Essay: Zootherapy

In many cultures, evidence-based medicine is a method which is rarely used, as there are other methods which people believe to be equally, if not more effective at treating their ailments. Around the world, animals have been used as primary methods of medicinal resources. Zootherapy is described to be the healing of human diseases and illnesses by using forms of treatments and therapeutic methods which are obtained by the use of animals or derived from them. The term paper topic will discuss zootherapy, which is a form of animal-based medicine and evidence-based medicine in the use of cancer treatment and also brings to light the benefits and downfalls of each form of treatment.
The main focus will be on determining which method seems more effective for long term cancer treatment. In various areas of the world, the availability of evidence-based medicine is not as abundant as other first world countries. An overview of cancer treatments over the past century will be given for first world and third world countries. The texts will give an insight into the use of snake venom in the treatment of cancer and how it decreases tumor invasion and metastasis (Li et al., 2018), while also comparing it to the modern treatment methods of cancer such as enzyme treatment (Gonzalez, 2014) and discussing the use of triple modalities of treatment: radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery (Comis, 2003). Any side effects of each form of treatment will also be elaborated upon in depth in this piece by providing factual evidence.
Overview of Cancer
Cancer is a term which is used to describe an assortment of diseases in the body which are related. Cancer is the process where the cells in the body start to split without stopping and begin to also spread to the tissues which are surrounding (National Cancer Institution, 2015). Cancer possesses the ability to form anywhere in the human body and as cells become weaker or abnormal, instead of dying they form new extra cells. These extra cells then continue to divide while failing to stop and form masses of tissue in the human body, which is referred to as ‘tumors. Cancer can also be in the blood, which will not result in solid tumors.
There are 2 categories of tumors: benign and malignant. Benign tumors do not move or invade tissues which are in close proximity, though they do possess the ability to become sizeable masses. Often when benign tumors are taken out, they not come back. The second type is malignant tumors. Unlike benign tumors, these tumors do possess the ability to invade tissues which are nearby, while also breaking off and moving to different body regions and forming new tumors which are distant from the first tumor (National Cancer Institution, 2015).
Cancerous cells also are able to manipulate the surrounding normal body cells and blood vessels to feed the tumor and provide it with the nutrients and oxygen the tumor requires to thrive. Cancer cells can manipulate the body’s immune system which works to protect the body from infections and other diseases. The immune system works to remove cells from the body which are considered damaged, weak or abnormal, however many cancer cells can shield themselves from being detected, therefore they remain in the body and continue to grow.
So, what exactly causes cancer? Cancer is known to be a genetic disease-genetic meaning cancer is a result due to manipulation of genes which regulate cell function, specifically how cells grow and divide.
Snake Venom Composition in Relation to Cancer Treatment
Snake venom contains many components which include enzymes, non-enzymatic proteins, and peptides (Li et Al., 2018).