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CancerUpdateEmailIt'saHoax!
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STATEMENT:EMAILHOAXREGARDINGCANCER
InformationfalselyattributedtoJohnsHopkinscalled,"CANCERUPDATEFROMJOHNHOPKINS"describespropertiesof
cancercellsandsuggestswaysofpreventingcancer.JohnsHopkinsdidnotpublishtheinformation,whichoftenisanemail
attachment,nordoweendorseitscontents.Theemailalsocontainsanincorrectspellingofourinstitutionas"John"
Hopkinswhereas,thecorrectspellingis"Johns"Hopkins.Formoreinformationaboutcancer,pleasereadtheinformationon
ourwebsiteorvisittheNationalCancerInstitute.Pleasehelpcombatthespreadofthishoaxbylettingothersknowofthis
statement.

Anotherhoaxemailthathasbeencirculatingsince2004regardingplasticcontainers,bottles,wrapclaimingthatheat
releasesdioxinswhichcausecanceralsowasnotpublishedbyJohnsHopkins.MoreinformationfromtheJohnsHopkins
BloombergSchoolofPublicHealth.

Mythbusters:Pleasehelpcurbthespreadofthishoaxbysendingalinktothispagetoindividualsthatforwardyouthis
email.

TheTruthaboutthe"CancerUpdate"EmailHoax
EmailsofferingeasyremediesforavoidingandcuringcancerarethelatestWebinfluencedtrend.Togaincredibility,the
anonymousauthorsfalselyattributetheirworktorespectedresearchinstitutionslikeJohnsHopkins.Thisisthecasewiththe
socalledCancerUpdatefromJohnsHopkins.

Thegistofthisviralemailisthatcancertherapiesofsurgery,chemotherapy,andradiationtherapydonotworkagainstthe
diseaseandpeopleshouldinsteadchooseavarietyofdietarystrategies.

Traditionaltherapies,suchassurgery,chemotherapy,andradiationtherapy,work.Theevidenceisthemillionsofcancer
survivorsintheUnitedStatestodaywhoarealivebecauseofthesetherapies.Werecognizethattreatmentsdontworkin
everypatient,orsometimesworkforawhileandthenstopworking,andtherearesomecancersthataremoredifficulttocure
thanothers.Theseproblemsarethefocusofongoingcancerresearch.

WellgothrougheachstatementintheemailhoaxandproviderealresponsesfromJohnsHopkinsKimmelCancerCenter
experts.

Statements:
TheHoax:EveryoneHasCancerCells
TheHoax:AStrongImmuneSystemDestroysCancer
TheHoax:CancerisCausedbyNutritionalDeficienciesandSupplementsWillCorrectThem
TheHoax:ChemotherapyandRadiationTherapyHarmsNormalCells.SurgeryCausesCancertoSpread
TheHoax:CancersFeedonCertainFoods
TheHoax:CancerisaDiseaseofMind,BodyandSpirit
TheHoax:OxygenKillsCancerCells

TheHoax:EveryoneHasCancerCells
TheTruth:Cancerisageneticdiseaseresultingfromavarietyofmutationsandalterationseitherinheritedfromourparents
or,morecommonly,acquiredovertimeduetoenvironmentalexposuresandbehaviors,suchassmokingandpoordiet.

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Thesealterationsturnoffimportantcellgrowthregulatorsallowingcellstocontinuallydivideunchecked,explainsLuisDiaz,a
clinicianscientistinLudwigCenterforCancerGeneticsattheKimmelCancerCenteratJohnsHopkins.Thistypeofcellis
calledamalignantorcancercell.Amongthetrillionsofcellsinthehumanbody,inevitablyeveryonehassomeabnormalor
atypicalcellsthatpossesssomeofthecharacteristicsofcancercells,mostresolvethemselvesandneverresultincancer,
saysDiaz.

Thereisnosingleorstandardtestforcancer.Therearewaystoscreenforcertaincancerswithtestssuchascolonoscopy
forcoloncancer,mammographyforbreastcancer,PSAforprostatecancer,andthePapsmearforcervicalcancer,andthese
testscandetectcancersinaveryearlyandcurablestage.Formanycancers,therecurrentlyarenoscreeningtests,and
theyarediagnosedwhentheybegintocausesymptoms.

DiazandotherKimmelCancerCenterresearchersareworkingonnewteststhatdetectabnormalDNAshedbycancercells
intobloodandbodyfluidsandhavetheabilitytofindcancersbeforetheycauseanysymptoms.Approacheslikethiscould
leadtoabroadbasedscreeningtestforcancer.

