Oleg I. Reznik, M.D.   Board Certified Family Physician

Assistant Professor at OHSU  Department of Family Medicine

Cancer

In most cancers there is a tumor, which is a tissue that has lost its sense of boundaries. In blood cancers such as leukemia and others, bone marrow is affected and replaced with cancerous cells. Our body has an innate capacity to destroy cancer. In fact Natural Killer Cells are the cells of the immune system that destroy thousands of cancer cells produced in our bodies every day. This and other natural mechanisms of defense malfunction leading to development of cancer. In mind-body medicine, as with other illnesses, cancer is seen as a reflection of an imbalance, possibly an aspect of ourselves that has grown outside its boundaries, has lost its shape. This, of course, is only one example. Our normal cells in the body undergo a pre-programmed number of divisions after which they undergo a programmed cell death called apoptosis in medical language. This cycle of birth, maturation and death, which goes on to rebirth (birth of other healthy cells) is essential for health. Cancer cells become immortalized, losing their ability to undergo apoptosis. They then produce large numbers of immortal cells that go through all boundaries invading and destroying the form and function of living tissues.

In that sense it may be useful to see their analogy to the story of vampires, who also consume life and do not die. This story, in turn, represents our “shadow or dark qualities” that do not change over time hiding in the coffins during the day (times when we introspect to see what actually occupies our mind, by illuminating our mind content with the light of awareness).

Instead of seeing oneself as a victim of a deadly disease clinging to the medical establishment to provide a relief, in mind-body work one is encouraged not to accept a sick role of a patient. Mental exercises are used to explore the mental terrain and find a way toward healing and cure. They are used to stimulate one’s own capacity for healing. Once the person discovers what has to be changed, he is encouraged to return back to everyday life, but in a new way.

Spontaneous cancer cures (or spontaneous remission, as they are termed in medicine) are not as infrequent as it may seem.  While interest in them has diminished since they do not bring profit, there are multiple well documented cases of spontaneous remissions from most cancers that were presented at the Conference on Spontaneous Regression of Cancer¹ lead by the National Cancer Institute in 1976.

 

Reference:

1. Conference on Spontaneous Regression of Cancer.  National Cancer Institute Monograph 44, November 1976.  DHEW Publication No. (NIH) 76-1038.