cancer therapies that work for pain relief and remission

CANCER THERAPIES THAT WORK
FOR PAIN RELIEF AND REMISSION



Reagan Houston, M. S., P. E. - Revised 8/23/2003, h@CancerTherapies.org .



1. BALANCED CANCER THERAPIES

Combined vitamins A, B, C, D & E plus selenium and zinc, reason for each supplement, good results with many vitamins or vitamin C alone, pain relief, hope, controversy and how to talk to your doctor. 11 pages

2. OTHER CANCER THERAPIES

Megadose vitamin C for many ills, coenzyme CoQ10, flaxseed, Essiac, melatonin, Aredia. 10 pages

3. PROSTATE CANCER THERAPIES

So you are newly diagnosed, diagnosis and staging, hormones, vitamins, selecting a therapy, if cancer returns, hope, PC-SPES & author’s recovery. 11 pages

4 TWO ANTICANCER MECHANISMS OF VITAMINS IN HUMANS - A REVIEW,

from Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients. 6 pages



The mainline therapies for cancer - surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and hormones - work quite well and we should continue them. However, they weaken the body. Many clinical tests show that strengthening the body can greatly improve the results of using these mainline therapies. Vitamins and supplements have helped many types of cancer patients live up to 12 times as long as those patients not strengthening their bodies.

Linus Pauling (1) estimated that for every 8 patients who die of cancer, 7 could be saved by enough vitamins started early. Irwin Stone (2) said that “the cancer problem has been solved, and all that is needed now is the routine large-scale tests to verify this conclusion”. Recent data support their belief.

The author is a chemical engineer, not a physician. His prostate cancer is nicely in remission with a level PSA of about 0.6 after drifting down from 1.1. Normal PSA is 0 to 4.0. After an initial PSA of 8.1 and a biopsy, he used vitamins and triple hormones for about 1 year and then Proscar plus vitamins for the last 5 years. He has never had chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. These memos are written in love to help others who have cancer or other ills. He has no financial interest in any product or service mentioned here. This memo may be distributed for non-commercial use, in part or in full, in whatever manner the reader wishes without further permission. Reagan Houston, 600 Carolina Village Rd., Hendersonville, NC 28792, phone and fax 828-692-3722. Send comments to h@CancerTherapies.org.

This web site is provided for information only and not as medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken based solely on this web site; instead, readers who fail to consult appropriate health authorities assume the risk of all injuries.



Web site started in 1999…



1. BALANCED CANCER THERAPY



1. Why Do Vitamins Work

2. Vitamin C Therapy

3. How much Vitamin C?

4. How to Talk to Your Doctor

7. Home Page



1. INTRODUCTION



We always hope for a new, wonderful therapy for cancer. We also want a tested therapy. This site gives some examples of tested therapies that you can use now, yes, now.



· Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and hormones are good cancer therapy but not sufficient. Forty percent of all cancer patients die within 5 years, according to the American Cancer Society (3)

· Radiation and chemotherapy weaken the body while weakening the cancer even more. Thus the amount of radiation and chemotherapy that can be used is limited.

· Vitamin, nutrition and supplement therapies strengthen the body so the body can fight cancer. Several supplements can usually be used at the same time.

· When vitamins are used with mainline therapies, the patient’s life can be extended by many months or years. In one clinical test, average life of very sick patients increased from 5.7 months to 68 months or almost 6 years.

· Cancer patients are in charge of their bodies and their therapies but they should work with a doctor for their safety and for better results.

· A theory for the use of vitamins to combat cancer is presented.



Before we look at several therapies that have given excellent results that you can use now, let’s consider therapies in general. For a therapy to be officially accepted, it must make the patient live longer, generally based on double blind or randomized clinical tests. Each such test costs many millions of dollars and testing requires people to die. Those of us with cancer cannot wait for tests that may never be run. Realize that such tests of surgery versus chemotherapy versus radiation have not been run. These mainline therapies were accepted based on clinical tests but not randomized clinical tests. Vitamins as a cancer therapy have been discussed for over 65 years, yet no good definitive tests have been run. We should use the good clinical test results that we have, particularly vitamins in therapeutic dosages.

For many millennia, the body was the only way to fight cancer. The body usually won. In the last 50 years our knowledge of vitamins, nutrition, stress, prayer and exercise has greatly improved. We can use this knowledge to strengthen the body in its fight against cancer. A strong body can often control the cancer that can hide from a weak body.

No therapy works every time for every patient. Sometimes a placebo will decrease pain and give measurable improvement. Wonderful, but continue the placebo and continue to check the cancer. It is advisable to keep a record of each therapy, each measurement of the cancer and, particularly, to get a copy of the doctor’s report of each visit.

The following was revised and reprinted with permission from A New Look At Old Cancer Therapies, The Prostate Cancer Exchange, 22:5,7-12, 2002

Vitamins can greatly improve the mainline cancer therapies of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. That’s with ordinary, cheap generic non-prescription vitamins available at health food and drug stores.



What Vitamins?



Abraham Hoffer, M.D, Ph.D., (1), described the use of selenium, zinc, and large amounts of vitamins A, B, C, and E. Hoffer counseled a thousand patients on the results for those patients who took vitamins, and 700 chose his vitamin regimen. In an early test group of 134 patients, the 33 patients who refused vitamins lived only 6 months on average. However, the 101 patients who chose vitamins lived an average of 6 years. That's twelve times as long! At the end of the 10-year test, 48 of the vitamin patients were alive but only two of the non-vitamin patients. The vitamin patients also had less pain from their cancer and no significant pain or discomfort from the regimen. Hoffer asked all of his patients to continue working with their regular oncologists regarding surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy.

Hoffer describes a woman who had a pancreatic tumor two inches long. After surgery to remove part of the cancer, she was advised to get her affairs in order. Determined not to die, she started taking 12,000 mg of vitamin C daily. Hoffer increased her vitamin C to the point where she almost had diarrhea. This is called the bowel tolerance level. She tried 40,000 mg of vitamin C, but settled on 35,000 mg daily. He added other vitamins and supplements. After 8 months, a CT scan showed no cancer. She followed the vitamin program for 5 years before decreasing the vitamins. Eighteen years after surgery she was still well. For pancreatic cancer, Hoffer's therapy is especially noteworthy because there is no known effective conventional therapy for this form of cancer.



Is there some theory to explain vitamins as therapy?



John Boik (4) lists seven traits that distinguish cancer, Table 1. He describes how the various vitamins combat each of these traits. Cancer mutates as it tries to survive but vitamins can continue to combat each trait. The cancer can run but it can’t hide.

To Start



Table 1. Seven Traits of Cancer



1. Defective DNA or bad genes,

2. Abnormal growth factors within the cells,

3. Abnormal growth factors outside the cells,

4. Excess growth despite surrounding cells and tissue,

5. Abnormal blood-vessel growth,

6. Spread of cancer to new locations, and

7. Ability to hide from the immune system.



Ideally, a cancer therapy should be effective against each of these seven traits. Hoffer’s vitamins fight each of the traits with at least 4 vitamins. Hoffer started his vitamin work in 1952. With great insight and perhaps a little luck, all of the compounds used by Hoffer are in Boik's study. Hoffer presents 23 years of successful tests. Hoffer's regimen is summarized in Table 2.



