How can you determine what are cancer facts versus false claims?
This is one of the fundamental questions that I try to help folks answer.
So let’s dive right in with a simple example…
And one that starts with a confession 🙂
I must admit:
I love a nice, cold diet Pepsi every now and again!
And if you’re anything like me, you might’ve wondered from time to time…
Do artificial sweeteners cause cancer?
I’d heard rumors of this here and there but never knew the actual answer.
And with the use of sweeteners on the rise, our research scientist and cancer expert, Alex Rolland, made a video to explain more. Take a look as we get to the bottom of this!
How to Determine Cancer Facts vs. Fiction
So what’s the verdict?
Well, as Alex says, we don’t actually know yet.
There simply hasn’t been enough legitimate research done on the subject to determine if there’s a real correlation.
There’s only been one study that suggested there may be a possible correlation…but that was an association study – which means that it’s based on what people remember versus actual facts.
When it comes to sorting fact from fiction regarding research studies, Alex says: “In order to determine if something is causative, we need to have a defined mechanism.”
And we don’t have a defined mechanism for this particular question yet!
He goes into more detail in the video about why this is so important…
So watch the video and let me know if you have any questions or thoughts.
Learning how to understand research study results can be really important when you are advocating for better treatments for yourself.
It may feel overwhelming at first to look through study after study, trying to figure out what the results really mean…and, especially, what they mean for YOU…
But the more you learn about cancer research and the general principles behind studies and clinical trials, the better able you’ll be to tell when something is valid and relevant to you – and when it’s just a guess.
(That’s also why CTOAM exists: we literally spend hours upon hours each day combing through new cancer studies and seeing how the newest information can benefit our patients!)
And to note: Alex also brings up something we DO know, unequivocally, which is:
Real sugar does facilitate cancer growth. We know this because it’s a metabolic process which does have a defined mechanism, and has been studied many times over. While sugar itself does not cause cancer directly, it will help to feed the cancer cells if they’re already there.
Knowledge is power, right?
As always, when it comes to diet and health, just try to be as mindful as possible with your choices and be gentle with yourself.
And if you want more information on cancer care like this, sign up for our weekly newsletter!
on December 15, 2021