Testslikethesealsoarebeingusedtodetectcancerrecurrencesandmalignantcellsleftbehindfollowingsurgery,andcan
findcancersthatarenotdetectableunderthemicroscopeorinxrays.

Otherresearchersarestudyingcancerstemcells.Theyarestealthcellsthatmakeupjustatinyfractionofatumor.While
smallinnumber,investigatorsbelievetheymaybethecellsthatdrivecertaincancersandleadtocancerrecurrence.
Therapiesthattargetthesecellsarenowbeingtestedinclinicaltrials.

Ateamofourbreastcancerresearchershasdevelopedamethodthatcouldmakeitpossibletodetectbreastcancerfrom
theDNAcontainedinasingledropofblood.

But,whileevasivecancercellsareachallengeandthefocusofongoingresearch,itdoesnotmean,astheemailcontends,
thatallpatients,eventhosetreatedsuccessfullyforcancer,havecancersinwaitingundetectablebutstillthere.Peopleare
treatedandcompletelycuredofcancereveryday.

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TheHoax:AStrongImmuneSystemDestroysCancer
TheTruth:Whenitcomestocancerandtheimmunesystem,itisnotamatterofstrongorweakasthefictionalreport
contends,butratheranissueofrecognition."Theimmunesystemsimplydoesnotrecognizecancer.Initscomplexity,the
cancercellhaslearnedtodisguiseitselftotheimmunesystemasanormal,healthycell.Cellsinfectedwithvirusesor
bacteriasendoutdangersignalssettingtheimmunesysteminaction.Butcancercellsdonot,explainsElizabethJaffee,co
directorofcancerimmunologyandleadingexpertoncancerandtheimmunesystem."Bydecipheringthemethodscancer
cellsusetomaketheminvisibletotheimmunesystem,Jaffeeandteamhavedevelopedcancervaccinesthathave
successfullytriggeredimmunereactionsagainstprostatecancer,pancreaticcancer,leukemia,andmultiplemyeloma.

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TheHoax:CanceriscausedbyNutritionalDeficienciesandSupplementsWill
CorrectThem
TheTruth:Dietaryhabitsandlifestylechoices,suchassmoking,contributetothedevelopmentofmanyhumancancers,
saysJohnsHopkinsKimmelCancerCenterdirectorWilliamNelson.Ourexpertsrecommendabalanceddietasawayof
reducingcancerrisk.Intermsofsupplements,Nelsonpointsoutthatwhiletheymayhelpmediatevitamindeficiencies,
takingdosesabovewhatthebodyneedsprovidesnoaddedbenefit.

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TheHoax:ChemotherapyandRadiationTherapyHarmsNormalCells.
SurgeryCausesCancertoSpread
TheTruth:Chemotherapyandradiationtherapykillscancercellswithremarkableselectivity,saysNelson.Therearesome
temporaryandreversiblesideeffectscommontocancertherapies,includinghairlossandlowbloodcounts.Limitingand
managingthesesideeffectsisanintegralpartoftreatment.

Surgeryisthefirstlineoftreatmentformanytypesofcancer.Itdoesnotcausecancertospread.Cancersspreadtoother
tissuesandorgansasatumorprogressesandcancercellsbreakawayfromtheoriginaltumorandtravelthroughthe
bloodstreamtootherbodysites.

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TheHoax:CancersFeedonCertainFoods
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TheTruth:Thepremiseisthatcancercellsfeedoncertainfoods,andifapersonrefrainsfromeatingthesefoods,the
cancerwilldie.Accordingtoourexperts,apoordietandobesityassociatedwithapoordietisariskfactorforthe
developmentofcancer.However,thereisnoevidencethatcertainfoodsaltertheenvironmentofanexistingcancer,atthe
cellularlevel,andcauseittoeitherdieorgrow.

Whilethereissuchathingastumorsthatproducemucus,themucusmadebyatumordoesnotresultfromdrinkingmilk.
And,eatinglessmeat,whileagoodchoiceforcancerprevention,doesnotfreeupenzymestoattackcancercells,explains
cancerpreventionandcontrolexpertElizabethPlatz.

Moderationiskey,saysPlatz.Aspartofabalanceddiet,sugar,salt,milk,coffee,tea,meat,andchocolatethefoodsthe
Updatecallsintoquestionareallsafechoices,shesays.Therealconcernwithmanyofthese,particularlysugar,isthatit
addscaloriestoadietandcanleadtoobesity,andobesityisamajorriskfactorforcancer.Abalancednutritiousdiet,healthy
weight,physicalactivity,andavoidingalcoholicdrinksmaypreventasmanyas1/3ofallcancers.Platzrecommendseating
atleastfiveservingsoffruitsandvegetablesperdayandlimitingredandprocessedmeats,likehotdogs.

