Latest Cancer Treatments discussions http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/cancer-treatments/1,0,129.htm Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ First, I would like to thank all who have replied to my post about my brother, Mark.  Mark has been battling colon cancer for nearly four years.  He has had surgeries and chemo treatments, yet the cancer is now in his abdomen, liver, lymph nodes, and we believe a tumor in his rectum is pressing on his kidney.  He was on the third week of a Stage I clinical trial, which is as I understand it is just after animal studies,  through USC and became terribly sick.  He was vomitting continously, slurring speech, falling down.  He went back to USC and they had him rehydrated.  The docotr told him that he had gone longer than any other person on this treatment.  He wanted Mark to have an MRI of his brain and ultra sound of his kidney, and then to finish the fourth week of the treatment.  Feeling that the USC doctor would continue him on it for the sake of the study and not for Mark's good, Mark returned to his original oncologist.  She talked with him about all he'd been through and where he is now and it was decided that now was the time for him to step back, stop the chemo, stop the tests, and take time for disability from work. He didn't have to do anything he did not want to do.  Mark has an appointment with an immunologist named Frereshteh Akbarpour MD in Huntington Beach,CA.  A few months ago, I had emailed Patrick Quillen, author of the book "Beating Cancer with Nutrition". He replied with a recommendation of going to her for another opinion. Part of her approach is the alternative of Vitamin C and supplements to detoxify and build up the immune system. We hope that even if Mark can not beat the cancer, at least he could regain some of what he lost from the chemo , and feel better. Any thoughts? http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25749,0.htm ChrisHB Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT My son has IV Lung Cancer, but it was not found until he developed a lymph node.  Now, after two treatments, the node is swelling more than ever.  Does this mean the treatment is not working?Needless to say, it's July 4th weekend, and I'm very upset. http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25728,0.htm valjean Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT My friend will be undergoing radiation therapy for head and neck cancer.  She will also be receiving chemotherapy at the same time.  She is fearful of the mask she will need to wear during radiation and if she vomits during the treatment, she could suffocate.  Has anyone had experience with both these treatments at the same time.   All advice is welcome http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25644,0.htm arlene33334 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT My 29 year old daughter is due to have RAI treatment for thyroid cancer in a few weeks. Her thyroid and some lymph nodes were removed on June 9/08. She has an 11 month old baby who is just beginning to walk. We would love to hear from others who have dealt with this treatment while being mothers of young children. Is it necessary for the baby and his dad to leave the house? If so, for how long? (Our understanding is 8-10 days). She is fortunate to have an au pair who can help with the baby, but will it be safe enough if my daughter just stays in her bedroom the whole time and keeps away from the baby and the rest of the household?If my daughter will be hypothyroid prior and during the treatment, will she be able to take care of herself, or will she be so weak that she would need assistance in the bathroom? I am planning to go out there to help (do cooking, laundry, etc.), but am concerned about monitoring her condition following the treatment should she have any adverse effects. Does anyone know if there are cancer rehab facilities in the Philadelphia, PA area that would take her in for at least the first few days? Apparently the hospital will not let her stay there. Many thanks for any suggestions you can make on this. The doctors seem to make light of this post treatment care, but to laypersons just facing it, it is scary.Sincerely,Rise Tucker http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25606,0.htm larimi Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT I was just given Efudex cream for a spot on my nose. Everything was fine until day 6 when I started getting a strange taste in my mouth. Later the taste subsided.  That evening when I put the cream on my nose again, within 1/2 hour the taste came back strong, and I became light headed, and a strange sensation in my stomach. I immediately washed the cream off, and started doing research. I found out about Dpd enzyme defeciency. I'm not sure if this is my case, but it sounds like Im having this kind of allergic reaction to the cream. The next morning, I felt better, with some of the side affects still there. My question now is, Will this toxic cream naturally leave my body? and How has it affected my body? Will I die from this reaction? What do I do?Thanks for any response. http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25590,0.htm cancunmic Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT My father-inlaw has ampullary cancer. He had the Whipple Operation done in Dec 2007 with no complications from the surgery itself. In late Jan 2008 he started with his radiation treatment. He did well and looked good, better than he has looked in a long time. In early April 2008 the Dr's put a port in him to start his chemo treatment. A couple of days later he broke out with merca (unsure of the spelling) infection. It took everything out of him and we did not think he would live through it. They hospitalized him and put him on antibiotic and took out the port. After 1 week in the hospital, they sent him home. He still was very weak and a couple of days later they put in a pick. Several days later he was near death, again with an outbreak of this merca infection. They took the pick out and treated him with antibiotic in the hospital for about 1 week (again). 