Summary for Breast Cancer: An Alternative Treatment Hypothesis

Recent studies on breast cancer suggest that factors such as vigorous exercise, garlic, aspirin, olive oil, fish oil, and vitamin E may all have a protective effect against the disease. A possible common denominator with all of these factors is that they all tend to decrease vitamin K levels, decrease coagulation and improve blood circulation. Breast cancer is known to be linked to hypercoagulation of the blood. The main nutrient responsible for coagulation is vitamin K. A possible hypothesis from the above facts would be to consider the possibilty that excess vitamin K levels causing hypercoagulation, and consequently poor circulation, may play a role in the development of breast, and possibly other, cancers.

In traditional Chinese medicine, cancer is thought to be the result of an insufficient flow of chi. Chi is defined as a life force which keeps the body fluids and blood circulating and is responsible for the fight against disease. In Ayurvedic, or traditional Indian, medicine tumors are commonly linked to a "kapha dosha" - a body type characterized by obesity, sluggishness, lethargy and poor circulation. Traditional Ayurvedic treatments for the kapha dosha include vigorous exercise and "warming spices" such as ginger and garlic - factors that reduce coagulation and improve circulation. Perhaps not coincidentally, these are also factors that overlap with those that modern Western studies have determined to have a protective effect against breast cancer. It may be worth considering that perhaps the similarities between recommendations of traditional Eastern medicine and the findings of recent Western medical studies are more than coincidence, and that a causative factor in the development of breast cancer is poor blood circulation caused by hypercoagulation of the blood, which in turn is caused by excess levels of vitamin K.

Breast cancer is currently associated with high bone density and blood clots, two conditions that have been linked in numerous studies to high levels of vitamin K. The traditional Western medical view of breast cancer is that blood clots are a symptom of cancer. However, perhaps a novel, and possibly more logical way, of looking at the conditions would be to consider the possibility that cancer, blood clots and high bone density occur together not because anyone of the three causes the other, but because they are all symptoms of excess vitamin K levels.

It is standard practice among doctors to advise people who are at risk for blood clots to manage their levels of vitamin K through a combination of medication and diet. Statistics show that women at risk for breast cancer are also often at risk for blood clots. Given these considerations, it may be prudent for women at risk for breast cancer to be monitored dietarily for balanced levels of vitamin K and normal levels of blood coagulation to prevent blood clots, regardless of the impact of vitamin K levels on cancer. However, if vitamin K and coagulation management is eventually proven effective against breast cancer, it would provide a simple and inexpensive way to reduce the risk of this deadly disease in women around the world.

Interesting Links -

Pathways of coagulation/fibrinolysis activation in malignancy.

Fighting the wrong war (against cancer) - Interesting article from Salon magazine, "The government could cut cancer deaths by a third by educating Americans to eat right."

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