John Beard's Trophoblast Cell Theory

Dr John Beard of Scotland described a plausible fundamental model for all cancers and published a paper on in 1902. He stated, and later showed clinically, that cancer was likely the result of failure of the pancreas to produce proper amounts of pancreatic enzymes. He stated that cells left over from embryonic development of the fetus (trophoblast cells) are scattered throughout our bodies and later in life are occasionally stimulated (by toxins or wear-and-tear, etc.) to begin replicating themselves. It is the job of pancreatic enzymes to digest these cells the moment they begin to multiply. What makes this theory compelling is that cancer cells are very like young undifferentiated trophoblast cells, in appearance and behaviour. Beard called his theory The Unitarian Trophoblastic Theory of Cancer. It deserves a great deal of respect because: