Researchers are concerned about the growing problem of people being overdiagnosed and overtreated for cancer. A group of scientists convened by the National Cancer Institute and chaired by a UC San Francisco breast cancer expert is proposing a major update of the way we approache diseases now classified as \u201ccancer.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy recognizing that cancer is not one disease, but a number of different diseases, we can individualize our treatment based on biology and avoid overtreatment,\u201d said panel chair Laura J. Esserman, MD, MBA, director of the Carol Franc Buck Breast Care Center at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.<\/p>\n
The authors recommend creation of a new classification for tumors that are indolent (unlikely to cause patients harm). For example, ductal carcinoma of the breast \u2013 currently considered the earliest form of breast cancer \u2013 would no longer be called cancer.<\/p>\n
The recommendations include:<\/p>\n
– Recognize that screening will identify indolent cancers.<\/p>\n
– Change terminology and omit the word \u201ccancer\u201d from premalignant\/indolent conditions;<\/p>\n
– Convene a multidisciplinary body to revise the current taxonomy of cancer and to create reclassification criteria for indolent conditions;<\/p>\n
– Develop, validate and adopt molecular diagnostic tools that identify indolent or low-risk lesions;<\/p>\n
Cancer Biology and Homeopathy<\/strong><\/p>\n This aspect of so-called cancer\/tumor\/ulcer i.e. indolent is well represented in homeopathy. I am highlighting certain rubrics in our homeopathic repertories where we are already following such classification taxonomy:<\/p>\n Boenninghausen’s Repertory (BBCR)<\/strong><\/p>\n Skin; Ulcers; indolent (33 remedies) : agn., anac., ARS., Calc., camph., carb-an., Carb-v., CON., dulc., euph., graph., iod., ip., KALI-BI., kali-c., lach., Laur., LYC., merc., mur-ac., nit-ac., olnd., Op., Ph-ac., phos., plb., rhus-t., sec., sep., Sil., stram., Sulph., zinc.<\/p>\n Generalities; GLANDS; Hard; indolent (1 remedy) : calc-f.<\/p>\n Kent’s Repertory (KR)<\/strong><\/p>\n Male Genitalia; TUMOR, indolent, testes (1 remedy) : tarent.<\/p>\n Male Genitalia; ULCERS; Penis; indolent (2 remedies) : sep., sil.<\/p>\n Extremities; ULCERS; Lower Limbs; indolent (4 remedies) : carb-v., hydr., Lach., still.<\/p>\n Skin; ULCERS; indolent (51 remedies) : agar., agn., alum., alumn., anac., Ars., ars-i., calc., calc-p., calc-s., camph., carb-an., carb-v., carbn-s., com., Con., crot-h., dulc., euph., fl-ac., graph., hippoz., hydr., iod., ip., kali-ar., kali-c., kali-s., Lach., laur., Lyc., mur-ac., nit-ac., olnd., op., petr., Ph-ac., phos., plb., psor., puls., rhus-t., sang., sars., sec., sep., Sil., still., stram., Sulph., zinc.<\/p>\n Boericke’s Repertory (BR)<\/strong><\/p>\n Eye; CORNEA; Ulcers; indolent (4 remedies) : calc., kali-bi., sil., sulph.<\/p>\n Skin; ULCERS; Indolent, torpid (31 remedies) : anag., aster., bar-c., calc-f., calc-i., calc-p., carb-v., chel., con., cupr., eucal., euph., fl-ac., fuli., ger., graph., hydr., kali-bi., kali-i., lach., lyc., merc-s., nit-ac., paeon., phyt., psor., pyrog., sil., sulph., syph., syzyg.