How Did My Cancer Start?

Root Cause vs. Secondary Mechanism

Cancer is a complex disease that has baffled researchers and sufferers alike, with many theories focusing on ‘how’ it progresses rather than ‘what’ starts it. Today, we’re delving into the distinction between ‘root causes’—the upstream initiators—and ‘secondary mechanisms’—the downstream processes that unfold. This understanding is at the heart and foundational to the supportive therapies we can provide at Core.

Root Cause Analysis: What Really Initiates Cancer?

Observing through a functional medicine lens identifies the true upstream drivers of cancer. Those factors that disrupt foundational biological systems, creating a permissive environment for secondary mechanisms to develop. These root causes undermine mitochondrial energy, redox homeostasis, cellular metabolism, gene regulation, DNA repair, and immune surveillance. Here’s a summary breakdown:

Environmental Toxins: Exposure to asbestos, heavy metals (e.g., lead, mercury), pesticides, glyphosate, electromagnetic fields (EMFs), and nanomaterials can damage DNA and mitochondria (IARC, 2012; Carpenter & Sage, 2011).

Dietary Toxins: Ultra-processed foods (UPFs), high-carb diets, seed oils, and refined sugars promote inflammation and metabolic dysfunction (Schatzkin et al., 2007; DiNicolantonio & O’Keefe, 2017).

Genetic Susceptibility: Inherited polymorphisms in detox enzymes (e.g., CYP1A1) or mitochondrial DNA instability increase vulnerability (Ames, 2004).

Chronic Infections: Viruses (HPV, EBV) and bacteria (H. pylori) initiate cancer by evading immune surveillance or causing chronic inflammation (zur Hausen, 2009).

Micronutrient Deficiencies: Low levels of zinc, selenium, magnesium, folate, B12, vitamin C, and vitamin D impair DNA repair and immune function (Ames, 2004; Holick, 2007).

Developmental Insults & Stress: Prenatal toxin exposure, trauma, or neuroendocrine-immune dysregulation can set the stage early (Barker, 1995; McEwen, 2007).

Medical Iatrogenesis: Chemotherapy, radiation, immunosuppressants, and unnecessary antibiotics can trigger DNA damage or immune suppression (Prasad et al., 2012).

These root cause factors disrupt foundational biological systems creating a cascade: disrupted mitochondria fail to produce energy, redox balance falters with pH changes, cellular exchange is diminished with toxin accumulation, and DNA repair weakens, allowing mutations and uncontrolled growth to take hold. We will explore what can be done to assist with these changes in a section below.

Secondary Mechanisms: The “How” of Cancer

Functional and Integrative Medicine practitioners recognize that many widely promoted cancer theories describe valid mechanisms—processes that drive disease progression—but fall short as complete explanations for how cancer starts and why it persists, or why it returns. These mechanisms are the visible symptoms of deeper issues, triggered by underlying disruptive drivers i.e., if you don’t address a ‘leaky tap’, you are always going to need a ‘mop and bucket’.

Here’s an introductory look at some of the recognised key mechanisms, with insights into why they are secondary rather than initiating:

Somatic Mutation Theory (SMT):
This long-standing theory posits that cancer arises from the accumulation of random mutations in DNA, often due to environmental or replication errors (Hanahan & Weinberg, 2011). While mutations are a hallmark of cancer cells, they’re a downstream effect. Studies suggest these mutations result from cellular stressors like oxidative damage or toxin exposure, not the primary cause (Vogelstein et al., 2013).

Aneuploidy / Chromosomal Instability:
Aneuploidy, an abnormal number of chromosomes, disrupts regulatory pathways, contributing to cancer’s heterogeneity (Weaver & Cleveland, 2006). Duesberg and Rasnick (2000) argue this explains the diversity of cancer cells but doesn’t address the initial trigger—chromosomal instability often follows environmental insults or metabolic stress.

Warburg Effect / Mitochondrial Dysfunction:
First observed by Otto Warburg in the 1920s, cancer cells shift to glycolysis for energy even in oxygen-rich conditions (Warburg, 1956). Dr. Thomas Seyfried has advanced this, proposing mitochondrial dysfunction as a metabolic origin, where damaged mitochondria fail to produce ATP efficiently, forcing glycolysis (Seyfried, 2012). However, this metabolic shift is triggered by upstream factors like hypoxia, nutrient deficiencies, or toxic exposure (Seyfried & Shelton, 2010).

Cancer Stem Cell Theory:
This theory suggests tumor-initiating stem cells drive growth, relapse, and resistance to therapy (Reya et al., 2001). These cells thrive in toxic, immune-suppressed environments—indicating the root cause lies in the conditions that allow their emergence, not the cells themselves.

Chronic Inflammation & Immune Escape:
Sustained inflammation and immune system failure promote tumour growth by creating a pro-cancer microenvironment (Coussens & Werb, 2002). This is fuelled by dietary factors (e.g., high sugar intake), microbiome damage, or toxic load, making it a secondary response rather than the origin (Grivennikov et al., 2010).

Epigenetic Dysregulation:

Alterations in gene expression without DNA mutations, driven by environmental and nutritional inputs, can promote cancer (Jones & Baylin, 2007). This plasticity highlights the influence of lifestyle but points to external triggers as the root cause.

Tissue Organization Field Theory (TOFT):
TOFT suggests cancer arises from disrupted tissue microenvironments, emphasizing a systems-level perspective (Soto & Sonnenschein, 2011). While insightful, it focuses on tissue-level changes rather than the upstream initiators that disrupt these fields.

Viral / Oncogenic Infections:
Viruses like HPV, EBV, or hepatitis B can trigger oncogenesis via inflammation or gene insertion (Mesri et al., 2014). However, their impact depends on host immunity and nutritional status, suggesting these are facilitators, not the root cause.

Adaptive / Clonal Evolution Model:
This model describes cancer cells evolving under selection pressure, adapting to therapies or environments (Greaves & Maley, 2012). It’s a progression story, not an initiation one.

Systemic Disruption Cluster:
Microbiome Disruption / Dysbiosis / Gut Barrier Breakdown: Loss of microbial diversity or gut lining integrity, often from antibiotics or poor diet, contributes to cancer risk (Shanahan, 2018; Zitvogel et al., 2018). This arises from upstream dietary toxins or environmental exposures and altered autonomic nervous system (ANS) signalling due to chronic stress.

Oxidative Stress, Metabolic Dysfunction, Immune Suppression, and Endocrine/Circadian Disruption: These are common in modern lifestyles—think processed foods, pollution, or sleep disruption—and act as mechanisms, not roots (Ames, 2004; Reiter et al., 2014). They result from upstream factors like chronic stress, poor nutrition or toxins.

These secondary mechanisms are critical to understanding cancer’s progression and treatment, but they’re downstream effects, much like branches growing from a tree’s roots.

Why This Matters for Your Health

Understanding the divide between root causes and mechanisms is more than academic—it’s a roadmap to prevention and empowerment. By targeting the upstream drivers of cancer, you can reduce your risk or recurrence and enhance your body’s natural defences and capacity to restore and maintain balance.

Core Naturopathics provides a cutting-edge facility that integrates advanced technology with data driven clinical naturopathic practice to optimize human potential. Let’s now look at these root causes and what can be done to mitigate them through a functional or adaptive medicine lens:

Environmental Toxins:
Devices like air purifiers with HEPA filters or EMF-mitigating wearables can minimize exposure to moulds, pollutants and electromagnetic fields, reducing DNA damage (Carpenter & Sage, 2011). Wearable sensors (e.g., Oura Ring) can also track stress responses to environmental triggers, helping you adjust your environment proactively.

Dietary Toxins:
GI Map testing can identify changes in your digestive terrain and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) allow you to see how processed foods or sugars affect your blood sugar and inflammation levels in real-time (DiNicolantonio & O’Keefe, 2017). Paired with a nutrient tracker app, you can optimize your diet to avoid the toxins in ultra processed foods and seed oils, supporting metabolic and immune health.

Genetic Susceptibility:
Genetic testing kits (e.g., Fitgenes) can identify detox enzyme polymorphisms or mitochondrial risks, showing inherited ‘weak links’ and enabling personalized supplementation (e.g., CoQ10 for mitochondrial support) to bolster your DNA repair capacity (Ames, 2004) or folinic acid supplementation with MTHFR variants.

Chronic Infections:
Immune modulating herbs and devices like low-level laser therapy (LLLT) or pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy can enhance immune surveillance by improving cellular energy and reducing inflammation, potentially mitigating the impact of infections like HPV (Mesri et al., 2014). Additionally, HBOT increases oxygen levels in tissues, strengthening immune responses and helping combat chronic infections by creating an inhospitable environment for pathogens (Thom, 2011). Eng3 NANO VI therapy further supports this by enhancing the body’s natural repair signals, boosting immune function and reducing oxidative stress damage that can exacerbate infections.

Micronutrient Deficiencies:
Measuring for deficiencies using devices like Oligoscan or apps linked to blood tests can alert you to deficiencies, guiding supplementation with zinc, magnesium, or vitamin C to strengthen your defences (Holick, 2007). G-Force therapy, with its vibration-based stimulation, can enhance circulation, improving nutrient delivery to cells and supporting absorption of these critical micronutrients (Rittweger, 2010).

Developmental Insults & Stress:
Biofeedback devices (e.g., IMRS, HeartMath) and heart rate variability (HRV) monitors can track stress and neuroendocrine-immune balance, helping you manage trauma’s long-term effects with mindfulness or relaxation techniques (McEwen, 2007). HBOT reduces oxidative stress from chronic stress by boosting antioxidant enzyme activity, aiding recovery (Harch, 2015). NANO VI therapy strengthens the stress response and supports cellular repair to mitigate stress-related damage.

Medical Iatrogenesis:
Devices like photobiomodulation (e.g., LLLT) can support cellular recovery post-chemotherapy by boosting mitochondrial function, countering the oxidative stress from medical interventions (Prasad et al., 2012). G-Force therapy can aid recovery by stimulating lymphatic drainage, helping remove metabolic waste and toxins from iatrogenic damage (Luo et al., 2017). NANO VI therapy enhances cellular repair and reduces DNA damage from treatments like radiation, promoting faster recovery.

The functional or adaptive medicine approach emphasizes the body’s ability to adapt and recover, promoting the ability to withstand and recover from these stressors. The metabolic screening and biohacking tools at Core Naturopathics, empower you to monitor and mitigate the root causes daily, turning data into action.

By addressing toxins, optimizing nutrition, enhancing circulation, boosting oxygen delivery, and supporting cellular repair, you can sidestep the downstream mechanisms like mutations or inflammation before they take hold – and assist in restoring self-regulation where they have. We help to ‘turn the tap off’, so you only have to mop once!

Ready to take the next step?

Contact us now to discuss your needs with one of our practitioners.

Here’s to thriving naturally,

Core Naturopathics Team

 

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