I was told that if someone had cancer that wasn't diagnosed yet but had a surgery for something unrelated that the cancer would spread faster because it was exposed to the air.
Is this true?
2007-07-14 16:16:07 · 12 answers · asked by The Cajun Mason 2 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Cancer
Cajun,
Even tho I have heard the same thing that you have, about surgery facilitating the spread of cancer, I think it is a fallacy.
I have had non hodgkins lymphoma: http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page?item_id=7030 since 1995 and am currently going thru a third round of treatment.
In April I had a laparascopic cholesystectomy, which is removal of one's gall bladder the simple way. I had a variety of pre-op tests.
My oncologist gave no indication that the surgery would jeopardize my health in any way. Part of his job is to coordinate my general health with any other health needs I might have.
My answer to your question is based on what I have personally experienced. If you would like information from a leading authority, you could call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345. Information Specialists are available 24 hours a day to answer your questions.
2007-07-14 16:36:11 · answer #1 · answered by ctmom05 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The answer is usually yes, surgery does cause cancer to grow much faster. Not due to the exposure to air, but due to the body's metabolic response to the surgery.
Surgery causes a localized catabolic response. But that is followed by a systemic anabolic response because the body's energy is marshaled to repair the cut.
Most early tumors are due to an anabolic imbalance. So when the body becomes systemically anabolic, that promotes tumor growth.
This idea is not understood by mainstream medicine as yet...much like mainstream medicine didn't understand bacteria's role in ulcers.
Dr. Fowkes, made an additional discovery. If the surgery is to remove the tumor, that act triggers any unknown 'hot' spots to become active and start growing.
We see it every day with facial skin cancers. If someone has a skin cancer removed, it's almost a guarantee that new lesions will pop up shortly thereafter.
The bottom line is that trying to solve a metabolic disorder with a scalpel is shortsighted.
Good luck.
Kelley
2007-07-14 17:10:44 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
No. Not at all. If the surgery is done for some other reason than cancer and if this disease is unnoticed due to exposure the can cer will not spread. Cancers are graded for the speed of splitting of Cancerous cells and if it is in advanced stage the disease will spread very fast. Secondly the Stage of the disease also counts a lot in spreading to other places. But due to ordinary surgery of other parts the disease will not spread. Do not worry-
2007-07-14 18:09:25 · answer #3 · answered by Jayaraman 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Cancer may spread after surgery but not for the reason that you were given. Cancer is not an "airborne" disease. It results from a failure of the body's cells to properly regulate their growth.
2007-07-14 16:29:27 · answer #4 · answered by Sands 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, this is a myth.
Being exposed to air has nothing to do with why cancer may spread. Cancer can be microscopic and may not yet have grown when a regular surgeon operates. So the surgeon removes a tumor that he sees and does not take 'adequate margins' all around the tumor site. In other words . . a regular surgeon may leave some of the cancer behind. Cancer can grow rapidly . . that is the meaning of cancer . . uncontrollable growth. Thus those microscopic cells the surgeon did not see start to grow uncontrollably and form new tumors. That makes it seem like the surgery caused the tumors to grow . .but it didn't . . what happened is that a regular surgeon is not experienced in oncology.
One of the reasons that chemotherapy is sometimes offered before surgery is to be able to control those microscopic cancer cells. A patient will have a few cycles of chemo to kill off any small undetactable cancer cells, he will than undergo surgery by a skilled oncological surgeon . . who removes all signs of visible tumor. After the surgery, if there is any question that cancer cells may linger behind . . than chemotherapy or radiation treatment continues in order to kill off what can't be seen.
But, it has nothing to do with air . . or with surgery . . but with metastatic cells that are already present that no one can see to remove.
You can actually see this for yourself and it will take the mystery out of it for you. If you are curious about how cancer surgery is performed you can watch them online:
OR Live and On Demand Medical Webcasts features online surgical procedures including cancer resections. There are archives and live broadcasts:
http://www.or-live.com/
Intraperitoneal Hyperthermic Chemotherapy for Persistent Cancer in Live Internet Broadcast
http://www.or-live.com/wfubmc/1478/
2007-07-14 18:38:51 · answer #5 · answered by Panda 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
This is not true, it is an old belief. Cancer is not an infectious decease. You can not catch cancer, thus it will not spread to other parts of your body faster when air hits it. Cancer spreads through the blood stream metastasizes from organ to organ but not faster if operated on.
2007-07-14 16:22:15 · answer #6 · answered by Joel H 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No, exposure to the air does not cause cancer to grow faster or spread faster.
2007-07-14 16:19:58 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
its not because its exposed to air, the process is called 'seeding" they say in the size of a tip of a pen, it can fit millions of cancer cells, imagine when a cancerous lesion is disturbed.
2007-07-14 18:14:23 · answer #8 · answered by ♦cat 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most Dr.s and other people will tell you no. But I've seen this happen to a lot of people. So I have to say yes.
2007-07-14 16:28:44 · answer #9 · answered by JR 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
IT IS TRUE!
ANY DISEASE LYING DORMANT, WILL DEFINITELY SPREAD RAPID ONCE THE BODY IS OPENED AND EXPOSED TO THIS GERMY AIR!
2007-07-14 19:15:18 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