Fluoride & Thyroid Cancer

[Guest guest]

" Fluoride & Thyroid Cancer "

 

©2000 PFPC

December 20, 2000

http://bruha.com/pfpc/html/newsletter_7.html

IN THIS ISSUE:

 

1) INTRODUCTION

2) WHAT IS CANCER?

3) WHAT ARE G PROTEINS?

4) HOW DO G PROTEINS ACTIVATE CANCER CELLS?

5) WHAT IS ADENYL CYCLASE?

6) ADENYL CYCLASE, TSH AND THE THYROID

7) EVIDENCE: FLUORIDE ACTIVITY

8) FLUORIDE AND I131 UPTAKE

9) FINAL COMMENT

 

1) INTRODUCTION

 

" A report in the 1955 New England Journal of Medicine shows a 400 percent

increase in thyroid cancer in San Francisco during the period that the city has

had fluoridated drinking water " , so report Gladys Caldwell and Philip Zanfagna,

MD, in their 1974 book " Fluoridation and Truth Decay " (1).

 

In 1974 Leo Kinlen of Oxford compared the occurrence of cancers in

fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas (2, 2a). 100 thyroid cancer cases were

observed compared to 81 expected ones, an 18% increase. Unbelievably, the

authors then contradicted their own findings and stated that " there is no

significant excess of cancer of any site in fluoridated areas as compared with

nearby fluoridated areas. " Those familiar with the recent York Review might

remember similar words.

 

In China fluoride is openly acknowledged as cause of thyroid cancer and

government programs have re-settled many thousands of farmers living in

fluoride-contaminated areas (3).

 

In 1997 the US Federal Register published the petition of Bayer to establish

new residue tolerance levels for products imported into the US for a pesticide

called Tolylfluanid, a pesticide which is illegal in the US but applied almost

everywhere else in the world - and therefore therefore makes its way into North

America in many foods, i.e. tomato products from Italy, grape juices from from

Africa, or apple juice from South America.

 

The apple juice issue is of particular and urgent concern as apple juice is

the first juice beverage for most infants, and 60% of all apple juice is

imported (4, 5).

 

Tolylfluanid had been banned for use in the US largely because it had caused

thyroid tumors (adenomas) in rats, in a non-linear fashion (-> not

dose/concentration-related). Kidney damage occured " probably attributable to the

effects of fluoride on renal tubules. " Regarding the thyroid adenomas the Bayer

petition further stated that, " ..Mechanistic studies with tolylfluanid have

shown that these tumors are induced through a nonlinear threshold mechanism

similar to that discussed in EPA's thyroid policy document. " (6)

 

NOTE: For an updated and downloadable version of this most interesting EPA

Thyroid Policy Statement, see: http://www.epa.gov/ncea/thyroid.htm

 

All should know that IF this thyroid policy were to be properly applied to

the vast data available on fluoride compounds and thyroid function, fluoride in

all forms would be immediately banned! Repeated efforts have been made by the

PFPC within the last two years to have the fluoride issue assessed according to

this thyroid policy, and we have asked the EPA, and also the NTEU to investigate

this vital issue, but to no avail to date.]

 

In 1998 the late great John Yiamouyiannis sent us the results of the National

Toxicology Program cancer bioassay on sodium fluoride (7). Again, the data

showed incidences of thyroid adenomas, as well as the same " nonlinear " mechanism

as had been observed with tolylfluanid. However - as is well-known by now - the

final published version of the NTP report downgraded the " clear evidence of

carcinogenicity " to " equivocal evidence of carcinogenicity " . It was this

change in classification which prompted Dr. William Marcus, who was then Senior

Science Adviser and Toxicologist in the Office of Drinking Water, to blow the

whistle about the issue, which led to his firing by the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA). Dr. Marcus sued the EPA, won his case and was

reinstated with back pay, benefits and compensatory damages (8) However, the

issue itself - fluoride CAUSING cancers as identified by Dr. Marcus and others -

remains denied to this date.

 

Between 1975 and 1996 the incidence of thyroid cancer rose 42.1% in the

United States, and incidence of diagnosed thyroid cancer has now climbed up to

8.0 per 100,000. Canada reports a yearly 6% increase in thyroid cancer.