Table 2. Balanced Cancer Therapy, BCT

Use surgery, radiation and chemotherapy in moderation. Then add each day:



Type Cancer: Slow Rapid-Growing



Vitamin A 10,000 IU 50,000 IU

Beta-carotene 10,000 IU 75,000 IU

Vitamin B B-50 complex B-100

Vitamin C 12,000 mg to bowel

tolerance

Vitamin D 200 IU 400 IU

Vitamin E 800 IU 1600 IU

Selenium 200 mcg 600 mcg

Zinc 50 mg 220 mg



The BCT is balanced because it fights cancer formation and growth at all stages. The weakening caused by radiation and chemotherapy is balanced by the strengthening from the vitamins. The BCT combats many, perhaps all, types of cancer. Boik's small-scale lab tests and theory are balanced by many years of demonstrated success in humans. The BCT has a balance of minimal risk against good but not excellent test work. The test work probably desired by Boik has already been done. Even the dosages needed have been tested. Hoffer does not give exact doses because people are different, cancers are different, and dosages can change over time.

Vitamin C alone is effective against six of Boik's seven traits. The vitamin E should be the natural and succinate type. The vitamin D is added based on the recommended daily allowance (RDA) and the work of Lieberman (5). Hoffer recommends that cancer patients start vitamins as soon as diagnosed and that those without cancer take one half to one fourth of the amounts listed. By looking at Hoffer's and Boik's results, it seems to me that vitamins and natural compounds can do most of the actions promised by gene therapy. Gene therapies will probably be better, but natural compounds are relatively safe, cheap, and available now.



Why so much vitamin C?



Many doctors object to their patients taking 12,000 mg/day of vitamin C. However, Hoffer indicated that vitamin C is the most important of the several vitamins. Are there test results? Cameron (6), a physician and surgeon in Scotland, worked with more than 500 hospitalized, terminal cancer patients. Most of his patients had been treated with surgery and radiation. About 80 percent of his initial patients with pain from cancer in the bone obtained major pain relief in 2 weeks or less. His patients lived an average of 12 months, while 10 percent of his patients achieved 5-year remission. The controls, those without vitamins, lived an average of 3 months. None of the controls lived longer than a year. Cameron's demonstrated therapy was cheap and simple: vitamin C in the form of sodium ascorbate at 10,000 mg/day, Table 3.



Table 3. Sodium Ascorbate Solution

Ascorbic acid 100 gm

Sodium bicarbonate 48 gm

(baking soda)

Water or juice to 600 ml.



Take 15 ml four time a day with meals to get 10,000 mg/day of ascorbate. The refrigerated solution has a shelf life of about one month. Continue taking the mixture indefinitely. The solution has almost no taste.



In a confirming test in Japan, Morishige (7) reported on a group of almost 100 patients. Those who took over 5,000 mg/day lived an average of 237 days versus 53 days for those without the vitamin C. As reported by Stone, vitamin C was studied for cancer therapy way back in 1936. He used up to 42,000 mg per day "in a case of myelogenous leukemia, giving complete remission."

Cameron describes a truck driver who entered the hospital in 1973 with enlarged liver, spleen, and lymph nodes. One lymph node was removed and showed a malignant form of lymphatic cancer. A total of 10,000 mg per day of intravenous vitamin C was started. In 2 weeks, clinical evidence of his cancer had disappeared, and the patient's chest X-ray had returned to normal. In another 2 weeks, he was back driving his tractor-trailer while taking 10,000 mg/day of vitamin C. After a few months, the vitamin C was gradually reduced to zero. A month later his cancer returned, and he resumed taking 10,000 mg/day of vitamin C. This was not helpful. In the hospital he received 20,000 mg/day by IV for 20 days, followed by 12,500 mg/day orally. He responded well, and in three months was "perfectly fit and well with no evidence of active disease." He continued to be healthy for the next five years. Vitamin C appears to put cancer into remission rather than cure it.

To Start



Was vitamin C ever given a double blind test?



The book by Cameron and Linus Pauling (6) was published in 1979. Pauling and vitamin C were widely denounced by the medical profession. The climate was not right for vitamin C to be accepted. As biographer Anthony Serafini (8) explained, the medical profession had essentially controlled infections. Cardiovascular and cancer therapies were expected to follow quickly. Radiation and chemotherapies were improving nicely. Money was available for research by the cancer community. The cancer community screamed loudly when Pauling invaded its turf. He was called a quack, a charlatan, and a communist. Pauling was abrasive toward those who disagreed with him. He was a double Nobel laureate in chemistry and peace, but he was neither a physician nor a member of the cancer community. As Serafini noted, "The medical community will often dismiss theories, even those supported by research, coming from the outside."

The National Cancer Institute funded double-blind studies where neither the doctor nor the patient knew if a pill was the real thing. The first test by Creagan (9) used ascorbic acid pills at 10,000 mg/day to treat patients with advanced cancer. Many of the patients had chemotherapy-weakened immune systems. The vitamin was NOT helpful toward lengthening life. Pauling objected to the use of chemotherapy-weakened patients and the tests were rerun. Moertel (10) and coworkers give 10,000 mg/day of ascorbic acid until the cancer progressed. Again, vitamin C was not helpful.

The controversy was originally attributed to some patients having prior chemotherapy. More recent information indicates that Cameron administered sodium ascorbate solution rather than the dry ascorbic acid as used by Moertel. The solution partly oxidizes to dehydroascorbate, which can kill cancer cells by a free radical mechanism. Apparently Pauling did not complain about the use of ascorbic acid instead of sodium ascorbate. Hoffer successfully used ascorbic acid, probably because he included many other vitamins and minerals. One aspect is that Hoffer used vitamins A, C and E together. These antioxidants regenerate each other. They combat free radicals in both the aqueous and oily tissues.

Normal cells can control the amount of vitamin C they contain. However cancer cells contain excess vitamin C because the cell wall is permeable to oxidized vitamin C, Agus (11). Boik repeatedly notes that antioxidants can become oxidants (free radicals). These can, in moderate doses, help cancer to mutate and thus evade various therapies. However free radicals in large doses can kill cancer cells. For humans, tests show that vitamin C at 5,000 to over 100,000 mg/day kills cancer by a free radical mechanism without harming normal cells. Radiation and chemotherapy likewise kill cancer by a free radical mechanism but also kill normal cells.



Is Vitamin C Safe?



Most animals can make vitamin C, but humans cannot. For example, a 160-pound goat can make 13,000 mg/day. Cathcart (12) used 200,000 mg/day on some of his patients and treated over 9,000 patients with large doses of Vitamin C. Hoffer and Cathcart often adjust the dosage to the bowel tolerance limit, especially if the patient is very sick. Sick people can take much more vitamin C without having diarrhea than can healthy people. Apparently a sick person requires and can use more vitamin C. If cancer patients on high doses of vitamin C develop diarrhea, the dosage is reduced. Many people have taken 30,000 mg/day for extended periods. Upset stomach, gas, and similar minor problems will occasionally occur. Vitamin C rarely if ever causes kidney stones.

Cathcart reports that ascorbic acid causes urine to be acidic and the acid tends to dissolve stones, especially with enough drinking water. Sodium or calcium ascorbate can decrease the acid intake if desired. Cameron found that 5,000 mg/day was significantly less effective than was 10,000 for his advanced cancer patients. Hoffer's regularly recommended dosage was 12,000 mg/day or more, even to bowel tolerance.



