After mastectomy, women are sent to see the oncologists, and they are often told to go for chemotherapy. This treatment is like an “insurance” against future problems. Chemotherapy can kill all the remaining cancer cells in the body. In this way the cancer can be cured. Chemotherapy can also stop cancer from spreading to other parts of the body. Or at the very least it slows the cancer growth. To the oncologists, chemotherapy is the proven way to go, other ways are hocus pocus!

These points are often well taken by women in general. The fear of recurrence is sufficient enough to make women go through chemotherapy. To them, the sufferings of the treatment are worth enduring for the promise of cure at the end of the adventure. What some oncologists don’t tell their patients is that not all the cancer cells are killed by the treatment. There is no way that a hundred percent of the cancer cells can be wiped by chemotherapy. Add to that, even the good healthy cells are killed and the immune system destroyed.

Patients, on the other hand don’t ask these questions: Will there truly be a cure? If indeed the promise of cure is real, can we put it in terms of real numbers or percentage? To put it bluntly, how effective is chemotherapy for breast cancer? I wonder how many women ask their oncologists these questions, and if they do, what would the answers be like?

a) Without chemotherapy what percentage of people died or would die from breast cancer?

b) With chemotherapy what percentage of people are cured or would be cured?

c) What is meant by cure?

Try and search the answers from the internet and see if you can get anything. There is a great chance that you will go on a merry go round trip! I experienced exactly just that and was terribly disappointed. Thousands of articles are written about breast cancer but I fail to find the clear-cut answers to the above questions. Perhaps they are not important? Or something that women do not need to know before they embark on their treatment? Women just need to have full faith and trust in the experts and everything would turn out fine. Few women realize that such attitude may just be the beginning of more problems to come.

Let me try to share what I have gathered from the medical literature.

Karin Stabiner in her book (To dance with the devil) wrote: “Breast cancer takes the life of an American woman every twelve minutes. There is no sure cure for the disease, no known way to prevent it and no means of predicting.” With all the advances in science and technology, may I ask, how could this be? Why such high degree of uncertainty?

Chantal Bernard-Marty, Fatima Cardoso, Martine J. Piccart of Jules Bordet Institute, Brussels, Belgium (The Oncologist 9: 617-632, Nov. 2004) wrote: “20%–85% of patients … who are diagnosed with early breast cancer will later develop recurrent and/or metastatic disease. Despite more than 3 decades of research, metastatic breast cancer remains essentially incurable.” Women are told that “catching” breast cancer early is a sure way of saving life. But how is it that even after early detection, twenty to eighty-five percent of patients still go on to develop more serious cancer that is incurable? Has the treatment protocols got anything to do with such failures?

How effective is chemotherapy?

Writing in Clinical Oncology (2004. 16: 549-560), three Australian doctors: Graeme Morgan, Robyn Ward & Michael Baton noted that in Australia, of the 10,661 people who had breast cancer only 164 people survived five years due to chemotherapy. This works out to 1.5% contribution of chemotherapy to survival. In their paper, they concluded that “overall contribution of curative and adjuvant chemotherapy to five-year survival in adults was estimated to be 2.3% in Australia and 2.1% in the USA.”

Professor Michael Boyer, head of Medical Oncology of the Sydney Cancer Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital disputed this 2% figure. He said: “It’s not correct for a number of reasons. The 2% figure is achieved by including a whole series of diseases in which chemotherapy would never be used.” To the professor the more “correct” figures should be 5% or 6%. Okay, let us accept that new figures — how do women feel about it — going for chemotherapy to achieve a five to six percent success?

In the editorial of the Australian Prescriber (2006. 29:2-3), Eva Segelov wrote: “Chemotherapy has been oversold. Chemotherapy has improved survival by less than 3% in adults with cancer.”

