THIS WEEK'S QUESTION

Q. I was involved in an automobile accident. Six months later I noticed a lump in the breast that was injured. I was subsequently diagnosed with breast cancer. Could the accident have caused the cancer?

A. You have hit upon a 19th century theory of cancer. Unfortunately, this question is still not settled. It is highly contentious because it frequently comes up in court.

A repeated trauma could be similar to a chemical carcinogen in its ability to cause cellular mutations (Demerec, M, Br J Cancer 1948;2:114). Burns and scars also sometimes give rise to tumors. Such mechanical injuries can generate free radicals and inflammation, which could suggest mechanisms by which injury could cause tumor growth.

EIGHT YEAR DEVELOPMENT

However, the idea that a single blow to the breast, such as you suffered, could cause a tumor within months seems unlikely. For one thing, trauma does not cause cancer in experimental animals. In addition, most cancers take about eight years to go from first initiation to their clinical appearance. It is more likely that you noticed the lump because you were paying more attention to this part of your breast after the accident. But as James Ewing said in Neoplastic Diseases (1940), "No general statement can apply to all such cases, and each must be analyzed in accordance with the particular local conditions." Sixty years later, that is still the case.

We have a Moss Report on the topic of breast cancer as we have for other types of cancer. Please see my book, The Cancer Industry for a discussion of other non-conventional theories of cancer.

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In addition, Moss Reports clients can ask questions directly to Dr. Moss's associate, Anne Beattie by emailing her at TMRAnne@aol.com.

If you have questions about purchasing a Moss Report for a particular kind of cancer, you can call our office at 718-636-4433 or you can order your Moss Report BY CLICKING HERE via our secure order form, and ask your question in the box provided

Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D. is director of the The Moss Reports for cancer patients. Dr. Moss is the author of eleven books and three documentaries on cancer-related topics. He is or has been an advisor on alternative cancer treatments to the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute, the American Urological Association, Columbia University, the University of Texas, the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the German Society of Oncology. He wrote the first article on alternative medicine for the Encyclopedia Britannica yearbook. He is listed in Marquis Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the World, Who's Who in the East, and Who's Who in Entertainment (as a film documentarian). This Web site does not advocate any particular treatment for cancer. We urge you to always seek competent medical advice for all health problems, especially cancer. Before consulting our site please read our full Disclaimer statement.

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