鈥淎s a crab is furnished with claws on both sides of its body, so, in this disease, the veins which extend from the tumour represent with it a figure much like a crab.鈥
So wrote Roman physician Galen two thousand years ago, speculating on why, some 600 years earlier, Hippocrates had used the Greek word 鈥渃arcinos鈥 for crab to describe abnormal growths on the body. Our word 鈥渃ancer鈥 is the Latin translation of 鈥渃arcinos.鈥
Although doctors long ago learned to recognize this fearsome disease, they didn鈥檛 have much to offer in terms of treatment. It certainly wasn鈥檛 for lack of effort. Over the years, physicians tried everything from pulverized crab ointments to cauterizing cancerous lesions with red hot metal. Some even resorted to 鈥渟ympathetic magic,鈥 believing that placing a live crab on a tumour would allow the disease to be transferred to the animal. Such methods had about as much chance of success as the various cancer 鈥渃ures鈥 that populate the web today.
Being in the science-communication business requires currency with both the scientific and pseudo-scientific gusts of information that blow through the Internet. That鈥檚 why I subscribe to a large number of newsfeeds, including ones with seductive titles such as Cancer Defeated, Underground Health Reporter, Step Outside the Box, Natural Cures Not Medicine, Nutrition and Healing, The Alternative Daily, Expression of Truth and Reality Health Check. Although these newsletters have various agendas, they do have a common theme: there is a conspiracy between 鈥淏ig Pharma鈥 and mainstream medicine to hide effective 鈥渘atural鈥 cancer cures from the public. Regulatory agencies are also seen as part of the conspiracy, accused of being in the pocket of multinational corporations that are out to destroy people鈥檚 health.
Luckily, we are told, there are 鈥渕averick scientists鈥 out there who 鈥渟wim bravely against the tide.鈥 There is talk of 鈥渋nsider secrets that stop cancer in its tracks鈥 and promises of 鈥渆xposure of mainstream medicine鈥檚 deadliest conspiracies.鈥 Of course 鈥測ou can鈥檛 hear about these secrets from your doctor, but you shouldn鈥檛 blame him because his hands are tied, and he could even lose his licence for recommending safe, natural alternatives to toxic cancer drugs.鈥 Hogwash!
Often the newsletters feature a video that we are urged to view quickly because 鈥渋t might not be available for long since powerful interests are hell bent on minimizing the damage it is doing to corporate medicine鈥檚 profit machine.鈥 Gee, aren鈥檛 we fortunate to have all these daring doctors and scientists who are willing to reveal their scintillating, cutting-edge, dazzling research as they 鈥渂attle vested interests鈥 in the name of truth?
Make no mistake about it, all these champions of 鈥渁lternative鈥 treatments have their own vested interest. There is always a book to buy, a 鈥渉ealth letter鈥 to subscribe to or a product to purchase. Often the hook is a video that describes some gallant researcher whose natural cure for cancer was laughed at, but which according to the testimonials provided 鈥減roduces such spectacular results that the only side effect is chronic good health.鈥
But you can take this to the bank: there is no conspiracy to keep cancer cures from the public. If you do want to look for a conspiracy, take a look at those who are trying to make a buck from promoting the notion that such a conspiracy exists.
