CANCER AND IODINE

Does Iodine have other health benefits besides boosting thyroid function, protection from low level radiation and clearing up allergies?. Recently, I read some very interesting research on iodine as a treatment and prevention for breast cancer. A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS INCLUDED AT THE END OF THIS ARTICLE.

The basic question was: “Can iodine be used for breast cancer and how is it administered?”

The doctor’s answer was: “Iodine kills breast cancer cells without killing off normal cells in the process. In other words, it’s ideal for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer.”

During the 1960s and 70s, Benjamin Eskin, M.D. did extensive research on the health benefits of iodine and at one time had over 80 research papers on the topic. One of his studies was focused on blocking breast cells from access to iodine. Restricting or blocking iodine from the cells resulted in precancerous changes. When those same cells were exposed to either estrogens or thyroid hormone the changes (cancerous or precancerous growths) were intensified. In another report, he noted that if breast tissue cells are lacking in iodine, the cells are more likely to be abnormal, precancerous, or cancerous. His conclusions were, “Iodine-deficient breast tissues are also more susceptible to carcinogen action and promote lesions earlier and in greater profusion. Metabolically, iodine-deficient breasts show changes in RNA/DNA ratios, estrogen receptor proteins.” In another research paper he stated, “Iodine presents great potential for its use in research directed toward the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer.”

When I was a kid I used to get sore throats. When I did, my mother would coat my throat with Lugol’s iodine using a long cotton tipped swab. I hated the whole process but it always worked when nothing else did.

Since I can’t diagnose or prescribe, here’s information from Dr. Jonathan V. Wright’s website concerning what type of iodine to use and how to apply it. “A suggestion for you and your doctor to consider: Put the treatment right onto the problem! Mix a solution of 50 percent iodine/50 percent DMSO and rub it directly onto your breast as near as possible to where the cancer is (or used to be). The DMSO will ensure penetration deep into the tissue. A 70-percent DMSO solution is widely available, and iodine is available by prescription as Lugol’s Iodine and in natural food stores and the Tahoma Clinic Dispensary as Triodide (from Scientific Botanicals). If you’re worried about the breast cancer spreading, you can also rub the mixture into the area under the arms that is rich in lymph glands (nodes) where breast cancer spreads first.” 1

The question that came to mind after reading the article was: if it works for breast cancer, why wouldn’t it be as effective when used for skin cancers and possibly prostate cancer? I’ve read nothing along those lines but if I had either, I’d give it a try.

Dr. Wright went on to say that, “You should also be sure that your physician monitors your thyroid function and gives you other nutrient suggestions while you use iodine as an adjunct to your regular breast cancer treatment. (To find a physician, check with the International College of Integrative Medicine, www.icimed.com, (866)464-5226.)”

More information, including some of my other articles, can be found by doing an Internet search for “breast cancer and iodine.” If you put the question i.e. diabetes and my name in the search box, your search engine will pull up my articles on that subject.

1. Dr. Jonathan V. Wright’s Nutrition and Healing Newsletter. Article title: Rub away cancer.

My wife had a spot on her nose that wouldn't respond to other treatments. She'd tried many different holistic and herbal remedies, all with little or no success. I told her what I'd found, and had corroborated by seeking information from many sources, and that it might be advantageous to try iodine.

We bought some white iodine but she didn't want to use it since it contained ammonia. She decided it was better to look like she'd scraped her nose, the red color of the Lugol's, than have the spot spread or worse.

A scab formed on the area where the spot was but not on the surrounding tissue. We took that as a good sign, meaning it was treating the problem without causing healthy skin to die.

After about three weeks the scab fell off and nothing was left except healthy tissue. There wasn't even a visible scar or mark of any kind.

Since that time, there rough, scaly spot hasn't reoccurred and there haven't been any other problems. She decided that iodine stains on her nose were better than the rough, scaly spot and far better than other forms of treatment.