Any thoughts on how true this may be on colonoscopy and polyp removal?
Tommy Wells
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While the medical establishment constantly fear-mongers people to get routine colonoscopies for cancer prevention, there are eye-opening things no doctor will tell you about this subject, which could affect your long term health. Please note: I'm not against colonoscopies if there are concerning digestive symptoms involved. But I am not a fan of otherwise healthy people doing routine testing for colorectal cancer because doing so could actually increase the odds of getting more polyps or colon cancer. Here's how and why.....
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So the logic of the procedure is to check for precancerous growths (polyps). And if a polyp is found, it'll be removed during the procedure and analyzed. But as a colonoscopy itself is considered a preventative treatment, the logic is that the removal of a polyp supposedly helps prevent the future development of cancer by eliminating potentially harmful cells before they become malignant.
Sounds great but here's what they don't tell you. Simply removing a polyp does not get rid of the problem. Polyps form in the colon in damaged, inflamed areas of low circulation and/or heavy metals buildup. When bloodflow is reduced, polyps form as a type of swelling that happens in a typical wound. This swelling signals angiogenesis to help new blood vessels form to restore oxygen to the region to help with local tissue repair. Just like if you were to sprain an ankle, for example.
Do you see the catch? Their premise is flawed because polyps are actually tissue repair mechanisms that help compensate for local ischemia. See, when bloodflow is insufficient, heavy metals and other toxic materials accumulate in inflamed regions. (Metals accumulate in areas that don't detox sufficiently) Thus, polyps are the body's solution to potential cancer, not the cause, because they increase local oxygen and harbor/isolate any accumulated toxicity in their fibrous structure.
Feel duped yet? Don't worry - it gets worse. When doctors remove polyps, they often do not remove the whole base of the polyp, nor the entirety of its microenvironment, which is where most of the cancer stem cells and exosomes are. So it's common that cancer stem cells are left behind, which can then proliferate and invade local tissues. Likewise, exosomes can escape into the blood stream and translocate to other areas, which is typically how metastasis happens.
And since the removal of polyps creates a gaping hole in the gut lining, suddenly there's a giant, unnatural opening for food/waste, pathogenic bacteria, heavy metals and cancer-causing exosomes to escape into the bloodstream. And remember, this area was already inflamed and unable to repair itself naturally, so it's likely that repair mechanisms will struggle with repairing this new hole. If you've had multiple polyps removed, you'll now have multiple non-repaired holes in your gut, (aka open wounds) along with a mucus lining that is probably riddled with heavy metals, thus increasing damage and permeability even more.
Another important concept: A polyp is actually a regenerative tissue that substitutes for damaged tissue or breaches in the colon wall. This new fibrous tissue acts like a temporary "patch" that forms in chronically-irritated or non-repaired tissue to stabilize these tissues and prevent necrosis....this virtual band-aid helps restore colon function, isolate heavy metals, increase bloodflow, increase oxygen and restore gut lining integrity. Still want to rip it out?
It is also well known that colonoscopies and removing polyps can cause great harm to the microbiome, as the procedure can cause systemic inflammation and reduce beneficial species of bacteria. Interestingly, damage to the microbiome is a direct cause of the formation of new polyps. Here's what ChatGPT says about this:
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" Colonoscopies and polyp removal can also contribute to microbiome disruption, as the physical procedure and potential use of antibiotics can alter the gut’s microbial balance. The mechanical stress of the colonoscopy, along with tissue damage from polyp removal, can trigger inflammation and weaken the gut lining. This can impair bile acid metabolism, increase the growth of harmful bacteria, and further disrupt the gut’s environment. The resulting dysbiosis can promote chronic inflammation, cellular mutations, and abnormal tissue growth, all of which increase the risk of polyp formation and make it harder for the colon to heal and restore a healthy microbiome."
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So ironically, even taking 1 polyp out could potentially lead to the formation of more polyps and potentially cancer. And again, removal won't address the underlying inflammatory terrain or the damaged tissue that prompted the polyp formation in the first place.
And this doesn't even count all the potential unintended side effects or consequences of the procedure...aka perforation risk, excessive bleeding, incorrect diagnosis, over-treatment, doctor errors, expense, missed polyps, impaired gut functions, false sense of security, etc.
A better alternative, in my opinion, is to avoid "preventative" colonoscopies altogether and focus on disciplined, proactive, holistic prevention. Regular vigorous exercise, high-fiber diets, plenty of fibrous vegetables, avoiding toxic foods, avoiding herbicides, and steering clear of radiation exposure (like keeping cell phones away from your midsection and using radiation-protective clothing) are all smarter, safer strategies.
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Digestive Health Support Group.
With two cancers already, my colon was an unseen place. A perfect doctor completing a procedure, no polyps and I do not need to come back for 10 years. Lots of fiber daily and fibrous veggies. Today i do not eat food with additives as much as possible. Plus drink half my body weight or more of water.
I understand avoiding radiation exposure in this situation, but I am about to have a Y90 procedure for liver neuroendocrine cancer. For those unfamiliar it involves inserting radioactive beads directly into the tumor. It seems contradictory.
I’m a bit confused here, this information only applies to preventative colonoscopy then and not diagnostic colonoscopy ? Thank you
JT
Any Gastroenterologists on here want to give their opinion on this post ?
I’d like to know the background and knowledge base of the person who wrote about this.
Beware long, complicated, non-established base lines, unidentified sources..........
It is recommended to find doctor with experience and high detection rate of polyps, and do a good prep!
From Harvard Health Publishing - see link below
QUOTE: The bottom line: Should you undergo screening colonoscopy or not?
Yes! Unequivocally, yes.
The take-home message of this study is that when people have screening colonoscopies, deaths from colorectal cancer are reduced by half. That's a huge reduction! And while the rate of CRC deaths is often the bottom line in studies, it's important to consider hardships associated with a diagnosis of cancer — financial costs, physical costs of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation — as well as the suffering caused by the disease itself. This study teaches us that colonoscopies work quite well when performed, and that we still have work to do to make colonoscopy more accessible so that more people benefit from screening.
LINK TO ARTICLE
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-well-do-colonoscopies-prevent-colorectal-cancer-what-you-need-to-know-202210182834
It's my understanding that usually when we have colonoscopies we sign off for them to remove polyps as they see them at that time.