Use Vitamins with Radiation and Chemotherapy?



Doctors understandably worry about using vitamins simultaneously with radiation and chemotherapy. It's a new complication. But again, we have tests and theory.

Lamson (13) reviewed the literature and found 36 clinical tests using regular therapies and antioxidants simultaneously. Results were helpful in 31 cases, neutral or "possible helpful" in 5 and adverse in no case. Prasad (14) finds that mixed vitamins augment the killing power of radiation and chemotherapy while also reducing the toxicity to normal cells. He recommends 8,000 mg/day of calcium ascorbate.



Discussion



Some cancer patients believe that their daily vitamin pill is enough. But cancer is like a house fire. A glass of water just won't put out the fire.

The media often highlight some of the undesirable effects of vitamins. But such problems are relatively insignificant when compared to putting cancer into remission. Remember that chemotherapy and radiation are both poisons. Test results on individual vitamins are not too significant compared to the results of vitamins tested as a group in humans with many types of cancer. Vitamins work together. The important point is that Hoffer's regimen greatly extended the life of cancer patients. Compared to radiation and chemotherapy, BCT is the rosebud, not the thorn.

Cancer is still a problem, of course, so further tests are needed. I believe that BCT, which includes radiation and chemotherapy in moderation, is the best available therapy. Boik lists curcumin, EGCG (a compound in green tea), quercetin, genistein, and many other compounds that could be helpful in cancer control, and these might be added to improve BCT. Tests to improve cancer therapy should be evaluated against BCT, whether using vitamins, chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery. This is extremely difficult to do with randomized or double blind tests. But, if the job is to tear down a hill, should we evaluate a shovel versus a rake when a bulldozer (BCT) is available to do the job?



What about your type of cancer?



For breast cancer, 96 percent of Hoffer's vitamin patients responded positively and lived an average of 10 years, compared to the controls who lived about 4 months. For cancer of the uterus and cervix, 86 percent lived 10 years (vs. four months for the controls). For cancers of the lung, colon, bowel, abdomen, pancreas and intestine, at least 60 percent of the vitamin patients lived at least 6 years (vs. 2 to 5 months for the controls). These results are from a small group of 134 patients.



Are vitamins and minerals sufficient by themselves?



The best tests I found, such as the three separate studies by Cameron, Morishige, and Hoffer, include some or all of the traditional therapies. Sicker cancer patients require more vigorous therapies. Vitamins are not the only way to fight cancer, but fortunately we have test results for vitamins. The advantages of not smoking, a healthy lifestyle, exercise, nutrition, and prayer are well known. Cancer patients should use many or all of the therapies available.

To Start



What can you do?



· Talk with your doctors, and work with them. Give them a copy of this article.

· Ask what specific therapy they recommend for you. Ask about side effects and life expectancy. Get numbers.

· Ask about using the Balanced Cancer Therapy regimen to strengthen your body while surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy are weakening it.

· If your doctor says that vitamins might harm you, ask if they will harm you more than the ravages of radiation and chemotherapy.

· If your doctor says that vitamins will upset your regular therapy, say, "Good, Hoffer's patients did that and lived twelve times longer".



Do not ask cancer doctors if they recommend vitamins as therapy; ask only if vitamins will hurt you. Oncologists rarely if ever study vitamins as a therapy. The patient needs an oncologist who knows about, or will accept, vitamin therapy. It may be necessary to change oncologists. Some patients have decided on their own to increase their vitamin intake.



So why is there still so much cancer?



A major part of the problem is communication, not knowledge. The successes reported by Hoffer, Cameron, and others are not published in the most-read journals, not taught in the universities, and not tested by the government. Hoffer did a long-term clinical demonstration, but not a randomized clinical test. The mainline tests are excellent for measuring small differences between similar-type therapies. They are not applicable to widely different therapies. For example, surgery was never tested against radiation, and radiation was never tested against chemotherapy. They were accepted based on demonstrated success. Vitamins can also be accepted based on demonstrated success.

Hoffer's tests are meaningful because he greatly improved the typical results of mainline therapies. Six years of life instead of 6 months is highly convincing to patients. But the data do not convince most doctors. When considering vitamin C, Stone said, "The cancer problem has essentially been solved, and all that is needed now is routine large-scale tests to verify this conclusion." If formal clinical tests haven't been run in the last 65 years, perhaps it is time for informal tests by cancer patients.



How do we get doctors and patients together?



This is easy. Just consider the risks and rewards. Adding vitamins to mainline therapy entails little expense, inconvenience or risk. The possible reward is to live twelve times as long. The doctor can say, "I don't know that vitamins will help but they might help a lot." Eventually, as we get more experience, vitamins may be standard treatment. Current cancer patients can consider using the Balanced Cancer Treatment under medical supervision because the side effects, risks and cost are very small and the possibility of an extended, comfortable life are high.

Traditional therapies are good. But, as pointed out by the American Cancer Society, 40 percent of all cancer patients die within 5 years. Remember, Pauling believed that for every 8 cancer patients, 7 could be saved. You may be one of the 7.



References



References

1. Hoffer-A, Vitamin C and Cancer, Quarry Health Books, 2000

2. Stone-I, Scurvy and the Cancer Problem”, American Laboratory, September 1976

3. American Cancer Society, Cancer Facts and Figures 2001.

4. Boik J, Natural Compounds in Cancer Therapy, 2001.

5. Lieberman S, The True Vitamin and Mineral Book, 1997.

6. Cameron E and Pauling L, Cancer and Vitamin C, 1979, 1993.

7. Morishige F and Murata, A, J. of International Academy of Preventative Medicine, 5: (1): 47-52, 1979.

8. Serafini A, Linus Pauling, a Man and His Science, 1989

9. Creagan ET, Moertel CG, O'Fallon JR et al: Failure of High-Dose Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) Therapy to Benefit Patients with Advanced Cancer. New England J of Medicine, 1979; 301: 687-690.

10. Moertel C, New England Journal of Medicine, 312: 137-41, 1985

11. Agus DB et al, Cancer Research, 59:4555-4558, 1999

12. Cathcart RF, Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, 7: (4); 197-200 1993

13. Lamsom DW, Antioxidants in Cancer Therapy II: Quick Reference Guide, Alternative Medical Review, 5: (2): 152-163, 2000

14. Prasad KN, et al, J of College of Nutrition, 18:(1), 13-25, 1999



Reagan Houston was diagnosed with cancer 6 years ago and is now in remission. He is facilitator of a support group and has spoken to many groups. Since being diagnosed by a biopsy at age 74, he has studied cancer continuously. At diagnosis, his PSA level was 8.1 and doubling every 6 months. (A PSA of 0 to 4.0 is normal.) Instead of surgery or radiation, he chose triple hormones (Lupron, Eulexin, and Proscar) and Hoffer-type vitamins for about a year. He then stopped the Lupron and Eulexin. In the next 17 months, his PSA drifted up from 0.1 to 1.1 as expected. However, in the last 42 months, his PSA has drifted down to 0.6 and leveled off. This result is unexpected since he has never had surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. Houston believes the low PSA is probably due to the vitamins plus the Proscar. He has no financial interest in any product or therapy mentioned here. His website is www.CancerTherapies.org and e-mail address is h@CancerTherapies.org.