3 days after getting out of the hospital, the dr's put another pick in him, he went 2 weeks (2 chemo treatments, 1 each week) for chemo the 3 rd week he was so weak from dehydration from not eating or drinking and also from the infection (again). This is the 3rd time with this merca infection. He went into the hospital this past Thursday, they took out the pick and treating him with antibiotic and fluids for the dehydration. His white & red & hemogloblin blood counts are real low. Today they gave 2 blood transfusions and gave a CT scan. We have noticed that when he talks he talks like he had a stroke. He has had a stroke before, a couple of years ago. Also in May the Dr's told my father-inlaw that his cancer has spread to his lungs and they gave him a year to live. It's hard to talk with the Dr's being availbale to gets some answers, it just seems like things are getting bad pretty quick. I was just looking for someone that has experienced some of the same things that can share any insight on all of this. I would just like to find out if we're closer to the end than the Dr's originally thought. Today when I was in to see him, he just didn't look good at all. Thanks In advance for any thoughts that you can share with me. http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25572,0.htm vroland Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT Has anyone ever heard of this besides what's on the internet?  Ever tried it or know anyone who has?  Any success stories?? http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25569,0.htm vjh68 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT I need help for my brother, if sombody have NEXAVAR 200MG, pls. let me know.THANKS Enilda http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25557,0.htm Enilda Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hello, just wondering how long you have to wait before you can have unprotected sex after chemotherapy?  Thanks http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25524,0.htm Brown21 Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT My father in law  has pancreatic cancer stage 4. It is in both lungs, bone and kidney. He has already been through Gem. Chemo. The Dr suggests he use xeloda and floxatin. He is 75 years old. Has anyone seen any miracles with these drugs. I do not want to see him suffer any more than he is now. I know also the worst is yet to come. For the first year, the Gem. worked great, but is not working anymore. He tried Tarceva but was not able to tolerate it. He was diagonosed December 2006. If anyone out there has any suggestions, please let me know . Thank you. Susan  http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25470,0.htm helphermann Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT Has anyone heard from the 20 year old twins whos mum was in last stages. They were having hard time dealing with this. http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25468,0.htm ladybrat Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT My mother's MM has progressed, and its time to change treatment.  The Doctor originally decided to go to revlimid and dex, now thinks velcade and dex... however Dex really did a number on my mom last time.  She had the shakes, was weaker, and more importantly it really made her depressed and a bit psychotic.  For quality of life, it seems transplant is a horrible, but near term, trade off to make to hopefully have years of no drugs.  She's only 59, so probably healthy enough to get through transplant, but just wanted to hear from others' experiences... caregivers and patients. Would love to hear thoughts, Erica  http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25438,0.htm ericainbrooklyn Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT hello,I have a 50 year old sister who has been diagnosed with lung cancer about 9 months ago. She is at stage 4 right now. We came across the site for Baja Cancer Institute where they are carrying the FAN-C trials. Her husband has decided to take her there but I have my doubts now. I could not find any documntesed info or reasearch on this treatment. I talked to many institutions in the US and the UK but nobody seems to know anything about them. Then i came across this site and found that many people are in the same situtaion as me. My brother in law is quiet hopeful and looking forward to taking her there . I just dont have the heart to tell him that it may not be what they claim to be.. I need some advice on what to say to my brother in law as this will really break their hearts. http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25433,0.htm noveen Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT I came across this site a few months ago because of my interest in Taoism, meditation, Internal Alchemy and Qi gong. There is a general discussion forum on meditation AND a Taoist herbal pharmacy!!! I have chatted to many of the people there and they tell me the medicines they have tried worked just as they say they will.I actually suffer from a chronic illness to which seems to be little physical evidence. Qi Gong has basically saved my life from being much much worse than it could be now and has given me an avenue of hope outside of western medicine. I know the people at this forum know their stuff in regards to Qi Gong (the regulars at least) so i tend to trust what they have to tell me. I am going to try some of their medicine soon for my condition.here is the pharmacyhttp://www.plurbis.com/content/pharmacy this is the forum related to the pharmacy http://meditation-mantra.org/alchemy/viewforum.php?f=4 and this is the meditation forumhttp://meditation-mantra.org/alchemy/viewforum.php?f=2  hope you guys find this place useful :-)  http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25426,0.htm Blakhi Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hi,My 16 year old nephew was diagnosed w/ pontine glioma on June 1 2008 and is currently undergoing radiation.  Have you heard much info on, or do you know much about Dr. Benarji and Ruta graveolens with calcarea phosphorica?  Anyone w/experience or advice, please let me know.  We are desperate for answers and need to hurry.  