CHECK YOUR PREMISES - CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE

There have been heroic efforts made across the nation and the world to help diagnose and treat breast and prostate cancers in the last decades. Despite tremendous support and technological revolutions, the incidence of each disease continues to grow.

Both diseases affect more people, at younger ages, and with increasing severity at diagnosis than ever before. So why aren’t we making a dent in them despite our best efforts?

The fact is that, much like many other cancers, breast and prostate cancer are immune mediated, and likely triggered by a specific virus that is growing in intensity and transmitting through and across species with abandon.

Only a small number of breast cancer cases can be ascribed to genetic mutations. Less than 20% are associated with the BRCA mutation alone. So where are all the other cases coming from?

While there are likely many factors that contribute to the development of both breast and prostate cancers, the Mammary Tumor Virus is known to play an important role in the development of these tumors in mice. Because the virus is an infectious disease, it cannot be screened for with genetic testing, and it cannot be diagnosed unless looked for specifically. Furthermore, while most genetic diseases wash out of a population through natural selection and mixing, infectious diseases tend to gain strength as they mutate and spread, creating little pockets of disease intensity.

It is becoming clear that the only definitive way to address breast and prostate cancer is through prevention, by reframing the conversation about cancer as well as our entire approach to its care. The Best Protection is Prevention!