation is part of the healing process, and the disease only manifests if its control (immune response and nutrition) are impeded

http://ict.sagepub.com/content/7/4/276
excerpt:
Angela R. Burleigh says:
The trophoblastic theory of cancer, proposed in the early 1900s by Dr John Beard, may not initially seem relevant to current cancer models and treatments.
My say
Ooops! take some time to read this– whether you are pro-alternative or anti-alternative.. it seems it may not be relevant to current cancer models and treatments–“it seems”– but read on– you will see that there is a common ground between the alternative and conventional world.
Angela R. Burleigh says:
However, the underpinnings of this theory are remarkably similar to those of the cancer stem cell (CSC) theory. Beard noticed that a significant fraction of germ cells never reach their final destination as they migrate during embryonic development from the hindgut to the germinal ridge. In certain situations, upon aberrant stimulation, these vagrant germ cells are able to generate tumors.

My say
Yes, you “heard” or read it correctly– Dr. Beard’s trophoblastic theory as a single cause of cancer is REMARKABLY SMILAR to the cancer stem cell (CSC) theory, which is currently being studied by conventional scientists today.
Another article says
Historical Foundation of Dr. John Beard’s theory–
Dr. John Beard introduced a unifying theory of cancer origin as early as 1902.3 He hypothesized that cancers originate from embryonic cells, the trophoblasts. A major product of these cells is human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (HCG), the pregnancy hormone. Interestingly, HCG is present in a large percentage of all types of cancers of women, men, and children alike. In the 1950s, Dr. Manuel Navarro announced that he could detect HCG produced by minute tumor burdens – a few million trophoblast cells – using the H. H. Beard-Anthone urine test (BAT) for HCG.4 Since that time, research has shown that (1) HCG has both alpha and beta chains, and (2) HCG, FSH (follicle stimulating hormone), LH (luteinizing hormone), and TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) have identical alpha subunits. Thus, the BAT is not specific for HCG. Improvements in technology have allowed investigators to better quantify specific HCG components for more accurate results.

My say
I can imagine how Dr. Beard and Dr. Navarro were being ridiculed by their peers when they presented their theories in the early 1900’s. They are probably laughing at us now saying “I told you so, why wait for decades before revisiting this theory?”. I do not think the same pattern or same theories will come out at the end of each clinical study as a major coincidence? Nah! I just think that the answer is right in front of scientist’s noses but they miss the forest for the trees because of either pride or GREED!
Angela R. Burleigh says:
Simplistically, the CSC theory surmises that a small population of tumorigenic cells exists, which initiate and maintain tumors, and these cells have a likely origin in normal stem cells. Both these theories are based on the potential of a single primitive cell to form a tumor.

My say
Dr. Beard postulates that normal cells become trophoblastic cells, wherease the CSC theory postulates that stem cells (not normal cells) become trophoblastic cells. The bottom line is that cancer is trophoblastic if not a trophoblast in itself. so Dr. Beard’s theory and the CSC theory both supports item #1 & #2 above.

Angela R. Burleigh says:
This has a major implication for cancer therapy, in that only a small percentage of cells need to be targeted to ablate a tumor.

My say
This is where Dr. Beard’s theory and the CSC theory differ from each other. The CSC theory believes that only the stem cell become tropoblastic not all cells. Therefore therapies need to be targeted to stem cells that became tropoblastic only– which complicates matters.

Dr. Beared formed a solution to this theory based on the assumption that all cancer cells are trophoblastic cells., through pancreatic enzyme therapy (which later on was taken to the next level by Dr. Kelley and Max Gerson). Whereas, conventional medicine says, only the CSCs (cancer cells are trophoblastic cells).
Most of the conventional clinical studies are focused on finding cancer markers for these CSCs that became trophoblastic cells, which is touted as the Bruce Willis of tumour cells– or “Die- Hard” cells.

References:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC153034/?tool=pmcentrez
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer_stem_cell#cite_note-pmid12629218-3
http://breast-cancer-research.com/content/10/4/210
Die Hard- CSCs are the Bruce Willieses of tumour biology
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cyto.a.20690/full

According to Dr. Beard
These tumors resemble neither the organ that they are within nor embryonic tissues. Rather, they are similar in nature and structure to the invasive cells of the
trophoblast.
Dr. Ralph Moss say:
It is an extraordinary irony that while trophoblasts enable the fetus to establish itself and to grow to term, these same cells, when they grow at the wrong time and in the wrong place, are responsible for deadly forms of cancer.