To Start



CANCER THERAPIES THAT WORK

FOR PAIN RELIEF AND REMISSION



Section 2.

OTHER CANCER THERAPIES



Reagan Houston, M. S., P. E. - Revised 8/2/02 h@CancerTherapies.org . . . \html\other.htm



1. Megadose Vitamin C as Therapy for Various Ills.

2. Coenzyme Q10

3. Flaxseed Oil and Cottage Cheese

4. Essiac Tea

5. Melatonin

6. Aredia for Pain Control in Bone Cancer

7. Home Page



1. MEGADOSE OF VITAMIN C AS THERAPY FOR VARIOUS ILLS

June 11, 1999, rev. 11/14/01

Megadoses of vitamin C have a long and successful history of therapy for many sicknesses, Stone (1)(2). The following describes actual tests with humans. Dosages are actual rather than optimum. Unfortunately, success/failure rates are given rarely. Ills other than cancer are listed to show the broad usefulness of vitamin C.

Some doctors recommend vitamin C at 3,000 to 6,000 mg/day for healthy people. They may increase this up to perhaps 40,000 or even higher during periods of high stress or disease. However the government RDA is 75 and 90 mg/day. Most animals produce vitamin C as needed in amounts depending on their stress or illness. We could get a dose of 5,000 mg/day of vitamin C, for example, by drinking 6 GALLONS of orange juice. Obviously, supplements are necessary. Supplements should include vitamins A, B, C, D and E. Note that A, C and E especially work together, Lieberman (3).

Thousands of tests were run on vitamin C at low doses with only modest results toward cancer. Thus most doctors do not recommend it. Vitamin C is cheap at $6.00 per month for 5,000 mg/day. Tests should be run but vitamin C offers no money and little excitement to researchers. Vitamin C can usually be used in conjunction with other therapies. .



TEST RESULTS with dosages in mg/day, spaced, for a 160 lb adult, often by I.V.



COMMON COLD: 1,000 to 3,000 as preventative, up to 1,000 per hour as needed

POLIOMYELITIS: 27,000 to 210,000, divided doses @ 2 or 4 hours, 60 of 60 cases cured.

HEPATITIS: Children: 5,000 to 10,000, more for adults.

HERPES and SHINGLES: 25,000 for a few days

PNEUMONIA, infant: 4,000, injected, much more for an adult

WHOOPING COUGH (82 % helped): 2,000

CANCER, many types, over 700 patients at 3 locations: 10,000 to 20,000 mg/day, 10% to remission, 20% didn't live longer, 70% helped some, gave dramatic relief of bone pain to 80% of patients (4).

CANCER, bladder: 4,500

LEUKEMIA + cirrhosis of liver: 24,000 to 42,000, single case, able to return to work, lived 21 months.

PANCREATIC CANCER, 6 cm diameter: 12,000 increasing to 30,000. All pain and symptoms relieved. Cat scan after 9 months: no residual pancreatic cancer, alive after 18 years.

BRAIN TUMOR, 2.5 cm dia, confirmed by brain scan: 10,000 mg/day. In 2 or 3 months, brain scan showed no tumor and almost all symptoms gone.

BREAST CANCER spread to bones and abdomen, bed ridden: 24,000 mg/day, much pain relief and able to walk again. Died after 3 months.

CANCER in both LUNGS, a smoker, labeled "hopeless and incurable": 15,000 mg/day. After 2 years, she claims to be in perfect health. X-rays show regression in both lungs.

ARTHRITIS: 10,000 to 25,000

AGING: 3,000 to 5,000 suggested

ASTHMA: 70,000

GLAUCOMA: 2,000 or more

BARBITURATE poisoning: 54,000, one test

TETANUS: 140,000 for 3 days

SNAKE bite: 3,000, divided doses injected every 3 hours.

BURNS, severe: 3 % solution, topically, plus 35 gm every 8 hours for several days, then less. Gave immediate pain relief and faster healing

GANGRENE: 5,000 for a few weeks

SCHIZOPHRENIA: 36,000, 10 of 10 patients improved.



References for Megadose Vitamin C

1. Stone-I, The healing factor, ‘vitamin C’, against disease, Grosset and Dunlap, 1972. The book is out of print but located in the Carson Library, Lees-McRae College, Banner Elk, NC 28804

2. Stone-I, Scurvy and the cancer problem, American Laboratory, September 1976, page 21-30

3. Lieberman-S and Bruning-N, The Real Vitamin & Mineral Book, Avery Publishing Group, 1997.

4. Cameron-E and Pauling-L, Cancer and vitamin C, 1993.

To Start



6. COENZYME_Q10

Coenzyme Q10 is an optional therapy that may be added to the vitamin therapy. It is expensive at $90/month for 300 mg/day.

Coenzyme Q10 or Co Q10 is a vitamin or vitamin-like enzyme that is present in foods and also made by the body. Absorption varies from person to person. Oil based gel caps allow better absorption than dry pills. Co Q10 works by strengthening the immune system. Co Q10 is basic to the energy production of every cell in the body. It strengthens white blood cells rather than just producing more of them. It helps the T cells to recognize cancer cells. Co Q10 reportedly can minimize high blood pressure, heart attack, angina, periodontal disease, lack of energy and obesity. Co Q10 also has cancer killing abilities.

As you might expect from this wide list of helps, it can extend the life of animals and probably humans. For example, few mice live longer than 104 weeks. In one test, half of the cancer-free mice were given weekly injections of Co Q10 when they were 68 weeks old. That is already old for a mouse. At week 96, 70 % of the controls had died of old age but only 40 % of the treated mice. At week 104, all of the control mice were dead but 40 % of the treated mice were still alive. All of the treated mice were dead by week 150.

Recent data describes 15 patients who had hormone refractory prostate cancer and a rising PSA. They were given 600 mg/day of oil based Co Q10. In 100 days, 10 of the patients (67 %) had shrinkage of the prostate gland size and stabilized PSA readings. Excellent. Therapies that work fairly well with advanced cancer often work wonderfully well for early cancer.

Apparently 10 % of the Japanese do or did take Co Q10. For them it is a prescription drug. In Denmark, Lockwood (1)(2)(3) had 32 Breast Cancer patients whose cancer had spread to the lymph nodes. The regular treatment protocol included vitamin C 2850 mg, vitamin E 2500 I.U., beta carotene 32.5 I.U., selenium 387 mcg, linolenic acid (an omega 3 essential fatty acid) 3.5 gm. To the test patients, Lockwood added Co Q10 at 90 mg. Results were excellent in the 18-month trial.

1. None died although 4 deaths were expected.

2. There was no sign of further distant spread of the cancer.

3. Their Quality of Life improved. None lost weight and there was reduced use of painkillers.

4. 6 patients of the 32 showed partial remission.

5. For two of these 6, the Co Q10 was increased from 90 to 300 and 390 mg/day. After 2 months, X-ray showed an absence of the tumor in one patient. The other patient had had a lumpectomy that did not remove the entire tumor. After 3 months at 390 mg there was no residual tumor.

Folkers (4) found increased survival of 5 to 15 years in 8 case studies. Most studies of Co Q10 have been on the cardiovascular system and periodontal disease. Cancer is third in studies. The common connection is probably the immune system.