Veroort et al. from the Netherlands (British J. Cancer. 2004. 91: 242-247) in their study on the role of tamoxifen and chemotherapy for breast cancer concluded that “breast cancer mortality reduction caused by present-day practice of adjuvant tamoxifen and chemotherapy is 7%. Tamoxifen contributes most to the mortality reduction. The overall effect of chemotherapy on mortality is very small.” Take note that the contribution of chemotherapy to breast cancer survival is very small – what is very small? To be sure it has to be much, much less than 7%.

Guy Faguet, after spending numerous years of research on cancer, came to this startling conclusion (The War on Cancer: An anatomy of failure, a blueprint for the future. Springer, 2005): “An objective analysis of cancer chemotherapy outcomes over the last three decades reveals that, despite vast human and financial expenditures, the cell-killing paradigm had failed to achieve its objective … the conquest of cancer remains a distant and elusive goal.” Chemotherapy for cancer is based on “flawed premises with an unattainable goal, cytotoxic chemotherapy in its present form will neither eradicate cancer not alleviate suffering.”

Cured of Breast Cancer?

In a study of 1,547 breast cancer patients at the University of Chicago Hospital, USA, from 1945 to 1987, Theodore Karrison et al. (J. Nat. Cancer Inst. 1999. 91:80-85) observed that for patients who underwent mastectomy but without chemotherapy or radiotherapy, most recurrences occurred within the first ten years after mastectomy. Recurrences were rare after 20 to 25 years. Patients surviving to this time without evidence of recurrence are probably cured.

Women are often told that if they survive five years after their diagnosis of breast cancer, they are considered cured of breast cancer. Based on the work of Karrison et al. this assumption is presumptuous and is not true at all. Women perhaps need to be reminded of what Guy Faguet wrote: “We must recognize that “cure” is not an absolute term because minimal residual or slowly recurrent disease that causes no symptoms can persist and remain undetected for years.” Take note, the cancer can remain dormant in the body for years not just five years!

For more information about complementary cancer therapy visit: cacare.com cacare.com , NaturalHealingForYou.com NaturalHealingForYou.com , BookOnCancer.com BookOnCancer.com

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Tags: breast cancer, cancer patient, chemotherapy, healing, mastectomy

In today’s world, is it that occurrences of breast cancer are growing much more than it was years ago, or it is just that breast cancer is getting more visibility in the press and medical journals? It appears that the answer is a little bit of both. The population is increasing and therefore the actual number of cases is more, although the actual percentage of people diagnosed with breast cancer is not significantly different (although it is higher) than in years past.

One of the things that many people fail to understand is that anyone can get breast cancer. Although it is thought to be tied somewhat to being hereditary, that does not mean that you will not get breast cancer if there is no occurrence of it in your family history.

Another thing that is equally puzzling is why more people, particularly women where breast cancer is most likely to happen, do not get regular checkups from their doctor to check for it. I know of multiple people who were diagnosed with breast cancer, and when asked when the last time they had a mammogram done to check for the presence of breast cancer, they indicated it had been a number of years. This is truly unfortunate because like most things, if breast cancer is caught as early as possible, the chances of beating it become incredibly greater.

You should be aware of the symptoms of breast cancer, sometimes also known as inflammatory breast caner so that you can see your doctor as soon as possible if these symptoms exist. These symptoms include:

* A breast that appears bruised, or is pink or purple.
* If your breast is feeling tender or firm and enlarged.
* A consistent warm feeling in the breast.
* Pain or itching in the breast that is constant.
* A ridged or dimpled skin texture, kind of like an orange peel.
* Flattened, retracted, swollen or crusted skin around the nipple.
* Lumps or enlarged lymph nodes under the arm or around the collarbone.

This is not an exhaustive list of symptoms but if you are experiencing any of these symptoms or signs, you should see your doctor as soon as possible to get checked out. Most health insurance companies will pay for this examination, because they realize that it is going to cost them much more if the cancer is allowed to grow instead of being diagnosed, caught, and remedied early on in its development stages.

Many of these same symptoms can also indicate the presence of a breast infection called mastitis. This type of infection most frequently (although not exclusively) occurs in younger women, usually under age 35, who are breast feeding young children. This is not breast cancer but is a simple infection that is most easily treated with prescription antibiotics. It is frequently accompanied by fever. The difference here is that breast cancer does not cause a fever, nor does it respond to antibiotics.

The bottom line is that you need to be aware of the classic symptoms of breast cancer, since the earlier it is diagnosed and treated, especially with the advances in today’s medicines, the better your chances of beating it.

Jon is a computer engineer who maintain a variety of web sites based on his knowledge and experience. For more information about Breast Cancer, please visit his web site at breast-cancer-explained.com Breast Cancer Explained.

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Tags: breast cancer

For years the lemon has sat awkwardly amongst other fruits. As children we knew the lemon tasted bitter, and because of this, we often found ourselves drawn to its peculiar mystique.

In recent years, the lemon has been used to control the spread of the HIV virus, and has been demonstrated in research studies to kill the HIV virus.

Dr Peter Piot of UNAIDS hailed the discovery that the juice of the lemon kills HIV in the test tube, declaring: ” UNAIDS would like to give you (Professor Roger Short and your ‘LemonAIDS’ team) every encouragement to pursue this exciting new lead.”

Keeping the liver healthy is a critical step in the health and recovery of both cancer patients and those with HIV / AIDS.

According to Dr Leo Roy MD, ND [Immune Perspectives], “No disease, especially degenerative diseases including cancer and AIDS, could survive longer than a few weeks in the presence of a healthy liver.”

A recent discovery by those working with HIV / AIDS has found that combining the simple lemon with extra virgin olive oil and blending these together (with the lemon rind and seeds) and a glass and half of spring water, can and does produce amazing results, when drunk on a daily basis.

The lemon and the extra virgin olive oil, when taken together, act as a potent liver and gallbladder flush, detoxifying the liver, lowering biliruben levels, removing heavy metals, increasing the production of bile from the liver, stimulating lymphatic flow, and restoring the pH of your saliva, which in turn helps you to absorb the nutrients from the food you eat.

The liver is truly the master organ of the immune system, producing chemicals to combat viruses (including the HIV virus) and bacteria, supporting phagocytic [immune function], and producing antihistamines to neutralize substances that promote the growth of cancer. When the liver is not functioning properly – and is over-blocked by toxins – the body’s immune system is severely weakened leading to chronic illness. The lemon & extra virgin olive oil drink not only prevents chronic illness, but works to reverse it.

According to Mark Konlee from his paper How to Reverse Immune Dysfunction - “The immune system has two ‘arms’ - the TH1 and TH2 systems. They tend to be connected: when the one is strong, the other is weak, and visa versa. The Lemon / Extra Virgin Olive Oil drink has been reported to balance the two arms of the immune system. This would help in both suppressed immune system and autoimmune conditions (including HIV / AIDS and cancer).”

Restoring pH levels to normal alkaline levels of 7.0 or greater, is of tremendous importance for the cancer patient. Lemons are one of the most alkaline forming foods on the face of the planet, and when consumed on a regular daily basis (especially with the rind and seeds), cause pH levels in the body to rise and become very alkaline, to levels typically above 7.4 or greater, making it difficult for cancer cells to survive because of the amount of oxygen present. The majority of cancer patients have acidic pH levels of below 6.5, meaning that normal cells are not able to respirate or “breathe” properly. This causes cells to mutate and become cancerous. This discovery was made by Nobel Prize winner Dr. Otto Warburg, who discovered that cancer cells only thrive in a low-oxygen state. In this way, the simple lemon can help to fight cancer.

The lemon & extra virgin olive oil drink also helps to lower and restore biliruben levels in those with liver cancer and liver disease. An elevated biliruben level is a key indicator of a damaged liver. Recently a patient of mine with liver cancer, who had a consistently high biliruben level of 36 (disqualifying her from chemotherapy), took for the first time the lemon & extra virgin olive oil drink. She drank her first and only drink on Thursday. Her biliruben levels had been measured 3 days before and were at the usual 36. She was tested on Friday (one day after her first drink) and her biliruben level measured 28, then two days later it was measured, and it was at 22 (to a near normal level)! This ordinarily skeptical woman was gobsmacked!

