Suri (M971) is a 61 year old female from Indonesia. Her family came to seek our help on 8 May 2011. She was wheeled into out centre being unable to walk on her own. She was unable to talk, showed no facial expression and did not seem to know what was going. According to her husband, she behaved like a child. Listen to her husband telling us his wife’s story of tragedy.
Suri was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer in 2008.
She had 22 times of radiation treatments in Singapore. No chemo was done. She was given the oral drug, Iressa. She took it for about a year. Her tongue became numb and so she gave it up. The doctor then gave her Tarceva. She was on this drug for about two years.
About a year later, in 2009, the cancer spread to her brain. She underwent chemotherapy. This was also done in Singapore. Her chemotherapy consisted of the following:
1 cycle of chemo divided into 3 injections, done once a week for 6 months. That means a total of 18 injections.
1 cycle of chemo every 2 weeks for 6 months. That means a total of 12 injections.
1 cycle of chemo every month for 6 months. That means 6 injections.
1 cycle of chemo every 2 months for a total of 3 injections.
1 cycle of chemo every 3 months. She received only 1 injection.
In total she received 40 chemo injections.
Three months after all these treatments, MRI showed one additional tumour appeared in her brain.
MRI done on 2 May 2011 indicated: “Two small enhancing nodules less than 10 mm noted in the right temporal lobe compatible with brain metastasis.”
Came to CA Care on 5 May 2011
Her husband said, “We knew that chemo did not work for her. We decided to seek the help of CA Care. Please try and help us. Now the oncologist prescribed this drug, Sutent. She has been taking in for about a month now. “(Note: after seeing us, the family decided to stop taking Sutent).
She presented with the following serious problems:
Severe headaches
Vomiting
When her two hands are put together, they “fight” trying to tear each other apart.
My comments to the family then were:
Based on her medical history, I really don’t know what I can do to help her. We can only try.
I don’t want to mislead or cheat you – making your believe that you can find a cure here.
If she cannot drink the herbal teas I prescribed, there is no need to bring her here again. There is nothing I can do. But if she can drink the teas, she may benefit from them.
As for the prognosis – Don’t think too much or too far! You have spent thousands of dollars and yet they can’t cure you. Don’t expect me to cure you. And I am no magician. But I shall do my best to help. That much I can do.
After Two Months of CA Care’s Herbs
On 17 July 2011, the family brought Suri to come and see us again. Watch the following video and see for yourself the healing that had taken place after two months on our herbs!
Suri’s health had improved tremendously after taking herbs for two month.
Before the herbs, her vision was blurred and she was not able to recognize people around her. But this has since improved. She is now able to recognize people around her again.
Previously she was not able to watch the TV at all. Now, she is able to understand what is going on and can laugh when watching certain programs.
Previously she was not able to comprehend our conversation and was oblivious to her surroundings. Now, she is able to understand and talk to us. She knows what is going on around her. Her sister said, “She can now scold people around her”!
Now she can remember past events and can tell stories based on our old photos. Her husband said, “When she saw our old photos she would talk and talk about it.” But she is not able to remember current events.
In the morning, we bring her for a walk. She can walk 8 rounds of the basket ball court every morning without help. Of course she still lacks strength to walk by herself. Before she couldn’t walk at all.
When sleeping, she can now turn to the left or right. Previously she had to sleep flat and straight unable to turn sideways.
I happened to chance upon your blog while doing some searches online on cancer and read about the many success stories of cancer patients under your care.
My mum was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in May 2010 and had undergone the Whipple’s procedure to remove the cancerous cells at the head of her pancreas.
In July 2010, she started her chemotherapy, and was put under 6 cycles of Gemcitabine. After completing 6 cycles, at the end of December 2010, CA19-9 has decreased from 5204 to 106.9. About 2 weeks later, CA19-9 value rose to 224.2. The doctor then suggested for my mum to go for a CT-scan. CT-scan result showed that there were several tiny nodules in her lungs. Apart from that, there were no other abnormalities.
