What about growth hormones in meat?

[Cathy W]

Can someone enlighten me about whether the growth hormones that are fed to our meat supply could have something to do with this human growth hormone in breast cancer?

Also, have any of you gotten opinions on having your breast removed after dx of mets? to "lighten" the load on our bodies as we fight this disease?
Cathy W

[Esther]

Cathy, I've gone about 90% vegetarian to avoid the hormones and drugs fed to animals. I'm trying to build up my immune system so that the chemo and herceptin have the best chance of helping me.

That is one of the things I stumbled across in my research on complementary medicine suggestions. It makes sense to me, that the healthier you are the better the treatment will work, and avoiding foreign substances that are not inherently found in nature just might help.

[lauren]

I try to limit my meat consumption, and I try to buy only organic meat. Same with vegetables. It's impossible for me to ONLY eat organic stuff and to NEVER eat any flesh, but I try to do my best. Pesticides, hormones - none of it can be good for us.

As for debulking, I think the question is whether the surgery creates a period of time in which the body is stressed and chemo is not possible because chemo inhibits healing. I don't think I would be very happy with a tumor in my breast when I could have it removed, but I would listen to the doctor's explanation of why surgery should not be performed. The following reason would NOT be a good one to me: "Why bother if the cancer is already out of the box." But reasons that WOULD be good would include "we need to get you on chemo right away, and the healing from the surgery would delay it by six weeks or more" and "we can see how useful the chemo is if we watch the tumor shrinkage in the breast" or "the tumor is too big to remove, so we need to shrink it with chemo first". You get the idea....

Good luck!

[Christine]

Cathy, There are many who choose a mastectomy trying to rid themslves of mammograms and worry, but to lighten the load, I guess you mean to give you some weight balance?? I know all this is very stressful and can lead you to look back and think, that you should have had the breast removed. Get some more professtional opinions.
Hugs

[lauren]

christine, i thought she meant "tumor load" - as in the burden on the body from feeding a (large) tumor in the breast.

[Kaye]

I have also been concerned about the growth hormones in meat. In addition there are growth hormones in dairy products. My childrens' pediatrician once told us that children did not really need milk products after a certain age. Thinking about that--it sounded logical. Milk is for babies! Then again, although I cut back on milk and meat, I do have them, but in addition I wonder about eggs. I have no clue if they are 'good' or contra-indicated but am guessing there would be growth hormones of somesort in them--but really don't know for sure. Anyone have any info on such?