 

The most prevalent carcinomas in US children and adolescents younger than 20

years are now thyroid carcinomas (35.5%); more prevalent than the more

publicized melanomas (30.9%). Approximately 75% of the thyroid carcinomas

occurred in adolescents aged 15 -19 years of age (9).

 

Thyroid cancer in most cases is a slow-progressing cancer - in children

average time from onset to diagnosis is thought to be 15 years. It is therefore

clear that onset occurs during infancy and early childhood.

 

In the elderly, thyroid disease is very common. Upon autopsy, the find of a

" normal thyroid gland " is rare, testifying to the incredible high prevalence of

thyroid disorders among the elderly. Fleischman in 1999 reviewed over 800

autopsies and only found 25% of thyroids to be " normal " .

 

Fluorides cause thyroid cancer. All common anti-thyroid agents are thought to

be cancer causing, as they influence the natural feedback mechanism which

regulates the thyroid-pituitary axis and cause increased levels of thyrotropin,

the thyroid-stimulating-hormone (TSH), which then in turn activates cancer cells

by activating an enzyme system called adenyl cyclase.

 

Propylthiouracil (PTU), which replaced fluoride compounds in the treatment of

hyperthyroidism in the early 1940s, is now considered a carcinogenic for the

same reason (10).

 

PTU administered in the drinking water induced increased incidences of

thyroid carcinomas and adenomas in rats of both sexes, identical to the findings

by the NTP regarding fluoride (7).

 

The FDA regulates the use of propylthiouracil as a pharmaceutical to treat

hyperthyroidism under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD & CA).

 

Why NOT fluoride?

 

WHY is fluoride, although it had been used as most-effective anti-thyroid

medication for more than three decades - either alone or with PTU - NOT declared

a carcinogenic?

 

2) WHAT IS CANCER?

by Bob Johannsen

 

Cancer is the popular general term used to describe over 100 diseases that

are characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells in the

body. Cancerous masses can grow and develop from a single abnormal cell in any

tissue of the body. These abnormal cells are often called " mutations " . The name

given to a particular cancer stems from the tissue in which it originated, for

example a hepatocellular carcinoma is called a liver cancer. Cancer cells can

spread locally or through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to other parts of

the body. Dissemination of cancer cells throughout the body will allow secondary

tumors or neoplasms to be established in other organs. This process is known as

metastases.

 

Normally cells reproduce and divide in an orderly fashion through the cell

cycle. This enables the body to grow, and to repair worn out or damaged tissue.

Every cell in the body has the potential to form a new growth. This occurs not

only in humans but in all living organisms (plants and animals), simply because

all living organisms are made up of cells. Cells grow by dividing in half, such

that one cell will become two, two become four, and so on. These new cells are

then called " daughter cells " .

 

Cancer is a direct consequence of the loss of the cell cycle control. Most of

the genetic events that lead to cancer occur over the lifetime of an individual

and often originate in childhood.

 

The realization of the stepwise progression of cancer has been the most

significant contribution to the understanding of the cancer disease process

since U.S. President Nixon first declared the so-called " War on Cancer " back in

1971.

 

The discovery of G-proteins has helped tremendously in understanding cancer

and its progress.

 

3) WHAT ARE G PROTEINS?

 

In essence, G proteins are " On/Off " switches which regulate cellular

communication - relaying information received from outside the cell to the

inside, or from one cell to another.

 

This process of cell communication is called " signal transduction " , a term

first applied in molecular biology by Martin Rodbell, who with Alfred Gilman

received the 1994 Nobel Prize in medicine and physiology for their independent

work leading to the discovery of G proteins.

 

As G proteins are vital in all cell communication, uncontrolled G protein

signaling can often lead to cancer in humans. Over 30% of all cancers are now

thought to be caused by G protein mutations.

 

For example, the ras oncogene (member of the G protein subfamily) was first

found in human bladder cancer cells and is now also thought to be also

responsible for up to 40% of all colon cancers, as well as 90% of pancreatic

cancers . Studer et al (11) identified ALL thyroid goiter nodules examined to

contain areas where the epithelial cells were morphologically grossly altered

and heavily loaded with p21ras, which has now further been identified in breast,

bladder and prostate cancers.

 

Fluoride compounds are known and established p21ras pathway activators (12-23).

 

4) HOW DO G PROTEINS ACTIVATE CANCER CELLS?

 

G proteins regulate an enzyme system called adenyl cyclase. This system is at

the convergence of multiple neuronal, hormonal, and environmental inputs.

