Healing Cancer
by Margot Hamblett and Dr. Richard Bolstad

In March of this year, Anchor Point carried a very moving series of tributes to NLP trainer Andrea Stallsworth Rice, who died after a two and a half year struggle to heal cancer. These tributes were a powerful reminder both of the loving support that contact with the NLP community often provides, and of the fact that NLP is not “the cure” for cancer. In fact, we doubt that there is one guaranteed “cure” for cancer.

On the other hand, we also know ourselves that people frequently use NLP processes as a key step in their healing of cancer and other tumours. We have met many people who have completely healed cancer, using NLP as their main healing metaphor. This is perhaps an appropriate time to share two stories which remind us of this possibility. In each of these cases, an NLP Practitioner successfully treated a person with a cancer or tumours. In each of these cases, they sought medical backup, and made decisions ready to use the best that medical technology could offer them. And, in each of these cases, they then were able to (rather quickly) have the person heal the cancer or tumours using standard NLP techniques.

There is good reason to expect success with many of the people who come to see us in this situation. In this introduction to the two articles, we want to share some of the research that explains how NLP techniques may be able to assist people to heal cancer, at least in a large percentage of cases. Firstly, anecdotal accounts of “spontaneous remission” of cancer have been known for thousands of years. Dr. Brendan O’Regan is a neurochemist who has collected a database of 3,500 medically documented cases of spontaneous remission of cancer. Dr. Charles Weinstock leads the New York Psychosomatic Study group, and has commented on these cases that “Within a short period before the remission, ranging from days to a few months, there was an important change, such as a marriage, an ordination, the birth of a grandchild, or removal of a relationship that was unwanted. There was a psychosocial rehabilitation of one sort or another, and then the cancer was healed.” (Weinstock, 1997).

The first western research demonstrating that this type of remission could be “reliably” induced was published by Dr. Carl and Stephanie Simonton from Dallas Texas, in their book Getting Well Again (1978). Working with 159 people considered to have medically incurable cancer (average life expectancy 12 months) the Simontons reported two years later that 14 clients had no evidence of cancer at all, 29 had tumours which were stable or regressing, and almost all had lived well beyond the 12 month “limit” (pp. 11-12). Essentially, 10% were cured and 20% were curing themselves. The Simontons used a combination of biofeedback, visualisation, exercise, goalsetting, resolving internal conflicts, letting go of resentment, and engaging family support.

The only research which we know of showing a better result with mind–body healing of cancer is that from the Huaxia Zhineng chi kung centre in China. Founded by western trained physician, Dr. Pang Ming, the Huaxia Zhineng centre is the world’s largest medicine–free “hospital.” It has over 600 staff, including 26 western trained doctors, and treats 4000-7000 people at any given time. Residents (called students because they are learning to heal, rather than simply being “treated”) are checked medically after each 24 day treatment period. Most of them have inoperable cancers. In the centre’s first published esults, (Huaxia Zhineng Centre, 1991; Chan, 1999, p. vii.) data on 7,936 students showed that 15.2% were cured, 37.68% had almost no signs of their illness, and 42.09% were improved. That is to say, after a month, 52% were cured or almost cured, and overall 95% had improved. Cure rates have been improving since then, as staff learn precisely how to get the best from their methods. Over 4000 research studies have been done on the method at 90 different universities, and the method is the most recommended “sports exercise program” in Chinese Government publications (open recognition of the healing power of chi kung is highly contentious in China at present). The high success rate at the Centre is achieved by a structured use of visualisation, affirmation, belief change, and attitudinal (metaprogram) change, as well as the core chi kung physical exercises (similar to tai chi).

The publication of Beliefs (1990) by Robert Dilts, Tim Hallbom, and Suzi Smith first offered an NLP frame for understanding similar processes. This book begins with Dilts’ breathtaking account of his mother healing from cancer after four days of NLP to change limiting beliefs and resolve internal conflicts. Talk to most oncologists (cancer specialists) and they will tell you that such results are impossible. It can help for you as an NLP Practitioner to know a little of the research explaining that not only are such results possible, but at least one mechanism by which they are achieved is already well studied.

One of the simplest ways that such methods work is by mobilising the body’s own natural cancer killing cells (a type of white blood cells or “lymphocytes” called T cells). Increased number of T cells and increased level of their activity is strongly associated in research with cancer being contained in one place, rather than spreading, and with cancer ceasing to reoccur after treatment (Mandeville et alia, 1982; Burford–Mason et alia, 1989). Research shows that bereavement and experimentally induced negative mood states both inhibit the body’s lymphocyte production (Bartrop et alia,1977; Schleifer et alia, 1983; Futterman et alia, 1994). Sustained grief and depression, then, are states which increase the risk of cancer. On the other hand, a proactive style of coping with stress is associated with enhanced T cell activity (Goodkin et alia, 1992). That is to say, when someone is in a state where they feel in charge of their life, and as if they are making choices about their future, a check of their T cells will show that these cells are more actively eliminating cancer cells. Research also shows that lymphocyte activity can be anchored using NLP anchoring (classical conditioning) techniques (Buske-Kirschbaum, 1992).

