[Dave]

Conventional cancer treatment vs. integrative oncology

by Dave on Fri Dec 21, 2012 8:05 pm

After hearing the relative horror stories of the side effects on chemotherapy, radiation and stem cell transplants I researched safer alternatives where the side effects are minimal.

After being diagnosed with multiple myeloma in October 2012 and completing my third cycle of chemo, including Velcade, cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone in conjunction with high cut off dialysis my kidneys returned to full function. My kappa reduced from 2300 to hover around the 200 mark.

Now, after suffering the side effects many are familiar with including bloating, swollen feet, head aches, mood swings etc and the limit of treatment options available in my own country I have found many cancer patients have found success with cancer clinics in Germany, in particular the whole body hyperthermia treatment.

The body temperature is raised to approx 41 degrees which in combination with low dose chemo, destroys the cancer cells. Treatment usually runs for a few weeks and is very popular with Australians, Americans and Europeans seeking a treatment that has been used successfully for decades yet are not yet available to them in their own country.

This may soon change with Dr Charlie Teo (world famous Australian neurosurgeon) interested in the treatment enough to be advocating for a hyperthermia machine in Australia.

Any comments from anyone who has tried this would be interesting. I leave for Frankfurt in 26/12/12.

[Nancy Shamanna]

Re: Conventional cancer treatment vs. integrative oncology

by Nancy Shamanna on Fri Dec 21, 2012 9:47 pm

Hi Dave, Sorry to hear that you have multiple myeloma, but your treatments so far sound as if they have worked quite well. i see that you are trying an alternative sort of treatment in Germany. Have you found studies and papers in the mainstream journals that would verify that this treatment works well? Would there have been clinical trials done to compare this 'heat plus chemo' treatment to other sorts of treatments? If so, could you post them here so that we may read them. Thanks.

[Beacon Staff]

Re: Conventional cancer treatment vs. integrative oncology

by Beacon Staff on Fri Dec 21, 2012 10:28 pm

Hi Nancy,

Wikipedia has a very extensive discussion of hyperthermia treatment, with lots of citations. You can find it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperthermia_therapy

Dave,

Nancy specifically asked for

"studies and papers in the mainstream journals that would verify that this treatment works well? Would there have been clinical trials done to compare this 'heat plus chemo' treatment to other sorts of treatments? If so, could you post them here so that we may read them."

Please limit what you post here to material that meets the sort of standards that Nancy outlined. Links to sites that have affiliate programs, appear to promote specific doctors, or which do not have data or trial results that meet reasonable scientific standards are not welcome.

Thanks!

The Beacon Staff

[Dave]

Re: Conventional cancer treatment vs. integrative oncology

by Dave on Sat Dec 22, 2012 1:06 am

Hi "Nancy"

I did post a link providing useful information that showed interviews with many medical doctors who use whole body hyperthermia to treat cancer with great effect, however it was removed. Shame on you Beacon Staff! Apparrently this was seen as "promotional material", however the site has no issue in the promotion of the many drugs we are using, which is hypocritical at best. Let us as adults make our own minds Nancy, sorry Beacon Staff.

The late former President of the United States, Ronald Regan visited the same German clinic for treatment of his own cancer. The doctors that provide these treatments are Professors of medicine in Oncology, however this is not of interest to Pharmaceutical companies because the flow on effect is less drug sales. Cured patients = reduced profits.

Read "Cancer is Curable Now" for more.
I wonder how long it takes the Beacon police to remove this ....

[Nancy Shamanna]

Re: Conventional cancer treatment vs. integrative oncology

by Nancy Shamanna on Sat Dec 22, 2012 1:41 am

Thanks very much Dave and Beacon Staff for the info. I had never heard of this hyperthermia before actually, but that is why I keep reading, just to find out more and expand my horizons Hope it works out well for you Dave. I will read the Wikipedia link....that is a very good source of information, I find.

[terryl1]

Re: Conventional cancer treatment vs. integrative oncology

by terryl1 on Sat Dec 22, 2012 7:23 am

Hi Dave, I wish you well in your treatments. However, as a bit of a political junkie who started university in the Reagan years, I was intrigued when you indicated that Reagan was treated in Germany for cancer in the 1980's. I can find no credible evidence that he, in fact, was treated any other place than the Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland on three occasions for cancer or suspected cancer in the mid 1980's (colon, skin and prostate). Some alternative medicine web sites purport that he secretly visited a clinic in Germany for treatment or simply parrot other sites verbatim that he got treatment in Germany.

[Boris Simkovich]

Re: Conventional cancer treatment vs. integrative oncology

by Boris Simkovich on Sat Dec 22, 2012 10:10 am

Dave,

If you review the postings here on the forum, you will see that there are many discussions about alternative / complementary medicine. The Beacon has no problem with such discussion as long as it involves legitimate evidence and as long as the discussion isn't being used for promotional purposes.