Permanently ( " constitutively " ) activated adenyl cyclase will lead to abnormal

cell growth - thus to cancer.

 

There are two broad groups of G proteins : stimulating ones -> G(s), and

inhibiting ones, ->G(i) .

 

G(s) describes a G protein which STIMULATES the activation of adenyl cyclase

(AC). For example, when it is stimulated in the heart muscle, cardiac output

increases. In the case of cholera, a G(s) protein remains stuck in its active

" ON " state, so AC and thus cAMP is overproduced, leading to massive sodium water

transport across intestinal epithelial cells; hence diarrhea and the often

life-threatening loss of water and salts.

 

By contrast pertussis toxin (whooping cough) does the same thing to G(i),

preventing its interaction with AC, so that the cells cannot INHIBIT the cyclase

activity, resulting in the accumulation of pulmonary fluid as seen in whooping

cough.

 

G protein dysfunction or mutations involve either gain or loss of function.

 

5) WHAT IS ADENYL CYCLASE?

 

The adenyl cyclase is as a multi-component system embedded in the lipid

bilayer of the plasma membrane which serves as a signal transduction system in

apparently every cell type of higher organisms (24).

 

The complete system consists of various receptor molecules, which sensitize

the external ligands, the effector enzyme adenylate cyclase, which catalyzes the

formation of cyclicAMP from ATP, and two G proteins, which transduce the signals

from the receptors to the adenylate cyclase. Depending on the receptor type

activated by a ligand, stimulatory or inhibitory, either the stimulatory or the

inhibitory G protein is activated and induces stimulation or inhibition of

adenylate cyclase with subsequent increase or decrease in cellular cyclic AMP

levels (25).

 

Anything that activates AC is thought to be a cancer promoter for elevation

can cause increase in cancer cell growth. Patients with constitutively active

adenyl cyclase (permanently " ON " ) have what are called hyperactive or

overfunctioning tumors, such as are seen in the fluoride-related literature.

 

While knowledge of G proteins is virtually non-existent not only among the

general public, but also among most general practitioners, research on G

proteins has been one of the hottest biological pursuits of the past decade,

mainly because of the experience gained from advanced investigations into G

proteins as " programmable messengers " , as Rodbell had called them.

Pharmacologists estimate that up to 60% of all medicines used today exert their

effects through G protein signaling pathways (26). This industry frenzy had been

forecasted by Gilman who - in a 1992 Scientific American article on G proteins

authored together with Maurice Linder - had predicted that scientists would

eventually diagram the cellular players involved in communication and be able to

predict how those cells will operate in response to different combinations of

signals.

 

" For those who would hope to develop drug therapies such discoveries would be

like giving a thief a wiring diagram to the alarm system at a bank " , the authors

wrote (27).

 

Gilman further said, " The ultimate dream is to design drugs that will prevent

aberrant G-protein action. "

 

In a press conference in Maryland following the announcement of the 1994

Nobel Prize, Rodbell had critized the current state of the commercialization of

science. . . " The tenor is changed, the world ain't the same, everything is

targeted, everything is bottom line, how to make a buck, " he said, adding that

it is crucial to " capture knowledge for its own sake and for humanity " (28).

 

Indeed.

 

6) ADENYL CYCLASE, TSH AND THE THYROID

 

Stimulation of proliferation, thyroid hormone synthesis, and expression of

thyroid-specific genes are transmitted by the adenyl cyclase system via

thyrotropin, the thyroid-stimulating-hormone (TSH).

 

It is TSH that mediates iodine, zinc and selenium (29). TSH stimulates all

metabolic and cellular processes involved in synthesis which occur in thyroid

and peripheral tissue. TSH also stimulates intermediary metabolism and thyroid

growth. TSH initiates release of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) from

thyroglobulin. It is TSH excess which ultimately causes goiter.

 

TSH is generally accepted to be the main regulator of thyroid growth and

function and is considered the " natural " universal G protein activator (30). The

TSH receptor belongs to a broad class of receptors known as " seven-loop

receptors " because they contain a long stretch of amino acids which cross the

cell membrane seven times.