Short term educational psychotherapy can also increase both the percentage of T cells and their activity, by teaching the person how to respond resourcefully (Fawzy et alia, 1990 and 1993). These improvements in T cell activity, due to short term therapy, continue to intensify up to six months after the psychotherapy! People with cancer who are taught relaxation and guided imagery (imagining their lymphocytes getting rid of the cancer cells) show significantly higher T cell activity than controls (Walker, 1997). Nicholas Hall, at the University of South Florida, describes a study in which he found that lymphocytes from women with breast cancer who did guided imagery were both more effectively duplicating themselves and more effectively dissolving and engulfing cancer cells (Batt, 1994, p. 151). The effect of visualisation is so precise that when students are taught to imagine their lymphocytes doing one specific activity (in the research, they imagined the lymphocytes adhering to other cells better) then that specific activity will be enhanced and not others! (Hall et alia, 1992). How do scientists get these research results, which have been replicated with a number of different types of cancer? They actually take lymphocytes out of the person's body and place them in a test tube next to cancer cells from that same person. What is perhaps most amazing is to realise that once the cells have been “given their instructions” by visualisation, they continue to follow them even when removed from the body, or even after several months in the body.

And the results in real life? Well, read the next two articles and see for yourself!


References:

Bartrop R. W., et alia, “Depressed lymphocyte function after bereavement” Lancet 1977, 1:884
Batt, S. Patient No More: The Politics of Breast Cancer Spinifex, Melbourne, 1996
Burford–Mason, A., Gyte, G. M. L., and Watkins, S. M., 1989, “Phytohaemaglutinin responsiveness in peripheral lymphocytes and survival in patients with primary breast cancer” Breast Cancer Research and Treatment 13: 243-250
Buske-Kirschbaum A., Kirschbaum C., Stierle H., Lehnert H., and Hellhaminer D., 1992 “Conditioned increase in natural killer cell activity in humans” in Psychosomatic Medicine 54:123-132
Chan, L. 101 Miracles of Natural Healing Benefactor Press, West Chester, Ohio, 1999
Dilts, R., Hallbom, T., and Smith, S. Beliefs: Pathways to Health and Well–being Metamorphous, Portland, Oregon, 1990
Fawzy F. I., Fawzy N. W., Hyun C. S., et alia “Malignant Melanoma: effects of an early structured psychiatric intervention, coping and affective state on recurrence and survival 6 years later” Archives of General Psychiatry 1993, 50:681-689
Fawzy F.I., Kenieny M. E., Fawzy N. W., et alia “A structured psychiatric intervention for cancer patients. 11 Changes over time in immunological measures” Archives of General Psychiatry 1990, 47:729-735
Futterman, A. D., Kemeny M. E., Shapiro D., and Fahey J. L. “Immunological and physiological changes associated with induced positive and negative mood” Psychosomatic Medicine 1994, 56: 499-511
Goodkin K., Blancy N. T., Feaster D., et alia “Active coping style is associated with natural killer cell cytotoxicity in asymptomatic HIV-1 seropositive homosexual men” Journal of Psychosomatic Research 1992, 36:635-650
Greer, S. “Mind Body research in psychooncology” Advances in Mind Body Medicine 1999, 5 No. 4: 236-244
Hall, H., et alia, “Voluntary modulation of neutrophil adhesiveness using a cyberphysiologic strategy” International Journal of Neuroscience, 1992, 63: 287-297
Huaxia Zhineng Centre A Summary of Zhineng Qigong’s Healing Effects on Chronic Diseases Huaxia Zhineng Clinic & Training Centre, Zigachong, 1991
Mandeville R., Lamoureaux G., Legault-Poisson S., Poisson R. “Biological markers and breast cancer: a multi- parametric study. II. Depressed immune competence.” Cancer, 1982, 50:1280-1288
Schleifer S. J., et alia “Suppression of lymphocyte stimulation following bereavement” Journal of the American Medical Association 1983, 250:374
Simonton, O. C., Mathews–Simonton, S., and Creighton, J. L. Getting Well Again Bantam, New York, 1980
Walker L. G., Walker M. B., Simpson E., et alia “Guided imagery and relaxation therapy can modify host defenses in women receiving treatment for locally advanced breast cancer” British Journal of Surgery 1997, 84 (supplement l) :31
Weinstock, C. “Notes on spontaneous regression of cancer” pp. 106-110 in Journal Of The American Society of Psychosomatic Dentistry and Medicine, 24 (4), 1977

© 2000 by Margot Hamblett
and Dr. Richard Bolstad

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