So the next time you find yourself walking past a lemon tree, consider how the simple lemon can and is beginning to wage the war against two of the world’s most devastating diseases – cancer and HIV / AIDS.

For further information on the Lemon / Extra Virgin Olive Oil Drink and related articles and research on cancer and HIV / AIDS and beating these diseases naturally, go to alternative-cancer-care.com www.alternative-cancer-care.com

GLEN RUSSELL, CERT.HYP.HYPCA.CNSL

Glen Russell is a certified counsellor and hypnotherapist and graduated from the Alpha Hypnosis Training School having studied a Diploma in Advanced Hypnotherapy & Neural Linguistic Programming.

It was during this time that Glen decided to specialize in working with cancer patients. Glen embarked on an ambitious training regime further to his training at Alpha Hypnosis Training School to ready himself for the challenge of working with cancer patients in the specialized field of ‘hypnosis for cancer’. After reading Stephen J Parkhill’s internationally acclaimed book “Answer Cancer: The Healing of a Nation”, Glen undertook training with Stephen to learn the art of healing illnesses created by the mind using hypnotherapy as a tool to access deep core emotions.

Having completed his training with Stephen, Glen undertook further training with the prestigious Omni Hypnosis Training Center in DeLand, Florida and after completing his final examination, received certification as a ‘Hypnosis for Cancer Specialist’.

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Tags: cancer patient, chemotherapy, healing

One of the biggest and most exciting advances in recent history in the fight against breast cancer is a drug called Herceptin. (Trastuzumab) The drug has shown to be very successful against certain types of advanced breast cancers. Some more recent clinical trials have shown that herceptin may also be successful against certain types of earlier stage breast cancers. Herceptin has been approved for use in 1998 by the FDA.

By certain types of cancers we are referring to those that over-express a protein that is called HER2. HER2 stands for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. HER2 can be found on the surface of cells and it is what is responsible for keeping the growth of the cell in check. When HER2 malfunctions and begins to produce too much of itself due to a mutation it can cause the cells to produce too much of themselves too quickly. This in turn can make cancers behave in a much more aggressive manner. The HER2 over-expression is a factor in 20% to 30% of breast cancer occurrences.

The official scientific big word description of Herceptin is that it is a monoclonal antibody, engineered via biotechnology. The way it works is by attaching itself to any cells that are overproducing the HER2 protein. It attacks the protein receptors which then slows the growth of the cells down. It targets the HER2 protein as opposed to traditional types of treatment which tend to destroy all fast growing cells in their path, healthy or cancerous. This is a big improvement over certain types of chemotherapy. The development of targeted treatments like Herceptin is the wave of the future.

So how does a breast cancer patient receive herceptin? Their cancer must show that it over-expresses the HER2 protein. This is determined by having a pathologist test the cancerous cells that were removed from the breast during surgery. He or she will stain the tissue with a solution that will highlight any instance of overproduction of HER2. If a patient has the HER2 over-expression present, they are considered to be HER2 positive and therefore it could be possible to treat their cancer with herceptin if needed.

Herceptin is not for everyone. It is approved for treatment of women with advanced cancer in combination with the chemotherapy drug, paclitaxel. There are side effects associated with the drug and one of those includes cardiotoxicity which can cause serious heart problems in patients. Therefore heart monitoring before, during and after treatment is crucial. Less serious side effects include fever, chills, increased cough, diarrhea and weakness. If herceptin is given with chemotherapy, nausea is possible. Other moderately severe side effects include loss of white blood cells and anemia.

A diagnosis of breast cancer can be a frightening thing, especially if you are in the percentage of patients that have the more aggressive HER2 cancer. Knowing that there is another treatment that has been proven to be effective against those types of cancers brings increased hope of survival to these women and men.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to

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Tags: breast cancer, cancer patient, chemotherapy