 

[At this point it is important to realize that TSH receptors are not only found

in the thyroid gland, but also in the liver, cardiac muscle, gastrointestinal

tract , thymus, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, orbital tissue, fibroblasts,

peripheral lymphocytes, fat, cardiac muscle, osteoblasts and osteosarcoma cells,

and of course the brain - where they are overexpressed in patients with Down

Syndrome or Alzheimer's Disease (31-38)]

 

It has been established that even small increases in serum TSH is sufficient

to promote thyroid tumors (39, 40). Because of this fact, thyroid cancer

survivors are required to keep their TSH levels suppressed, so as not to promote

growth and multiplication of any remaining cancerous cells after removal of the

cancerous thyroid gland (thyroidectomy).

 

Why are these survivors not also advised to " suppress " fluoride intake? The

biological effects are identical. Low amounts of fluoride stimulate AC, high

doses inhibit AC (41) - effects IDENTICAL to TSH.

 

When faced with the fluoride/G protein issue, many pro-fluoridationists serve

up a standard reply stating that the amount of fluoride required to activate G

proteins are a " thousand times higher " than are seen in the human plasma. They

then usually cite some papers where very high amounts of fluorides are used to

activate inhibiting G(i) proteins.

 

The fact is that low amounts of fluoride activate stimulating G proteins G(s)

while high doses activate G(i) - again, this is identical to TSH effects. Rat

experiments have shown that the amount of fluoride required for AC activation in

the thyroid is IDENTICAL to the one at which fluoride causes dental fluorosis

(42, 43).

 

Therefore - if fluoride activates AC at such low concentrations, it obviously

activates G proteins, as activation of AC is absolutely dependent on the

regulatory G proteins (44).

 

It is important that all recognize such statements as the one above as complete

scientific nonsense.

 

Here is some devastating evidence of fluoride effects - on HUMAN thyroid

cancers.

 

----------------------------

 

7) EVIDENCE: FLUORIDE ACTIVITY

compiled by Wendy Small

 

" The adenylcyclase (AC) activity of crude human thyroid plasma membranes were

studied in some detail and conditions for optimal cyclic AMP-production

established. Membranes from eight " cold " and two " hot " thyroid adenomas were

investigated and compared to membranes from corresponding normal, paranodular

tissues. The investigated membranes were found to contain similar basal AC

activities, which were stimulated three to five times with TSH and 20--30 times

with fluoride. " (!!!)

 

Walinder O, Karlsson FA, Dahlberg PA - " Adenyl cyclase activity in human thyroid

plasma membranes from normal human thyroid tissue and thyroid adenomas " Acta

Endocrinol (Copenh) 92(1):95-104 (1979)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=227209

& form=6 & db=m & Dopt=b

 

--------------------------

 

" In the hyperfunctional follicular carcinoma the basal adenylate cyclase is much

higher than in control tissue, carcinoma adenylate cyclase does not respond to

TSH and prostaglandin E1, whereas it responds normally to fluoride. "

 

Macchia V, Mandato E, Carella C, Pisano G, Biscaglia G - " The adenylate

cyclase-cyclic AMP-phosphodiesterase system in pathological human thyroid " J

Endocrinol Invest 1(4):337-45 (1978)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=229151

& form=6 & db=m & Dopt=b

 

--------------------------

 

" Thyrotropin (TSH)- and sodium fluoride (NaF)-sensitive adenylate

cyclase (AC) activity was measured in ten cases of " cold " thyroid nodules and

compared with perinodular tissue. Findings were correlated with the

ultrastructure of the nodular and perinodular tissue. Comparisons of the results

of assay studies revealed an increase of basal and NaF- and TSH-stimulated AC

activity in cold lesions. "

 

Kalderon AE, Sheth V - " Secretion and adenylate cyclase in thyroid nodules " Arch

Pathol Lab Med 102(7):381-86 (1978)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query_old?uid=580

872 & form=6 & db=m & Dopt=b

 

-------------------------

 

F- stimulation in normal tissue 3 times higher than TSH:

 

" We observed an increased adenylate cyclase activity in cold nodules as compared

to normal. More importantly, this activity was much more responsive to TSH in

cold nodules than in normal ....Also, maximal TSH stimulation was similar to

that elucited by fluoride in the cold nodules but only one-third in normal

tissue.... "

 

Orgiazzi J, Chopra IJ, Solomon DH, Williams DE - " Comparison of the effect of

TSH and fluoride on the adenylate cyclase activity of cold thyroid nodules " Ann

Endocrinol (Paris) 37(2):107-8 (1976)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=100850

7 & form=6 & db=m & Dopt=b

 

-------------------------

 

" ... The localization of adenylate cyclase and 5'-nucleotidase activities in the

follicular cells of adenomatous goiter and normal thyroid was studied by light

and electron microscopy. Simultaneous biochemical measurement for both

activities was carried out to confirm the histochemical findings.