References for CoQ10

1. Lockwood-K, Apparent partial remission of Breast Cancer in ‘high risk’ patients supplemented with nutritional antioxidants, essential fatty acids and coenzyme Q10, Molecular Aspects of Medicine, 15 Suppl: s231-40, 1994

2. Lockwood-K, Progress on therapy of Breast Cancer with vitamin Q10 and the regression of metastases, Biochemical Biophysical Research Communications, July 6; 212(1) 172-177, 1995

3. Lockwood-K, Partial and Complete Regression of Breast Cancer in Patients in Relation to Dosage of Coenzyme Q10, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 199(3): 1504-1508, March 30, 1994

4. Folkers-K, Survival of cancer patients on therapy with coenzyme Q10, Biochemical Biophysical Research Communications, April 15; 192(1): 241-5, 1993.

To Start



7. FLAXSEED OIL AND COTTAGE CHEESE

Flaxseed and flaxseed oil sound too simple to be a cancer therapy. Yet there is strong technical evidence to show that flaxseed helps. Combining flaxseed oil with cottage cheese gives a spectacular set of testimonials. For someone dying of advanced cancer, the combination has essentially no risk, negligible cost but great hope and a reasonable possibility of cancer remission. It appears that actual tests on a specific group of patients have not been reported. But if patients have advanced cancer, what have they got to lose? More important, what have they got to gain? Life!

Testimonials indicate that many advanced cancer patients taking flaxseed oil can have good pain relief within 2 weeks. Measurable improvement in the cancer size and blood cell counts can be expected within about 3 months if the therapy is working for a particular patient. Side effects are apparently negligible.

The procedure for using flaxseed oil, FO, is simple. For a 150 pound person, 3 to 6 TBS of fresh flaxseed oil are mixed with half to 1 cup of low fat cottage cheese, then flavored to taste such as with fruit or honey and eaten in one or more servings during the day. The success rate is unknown but some reports give 90 % with many types of cancer including breast and prostate cancer. In a few cases where the patient could not swallow, therapy was started by an enema of flaxseed oil and skim milk.

There are important warnings. The flaxseed oil must be cold pressed and kept refrigerated to prevent oxidation of the omega 3 fatty acid. In your local health food store, “Barlean’s” is one brand. Storage life of the oil is 1 year in the freezer and 4 months in the refrigerator. Do not substitute any pills or processed or heated flaxseed product for the oil. Three TBS. of flaxseed can be used instead of one of the TBS of flaxseed oil if the seed is ground (in a coffee grinder) immediately before use. After the cancer is in remission, the above dosage can be cut but FO and cottage cheese must be continued or the cancer will return.

Dr. Johanna Budwig, M. D. (1)(2) in Germany apparently developed and publicized the flaxseed oil and cottage cheese therapy. Budwig developed the steps of using very fresh flaxseed oil and mixing it with low fat cottage cheese before consumption. For some patients, she recommended a low Sugar and vegetarian diet as well as FO.

Budwig claims that cottage cheese is a necessary ingredient for cancer therapy and that without cottage cheese, flaxseed oil is harmful to cancer patients. Dr. Charles E. Myers, Jr., M. D., (3) also advises against flaxseed oil for prostate cancer patients. He cites several studies showing that flaxseed oil increases the risk of getting prostate cancer. Dr. Myers did not include cottage cheese in the flaxseed oil therapy.

Some patients have taken chemotherapy or radiation with FO. Frequently the white blood cell count will go up or not drop as rapidly as a doctor would expect. Some of these patients have continued FO therapy only and gone into remission. Some patients who continued FO plus chemotherapy or radiation have DIED. A possible guess as to the cause is that the FO improves the blood cell counts more than it strengthens the body’s ability to withstand chemotherapy or radiation. This could lead the doctor to give an excessive dose. As a possible alternate, a patient can consider continuing the FO, discontinuing or minimizing the chemotherapy or radiation but checking frequently to see if the cancer is going into or staying in remission. Remember, vitamin therapy strengthens the immune system while chemotherapy and radiation weaken it. In addition to cancer, flaxseed oil and cottage cheese are reported by some to also be good for arthritis, cardiovascular health, diabetes, energy and impotence.

The effectiveness of flaxseed oil and cottage cheese has not been proven nor do I know of a good demonstration. Boik (4) lists good technical references on flaxseed and omega 3 fatty acids. Karmali (5) finds that omega 3 fatty acids and flaxseed oil are beneficial in the control of DU-145 human prostate cancer implanted in mice. Other references are included.

Flaxseed oil contains 55 % of an omega 3 fatty acid called linolenic acid. Linolenic acid tends to balance the omega 6, hydrogenated and saturated fatty acids that we consume. Boik lists the following ways in which omega 3 fatty acid can help control cancer.

1. Inhibits the development of colon and pancreatic cancers.

2. Inhibits the growth of prostate, mammary, colon and pancreatic cancers.

3. Increase the fluidity of tumor cell membranes and thus their sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs.

4. Omega 3 fatty acid is cytotoxic to human breast, prostate and lung cancer cells but not toward normal cells when tested in cultures.

5. Increases the amount of PGE3 prostaglandin, which is good, and decreases the amount of PGE2. PGE2 promotes the spread of cancer to the bone, decreases survival and inhibits natural killer cell activity.

6. Decreases new blood vessel growth, angeogenesis.

7. Decreases cachexia or body wasting which finally kills many cancer patients.



The following anecdotes are by permission from Cliff Beckwith.

“In ‘How to Fight Cancer and Win’, (6) an account is given of a young women, 35, who had cancer so advanced she could no longer eat. She was given enemas of flaxseed oil and skim milk. In a short time she was able to eat and in 3 months she was home taking care of the family.”

In another case from a man using flaxseed oil and cottage cheese: “the doctor said his bladder had crystallized and lost its elasticity. He couldn’t stay out of the bathroom 15 minutes . . .. The doctor said it was a condition he’d just have to live with. After taking flaxseed oil and cottage cheese for a while, he went to the doctor for a physical . . . . . The doctor examined him and said, ‘Mr. C., you’ve had cancer in your bladder and it’s gone. The bladder is elastic again and everything is back to normal.’”

“A friend of ours has an uncle, 72, who was badly off with prostate cancer and preparing to die . . . . . He got the information and began using the oil. We didn’t hear for some time, but one day I saw his brother-in-law and he said, ‘Oh, he’s doing great! He’s going to meetings and there’s no more thought of dying. He’s telling everyone about the value of flax oil’.”

FLAXSEED ALONE. Dr. Wendy Demark-Wahnefried (7), a research professor at Duke University, recently had a prostate cancer patient whose biopsy showed high levels of pre-cancerous cells throughout his prostate gland. He was put on a low fat (20 %) diet plus 30 grams (3 tablespoons) of freshly ground flaxseed. Cottage cheese was not included. Three months later, his PSA had fallen from 5.9 to 2.7. Six months after the start, his PSA was 2.6 and a biopsy indicated a complete absence of pre-cancerous cells. Next, the doctor worked with about two dozen patients who were scheduled to have a radical prostatectomy. They were put on about the same diet. In 2 to 3 weeks, their average cholesterol dropped from 196 to 162 mg/dl. For those patients who started with a Gleason score of 6 or less, the average PSA dropped from 8.3 to 6.7. Pathological examination of the prostate showed beneficial changes, even in this short period. The authors commented, “These data provide evidence that a flaxseed supplemented, fat restricted diet may have a biological effect on established prostate cancer which may be mediated through a hormonal mechanism...” Flaxseed might be helpful with breast cancer since that is also hormonal.