You also will see regular discussions here in the forums about allogeneic transplantation and how it may offer an opportunity for some patients to avoid constant, repeated treatment with various drugs.

In short, The Beacon is open to just about any discussion about current or potential myeloma therapies as long as the discussion is evidence-based and not promotional in nature.

In your case, you registered at the forum Friday morning U.S. time. Your very first posting included a link to a page with information that is basically an advertisement for a specific German hyperthermia clinic. We edited out the link and sent you a private message explaining the reason for the edit.

You did not respond to the private message. Instead, you basically re-posted your original information in a second attempt to get an opportunity to re-post the link we removed from your first posting.

When Nancy then responded to your posting in a courteous way, asking for scientific evidence related to hyperthermia, you once again posted the advertisement link. We removed the posting and responded with the link to the extensive article at Wikipedia and our request to you to keep the discussion as evidence-based as possible..

One other point I should mention which some of our forum members may have missed: Your postings -- which have attempted to promote a particular German clinic -- make it appear that you are from Australia. However, the email address you provided when you registered is at the German version of Hotmail (hotmail.de).

Best regards,

Boris Simkovich
Publisher, The Myeloma Beacon

[Nancy Shamanna]

Re: Conventional cancer treatment vs. integrative oncology

by Nancy Shamanna on Sat Dec 22, 2012 8:23 pm

Hi Boris, Dave and All, Thanks for the compliment, Boris! I try to be courteous, although when we are just talking 'online' sometimes it's difficult to know how one's thoughts are coming across the miles! I think that when I asked Dave about scientific studies relating to the treatment he described, it was more out of concern for anyone who would try that if it were untested in the myeloma world. I have had great treatments myself, that resulted in me getting into remission, from the conventional treatments. I read about the treatments I had all the time on the Beacon, which is reassuring to me also. The newer ones coming up, as described in the ASH coverage, also sound promising.

I had a friend who went for 'alternative' treatments for her breast cancer, in another country. It didn't work out for her and her family of five children was very devastated from that. Since then, I have been skeptical of anything vis a vis cancer that is not a mainstream treatment. That is definitely a bias on my part!

Thanks for the coverage at ASH also, Beacon people! Most appreciated. I also read good coverage on Pat K's blog, and from Myeloma Canada. So I got some good insights into what is happening now in our field of concern. And, I will be a better educated patient, also.

Have a merry Christmas, and a good holiday week too, everyone! It's snowy and cold (-17C) here in Calgary, but the sparkling lights and decorations and visiting with friends in our warm houses make us enjoy the season!

[Dave]

Re: Conventional cancer treatment VS Integrative oncology

by Dave on Sun Dec 23, 2012 6:33 am

Boris,
As you've brought it up as an issue, I do in fact live in Australia. My sister lives in Germany and I registered my email account there when I was on holidays 4 years ago.

Nancy, I haven't mentioned anything about 'Alternative' therapies. I'm pursuing integrative oncology whereby hyperthermia has been shown to make chemotherapy more effective, meaning it can be administered at lower doses.

I am sorry to hear that your friend was not assisted by alternative therapies, however I know of many who equally have not been assisted by conventional drugs, and others who have been successfully treated with complementary therapies. I also know people who have been assisted by conventional treatment. The outcomes of treatments are many and varied.

I wanted to share some excited news about hyperthermia because it is looking very promising in the treatment of cancer especially when used with chemotherapy. This is not a new treatment and has been used for some 30 years in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. I find that here in Australia we are behind the times in cancer treatment and simply bombarding an ailing body with toxic drugs is surely not the best treatment.

It was my aim to inform others that chemotherapy alone is not the only treatment. We need to educate ourselves and take control of our own health, rather than give full responsibility to Doctors. My hematologist here had never heard of hyperthermia, yet so many cancer patients have had success with such a treatment.

I leave Australia on Wednesday for Germany. I'm booked in already for blood tests and start treatment in the hospital the day after I arrive. I will give a follow up on the treatment. It is certainly not a one off and I may need to return two or three times a year until I achieve my goal - of complete remission.

Wishing you all a safe and happy festive season.
Dave

[Nancy Shamanna]

Re: Conventional cancer treatment vs. integrative oncology

by Nancy Shamanna on Sun Dec 23, 2012 8:05 am

Good luck Dave. Hope your treatments go well for you, and that you can parallel that with check ups from your oncologist in Australia also! Sorry I mentioned my friend, it wasn't really relevant to talking about myeloma. And if you can find any clinical studies about your treatment that are not promotional just to that clinic, you could post them also....those from scientific journals.