Jay

[Jay*]

Hello.  I am new to this forum. I don't know if I placed this question in the appropriate location. I have a dear friend who was recently diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer that was also found in his lymph nodes. He is unable to receive chemotherapy, radiation therapy or other drugs because he has liver issues. Apparently, when he was young, antibiotics caused serious liver damage. His options are limited. Naturally, he & his wife are afraid.  He is trying to be positive & eating healthy. He's also receiving vitamin C shots. He's never smoked, married with a young daughter. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. 

[Curt]

Hello @Jay*.   I’m sorry to hear about your friend’s diagnosis.  Chemotherapy and immunotherapy can be very stressful on the liver.  I’ve not heard the same about radiation therapy, especially targeted radiation therapies.  High dose vitamin C treatments are still considered an “alternative” treatment option and can be controversial.  If I were your friend I’d get a second or third opinion.  

[Jay*]

Thanks so much for responding.  It's a sad situation all around, but when options are limited like this, right from the diagnosis; more so.  I will definitely speak to him about targeted radiation therapy.   I seem to recall his telling me that radiation therapy would touch his heart due to the location of the mass... (?) and for some reason this posed a problem for him. I am going to get clarification from him. I will also mention getting other opinions. Thanks again for your time, I'm very grateful.

[BridgetO]

My suggestion is the same as Curt's-- another opinion.

[Jay*]

I have spoken with my friend and have more information.  He has been diagnosed, on July 31, 2019 with adenocarcinoma lung cancer, stage 3b, (non-smoker).) He had surgery to remove the cancer mass from his lung  and he received clear margins, but, five of his lymph nodes were affected. My friend's situation is unique in the sense that he was born with "Situs inversus" meaning his organs are a mirror image of ours, it is a congenital condition in which the major visceral organs are reversed or mirrored from their normal positions. Because of this, he chose not to undergo radiation therapy as doctors said it would impact his heart which would put him at a high risk situation for future heart attack. The other thing that is an issue is that his liver is severely compromised due to an allergic reaction from antibiotics he received years ago, and therefore he is at a high risk for liver complications/failure if he was to receive chemotherapy. He's had many long discussions and second & third opinions with oncologists which eventually led him down the path toward alternative medicine.  His mind is made up, he is going the alternative treatment route and because of this,  it would be nice to hear from people who may have, or are receiving alternative treatments for this cancer and how is it working out for them. This man is a dear friend of mine, with a wife and child and I want to help him anyway that I can. Thank you to all and I wish the best for everyone that is affected by this disease. 

[Curt]

@Jay* surgery is a very affective treatment.   It is not one offered to all who are stage 3B.  Was he diagnosed as 3B after the surgery?  He was lucky to have that option, especially given his situs inversus condition.  I don’t have any experience with alternative medicines.  I understand the concerns with radiation therapy but I’m supposed that targeted SBRT isn’t an option.  I hope someone here can provide the guidance you are looking for.  Hang in there.  

[Jay*]

Hello Curt. You're right about the surgery not being offered to all who are stage 3B.  I believe what happened was that my friend negotiated that they check his lymph nodes first, and if they were affected, then to go in and remove the mass from his lung. There was resistance from the doctors initially as it wasn't part of their protocol, but eventually he got the doctors to agree to this, and yes, targeted radiation wasn't an option either. It's so very sad,  I know, for all who are diagnosed with this terrible disease, but I am so saddened that my friend, has all these obstacle against him.  Thank you for replying to me Curt, I wish you all the best. 

[Kate7617]

I am very sorry to hear about your friend and the complications of trying to find treatment. Some have said that MDAnderson in Texas is the #1 cancer treatment center, I pray that he finds treatment and his life will be more hopeful. Kate7617

[LUNGevityKristin]

Hi Jay,

Thinking of you and your friend.  Did they do bio marker testing to see if there are any other treatments available?

[Jay*]

Thank you Kristen. I'm not actually sure if my  friend had bio marker testing done, but I'm assuming he did because he also consulted with one of the top Oncologists in Canada. He's the kind of guy that drives the medical community crazy with questions!  He's not a passive patient; he challenges them!  My friend chose to forgo chemotherapy/radiation  because the doctors weren't able to allay his concerns regarding liver failure given his situation.  Add the low survival rate they gave him, it just didn't make sense to him. I actually can't say I disagree with his decision.  My friend is an aircraft inspector and gave the following analogy: "If you were  about to board a plane to go from point A to point B, and were told that there was only a 25 % chance the plane would make it, then add to that, there's also a storm you have to fly through, (his liver,) which further increases the risk of  you not making it, would you board that plane?  The doctor's response was, "When you put it in those terms, I can understand your decision."  Now he relies on alternative treatments, diet, juicing, high dose vitamin C, meditation, positive mindset, exercise. He's researched  extensively and feels pretty confident that his odds are better, given all the resources out there to support his decision. As long as he's willing to put in the work.  I think he is, and I pray daily for him and his family. 

[Tomm]

Hi Jay,

I have used some alternative treatments from my naturopath  oncologist. I suggest your friend find one where you live, here is a link to  some in Canada  ... https://oncanp.org/directory/?filter=business_state__province__region&index=ONTARIO  . One treatment I got was High dose Vit c in a IV.. here is a link on information about that ..  https://riordanclinic.org/research-study/vitamin-c-research-ivc-protocol/  ..    When I found out I had stage 3 lung cancer in Sept. 2015 I started taking a small amount of CBD and THC oil until I built up to a dose of a gram a day. I'm not saying this will cure your friend but it will help with pain, sleep, eating, stress & ect. I also suggest he start with a tincture of these.  I take over 12 natural supplements like fish oil, vit d, green tea extract, turmeric extract, chlorella, coq10, Naltrexone and more. I wish the best for your friend on his journey, he has a good friend named Jay that is a big help to him and his family.