Based on the CT-scan result, the doctor told us that he’s sorry and that he is unable to cure my mum anymore as the cancer cells have spread to her lungs. He then asked us to go for a 2nd round of chemotherapy, this time using the combination of 2 drugs with strong side effects to control the growth of the cancer cells. Since there is no guarantee on the success of the treatment and taking into account the stronger side effects, my mum rejected the treatment and has been consulting a Chinese physician specializing in cancer. After taking the herbs prescribed by the Chinese physician for 7 months, the CA19-9 did not decrease but rose exponentially to a value of 66,490 in late June.
My mum has been feeling fine at the start of the year, but somewhere in April 2011, she started having backache and bloatedness in her stomach. At around mid June, she started having diarrhea, followed by serve pain at her back, causing some difficulties in her movement. She has also started coughing about a week ago.
We know that the herbs prescribed by the Chinese physician are not working. But I know my mum has a strong will to live on. It would be really great if you can help us and I look forward to hear from you soon.
Thank you.
Reply: Well, if you think we can help you, come and see me in Penang with all the medical reports and scan.
Daughter’s First Visit
On the afternoon of Friday 12 August 2011, the daughter of this patient came from Singapore. The following are additional details about her mother’s story.
Her problem started with jaundice and after two weeks the patient went to see a doctor. She was diagnosed to have cancer of the pancreatic head with obstructive jaundice. Histology showed pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with lymph node metastasis.
She underwent six cycles of chemotherapy. Each cycle consisted of three injections split over a period of one month. So patient received a total of 18 injections. Each cycle cost about S$2,500.
Before the treatment the doctor told patient that she had a high chance of cure. Things worked out rather well from Chemo 1 to Chemo 17. Her CA 19.9 was dropping. At Chemo 5, CA 19.9 dropped from 5204 to 106.9 plus. But a week after Chemo 18, CA 19.9 started to rise from 100 plus to 224.2. The oncologist said, “Something has gone wrong.”
A CT scan on 18 January 2011 showed several new tiny pulmonary nodules in both lungs. The oncologist said she has to do more chemo. There was no guarantee, but just to test out if it works. Patient refused further medical treatment.
While undergoing medical treatment, patients also took herbs from the TCM section of the hospital and she has been under the care of the TCM practitioners from the beginning until the present. TCM consultation cost S$80.00 each time and the herbs cost S$10 per packet – to be brewed into tea as a dose each day.
The CA 19.9 now stands at 66,490.
Our advice: We told her it is indeed a difficult case to handle and please don’t expect us to cure her mother. We at CA Care believe that no one can cure cancer in the first place. But we can try our best to help.
Latest Update
Hi Dr Chris,
My mum has been taking cough No.5 & 6 and the diarrhea and indigestion tea since last Saturday (27 August 2011) until Wednesday (31 August 2011). However, her condition has not improved. Nevertheless, she’s still taking Capsule A, Pancreas 1, Pancreas 2 and Stomach Function Tea daily. I did check with her about how she felt after taking your pain tea, but she’s also not too sure if the pain tea is working on her as her back pain is on and off. Therefore, I still continue to give her the pain tea 3 times a day.
The hospice home care team came to visit my mum on Thursday (1 September 2011) and started her on the painkiller, hoping to give her some relief, allowing her to have some good rest since she has not been able to sleep since her back pain started. They tried Panadeine on her initially but it only managed to reduce her pain by half, so they started her on Tramadol and Durogesic. Apart from the pain, she’s suffering from the side effects of the painkiller now, feeling dizzy and has also been vomiting since this morning. But the doctor mentioned that the side effects will go off in a week’s time as her body tries to adjust to the painkiller. I’m feeling rather lost now and not sure what to do…
Hello Ying Lee,
It is a difficult problem — as I have told you earlier. You have done your best. I have tried to give you all that I have here. If it still does not work, you need to rely on the Hospice … and go on the painkillers. Yes, with all the side effects but what else can we do?If the herbs are not helping — no use taking them. I am sorry I cannot help you much at this point. If you are in Penang perhaps it would be bit different.
You can hear more details by watching this video clip.
