[Becky]

A few comments that are just my opinion (but based on a variety of facts).

I think the immune system doesn't recognize some established cancers because they have alot of "self" because they are from you and not from the outside. However, there are also alot of studies that cancers can and do camofauge the immune system but perhaps the "helping" effects of our immune systems is because of the "self" theory (which is my opinion).

Secondly, when the body doesn't get rid of that first pesky cancer cell I (again, my opinion) think its other mechanisms besides the immune system. It may have to do with the function of organelles (like mitochondria) in the cell that are faulty and perhaps cross talk between cells that goes awry. For example, one function of the mitochondria is to give signals for abnormal cells to undergo cell death OR signals to the chromosomes (or specific genes on the chromosomes) to fix the abnormality. Perhaps the fixing part isn't right - it is partially fixed and the cell can continue to survive and then reproduce (perhaps this is the first stage of getting cancer - aplasia, then hyperplasia, then dcis etc). The first steps may be that the cell and cell environment may not recognize that first small change and fix it. This would make some sense since cancer is (primarily) a disease of older age. Also, I want to say that cell environment could benefit one thing happening over another. Examples of this would then (or might) be impacted by environmental factors. Let's say you are overweight and don't exercise - you might have more estrogen or insulin growth factor bathing cells which could influence the "fixing" factors. Omega 3/6 balance etc. Please do not misconstrue that I am implying that we caused our own disease at all. Our own genetics are at play BUT studies have indicated that foods, vitamin D, exercise etc can prevent cancer to begin with and reduce recurrence. We have learned a balance omega 3/6 does the same etc, etc. Therefore, there can be some creedence in "manipulating" the cellular environment to help ourselves. Even HRT is a negative manipulator (for example).

I am just talking out loud here. I like to think I can have alittle more control of my own fate (both present cancer that I know I had and any that might have been).