My say
If cancer cells are indeed trophoblast or the stem cells are trophoblasts, then there is a great likelihood that our immune system, would “nourish” it thinking that this is a “natural” or normal part of our bodily functions. And since it is considered as a normal part of our body, there are also chances that it will be expelled from our bodies (like child birth or menstruation)..however, this will only happen if our immune system are not compromised or if our pancreas are working to produce the right enzymes.. or that our thyroid glands or endocrine system are producing the right hormones to expel it from our bodies.

Unconscious memories– according to Dr. Beard
Also, the ability of a germ cell to form a tumor
reflects the “unconscious memories” of the cell. The theory
of unconscious memories of germ cells was put forth by
Ewald Hering; its relationship to cancer was explored by
Beard.2(p290) His thoughts were that these unconscious
memories, coupled with stimulation by environmental cues,
allow the tumor to mimic the organ within which it lies.
This is also reflected in the CSC theory as it is incorporated
into the definition of a stem cell and the concept of the
niche, that is, the anatomical location of the stem cell that
influences its ability to proliferate and differentiate.

My say
I believe that the “unconscious memories” that Dr. Beard was referring to are the hormones produced by our reproductive organs and/or endocrine system. Both men and women produce estrogen & progesterone among others.

For example, if a woman’s reproductive organ and endocrine system is working well, progesterone is produced on day 14 to day 26 of the menstrual cycle.. in preparation for the menstrual period. Similarly, an increase in progesterone production happens when a woman is pregnant. The increase of progesterone culminates to child birth. However, most women who have either breast cancer, endometriosis, uterine fibroids or polystic ovarian syndrome, usually have progesterone deficiency (or estrogen dominance)– which does not allow this elimination phase (menstruation or child birth) to happen. It does not surprise me anymore, that the Natural Progesterone therapy for these diseases are actually inducing a pseudo-pregnancy. Please note that synthetic hormones (usually prescribed by conventional doctors such as progestin–) are also being used to induce a pseudo-pregnancy.

On the other hand, Dr. Beard did not solve his theory from that angle.

Angela R. Burleigh says:
Having identified what he believed to be the cause of all cancer, Beard was free to begin exploring methods to eradicate it. He turned his attention to the pancreatic enzymes, specifically trypsin and amylopsin (more commonly referred to as amylase). If injected, Beard believed that trypsin would be able to travel through the circulation and liquefy the tumor while leaving the vasculature unscathed.
<
Why Pancreatic Enzymes (Trypsin and Amylase)? read on :
Beard said, on the 56th day of gestation the human trophoblast normally stops its progression. What happens on that fateful day? The fetal pancreas starts producing juices containing pancreatic enzymes. Since the fetus doesn’t have, or need, a functioning digestive system that early in its development (since all nutrients come to it from the mother, through the umbilical cord) these enzymes have to have another function. Beard’s conclusion was that pancreatic enzymes, in addition to their obvious digestive role, also play a role in “digesting” trophoblasts or (later in life) trophoblast-like cancer cells.

Here is what happens on 56th day of gestation (or 8th week of gestation)-- pancreas of the fetus is already fully formed, so the enzymes produced by the fetal pancreas- controls growth-- as further growth inside the uterus can be fatal to both the baby and the mother!

My say
Apparently, malignant tumours does not form their own pancreas (as they are not really fetus or not real pregnancy). Therefore, there will be no organ within the tumuor that will produce the pancreatic enzymes necessary to control its growth. Most cancer patients also have malfunctioning pancreas– that they also do not have sufficient pancreatic enzymes to digest the cancer proteins. Thus, supplementation of pancreatic enzymes is necessary for all cancer patients. Dr. Kelley studied Dr. Beard’s theory and took it at next level by using Macrobiotic and Pancreatic Enzyme Therapy to treat all types of cancer. What I am not sure of is whether Charlotte Gerson read about Dr. Kelley’s work and added it into his father’s Macrobiotic Therapy (or was it the other way around).
What is more important for me is that Dr. Kelley is not a quack doctor- his findings are based on the works of an earlier scientist, Dr. Beard– whose hypothesis is now being studied as a basis for Cancer Stem Cell- targeted therapies and even Immuno-therpies using Enzymes to digest the tumour cells.

I also believe that the Fungal Theory should also be revisited as we know that Fungi also emits HcG and some of the other cancer lines or factors that causes cell prolifiration and tumour formation. Dr. Beard also mentioned that the tumour has a capability to mimic the organ to which it lies (a capability that fungi also have).

VERDICT: I am still not going to spend thousands of dollars on Stem Cell Therapy or Macrophages (Enzymes eating tumour cells)–and will take serious note of my mother’s pancreatic enzyme therapy (that she actually have to take it on an empty stomach 2 hours before or after a meal- to be effective in digesting the cancer proteins). But I am glad that scientists have already identified enzymes that could either promote or inhibit the growth of cancer cells (stem cells or not).