SeveralJohnsHopkinsexpertsparticipatedintheWorldCancerResearchFundAmericanInstituteforCancerResearch
reportFood,Nutrition,PhysicalActivity,andthePreventionofCancer:AGlobalPerspective,publishedinNovember2007,
whichisconsideredbycancerpreventionexpertstobeanauthoritativesourceofinformationondiet,physicalactivityand
cancer.Theirrecommendationsforcancerpreventionandforgoodhealthingeneralare:

1.Beasleanaspossiblewithoutbecomingunderweight.
2.Bephysicallyactiveforatleast30minuteseveryday.
3.Avoidsugarydrinks.Limitconsumptionofenergydensefoods(particularlyprocessedfoodshighinaddedsugar,or
lowinfiber,orhighinfat).
4.Eatmoreofavarietyofvegetables,fruits,wholegrainsandlegumessuchasbeans.
5.Limitconsumptionofredmeats(suchasbeef,porkandlamb)andavoidprocessedmeats.
6.Ifconsumedatall,limitalcoholicdrinksto2formenand1forwomenaday.
7.Limitconsumptionofsaltyfoodsandfoodsprocessedwithsalt(sodium).
8.Don'tusesupplementstoprotectagainstcancer.

Ourexpertsrecommendthatpeoplemeettheirnutritionalneedsthroughtheirfoodchoices.Whilevitaminsupplementscan
behelpfulinpeoplewithnutritionaldeficiencies,evidencesuggeststhatsupplementationabovewhatthebodycanuse
providesnoaddedhealthbenefit.

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TheHoax:CancerisaDiseaseofMind,Body,andSpirit
TheTruth:Cancerisadiseasecausedbygeneticalterations.Manytimes,thesealterationsoccurthroughourown
behaviorscigarettesmoking,apoorandunbalanceddiet,virusexposures,andsunburns,sayscancerpreventionand
controlexpertJohnGroopman.

Howstress,faith,andotherfactorsinfluencethisislargelyunknown.Wewouldlikepeopletobehappy,loving,andstress
free,simplybecauseitisanicewaytoliveandcancontributetoanoverallfeelingofwellbeing,saysPlatz.Thereisno
evidence,however,thatapersonpreventsorcausescancerbasedonhisorherstateofmind.

Still,weunderstandthatacancerdiagnosiscanmakepatientsandfamiliesfeelstressedandanxious,andthesearenot
pleasantfeelings.So,weofferextensivepatientandfamilyservices,includingacancercounselingcenter,painand
palliativecareprogram,chaplainservicesandameditationchapel,animagerecoverycenter,andtheArtofHealingartand
musicprogram.

ReadmoreaboutCancerGeneticsin"AGeneticRevolution"

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TheHoax:OxygenKillsCancerCells
TheTruth:Platzrecommendsregularexerciseasapartofanyhealthylifestyle,butsaysthereisnoevidencethatbreathing
deeplyorreceivingoxygentherapypreventscancer.

OnitsWebsite,theAmericanCancerSocietyincludesthefollowingstatementaboutoxygentherapy,Availablescientific
evidencedoesnotsupportclaimsthatputtingoxygenreleasingchemicalsintoaperson'sbodyiseffectiveintreatingcancer.
Itmayevenbedangerous.Therehavebeenreportsofpatientdeathsfromthismethod.Readmore

Pleasepassthisinformationontofamilyandfriends.

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TheHoax:AnAcidBodyisaMagnetforSickness
Thehoax:Anacidbodyisamagnetforsickness,disease,cancerandaging.Eatingmorealkalinefoodshelpsshiftyour
body'spHandoxygenatesyoursystem.Alkalinefoodskeepyourbodyhealthyandfunctioningcorrectly,preventingand
combatingcancer.

TheTruth:Ourexpertssaythat,ingeneral,theanswerisno.Therearen'tacidbodiesandalkalinebodies.BloodpHis
tightlyregulated.However,whenpeoplearereallysick,theymaynolongerbeabletoregulatetheirbloodpH.Ihave
includedafewotherreputablesourcesbelowthatalsolistthiscontentionasmyth.

Here'swhatAICRsays

Questions?
Contact:
JohnsHopkinsKimmelCancerCenter
OfficeofPublicAffairs
4109551287

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