Everything Causes Cancer

Marty Allen

In a segment from the popular medical talk show “Dr. Oz” the topic of Cancer is being

addressed, in specific, Lung Cancer. A study from MD Anderson Cancer Center from the

University of texas has a study relating certain types of carbohydrates to lung cancer. "....but

groundbreaking new research show that certain carbs can cause lung cancer, especially in those

who have never smoked."Dr. Oz has two professionals; Mark Harmon MD, who is the director

for the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine and nine time New York Times best

seller and also Michael Pollak whos is a professor and director from the “Division of Cancer

Prevention” and department of Oncology from Mcgill University. A specific type of human

target that they will focus on in this study are the non smokers. Since most everyone will agree

that the biggest and almost only reason for lung cancer is smoking and inhaling cigarette smoke

that only smokers will be the one that will contract lung cancer, however, we are being taught

that this might not always be the case. The factor is Carbohydrates, and consuming too much of

certain types of Carbs, particularly, ones with a High Glycemic Index. Michael Pollak first

addresses that too much carbohydrates will “trigger the process” in which growth hormones in

insulin which can make growth in Cancer cells. The purpose of looking into this is to help

everyone who eats, which is everyone, with knowledge of knowing what foods to eat and when

to properly eat foods that might have serious harm to your body if you consume too much of it.

And also in doing so, understand why certain carbs can cause lung cancer even when you do not

smoke.

So, this topic was brought up in a segment from Dr. Oz relating carbohydrates to lung

cancer. Everyone knows that everything causes cancer, batteries, bacon, a cell phone you name

it. But, it’s not to be expected that food can cause lung cancer. Dr.Oz starts the segment off by

mentioning it’s research conducted by the professionals from the MD Anderson Cancer Center at

the University of Texas Bramlet 2016. In doing this study, they surveyed 1,905 lung cancer

patients and 2,413 patients of a healthy lifestyle. Due to race having various factors in their own

health, it should be monitored that all patients be of the same race, so all of these patients were

non-hispanic whites. Many research is still needed however they were able to look at the link

between the High Glycemic and those who are non smokers and have never smoked once in their

lifetime. So what’s the cause? First off, what are High Glycemic foods? This line graph shows

food’s with High Glycemic foods and low glycemic foods.   

How is certain carbs able to cause lung cancer. Also why was this topic even thought up of to begin with. Michael Pollak from McGill university addresses that. There are certain types of hormones in the body that can trigger cancer cells, for example for men, androgen and prostate cancer. Another hormone is Insulin. Insulin is known for diabetes and also obesity which is backed up by researchers from the Journal of diabetes research in 2016 Journal of Diabetes. When someone intakes too much insulin, certain cells like fat cells will absorb and store the insulin which can cause obesity, but other cells like lung cells, instead of absorbing and storing the insulin, they act as if they will need to grow in order to obtain the insulin. In a BMC research article, they also talk about breast cells and insulin, BMC Research Article. Breast cells (and also prostate cells) work just like lung cells when it comes to insulin, they grow. Areas that are larger and more open, this is an environment that cancer cells love to be in and will grow from there. But this comes to raise a factor. Mark Harmon MD in the

segment states that all of us have cancer, but in the sense of we all have cancer cells and they can

grow and expand. This raised a question for me, “Do we all really have cancer.” The answer is

still unclear but various sources have told me so far that the answer is no, we don’t all have

cancer. A specific source was from the American Cancer Society, and they address certain

common questions that people will have about cancer. Most of the information you see don’t

mention anything about us having cancer cells. But how we can develop them with radiation

tobacco and other various things. But one thing they don’t address is insulin or food intake of

any kind other than the exposition to tobacco. In the segment, it is stated that people who are

smoke free and have never smoked a day in their life but have a High Glycemic diet, that the

chances of getting lung cancer are at 49%. Many articles including one from the PubMed Health

have stated the same thing. So the answer is, yes carbohydrates can cause cancer. However the

purposes to why is still a confusing mystery.  It’s very common to be very skeptical of T.V. doctors, but these are some facts that should be looked into. It is shown through various sources to back up this evidence that getting lung cancer is possible from intake of carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are ones with a High Glycemic Index. It is shown that the chances of getting lung cancer with this high intake is 49%. By learning these chances it’s important to know what is happening inside the body to cause these cancer cells to grow. It is backed up by the study and knowledge of insulin and how it affects the certain cells in your body. Overall everything causes cancer, even carbohydrates.