God bless... http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25383,0.htm shawzoo Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT Can anyone pls give me advice on advanced liver cancer?? my mum has been sent home from hospital because the doctors have said chemotherapy isnt working and theres nothing else they can do. They have given her 6 months to live. Is there any other treatment out there? Can someone pls advice me?? http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25367,0.htm Naeem Akhtar Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT My dad had a cancerous tumor removed from his rectum on May 2, 2008. Prior to surgery, he had 5 weeks of radiation followed b 6 weeks of rest before the surgery. The pathology report showed a T2 tumor, but they think it might have been a T3 but the radiation prior to surgery made it look like a T2. Fast forward, today, June 22, 2008, he was told by an oncologist that if he gets chemo, his five year survival rate would be increase by about 20%. The oncologist recommended chemo interveneously (if he chooses chemo) once a week for 2 hours for 6 weeks, then two weeks off; and this cycle repeated 2 more times for a total of 6 months.But he could also get the chemo orally. Do you think he should get chemo? If so, orally or interveneously? Also, what is the survival rate overall of getting chemo vs. not getting chemo?How did the doctor get an "almost 20%" better survival rate? Thank you in advance for reading this and responding. http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25336,0.htm ConcernedinKC Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT My dad had a cancerous tumor removed from his rectum on May 2, 2008. Prior to surgery, he had 5 weeks of radiation followed b 6 weeks of rest before the surgery. The pathology report showed a T2 tumor, but they think it might have been a T3 but the radiation prior to surgery made it look like a T2. Fast forward, today, June 22, 2008, he was told by an oncologist that if he gets chemo, his five year survival rate would be increase by about 20%. The oncologist recommended chemo interveneously (if he chooses chemo) once a week for 2 hours for 6 weeks, then two weeks off; and this cycle repeated 2 more times for a total of 6 months.But he could also get the chemo orally. Do you think he should get chemo? If so, orally or interveneously? Also, what is the survival rate overall of getting chemo vs. not getting chemo?How did the doctor get an "almost 20%" better survival rate? Thank you in advance for reading this and responding. http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25335,0.htm ConcernedinKC Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT I would like to know if there is anyone out there who have had this treatment and would like to know how this feels and what the results are so far.Thank you http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25281,0.htm bhante Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT I started suten on may 10 app. I was doing fine until may 20 then side effects started to show up a few mouth sores severe heartburn and nausea dry heaves sleep apnea, rapid heartbeat,went to dr and they stopped the sutent immediately.the chest exray I had that day showed some shrinkage after just 20 days, now i will not be able to go back on it untill after my last test an ultra sound of my heart,i had all these tests before and i know it was all caused by the sutent and i want to go back on a smaller dose but i have to wait, i see a need for urgency but the dr does not,seem toAny way see how fast the sutent can work. Oh yeah i had a large metastasis on my neck and it shrunk considerably in thos 20 days and now it is bigger again, see the need for speed here?Bobtail2    http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25251,0.htm charly Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT  Cancer patient recovers after injection of immune cellsBy Roger Highfield, Science EditorLast Updated: 10:01pm BST 18/06/2008A cancer patient has made a full recovery after being injected with billions of his own immune cells in the first case of its kind, doctors have disclosed.A promising step | Gene therapy cures cancer for first time Search for the jab that can combat cancer Telegraph health homepage | Telegraph science homepage The 52-year-old, who was suffering from advanced skin cancer, was free from tumours within eight weeks of undergoing the procedure. Telegraph view: Cancer breakthroughAfter two years he is still free from the disease which had spread to his lymph nodes and one of his lungs.Doctors took cells from the man's own defence system that were found to attack the cancer cells best, cloned them and injected back into his body, in a process known as "immunotherapy". After two years he is still free from the disease which had spread to his lymph nodes and one of his lungs.Experts said that the case could mark a landmark in the treatment of cancer.It raises hopes of a possible new way of fighting the disease, which claims 150,000 lives in Britain every year.Ed Yong, health information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: "It's very exciting to see a cancer patient being successfully treated using immune cells cloned from his own body. While it's always good news when anyone with cancer gets the all clear, this treatment will need to be tested in large clinical trials to work out how widely it could be used."However, the treatment could prove extremely expensive and scientists say that more research is needed to prove its effectiveness.Genetically altered white blood cells have been used before to treat cancer patients but this is the first study to show that simply growing vast numbers of the few immune cells in the body to attack a cancer can be safe and effective.advertisementNormally there are too few of the cells in a patient's body to effectively fight cancer.Dr Cassian Yee, who led the team at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle, said: "For this patient we were successful, but we would need to confirm the effectiveness of therapy in a larger study."The work raises hopes that this approach could not only offer a more effective treatment for skin cancer, or melanoma, which kills around 2,000 people in Britain alone, but be applied to other cancers too.The patient was one of nine with metastatic melanoma, that is skin cancer that has spread, who were being treated in a recently completed clinical trial to test bigger and bigger doses of their own white blood cells.Larger, more elaborate, trials are now under way.Almost 9,000 new cases of melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, are diagnosed every year in Britain, and nearly 2,000 patients die from the disease.Prof Peter Johnson, Cancer Research UK's chief clinician, said: "This is another interesting demonstration of the huge power of the immune system to fight some types of cancer."Although the technique is complex and difficult to use for all but a few patients, the principle that someone's own immune cells can be expanded and made to work in this way is very encouraging for the work that Cancer Research UK and others are carrying out."Immunotherapy, in which a patients own immune cells are used to treat cancer, is a growing area of research that aims to develop less-toxic treatments than standard chemotherapy and radiation.Because cancer occurs when the body's own cells grow out of control, the immune system only responds weakly.The ability of the body's own defences to tackle cancer in this case is all the more remarkable because most deadly feature of the disease is its ability to colonise other parts of the body, when it becomes much more difficult to treat.A dramatic example of immunotherapy was reported two years ago by one pioneer of the field, Dr Steven Rosenberg of the US National Cancer Institute, who eradicated cancer from two dying men using genetically modified versions of their own cells.Both Mark Origer and "Thomas M" were suffering from advanced melanoma but the hope is that such methods could be customised to attack other common cancers, notably breast, colon and lung.Dr Rosenberg told The Daily Telegraph the new work is an "interesting study that helps to confirm the effectiveness of cell transfer immunotherapy for treating cancer patients. We have now treated 93 patients with metastatic melanoma using their own anti-tumour cells with response rates up to 72 per cent. Mark Origer remains disease free now over three years after treatment." http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25201,0.htm Lisalj Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT I have stage 4 cancer, started as stage 3 in 2000, breast cancer.  I did 6 months cemo, stem cell, and radation.  2008 it came back in my oviaries as tumors, and they said they counld'nt get it all out.  Its not in my intestines but around them.  Its in my liver, as 2 - 2cm spots, and a 7cm in my bone/pelvis area, and lung. I've been taking poly mva for 4 weeks 12 teaspoons a day every 2 hours since I'm stage 4. I want to start with taking Enhance Zeolite with this.  Is this ok to do so.I will be going in for a bone infusion every month for 1 time each month.  I was told be Aramac that sells poly not to take zeolite when I'm on there trail for a year. My doctor doesn't even beleive in vitiams, no knowledge of poly mv unit I gave him the web site. I need to be my own wagon master with this.  Caaaaaan you tell me if zeolite enhance and poly mva can work together????Is there anyone that can give me a web site that has this information.JS http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25133,0.htm Shopan Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT Iam writing about my 19 year old daughter, she had HVP and Cin1 on her first PAP then had a biopsy and had the freezing done.  Went in again and had a bad PAP again and did another Biop and it came back Moderate to severe and they said it is in a different spot and it is on the wall- they said.  So they are going to  give her fluorouracil cream for 6 weeks then do another PAP in 3 or 4 months.  I guess the name Chemo really scares me and I do not want to Scare my daughter, but is this something we need to be overly concerned about?   I guess the word cancer scares me to death, my mother passed away from lung cancer and I don't know if this really could turn into that or is this common.Kim http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25092,0.htm khowie Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hello, I'm new. my dad was diagnosed almost 2 years ago with GIST. He had the tumor taken out and then was placed on Gleevec. This month we found out the gleevec has stopped working. They are going to put him on Sutent next. It's scary because he already has a heart condition and the drugs all say that it could be a side effect. In the mean time while we wait to be approved for him to take this drug, he isn't taking anything, the tumors are growing and he is in pain. How have others found the sutent to work? I think my fear is that it isn't going to work. If that's the case they gave him 1-2 months. I'm getting married in August and there is nothing I want more than my dad to walk me down that aisle. I worry that won't happen. how have others found the sutent to work? I know everyone is different. But does anyone else have a heart condition and is taking the sutent? How are the side effects?    http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25049,0.htm Paint2bme Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT March 08 had a mastectomy.  Pathology showed Stage I, node negative invasive ductal cancer.  The cancer was extremely estrogen and progestrogen positive and Her2 negative.  I elected the more dramatic surgery to avoid radiation.  I have significant scoliosis and osteoarthiritis already.  I tried the Arirmidex for a very short time, when pulse, blood pressure, and mouth numbness occurred, my oncologist took me off the medication.  She now wants me to try Femara or Aromasin.  When reading the side effects, I just don't know what to choose.  My joints and bones already hurt daily from the scoliosis and arthritis.  Also, my oncologist called yesterday and said that the BRCA 1 came back negative, but the BRCA 2 was positive; however, my particular mutation strain is still under study, and it is not known for sure the role this mutation might play in cancer growth.  I did read that this gene is responsible for embryo development, and I had 3 miscarriages and a son born with a congenital birth defect, so I now wonder if this is the cause of my cancer.  I had no other "markers".  If someone could advise me on any of this, I would greatly appreciate the imput.  I am very frustrated with the whole mess.Thank you,Jeanie http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,24931,0.htm Jeanie48 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT