Confused?????

[kathy86]

I just read on a medical journal website that persons diagnosed with nsclc stage IIIB Wet, have less than a year to survive and most die within that year with no evidence of distant metastisis. What? Then what do they die of? The only thing I can think of, because the journal did not elaborate on these details, is the toxic effects of the chemo. I'm just so flabergasted that the medical community does this to people. The first onc I saw told me I had 2 mos to a year to live, I was inoperable, radiation was not an option, chemo was the only option and nutrition was not important! What a bunch of bull! I am now 6 months into this and with the help of fermented soy beverages, I have had no toxic side effects from the chemo. My veins are getting weak, they had to call IV therapy at my last ct to get into a vein. NOT ONE DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT CANCER LOVES AND FEEDS OFF OF SUGAR AND I AM A DIABETIC! Sorry for yelling, I have always been a passionate person and this just makes me so angry. Why do they push the chemo drugs? My Dad, God rest his soul, always said "follow the money". I don't mind them treating people with chemo, but they should have a responsibility to have each and every cancer patient speak at length with a nutritionist. How dare they play God. I am scheduled for my next round of Avastin and taxotere on 01-25-08 and it may be my last for now.

Does anyone have any ideas on this? How long of breaks have others taken without too much risk? I will never give up my supplements. I am adding ESSIAC tea and coral calcium to the fermented soy beverage. This came from the book written by Theodore W Daw, "The Cure to Cancer is in Your Kitchen". The tea, coral calcium,pynognel,water,exercise and a positive attitude can do wonders. He was diagnosed in 1995 and is still living.

I do really appreciate this web site and having others to bounce ideas off of.

Thanks and Keep the Faith

[Ry]

That's a statistic I haven't seen before (what is Wet?). My husband was stage IIIB and lived well over 5 years after being given a prognosis of 4 months. Unfortunately, lung cancer causes many complications---one being blood clots. Many individuals on our board have died from a blood clot and not the cancer per se. It also causes bleeding if the tumor erodes into a major vein and that is what killed my husband. So I don't believe it is related to chemo as many get great results from the chemotherapy available now. Without chemo my husband would not have had those 5 years.

Rochelle

[kathy86]

I believe the wet refers to the fact that I had a great deal of pleural effusion by the time I was diagnosed. The effusion seems to have slowed down now but the fluid is still in the pleural lining of my left lung. I found the info when I googled IIIB Wet = survival. Did your husband have effusion?

I guess I'm really frustrated because my onc mentioned the tarceva again on my last visit, even though on my first visit he said it would be about 2% effective for my cancer. I had to suggest more chemo, got the names and ideas of what I wanted to try be reading here, and he said that was fine. At least he listens, the last onc did not.

Thanks for pointing out that the chemo gave your husband the 5 years. I have trouble getting that first onc prognosis out of my head!

[dadstimeon]

Hi Kathy,

I'm at Stage IV (prognoses 24 months) and I'm still here 5 and 1/2 years later. Like you chemo is my only option, Had 48 months of chemo treatments and had good results with all of them except one-- had very few side effects. Chemo is what is keeping me around. Might want to ask about a port if veins are a problem, just a thought? Very common for one to take breaks between treatments when needed, tell your doctor if yo think one is needed. Nothing wrong with supplements as long as it does not interfere with treatments, good idea to run it by your doctor first. Does get frustrating for sure at times. Good that your pro-active and ask questions. Hang in ther. Hope this helps, prayers for the best.

Rich

[Welthy]

Hi Kathy,

Seems like you are on the right track with the chemotherapy. This is what works. Plain and simple. May I suggest spending time reading some of the member's profiles to see the different types of lung cancer and treatment that they have done. There are many people with aggressive cancer, like my husband had, who do live for longer periods of time.

Regarding sugar feeding cancer, that is an absolute fallacy that continues to be perpetuated by websites/people looking to score with alternative/unproven treatments. The reality is that glucose is a necessary component to fuel our bodies. Stick with the known and if you don't trust your doctor, get a second opinion. People who are surviving are doing so because of good responses to chemotherapy or targeted therapy, not some pie in the sky supplementation. There is very little clinical data to support many of the supplements that are touted. Some do show promise, such as melatonin for certain purposes. A great site to get factual information is Onctalk.com. Dr. West is an oncologist with a specialty in lung cancer and he has tons of articles that address a lot of different topics.

The statistics do suck, but they date to a time prior to the development of targeted therapy and newer chemotherapeutic agents. As newer stats come out, the survival rates should/will show improvement.

Taking breaks is all dependent on the type of cancer you have, your response, and how aggressive your oncologist is willing to be. An Ed-SCLC probably can't get as much of a break as a person with NSCLC BAC. BAC typically grows slowly, SCLC does not. Cell differentiation is a factor in NSCLC. The poorer the differentiation, the faster the cancer tends to grow. There are no absolutes in the world of LC, but arming yourself with quality information helps you to understand the complexities of your personal battle.

My best wishes to you.

Welthy

[Shelley (MLC)]

Hi Kathy, I am so sorry that you are dealing with this monster, but Chemo is definitely the right way to go. I'd like to echo what the others have said and tell you that my mom has done quite well with chemo for the past year. The sugar thing is definitely a myth and my mom would be in big trouble if it were fact, as she is quite the candy junky! If that's all she feels like eating, I'm all for it! I wish you the very best and please consider a second opinion if you are not comfortable with your current Dr. Shelley

[Guest hearrean]

I am very surprised to hear that avoiding sugar is a myth. I've read in several books as well as in Cure magazine itself that cancer patients should avoid refined sugar as much as possible. I even read this in a MD Anderson bulletin when I was waiting for one of my Doc appointments one day.

I know I switched to Stevia as soon as I was told about it. I was also told that most artificial sweeteners are not much better; those like Sweet-n-Low, Equal, etc.

Having said that however, I do find it strange that whenever I go to my local Cancer center for my chemo treatments, they always have cookies, pastries, etc. in their hospitality room.

Ken

[recce101]

I asked my oncologist about the sugar issue during my first visit (September 2006), as I had read and heard those same "feeding the cancer" stories. He said that concept is widespread, and while he didn't go so far as to call it a "myth," he did say there's no convincing evidence to support it and that he recommends maintaining a normal balanced diet as much as possible. Of course we could argue about what constitutes a balanced diet, and how much sugar and especially refined sugar is too much. Here's a good OncTalk exchange:

http://www.onctalk.com/bbPress/topic.ph ... 5#post-907

I wouldn't be much good to anyone without my nightly ice cream fix! Aloha,

Ned

[Ry]

Kathy-

My husband did not have pleural effusion, he did however have a small pericardial effusion for years that they just watched until it became larger and had to be drained. If you read my profile you will see that Iressa and Tarceva kept him stable a long time. Tarceva can be a miracle drug if it works for you. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[kathy86]

Thanks to all for your replies.

Hearrean, Dr. Otto Warburg discovered the connections between sugar and cancer many decades ago. It is my opinion that most Doctors do not tell us this because it directly links to alternative medicine. Most Doctors can not/will not approve alternative medicines as the FDA will not recognize them as they are not "medicine". Think of the billions of dollars the drug companies would lose if all Doctors could/would recognize CAM as a valid treatment option.(I worked for Doctors offices for years, in the admin field, the drug reps need a revolving door, the money they spend marketing their drugs is disgusting, see this months AARP bulletin, if you need more convincing.) The fermented soy beverage I use, Haelan951, has been a lifesaver. I recently started using Coral Calcium and AHCC. I am still doing chemo at this point, however, Thank you God, with the use of Haelan951, I have not suffered the ill effects of the chemo. I do not believe in the hype that it "interferes with the chemo", in fact, MD Anderson in Houston is currently doing a study on the Haelan951 and how it helps with the side effects of chemo.

I know I will be healed from this hideous disease, I have the faith now. It took me a long time to find it. My fondest wish is that the Oncologists would work with the CAM specialist's and quit letting people die from the toxic effect's of chemo. Weight loss, blood clots, tumors bleeding and on and on and on are listed as side effects in the handouts I was given for the taxotere and avastin I am now on. Please everyone out there read about Haelan951 and AHCC, if nothing else. Read the following books...

"Beating Cancer with Nutrition", Patrick Quillin

"The Cure to Cancer is in your Kitchen", Theodore Daw

"Cancer Free, Your Guide to Gentle Non Toxic Healing", Bill Henderson

The first oncologist I went to told me I had 2mos to 12 mos to live and that nutrition was not important, eat whatever I could. I truly believe I would be dead or near death now, if I had listened to him. My first visit with that Onc. was my last. Again, Thanks be to God, I have plenty of energy, I exercise at least 4 times a week,I have a ravenous appetite, (it is very hard to stay away from sugar and carbs)my cholesterol,triglycerides,blood sugar and blood pressure are the best they have been in 10 years or more.The only time I was seriously ill was when I had pneumonia in September and guess what? I had stopped taking the Haelan951 just a week prior to the pneumonia setting in. I know that God's will, will be done. I hope his will is the same as mine, to live another 3 or 4 decades, I am 45. I'd like to think I got this disease to get my neices, both 21 years old, to stop smoking and eating fast food. One niece is trying very hard, the other, well I just keep hoping she will learn from my mistakes. They were both stunned when their headstrong, kick butt, take no names, invincible Aunt Kathy was given a death sentence. I have no children, but I love these girls like they were my own.

Whew, for those of you who read this far, thanks for letting me get my "opinion" out there.

Everyone take care, keep the faith, and fight the good fight.

God Bless