Three Phases of the Cancer Journey: Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery
When we talk about cancer, it’s easy to focus on just one part of the journey—either how to prevent it, how to treat it, or how to recover afterward. But the truth is, each of these phases is equally critical, and understanding them can be life-changing.
1. Preventing Cancer Before It Starts
Many people don’t realize how much control they actually have in reducing their cancer risk. Through functional medicine, we explore what’s happening at the cellular level, looking at inflammation, immune system function, detoxification pathways, and genetic vulnerabilities that might make you more prone to certain types of cancer.
The first step is recognizing what causes the body to lose its balance in the first place, and then taking proactive steps to restore that balance. Whether that’s nutrition, lifestyle changes, targeted supplements, or managing chronic stress, prevention is about strengthening the internal environment so cancer has less opportunity to take root.
2. Understanding Treatment Options
If cancer is diagnosed, the choices ahead can feel overwhelming. Most people are familiar with radiation and chemotherapy, but many have never heard about the role of immunotherapy—or how different approaches can be integrated for better outcomes.
Each of these treatment paths works differently:
Chemotherapy attacks rapidly dividing cells, but it also affects healthy cells.
Radiation targets tumors but can damage surrounding tissues.
Immunotherapy, on the other hand, is about harnessing your own immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells more effectively.
Sometimes these therapies are used individually, and sometimes they’re combined for greater impact. My goal is to help patients understand the pros and cons of each approach, so they can make empowered, informed decisions, in collaboration with both conventional and integrative care teams.
Healing is not just about being cancer-free, it’s about thriving, rebuilding vitality, and reducing the chance of recurrence.
3. Healing After the Fight
The third phase—recovery after cancer—is often overlooked. Once treatments are done, patients are left wondering: “Now what?”
This is where functional medicine shines. After the body has endured the stress of cancer and aggressive treatments, we need to support its recovery. That includes restoring mitochondrial function, rebuilding the immune system, and helping the body detox from residual damage. It also means helping your body recognize and respond to abnormal cells in the future before they become a threat again.
Healing is not just about being cancer-free, it’s about thriving, rebuilding vitality, and reducing the chance of recurrence.
If you’re navigating any part of this journey, or supporting someone who is, know that you’re not alone. There are answers, options, and hope. At our upcoming seminar on June 17, we’ll take a deeper dive into each of these stages: how to reduce your risk, evaluate your options, and reclaim your health after cancer.
We invite you to join us.