Adenylyl-imidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP) was used as an effective substrate for

adenylate cyclase. The specificity of the adenylate cyclase reaction was also

examined by adding oxalacetic acid or PCMB as an adenylate cyclase inhibitor,

and by adding sodium fluoride or TSH as an adenylate cyclase stimulator to the

reaction mixture.... "

 

Mizukami Y, Matsubara F, Matsukawa S - " Localization of adenylate cyclase and

5'-nucleotidase activities in human thyroid follicular cells " Histochemistry

74(1):9-19(1982)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=628278

9 & form=6 & db=m & Dopt=b

 

-----------------

 

" The adenylate cyclase system was studied in hyperfunctioning autonomous nodules

in comparison with normal thyroid tissue. The basal, TSH- and NaF-stimulated

adenylate cyclase activities were tested in purified plasma membrane

preparations... "

 

Toccafondi RS, Rotella CM, Tanini A, Fani P, Arcangeli P -

" Thyrotrophin-responsive adenylate cyclase activity in thyroid toxic adenoma "

Acta Endocrinol (Copenh) 92(4):658-68 (1979)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=231370

& form=6 & db=m & Dopt=b

 

------------------------

 

" Low concentrations of NaF and Gpp(NH)p stimulated AC activity [in human thyroid

neoplasms] whereas high concentrations of NaF and Gpp(NH)p assayed either

together or separately inhibited AC activity. "

 

Clark OH, Gerend PL - " Thyrotropin regulation of adenylate cyclase activity in

human thyroid neoplasms " Surgery 97(5):539-46 (1985)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=298630

5 & form=6 & db=m & Dopt=b

 

============================================

 

9) FLUORIDE AND I131 UPTAKE

 

As if fluoride activity on AC wasn't bad enough, there is one more important

factor to consider. Officialy, the only verified cause of thyroid cancer remains

ionizing radiation such as radioactive iodine (I131), with children again being

at greatest risk. We are currently seeing the aftermath of the Chernobyl

disaster and increasing thryoid cancers are now seen in the children affected by

the disaster.

 

Many studies within the last 50 years have shown that fluoride greatly

enhances the uptake of I131 - even when only slightly iodine deficient (45, 46,

47, 48, 49), and at F- in water levels even BELOW the amount deemed " optimal "

for caries prevention (48).

 

10) FINAL COMMENT

 

Thyroid cancer cells are not the only ones activated by fluoride. All

hormone-related cancers such as breast, ovary, uterine, prostate, testis,

thyroid and osteosarcoma, etc. share a unique mechanism of carcinogenesis. These

cancerous cells are activated by adenyl cyclase. These cancerous cells are

activated by fluoride. This is why there is an increase in osteosarcomas

observed in fluoridated areas (50), as is uterine cancer (51), etc..

 

" Everything causes cancer? Perhaps. Conceivably even a single electron at the

other side of the universe. The real question is, how likely is any one

particular cause? In point of fact, fluoride causes more human cancer, and

causes it faster, than any other chemical. "

 

- Dean Burk, Chief Chemist Emeritus, U.S. National Cancer Institute

==========================================

 

About Dean Burk:

http://www.bruha.com/fluoride/html/dean_burk.html

 

THYROID CANCER

http://www.bruha.com/fluoride/html/thyca.html

 

FLUORIDE & THYROID

http://www.bruha.com/fluoride/html/f___thyroid.html

 

CANCER

http://www.bruha.com/fluoride/html/cancer_a.html

 

============================================

 

For complete list of references, please send message to pfpc and put

REFS#7 in subject box.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The complete " Whole Body " Health line consists of the " AIM GARDEN TRIO "

Ask About Health Professional Support Series: AIM Barleygreen

 

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/AIM.html

 

PLEASE READ THIS IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER

We have made every effort to ensure that the information included in these pages

is accurate. However, we make no guarantees nor can we assume any responsibility

for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, product, or

process discussed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friends. Fun. Try the all-new Messenger