Testimonials are generally a poor basis for choosing a therapy. However the cost and hazards are minimal with flax.



References for Flax

1.Erasmus, Udo, Fats That Heal - Fats That Kill, Alive Books, Vancouver, 1994

2. Budwig, Johanna, M.D., Flaxoil As a True Aid Against Heart Infraction and Cancer

3. Myers-CE, Prostate Forum, August 2000

4. Boik, John, Cancer & Natural Medicine, Oregon Medical Press, 1996, 618-389-0768

5. Karmali, Rashid, The effects of dietary omega-3 fatty acids on the DU-145 transplantable human prostatic tumor, Anticancer Research, 7:1173-1180, 1987

6. Fisher-W, How to Fight Cancer and Win, Fischer Publishing Corp. 1987

7. Demark-Wahnefried, Wendy, research professor at Duke Univ., as reported in Cancer Communication Newsletter, p. 7, April 2000.

8. Wilner, Robert, MD, Dr Johanna Budwig Diet, this can be found at http://209.170.56.239/imo12267/cancer_dr_budwig.html.

9. Simopoulos, Artemis, The Omega Plan (hard cover) or The Omega Diet (paperback)

10. Gillian-EC. et al, The effect on human tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-1 production on diets enriched in n-3 fatty acids, Am Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 63, No. 1, Jan 1996

11. Yan-L, et al, Dietary flaxseed supplementation and experimental metastasis of melanoma cells in mice, Cancer Letters, 124(2): 181-6, Feb 27, 1998

12. Thompson-LU. et al, Flaxseed and its lignan and oil components reduce mammary tumor growth at a late stage of carcinogenesis, Carcinogenesis 17(6): 1373-6, Jun 1996

To Start



8. Essiac TEA

Essiac tea as a cancer therapy is supported by thousands of favorable testimonials but no formal studies. Essiac (EE see ak) is Caisse spelled backward. Rene’ Caisse was a Canadian nurse who got the formula from an Indian woman. Cassie tested and improved it over the years. She was afraid that if she disclosed the formula, the government would outlaw it or make it very expensive. Eventually she sold the 4-herb formula to the Resperin Corp. She expected that they would develop and distribute the tea. They did not. Later she worked with Dr. Charles Brusch, MD, who was a physician to President John F. Kennedy. Brusch was able to buy the 8-herb formula. Numerous companies sell Essiac tea even though the exact or real formula is in doubt. Several brands seem to work. One published formula gives 16 oz of Sheep Sorrel Herb (Rumex Acetosella), 6.5 cups of Burdock Root (Arctium Lappa), 1 oz of Turkey Rhubarb Root (Rheum Palmatum) and 4 oz of Slippery Elm Bark (Ulmus Fulva) to make about 4 gallons of tea. Local health stores sells “Flor-Essence” brand for about $25 a box. This contains 3 packets which each make 32 ounces of tea. One box is enough for 2 to 6 weeks. For advanced cancer, some people start with 6 oz. per day and drop to 4 or 2 oz when the symptoms decrease significantly. Caisse recommended a maintenance dose of 1 oz. The tea can be taken in 2 oz portions. It can be taken somewhat before a meal or 1 to 2 hours after a meal.

Side effects of the tea reportedly are few and usually due to taking too much, such as 12 oz. per day. Possible side effects include aches in the lower back or head, flu like feelings, allergy or itches or diarrhea. By all means, work with a cooperative doctor. Since a patient is likely to use other therapies along with Essiac tea, the doctor might want to check liver and cardiovascular functions. The doctor can verify measurable results in 3 months if the therapy is working for you. Obviously a healthy life style is important. Stop smoking, eat your vegetables and do all those things your mother told you.



References for Essiac

1. Glum, Gary, Calling of an Angel, Silent Walker Publishing, Los Angeles, ISBN 0-9620364-0-4 1988

2. Fraser, Sheila S. & Allen, Carroll, Could Essiac Halt Cancer? Homemakers’ Magazine, June/July/August 1977

To Start



9. MELATONIN

Ah, that wee sleeping pill that sometimes helps with jet lag. As a strong antioxidant, it is effective against two types of free radicals. It increases the expression of p53 in breast and other cancers (1). Thus melatonin can significantly reduce cell proliferation. It modifies many cytokines such as TNF and some interlukines to help the body resist cancer (2). Lissoni (3) found that 20 mg/day slowed cancer progression to 53 % from 90 % in controls receiving only supportive care. Melatonin was helpful with cisplatin-refractory non-small cell lung cancer (4), brain cancer metastases and malignant melanoma. Animal tests indicate that doses as high as 250 mg/kg are non-toxic. Take melatonin near bedtime, as it is a sleeping pill. As always, check with your doctor first.



References for Melatonin

1. Peller-S, Clinical implications of p53: effect on prognosis, tumor progression and chemotherapy response. Semin cancer Biology 8: 379-387, 1998

2. Neri-B et al, Melatonin as a biological response modifier in cancer patients, Anticancer Research 18:1329-1332, 1998

3. Lissoni-P et al, Is there a role for melatonin in the treatment on neoplastic cachexia, Euro J Cancer 32A: 1340-1343, 1996

4. Lissoni-P et al, Randomized study with pineal hormone melatonin versus supportive care alone in advanced non-small cell lung cancer resistant to first-line chemotherapy containing cisplatin, Oncology 49: 336-339, 1992,

5. Lissoni-P et al, A randomized study with subcutaneous low-dose interlukin 2 alone vs. Interlukin 2 plus the pineal neurohormone melatonin in advanced neoplasms, British J Cancer 69:196-199, 1994

6. Lissoni-P et al, Endocrine and immune effects of melatonin therapy in metastastic cancer patients, Euro J Cancer Clin Oncology, 25: 789-795, 1989

7. Lissoni-P et al, A randomized study with subcutaneous low-dose interlukin 2 alone vs. Interlukin 2 plus the pineal neurohormone melatonin . . . for advanced lung cancer, Tumori 80: 464-467, 1994

8. Mediavilla-MD et al, Melatonin increases p53 and p21WAF1 expression in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in vitro, Life Science, 65: 415-420, 1999

To Start



10. AREDIA FOR PAIN CONTROL IN BONE CANCER, 11/98

Aredia, palmadronate, a prescription drug, was initially used as a therapy for osteoporosis since it helped to prevent the loss of bone and frequently to restore bone mass. However, cancer loves bone and Aredia was found to relieve bone pain, prevent loss of bone due to cancer, reduce excess calcium in the blood, improve the quality of life for cancer patients and (at high doses) possibly lengthen ones life.

As cancer eats bone, two things happen. Pain is obvious. The other is that, as the cancer eats bone, the byproducts cause the cancer to grow much faster. Aredia, a bisphosphonate, is strongly attracted to bone. Aredia appears to coat the bone to slow down the cancer growth. Aredia is usually administered as a 1 hour to 4 hour I. V. injection.