Comments:
Can surgery cure pancreatic cancer? I typed this question for Google search. Read what it says:
From the American Cancer Society: Potentially curative surgery is used when imaging tests suggest that it is possible to remove all the cancer. Whipple procedure: For patients to have the best outcomes, they should be treated by a surgeon who does many of these operations … at least 20 Whipple procedures per year. At the time of diagnosis, only about 10% of cancers of the pancreas appear to be contained entirely within the pancreas. Only about half of these turn out to be truly resectable once the surgery is started. Still, even if all the visible tumor is removed at the time of surgery, some cancer cells may have already spread to other parts of the body. These cells may eventually grow into new tumors and cause many problems — even death.
From the Seena Magowitz Foundation – the Face and Voice of Pancreatic Cancer: Whipple surgery is often a surgical option when pancreatic cancer is found in the head of the pancreas. It involves removal of the pancreas head, most of the duodenum (small intestine), a portion of the bile duct, gallbladder, part of the jejunum and the lymph nodes located near the pancreas. Sometimes a portion of the stomach may also be removed. The Whipple Operation does not cure pancreatic cancer. It is an option that has been positively demonstrated to extend survival with a better quality of remaining life. There are risks during surgery that includes chances of not surviving the operation. Chemotherapy and radiation treatments following surgery can increase life-span by about 10%. http://www.seenamagowitzfoundation.org/whipple-operation.html
Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez (http://www.dr-gonzalez.com), of New York, USA, in the book, Knock Out written by Suzanne Somers, said,
“It is hard for me to believe that an oncologist who has gone through four years of college, four years of medical school, three years of residency, and then three years of oncology postresidency training can’t connect the dots. You have to be an idiot not to be aware that for most of the cancers chemo isn’t doing anything. It’s in all the journals. It’s not like it’s a secret.”
“The fact of the matter is that 95 percent of the patients who call my office have been brutalized by the orthodox system … my staff just sits there dumbfounded by their stories, story after story, over and over again. Everyday.”
“Spend a one day in my office listening to the dozens of people who call in with these horror stories about the conventional therapies that were pushed on them with false hope, then you will see why we get upset when we are criticized as alternative guys offering false hope. These people come to me half-dead because they were promised that these treatments could work, and we see this in particular with patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer because we are known for treating pancreatic cancer.”
“They have compared Gemzar … Median survival improved from 4.2 months to only 5.7 months – about one extra month of life for this expensive drug. Not a single patient out of 126 in the study lived longer than 19 months. But Gemzar has been considered such an advance that the FDA approved it … Gemzar is used all over the world. One month improvement in survival and not one patient in the clinical study lived longer than 19 months, and that has been considered a major advance.”
In the same book by Susan Somers, Dr. Ralph Moss, a highly respected advocate of non-conventional cancer treatment, said,
“Gemzar … is relatively benign and also has minimal effects. You rarely hear about people having major side effects with Gemzar … (it is) a mild form of chemotherapy. (It is) given as a kind of placebo, meaning when they have nothing else to give and they don’t want to burden the patient with a lot of side effects, they give this drug and everybody is happy. The patients feel that something is being done for them, and the doctors gets paid for administering or prescribing something. Then the patients expire and the families feel that at least they tried.”
Response from Susan Somers:
“This is the part I don’t understand – the patient is given drugs that don’t do much and at the end the family is grateful. Recently a young friend of mine died of pancreatic cancer, stage IV. I have never seen such destruction of a human body as I watched him disintegrate and die in four months. Then a few weeks after the death, his wife called and asked if I would come perform for a fund-raiser for his doctor. And I thought, They just killed your husband.”
Miracles have no place in modern medicine. But Dr. Norman Shealy, M.D., Ph.D. wrote in his book, Miracles Do Happen, “Although the conventional approach promises miraculous cures, it often provides only temporary treatment of symptoms and side effects. Fortunately, many alternatives still hold the potential for producing personal miracles. I first became aware of miracles a quarter century ago. Prior to that time, even though miracles occurred regularly, I never noticed them.”
Dr. Norman Shealy went on to say, “allopathic medicine has ignored the most important aspect of healing – the untapped miracle of the individual’s personal will, intuition and heart. When will, intuition and heart are united, even for a few moments, miracles occur.”
For those who care to see, shall see miracles. But for those who wish to turn a blind eye to what is happening around them, would see nothing. I am presenting you this case study. I believe this is a miracle at work on a personal level. I have written two articles about this case earlier but only from the perspective of reporting a case obsessed with results and CT scans, etc. I missed “seeing” the miracle then.
This patient, Anne, came back to CA Care again from 19 – 29 August 2011. This time I had the opportunity to learn more about her case. This led to my realization that I have missed out something very important. We cannot learn from patients if we spend only 5 to 10 minutes talking to them. Since the details of Anne’s medical history had been presented earlier, I shall not delve into that anymore. To read our earlier articles on Anne, click on these links:
Before I came to CA Care in April 2011, I read through your website and saw the videos. The information helped me a lot. I was hopeful that I too would be as like those featured in your video clips – lymphoma cases like Devi and Siew.
Did you really believe in those videos? Or, were these so-called patients merely “paid actors” trying to mislead others? I have no doubtful feeling in my heart.
Besides, I also read your book. So I came rather prepared with a trusting heart hoping for the best to happen.
Comment: This is our advice to cancer patients: If you don’t believe in what we do, please go elsewhere for help. We put out those videos and case studies, blogs, etc., as a source of information for those who need them. Over the years we have been collecting data, learning and documenting from the experiences of our patients. This is part of our research, not a tool for propaganda to make business. In science, documentation is important for future evaluation. Meaningful successes in our work are the only motivating factor that sustain and kept us moving forward. It is most satisfying to know that Anne benefited from our therapies.
Chemotherapy was necessary – no choice
I was in pain and for 3 days was unable to sleep or lie down. My abdomen and both my legs were swollen. I lost my appetite. I was hospitalized for a month. Husband: During that time 8 bottles of fluid had to be tapped out each day – a bottle was 500 ml.
In the second week in the hospital, my condition deteriorated and the surgeon suggested chemotherapy – there was no other choice. I underwent chemotherapy and my condition improved. The swelling subsided. After a month, I was discharged from the hospital. During that time I still had a bit of swelling in my legs and pains in my abdomen.
Comment: In this situation chemotherapy is life-saving. Go for it. When there was no other choice, the choice of chemotherapy proved to be beneficial.
My health during chemotherapy
I received a total of 8 cycles of chemotherapy. My appetite improved but I was not able to sleep well. I had no strength. I was not able to stand up by myself and I needed help to get up. I was not able to bathe by myself because my abdomen was painful and I was not able to bend over. For about a month, my husband had to bathe me.
I had fevers very often and later the biopsy wound in my abdomen burst open and pus was released. After this episode, there were no more fevers. After this, my eye developed an infection and swelled. There was also a time when my whole body became itchy. With medication, the itch disappeared after a month.
My movements were restricted due to lack of strength and feeling of instability or imbalance when walking. I was house-bound. The only time I went out was to see my doctor. I have to use the wheel chair. During that time I not able to attend church at all. My friends would visit me at home.
My health after completion of chemotherapy
There was no more swelling of my stomach but my doctor said only 50 percent of the tumour in my abdomen was gone. I was asked to eat eggs and meat to increase my protein level.
From August 2010 until April 201i, I took all kinds of supplements that friends introduced to me. I took ………….
I gained more strength and could walk. I cooked my own food in the morning. I cook only once in the morning and ate the same food for the whole day. I only cook and was not able to do any other house chores.
Two or 3 months after chemotherapy, I was able to bathe myself without help.
I did not have any pain but there were sores or ulcers in my mouth. My stomach was very congested and uncomfortable.
During this time, I was able to go to church and once a while did some shopping. Because I still did not have much strength my shopping trip was very brief. I felt imbalance and dizzy when I walked.
I still needed a wheelchair 2 or 3 months after chemotherapy.
During the 8 months period after chemotherapy, my health was not fully restored, though I felt better than while I was having chemotherapy.
Recurrence – No More Chemotherapy for Me
In January 2011, the cancer came back. There were swellings in my left cheek and neck. A biopsy of the lump in the neck showed recurrence. My doctor suggested more chemo. I refused. I told my doctor I could not stand the side effects of chemotherapy anymore.
Besides the side effects, the new chemo is going to be more expensive. Just the drug alone would cost 10 million rupiah and I need to do 8 cycles of chemos. This cost does not include charges by the doctor, hospital, scanning, etc.
On top of it all, the outcome is not guaranteed. The doctor was not able to predict the outcome.
After all, I have just completed 8 cycles of chemo in August 2011, and within 4 months the cancer came back.
Were you upset or disappointed by this turn of event? Did you get angry with God? I asked God why? Why this thing happened? No, I was not angry with God but I did ask Him why.
After I declined chemotherapy, the doctor suggested that I undergo radiotherapy. I declined that too.
Did the doctor get angry when you declined his recommendation for chemo or radiotherapy? No, he did not. I told my doctor, I am ready to “go home.” I am not prepared to go through the side effects of the chemo again. There is no need for me to suffer again. And it is not necessary to spent more money. Let me just “go home”.
If I could remember correctly, this was how my doctor responded, “Go back and think this over.”
Comment: Indeed the oncologist response was very honest and fair. Patients must be allowed to make their own decisions without any duress or fear.
I decided to go for CA Care herbs
Before I underwent chemotherapy, a friend gave me your book but I was afraid to read it and kept it aside somewhere. In April 2011, after the recurrence, somehow I came across your book again. After reading the book, I decided to try your herbs. I did not want to go for more chemo. I made that decision on my own. I was prepared to take whatever risks that comes with it.
I discussed this with my family – 11 siblings in all, and also my children. They supported my decision. My friends said they would uphold me through their prayers.
My health improved after taking the herbs
When you came to CA Care in April 2011, were you in good health? My health was not good. My legs were weak and when I walk I had no strength and felt very unstable. My stomach was bad. My heart palpitation started to show up.
When you first came here, what was your expectation? At first I thought CA Care was a hospital! But when I came here, it turned out to be something else! When I was in Jakarta , I had a phobia for hospital. When I went to see my doctor I felt afraid and depressed seeing all those patients. But at CA Care I did not feel that way at all.
Did you come to find a “magic bullet” here? Something that can instantly cure your cancer? No. When I read your book and the articles in the website, I understand that healing is a process that takes time. I don’t expect to find an instant cure. Although at first, I found the herbs did not taste good, I persisted and take them. The diet you advocated is most difficult to follow at first. But gradually I adapt to this change that you asked me to do. Now, I am fully compliant with your advice.
If I were to ask you to go back to your old diet, would you do it? No. Because after I completely changed to this healthy diet my body felt much better.
The path that I asked you to take is difficult –did you harbor any resentment in your heart for having to go through this? No. As I continued to take the herbs, I felt better. Before the herbs, I was not able to pass out wind and my stomach was uncomfortable. With the herbs, I passed out a lot of wind and my stomach felt better. I felt movements in my intestines. Before that I felt everything was “cramped” up. As my health improved I was able to sleep better. I had more strength to walk and when I walked I felt more stable. Every morning, I used to go out to enjoy the morning sun. Before the herbs, I could not feel the sunlight on my skin. And I did not sweat. But after the herbs, I could feel the sunlight and I also sweat. I knew that my health had gradually improved. All these happened within the first two months after I started taking your herbs.
e-Therapy in Penang
You came back to CA Care after 2 months on the herbs. We started the e-Therapy – did you benefit from this? Yes. The swelling in my cheek became smaller and I felt better.
After a week on the e-Therapy you went back to Jakarta. Did your health deteriorate? No, everything was good until one day when I ate “tempeh”. It was hard and I chewed it. It caused laceration on the inside of my mouth. The lump in the cheek became bigger and I felt “warm.” I did not feel good again.
On 19 August 2011 you came back again and stayed on until 29 August 20ll.You did the second round of e-Therapy. Did that help you? Yes. I felt better again. On the first day on the therapy, I had backache. On the second day my leg was numb for the whole night. My throat was sore and I was not able to sleep. Though it seemed to be another “down” for me, I was not afraid. The next morning, the problems resolved by themselves. A few days ago, my stomach was not feeling good – I felt full and bloated. As I have explained earlier this problem came on after the chemotherapy. Today, after a week on the e-Therapy, I feel much, much better. Perhaps this was also because I drank the A-Live 2 and A-Live-8 teas. These herbs and the e-Therapy really helped me.
WHAT DOCTORS SAY
1. The Oncologist
I refused to go for the second round of chemotherapy. I told my oncologist that I am taking herbs. He was not angry that I was taking the herbs. My oncologist requested that I show him the herbs I was taking. On the next visit to him I brought all the herbs – Capsule A, teas for Lymphoma, etc. I explained to him what I was doing and why. He looked at all these herbs and took a long time studying the label of Capsule A. Then he said, “If all these made you well, go ahead and take them.” My oncologist was not angry or object to my taking the herbs.
What would you do if your oncologist objected to you taking the herbs? I would still continue taking them. I am much better now, taking the herbs. I will not stop. Then if he is against me taking the herbs, the next time I would not tell him what I am doing.
Comment: This is not about who is right or who is wrong. Nor is it about who is smarter. The important thing is that patients get better!
2. The Heart Specialist
My heart palpitation came about in March 2011, a month before we came to see you for the first time. Initially, I went to consult a heart specialist. He said there was a minor disturbance. I did not undergo further test because by the next day my problem seemed to have resolved.
In July 2011, the palpitation came back again. Then I came to Penang to see you. After I underwent the e-Therapy, the situation improved but when I went home to Jakarta, the palpitation recurred. It was then that we called you and you suggested that I consult a heart specialist.
This time I consulted another heart specialist. He said my heart was normal. He could not find anything wrong. So, he did not prescribe any medication. I told him that I am currently on herbs and showed him what I have been taking. I asked the heart specialist if this palpitation was due to the herbs I am taking. He repled, “No. Herbs are good. Go ahead and take them.” I told him I am now a vegetarian. I do not take fine table salt, sugar, oil, etc. He said, “That is good. Continue doing it.” He assured me that my heart palpitation has nothing to do with me taking the herbs.
3. The Internist
Before my consultation with the heart specialist, I also went to see an internist for my stomach problem. This problem came on after I had the chemotherapy.
I told the internist that I am currently taking herbs. I asked him if this stomach problem is due to the side effects of the herbs. He replied, “No, herbs are good. There are no side effects.”
Husband: “On the contrary, the internist told us not to do chemotherapy anymore. We should take herbs instead.”
SPIRITUALITY
God spoke to me
You told the oncologist that you would rather “go home” than undergo the second round of chemo. After 2 months of the herbs, did you still want to “go home”? My feelings were up and down. After I had the laceration in my mouth, I was not feeling good at all. That was my down period. I prayed to God to cure me. Let the cancer go and not come back any more. I kept repeating this request to God. One evening I went to church. Out of the blue, a friend who sat next to me started to say this, “You must be patient. Healing is a process and it comes one step at a time and it takes time. There are times when you feel down and there are times when you feel good. But trust in God and go on doing what you are doing. You will get well.” I did not know why this person said that to me. I did not share my concern with her at all. That night, I felt God gave me the answer. I said to God, “Okay God, forgive me. I was too impatient and did not realize this.” The same message came to me again the next morning. Now, I know that this is not yet the time for me to “go home.”
Comment: As a Christian I don’t believe that God is going to drop the “cure, joy and comforts” down from the Heaven as in the days of Moses. But God does hear our prayers and whisper His responses in ways that we may not understand or at a time when we least expected. It is up to us to “listen”! Unfortunately, many of us are deaf. I find the words of this song most inspiring indeed:
God will make a way, Where there seems to be no way; He works in ways we cannot see, He will make a way for me. He will be my Guide, Hold me closely to His side, With love and strength, For each new day, He will make a way.
