“You have cancer” may be the most terrifying three words in the English language. Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States, claiming more than a half-million lives a year, and the incidence is increasing. It is projected that cancer will be the No. 1 cause of death in the next few decades. This is in part due to the many toxicities to which we are being exposed on a daily basis. While we are diagnosing cancer earlier in its course, patients are only living two to three months longer, despite chemotherapy and radiation therapy. With all of our chemotherapy and radiation treatments, are we possibly killing patients faster?
There is great news in the fight against cancer. I recently was invited by the Suncoast Cancer Support Community to give a presentation on alternative cancer treatments. The presentation, which centered on evidence-based functional medicine, was titled “There is a Cure For Cancer.” These alternative therapies have greatly boosted the survival rates for many cancer patients. Some of the pioneers in alternative cancer treatment include Stanislau Burzinski, Dr. Nicholas Gonzales, and others. Many people who have been given the worst possible scenarios, even Stage III and Stage IV pancreatic and brain cancer, are still alive thanks to these treatments. Here are just some of the alternative treatments that have shown great promise in fighting cancer:
• Poly-MVA: This treatment involves a combination of palladium, alpha-lipoic acids and vitamins. In one study of 225 patients with Stage IV cancers, Poly-MVA treatment boosted the five-year survival rate to almost 40 percent (compared to a 2 percent boost from chemotherapy).
• Salicinium (or Glyco-Benzaldehyde): This works like the one-time cancer wonder drug, laetrile, without the toxicity.
• Insulin-potentiated therapy: Cancer cells are rich in insulin receptors. Insulin treatment can help low-dose chemo treatments penetrate the cells.
• Paw Paw extract: This has proven effective in treatment of certain breast and colon cancers.
• Oxidative therapies: Treatments with ozone, hydrogen peroxide and hyperbaric oxygen therapy have shown promise in treatments.
• Agaricus blazei (or H1X1 Agarigold): Studies over several decades in the United States and Japan show Agaricus blazei improved immune function and anti-cancer benefits for numerous cancers, although not for breast cancer. Trials in 2011 showed additional anti-tumor effects of agaritine, another active ingredient. This product is marketed by Waiora and a link is available on my site to read more information on its uses.
• Cimetidine: Has shown to be very effective against colon cancer. A 2002 study found Cimetidine doubled the 10-year survival rate for colon cancer patients.
•Melatonin: This compound, produced by the pineal gland, suppresses cancer cell growth and proliferation and increases programmed cell death. Trials using doses of 20-40 mg improved survival rates for various cancers. It also has proven helpful in diurnal timing of administration of lower doses of chemotherapy, boosting their efficacy while lowering toxicity.
• Vitamin D: A 2007 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported an 86 percent reduction in all cancers combined for cancer patients with vitamin D blood levels above 39. Many other trials showed that having vitamin D serum levels above 60 ng/dl significantly decreased incidence of many individual types of cancer, except pancreatic cancer.
• Cancer-fighting foods: You’ve undoubtedly heard of the potential benefits of many of these foods before, but it turns out they have surprising anti-cancer properties. Green tea, a powerful antioxidant, has been shown to increase survival rates for ovarian cancer patients. Fish oil has proven effective in treating many cancers including gastrointestinal, lymphomas, and lung, breast and prostate cancers. Use of soy products is associated with a lower incidence of breast cancer. A concoction of healthy foods known as Sun’s Soup (soybeans, mushrooms, scallions, mung beans, dates, scallions, garlic, lentils, leeks, Hawthorn fruit, onions and ginseng) has boosted the survival rate for non-small cell lung cancer patients from 4 months (with chemo) to 15 months. Here’s a link to National Cancer Institute information on Sun’s Soup.
So why haven’t we heard more about these breakthroughs in cancer treatment? Part of the reason lies in the fact that the field of medicine, like many other disciplines, often embraces the status quo. Chemotherapy, which was first used to fight cancer in the 1950s, remains the most common cancer treatment. This comes despite the fact that studies have shown that chemo works in only 1 to 2 percent of cases for some cancers, and does not improve a patient’s five-year survival rate for most cancers. The three most chemo-sensitive tumors remain testicular cancer, childhood leukemias, and Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Data published in the 2004 Journal of Oncology combining all cancers and all chemotherapy treatment over a 10-year period of time showed only a 2.1% reduction in 5-year morbidity and mortality. Yet many oncologists continue to push chemotherapy as the best treatment, when chemotherapy’s nasty side effects, such as nausea, immunosuppression, and organ damage, can be extreme.
There remains a strong financial incentive for many doctors to use chemotherapy as their first-line cancer treatment, thanks in part to the many hundreds of lobbyists in Washington representing the chemo-drug companies, an industry that does tens of billions in annual business. For those who’ve been diagnosed with cancer who’d rather not take a chance on a treatment (chemo) that rarely works, one or more of the above alternatives might prove beneficial. Of course, what works for one patient or type and stage of cancer may not work for another patient with a similar diagnosis. Consider seeking a second opinion if you have been given the diagnosis of cancer and are being told that you must have chemotherapy and there is no other option. Be concerned if your oncologist does not welcome a second opinion or has no knowledge of complimentary and alternative medical (CAM) treatments for cancer. 90% of cancer patients express an interest in using some type of CAM. Investigate the references and websites that I have listed, and arm yourself with information. Knowledge is power. Consider means of treatment that can allow you to not only survive, but to thrive. For more information on cancer treatments check out this link to the National Cancer Institute website.