<\/p>\n Complete Repertory (CR)<\/strong><\/p>\n EYE; ULCERATION; cornea; indolent (4 remedies) : calc., kali-bi., sil., sulph.<\/p>\n MALE; SARCOCELE; indolent (1 remedy) : tarent.<\/p>\n MALE; TUMOR; Testes; indolent (1 remedy) : tarent.<\/p>\n MALE; ULCERS; Penis; indolent (3 remedies) : ars., sep., sil.<\/p>\n EXTREMITIES; ULCERS; Lower Limbs; indolent (5 remedies) : carb-v., hydr., Lach., still., sulph.<\/p>\n SKIN; ULCERS; indolent (100 remedies) : agar., agn., alum., alum-p., alumn., ambr., ampe-qu, anac., anag., ant-c., arn., Ars., ars-i., ars-s-f., aster., bals-p., bar-c., bell., bry., calc., calc-f., calc-i., calc-p., calc-s., calc-sil., calen., camph., carb-ac., carb-an., carb-v., carbn-s., caust., cham., chel., chin., clem., com., Con., crot-h., cund., cupr., dulc., eucal., euph., fl-ac., fuli., ger., graph., hep., hippoz., hydr., iod., ip., kali-ar., Kali-bi., kali-c., kali-i., kali-s., Lach., laur., liatr., Lyc., mang., merc., mez., mur-ac., nit-ac., nux-v., olnd., op., paeon., petr., Ph-ac., phos., phyt., plb., polyg., psor., puls., pyrog., rhus-r., rhus-t., sabin., sang., sars., sec., sep., Sil., still., stram., sul-ac., sul-i., Sulph., syph., syzyg., thuj., verat., xan., zinc., zinc-p.<\/p>\n GENERALITIES; INDURATIONS; Glands; indolent (1 remedy) : calc-f.<\/p>\n Murphy’s Repertory (MR)<\/strong><\/p>\n C; Constitutions; FIBRE, lax, constitutions; indolent enlargement of tonsils (2 remedies) : bar-c., kali-bi.<\/p>\n D; Diseases; GOITRE, thyroid; soft and recent; reddish, indolent, moveable, with bluish veins (2 remedies) : calc., calc-i.<\/p>\n D; Diseases; HERPES, simplex; indolent (3 remedies) : lyc., mag-c., psor.<\/p>\n D; Diseases; SARCOCELE, genitalia; indolent (1 remedy) : tarent.<\/p>\n G; Glands; INDOLENT, with syphilis (1 remedy) : Kali-i.<\/p>\n G; Glands; SUPPURATING, glands; indolent, with hard edges (1 remedy) : Kali-i.<\/p>\n G; Glands; THYROID, gland, remedies; goitre; soft and recent; reddish, indolent, moveable, with bluish veins (2 remedies) : calc., calc-i.<\/p>\n L; Legs; ULCERS; indolent (4 remedies) : carb-v., hydr., Lach., still.<\/p>\n M; Male; SARCOCELE, genitalia; indolent (1 remedy) : tarent.<\/p>\n M; Male; TUMOR; testes, indolent (1 remedy) : tarent.<\/p>\n M; Male; ULCERS; penis; indolent (2 remedies) : sep., sil.<\/p>\n S; Skin; ERUPTIONS; pustules; indolent (2 remedies) : kali-br., psor.<\/p>\n S; Skin; ULCERS, general; indolent (71 remedies) : agar., agn., alum., alumn., anac., anag., Ars., ars-i., aster., bar-c., calc., calc-f., calc-i., calc-p., calc-s., camph., carb-an., carbn-s., carb-v., chel., com., Con., crot-h., cupr., dulc., eucal., euph., fl-ac., fuli., ger., graph., hep., hippoz., hydr., iod., ip., kali-ar., kali-bi., kali-c., kali-i., kali-s., Lach., laur., Lyc., merc., mur-ac., nit-ac., olnd., op., paeon., petr., Ph-ac., phos., phyt., plb., psor., puls., pyrog., rhus-t., sang., sars., sec., sep., Sil., still., stram., Sulph., syph., syzyg., xan., zinc.<\/p>\n Although no physician has the intention to overtreat or overdiagnose cancer, screening and patient awareness have increased the chance of identifying a spectrum of cancers, some of which are not life threatening.<\/p>\n