Emotional Blockage
I went to see the heart specialist because my heart was beating rather rapidly. It came about in March 2011, a few months after chemotherapy. The heart specialist could not find anything wrong with my heart. That night I went to church. We all sang songs and hymns. The next morning, my heart palpitation was gone and up to this day the problem did not bother me anymore.
In your heart, do you keep any emotion that you cannot let go and this makes you very unhappy? Yes. But I cannot share this with anyone here. Even my husband did not know about this. I also do not talk about it with my close friends. (She broke down and cried!)
Comment: Good, you have to let go and cry it out! Never keep emotional problem in your heart. It blocks the healing process in you. Let it go before it kills you.
REAL HEALING OR PLACEBO
From March 2010 to 21 July, Anne had undergone 7 cycles of chemo. Her blood profiles after the 6 cycles of chemo were not alarming. However, after the 7th chemo, the blood profile begun to show deterioration, as below. The haemoglobin, white blood count, platelets decreased. She was given two injections of Leukokin to boost the blood parameters in preparation for the next chemo (Table below). Anne received the 8th chemo on 6 August 2010. After this last chemo, her WBC remained low for many months. Her platelets were also low until May 2011. After Anne started to take our herbs from 29 April 2011 onwards, her blood profiles started to show improvements. By August 2011, her WBC was normal – before that it was still low. Her platelets had also normalized. In September 2010, Anne’s LDH was at 447 (high). In August 2011 it was 272. LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) is frequently used as monitoring test for those who already have lymphoma. Any elevation from the normal range may indicate a relapse or renewed growth.
Below are the results of our AcuGraph study.
Reading taken on 29 April 2011 when Anne first came to CA Care, showed many imbalances of the meridian energy.
Anne returned to Jakarta and started to take the herbs. Her health improved. She came back to Penang again on 1 July 2011. The AcuGraph reading on that day showed many imbalances of her meridian energy. Anne underwent the e-Therapy. Her AcuGraph reading on 8 July 2011 showed a far better picture. Anne returned to Jakarta to continue taking the herbs.
Anne returned to Penang again on 19 August 2011. Her AcuGraph reading is a below. Anne underwent a second round of the e-Therapy and her reading on 26 August 2011 showed a better picture. Anne returned to Jakarta and will continue to take the herbs and undergo the e-Therapy in her home.
Comment: Studying the 5 charts, one cannot help but notice that the pattern of disharmonies was almost the same from April to August 2011. The pattern of disharmony of the hand meridians is like a hill – with a central peak and two sides sloping down. The foot meridians also showed similar pattern. I have yet to understand the significance of this. After Anne had done her reading we tried to prescribe herbs to correct some of these imbalances. She benefited from these herbs. But unfortunately, we were unable to follow up with her progress after she went home to Jakarta. When she came back again after sometime, we were faced with a similar problem again.
As a conclusion, let me present you’re the transcript of my interview with Anne and her husband.
Chris: Can you tell me – are you sure that our therapy helped you?
Anne: Yes, your therapy helped me a lot Dr. Chris. It helped me. From the very beginning, every morning when I wake I am very concerned about my instability when walking. I fear I might fall.
C: The reason I ask you this question is because, in medicine there is such a thing called “placebo effect.” If you believe me very much and you do what I want you to do, you may experience the beneficial effects due to your strong belief. The medicine I gave you may be just a “fake” but you still get the good effect. Because of that I would like to determine if indeed what you are telling me is really true – not a fake or placebo.
Husband: The therapy is good doctor. Put it this way, if the therapy is not good, she will not come back to see you ever again!
A: Like this doctor. I took the herbs for about a month. I know my body. I know the herbs made me better. For me the result is good. Of course, I have to believe Dr. Chris too. It is illogical (not balanced) if I don’t believe in Dr. Chris. That will not bring me any good. I took the herbs, I benefited from it – I believe the herbs because I benefited from it. And I must also believe in Dr. Chris. Otherwise it is meaningless.
C: What about those around you – your friends – when they looked at you, what did they say?
Husband: They said she looked better. Good. It is not only me to can say that. Those friends commented that she look much better now than before.