The Physicians Desk Reference recommends doses such as 60 or 90 mg once per month for osteoporosis. Some doctors give a small dose initially to test for adverse reaction, then 150 mg/day for 3 days and then 90 to 150 mg monthly. Since Aredia is more effective at slowing cancer growth than in killing cancer, it is frequently used with chemotherapy drugs. Most of Aredia is adsorbed on the bones where some of it remains for about 300 hours. The rest of the Aredia in the body has a half-life of about 26 hours. From this it follows that single large doses may be better than frequent, small doses. In large doses, Aredia may be effective against non-bone solid tumors and may lengthen life.

Aredia is apparently not effective against rapidly growing cancer. Most tests have been done with multiple myeloma (spinal), breast and prostate cancer. In 20 or 30% of patients, Aredia causes flu-like symptoms for 2 or 3 days. In one quite sick man, symptoms lasted about 2 weeks. Lack of calcium intake caused pain for one person. Irritation at the injection point, nausea and a 1 deg. C fever are also reported. Aredia is good at decreasing pain in half of the patients. It is also good at stabilizing or regressing cancer and at preventing bone fractures and spinal compression.

For those men who have prostate cancer and take Lupron or Zoladex, these hormones can cause osteoporosis. If they experience joint pain from the hormones, Aredia and Fosamax might help. This has not been tested. There are many bisphosphonates with Aredia and Fosamax and now Risedronate (Zometa) being the ones approved in the U. S.



References for Aredia

1. Berenson JR et al, New England Journal of Medicine, 1996, Feb. 22; 334(8): 488-93, gave multiple myeloma patients 90 mg every 4 weeks for 9 months. Half of the 392 patients also received chemotherapy. Aredia was helpful towards reducing skeletal events (24 vs 41%). Aredia also reduced bone pain and improved quality of life.

2. Clarke NW et al, British Journal of Cancer, 63:420-423, 1991. 25 patients received 30 mg of Aredia weekly for 4 weeks and then every other month. Eleven of 17 with initial pain were pain free at the end. Five of 17 patients who had been progressing either stabilized or regressed.

3. Conte PF et al, Journal of Clinical Oncology, 1996 Sept.; 14(9): 2552-9, treated 295 patients with chemotherapy only or chemotherapy plus Aredia at 45 mg every 3 weeks. Aredia was advantageous in increasing the time to cancer progression (249 vs 168 days) and pain relief (44 vs 30%).

4. Coleman, Robert, Am. Society of Clinical Oncology Symposium, May 16019, 1998, outlined 17 trials using pamidronate (10) and clodronate (7). Overall, there was a 50% reduction in pain and bone healing in 25%.

5. Gucap R et al, Archives of Internal Medicine 1994 Sep 12; 154(17): 1935-44 found that a 4 hour I. V. was as effective as a 24 hr I. V.

6. Hortobagyi GN et al, New England Journal of Medicine, 1996, Dec. 12; 335(24): 1785-91, used 90 mg of Aredia or placebo every month for 12 months. With 380 patients, the first occurrence of bone complication was 13.1 months with Aredia vs. 7.0 months for placebo.

7. Lipton A et al, Annals of Oncology. 1994; 5 Suppl 7: S31-5, treated 61 breast cancer and 58 prostate cancer patients with 60 mg every 4 weeks, 60 mg every 2 weeks or 90 mg every 4 weeks for 3 months. 30 mg every 2 weeks was not effective for breast cancer patients although the higher doses caused healing of the bone in 25%. For prostate cancer patients, these 3 doses produced a reduction in bone pain but no healing of bone lesions. The prostate patients may have been sicker at the beginning.

8. Lipton, Alan, New England Journal of Medicine, Dec. 12, 1996 treated breast cancer patients with 150 mg/day for 3 days and then monthly infusions of 90 to 150 mg/month. This large dose was well tolerated.

9. Tyrrel CT et al, European Journal of Cancer, 1995 Nov; 31A(12): 1976-80, treated 69 breast cancer patients with 60 mg of Aredia every 2 weeks for a maximum of 13 weeks. No other cancer therapy was allowed. Pain, mobility and analgesic scores improved in 61, 50 and 30% of patients. At 8 weeks, the improvements were 33, 21 and 16% for 40% improvement.

To Start









CANCER THERAPIES THAT WORK

FOR PAIN RELIEF AND REMISSION



SECTION 3. PROSTATE CANCER THERAPIES



Reagan Houston, M. S., P. E. - written 8/23/03, h@cancertherapies.org,

www.cancertherapies.org/#prostate



1. So You Just Found Out That You Have Prostate Cancer.

2. Diagnosis and Staging

3. Therapies, Summary

4. Hormones

5. Vitamins

6. Selecting a Therapy

7. If Prostate Cancer Returns

8. Hope

9. Author’s Recovery Program.

10. Home Page



1. SO YOU JUST FOUND OUT THAT YOU HAVE PROSTATE CANCER



You can expect to live a long time.

This cancer grows slowly.

You have time to learn before you decide on a therapy.

On the day you were diagnosed, you didn't hear everything your doctor said.

There are many good therapies. Some are gentle.

You need knowledge to make decisions

For every therapy, ask what is the success rate at 5 and 10 years.

For every therapy, ask what are ALL the side effects. What are the percentages for each?

How long do you want to live?

What side effects do you hate?

Is a cure better than long term remission?

Vitamins and supplements have helped many cancer patients,

YOU decide which therapy, not your doctor.

But work with your doctor.

Be an active survivor, not a passive patient.

As you learn more, you will have more hope.

Join a support group. Pray.

To Top of Section 3

To Start



2. DIAGNOSIS AND STAGING.



Testing for prostate cancer is a process, rarely a single incident. PCA becomes more likely as we men age. A few get PSA at age 35, especially African Americans or those with blood relatives who have or had cancer. I suggest a DRE, digital rectal exam and a PSA, prostate specific antigen, beginning at 35. Repeat the tests a year later to establish a base line. An annual rise of 0.7 or less is good. I recommend earlier testing than most people because there are now gentle therapies instead of surgery or radiation. If either the DRE or the PSA is unfavorable, there is a 70% chance that cancer is present. A biopsy (tissue sample) is then necessary to determine if cancer is present and how aggressive it is. During a biopsy the doctor uses a hollow needle machine to jump through the skin and grab a sample of the prostate gland. Six, 8 or 12 samples are taken to sample various parts of the gland. If this is painful, ask for a painkiller before the next sample. There is a small, perhaps 10 or 20% chance of missing a cancer. A pathologist then examines each sample to determine if cancer is present and how aggressive it is. The Gleason number is a grade of 1 to 5 where 1 is benign and 5 is very aggressive. The Gleason score is the sum of the two numbers. The score should be reported as two individual numbers such as 3+3 or 4+5. The first of the two numbers is the more important. A score of 3+4 or less indicates moderately active cancer. A score of 4+3 or higher is aggressive. The Gleason score tells the doctor and the patient how hard to fight. The patient should demand a copy of the pathology and understand each word. A wise patient takes his spouse or a friend and a tape recorder to the meeting where this is discussed with the doctor.



STAGE (simplified) .......MEANING

A or T1.........................Cancer found by biopsy

B or T2.........................DRE is positive

C or T3.........................Cancer is in or nearly in the prostate gland

D or N..........................Cancer has spread, metastasized

To Top of Section 3

To Start



3. THERAPIES.



There are many therapies, not just surgery or radiation. Let me list them in the order that they might be used and later describe them.

