When inflammation persists (from infections, autoimmune disease, obesity, smoking, etc.), immune cells release:

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) Reactive nitrogen species

These chemicals can also accidentally damage nearby cells’ DNA. If the DNA repair process fails, mutations accumulate, which can eventually lead to cancer.

Wisdom of Cancer Cells

Cancer cells are not part of a malicious disease process. When they spread throughout the body (metastasize), their purpose is not to disrupt the body’s vital functions, infect healthy cells, or destroy their host. Self-destruction is not characteristic of any cell unless it is old, worn out, and ready to be replaced. Cancer cells, like all other cells, depend on the survival of the body because if the body dies, they die as well. The fact that some people believe cancer cells exist to destroy the body does not mean they actually have that ability or intention. A cancerous tumor itself is not directly responsible for progressive destruction or for causing the body’s death. There is nothing within a cancer cell that inherently has the power to kill anything.

What ultimately leads to the failure of an organ or the body as a whole is the deterioration of tissue caused by a continued shortage of nutrients and vital energy. A severe decrease or shutdown in the delivery of essential nutrients to the cells of an organ is not mainly the result of a tumor but rather a major factor that contributes to its formation. By definition, a cancer cell is essentially a normal cell that has undergone genetic mutation allowing it to survive in an anaerobic environment (an environment lacking oxygen). In other words, if cells are deprived of oxygen—their primary energy source—some will die, but others may adapt by altering their genetic programming. These cells then develop the ability to live without oxygen and obtain some of their energy from sources such as cellular metabolic waste products.

The behavior of cancer cells can be easier to understand when compared with common microorganisms. Bacteria, for example, are broadly classified into two groups: aerobic bacteria, which require oxygen, and anaerobic bacteria, which can survive without it. This distinction is important because the human body actually contains more bacteria than human cells. Aerobic bacteria flourish in oxygen-rich environments and assist with processes like digestion and the production of important nutrients, including B-vitamins. Anaerobic bacteria, on the other hand, can thrive in areas where oxygen is scarce. They help break down waste materials, toxic buildup, and dead or worn-out cells.

The body appears to treat cancer as a type of protective mechanism, even stimulating the growth of new blood vessels to ensure an adequate supply of glucose that supports the survival and spread of cancer cells. From this perspective, cancer cells do not immediately cause death but may temporarily delay it—at least until an organ deteriorates enough to affect the entire body. If the underlying triggers of cancer are properly addressed, such an outcome might be prevented.

It is commonly believed that the immune system protects us from cancer. However, this is only partly accurate. On one hand, the immune system destroys millions of abnormal cells that arise during the body’s natural process of replacing around 30 billion cells each day. On the other hand, the immune system may not eliminate cancer cells that form in response to accumulated toxins, congestion, or emotional stress.

(Moritz, 2009)