A. Watchful waiting for early stage cancer. This might better be called active watching.

B. Hormones. The side effects are objectionable but usually temporary.

C. Surgery if under age 70 or 75. The side effects can be bad and permanent.

D. Radiation, including seeds or brachytherapy, also has bad side effects that can get worse over the years.

E. Cryotherapy or freezing can also have bad and permanent side effects.

F. Vitamins as a therapy are new. They have negligible side effects, can be used alone or with all of the above therapies and often gives excellent results.



No therapy promises life everlasting. Surgery, radiation and cryotherapy can often give a cure. The doctor’s definition of cure is for the patient to die from something other than cancer and have no obvious cancer symptoms. The patients’ usual definition is to have no cancer cells anywhere in the body. Since cancer cells develop frequently (daily?) in everybody, the doctor’s definition is preferred. The body, the immune system, kills most cancers before they cause symptoms or become detectable.



As a strong recommendation, don't wait for symptoms to develop or get worse. Cancer is like a competition. Don't let cancer get a head start before you start to run. Also, follow the cancer by watching the PSA and usually at least one other marker. PAP, prostatic acid phosphatase, and CEA, carcinoembryonic antigen, are often suitable. PSA is not foolproof. Prostate cancer cells with a Gleason of 9 or 10 may generate little or no PSA even though the cancer is growing. Also consider Quality of Life. Is the cure worse than the disease? What is the success rate for a given therapy?



WHICH THERAPY TO CHOOSE? The patient should choose his therapy but with the doctor’s advice and guidance. This requires knowledge and study by the patient for the best long-term results. Aggressive therapies like surgery, radiation and cryotherapy can have bad and permanent side effects. They can preclude other therapies. There is no single, best therapy for a given patient. Knowledge has not advanced to that point and may never get there. Much depends on the patient’s willingness to learn, to work toward controlling the cancer, to get the best possible doctor for his chosen therapy. He must think positively. If you don’t like your garage mechanic, you get another. If you don’t like your doctor, his suggested therapy or his ability, hopefully you can get a new doctor or HMO.

The author knows more about vitamins as therapy than about the aggressive therapies. He emphasizes vitamins and hormones. He is using intermittent hormone therapy plus vitamins with excellent success. He is in remission. Excellent information on therapies other than vitamins is available in Dr. Stephen Strum’s “A Primer on Prostate Cancer.” (1)



DESCRIPTION OF THERAPIES. A patient diagnosed with cancer, especially prostate cancer, has many options. The body has been fighting cancers for thousands of years. I think the patient has the obligation to help strengthen his body to live the longest and most comfortable life. Now that we have the PSA test in wide use, the patient can better select the best therapy for a particular patient. Improved knowledge should also improve the results of the tests reported below.



WATCHFUL WAITING. Active watching should be a time to learn more, to get second opinions from urologists regarding surgery, from oncologists regarding radiation and perhaps from a medical oncologist with a broad point of view of many therapies. Aggressive treatments, even hormone therapies, weaken the body and should be balanced by strengthening the body. A good life style is obvious but important: NO smoking, good diet, exercise, faith and hope. Many would recommend a diet with low fat, minimum red meat, low alcohol and sugar. Fortunately, prostate cancer is one of the better cancers to have since the doctor can follow the progress or control of the disease by the DRE and PSA tests. These should be repeated about every 6 months. If a stronger effort is required, it can be chosen and started.

Homberg (2) compared watchful waiting to surgery. Men with cancer contained within the prostate gland and a mean PSA of 13 were randomized in to two groups. Sixty percent of both groups had a Gleason of 6 or less. The 10-year test allowed a median follow up of 6.2 years. Most doctors would not recommend watchful waiting to a patient with a PSA over 10 or a Gleason over 6.



COMPARISON OF WATCHFUL WAITING AND SURGERY



ITEM………………………WATCHFUL WAITING……..SURGERY

No. of patients………………………..348…………………….347

Deaths from prostate cancer…………..31……………………..16

Total deaths…………………………….62……………………..53

Erectile dysfunction…………………..45%……………………80%

Urinary leakage……………………….13%……………………29%

Urinary obstruction…………………..28%…………………….17%

In this short test, surgery appears to lengthen life an insignificant amount although a longer test would favor surgery. Nerve-sparing surgery (to prevent erectal dysfunction) was not generally available during the test and is still not possible with every doctor, every patient and every HMO. Quality of life, a personal choice, was better with watchful waiting. If watchful waiting patients progressed, surgery was recommended. If surgery patients from either group progressed, hormones were recommended. All of these patients were retained in the study.



SURGERY or radical prostatectomy, RP, is the surgical removal of the prostate gland and the cancer it contains. It is rarely done on men over 70. Most doctors do not operate if the cancer has spread beyond the prostate gland. Some results are given in the watchful waiting section. The ability and experience of the doctor are probably more important than the choice between surgery and radiation.



The following results are mostly from Dr. Strum’s book. (1). He classifies patients according to low, medium or high risk. He looks at 4 factors. For low risk the man would have at least one of the following factors: Stage T1 or T2, PSA less than 10 and Gleason less than 7. For medium risk he would have two of the following factors: stage T3, PSA 10 or more and Gleason over 6. For high risk he would have all three of these factors: Stage T3 or higher, PSA 10 or more and Gleason over 6. Percent success means that the man has a low PSA after about 5 years.



COMPARISON OF PROSTATE CANCER THERAPIES



SURGERY



Percent with low PSA after 15 years:



Cancer within Capsule…Outside Capsule

…………89………………69



COMPARISON OF RADIATION, SEEDS AND CRYOTHERAPY.

Percent Success Rates for Patients at Various Risks



Therapy………………Low Risk…Medium Risk……High Risk



Radiation, 3D Conformal…85………65………………35

Seeds……………………..87………32

Cryotherapy………………76……….71………………45



PROTON BEAM RADIATION RESULTS



Initial PSA…………....Less than 4……4.1 to 10….10.1 to 20….Over 20

Low PSA @4.5 yr,%.….100………….…89………….72………….53



CHEMOTHERAPY is not good with prostate cancer because this cancer grows relatively slowly. If your doctor recommends chemotherapy, ask to speak to some of his long-term chemotherapy patients. After the standard treatments of surgery and radiation, seeds, cryotherapy and hormones have failed; a doctor might use Nizoral, Ketoconozole, Prednisone, Hydrocortisone, Estramustine and Etoposide as chemotherapy agents. They add perhaps 10 months to your life. Chemotherapy greatly weakens the immune system. New chemotherapy drugs such as Tomaxofen for breast cancer may be helpful for prostate cancer. Newer techniques using dual chemotherapy agents may add 20 months of life.



SUMMARY OF RECURRENCE AND SIDE EFFECTS OF PROSTATE CANCER TREATMENT



………………………………..Surgery…….External…..Seeds………Cryo

………………………………………………Radiation



Recurrence…………………….22%@3yr….80%@5yr..9-19 %…..Same as

…………………………………85%……………………@5yr……Radiation

…………………………………30%@10 yr

…………………………………28%@4yr

…………………………………59%@10yr

Impotence, nerve sparing……..30%……….50%

……………regular……………60-90%……50%………10-15%……80%

Incontinence, short term……...60%…………………….0-6%

…………….@1 yr……………3-43%…….varies………………….1-4%

Other injury……………………..5%…………………………………7%

Chronic diarrhea…………………………….5%

Urinary obstruction………………………10-15%………… Tweet