A: In fact, I feel I am far better off now than I was before. I am much healthier now.
C: I really don’t know what else to say. I learn from my patients. They know better about their bodies than others. There is no reason why other people can know better than the patients themselves. If they say they feel good and they looked good – that is enough, what else can I say?
C: Do you have full confidence in what you are doing?
A: Yes, I have confidence.
C: You don’t want to ask to “go home” anymore?
A: No, no. I am afraid that God will get angry with me.
C: Let me ask again – compare your condition now and before – is there any difference?
A: Oh, a vast difference. Before taking your herbs (shaking her head) – oh, don’t let me say again, it was difficult. My legs were weak. When I walked I felt not balanced. These are the major concern I faced. All these happened after I underwent chemotherapy. Now, my legs have improved. The instability comes once a while only.
C: The most important point of all is – is your health better today compared than before?
A: Of course, I am better off now. I can go anywhere now. I can cook at home. I can climb the stairs in the house.
C: Before the herbs, you couldn’t climb the stairs?
A: No, not at all for a long, long time. If I walk, I was like an old lady. My pace was very slow and I virtually place one foot a time. I could not bend my knees like others normally do when walking.
C: Now you can walk up the staircase?
A; Yes, I can walk up like a normal person. Once I was in the garden in one early morning – this happened about 2 months after the chemotherapy. I was bending tending some plants. I fell down and was unable to stand up. Even if I held onto the fence, I could not raise myself up. So I just sat there on the ground. There was no one in the house to help me. I waited until my husband came back to help me up. Even that he had difficulty pulling me up.
C; Now, can you stand up by yourself?
A: Yes.
C: Looking back at your days before the herbs …
A: Before the herbs, I felt I was useless – absolutely useless, because I couldn’t do anything. I felt sorry for my husband. Now I am okay.
This book has 612 pages organized into 24 chapters. It was published in 2006. The full title is of the book is, Money Driven Medicine – Tests and Treatments That Don’t Work. Readers will be surprised to know that among those dubious treatments discussed include unnecessary Caesareans, cholesterol lowering pills, high blood pressure treatment, invasive cardiology treatment, blood thinners for clots, antidepressant medications, etc., and etc. In Chapter 16, the author discussed chemotherapy – the subject of this review.
The author of the book is Dr. David K. Cundiff, M.D. He wrote: “Shortly after President Nixon signed the “Cancer Act” in 1972, I decided to become a medical oncologist … I was a third year medical student at the University of California, San Diego … I felt that many of my cancer patients were neglected. After internship and residency in internal medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Hospitals, I took a fellowship in medical oncology at the Cancer Control Agency of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC. I returned to San Diego in 1977 for another fellowship combining further medical oncology training with hematology …. I became an Assistant Professor in medical oncology at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles.”
Dr. Cundiff later left oncology and became a hospice doctor. He wrote, “It helped me to be able to critically analyze claims about the effectiveness of cancer treatment based on clinical research trials. I can now better spot the numerous potential biases in chemotherapy trials.”
Dr. Cundiff shared some of his experiences. Below are statements quoted directly from his book (pages 217 to 243). All these words are his. I took the liberty to present them in point by point form. I hope this makes the delivery of his messages, one shot at a time, more precise.
Chemo for the sake of doing something heroic or a way to earn more money?
I would not recommend chemotherapy if I did not think that the benefits outweighed the risks. I was so out of step with the other practicing medical oncologists that it became clear that I could not make a living with such a conservative treatment philosophy.
Medical oncologists are paid almost nothing for talking with patients and their families. Their income depends entirely on the number of chemotherapy treatments that they order and how much they charge for each treatment. Unlike other specialists, the government allows them to also profit by selling chemotherapy drugs to their patients.
On chemotherapy clinical trial
While about 60% of all newly diagnosed cancers are in people over 65, they make up only 36% of patients in drug studies. Many chemotherapy drug trials do not accept patients over age 70. This bias is troubling because younger patients tend to respond and tolerate side effects better than older patients.
Older patients that do volunteer for drug trials may be healthier than older patients that do not volunteer or who are not recommended for research studies by their oncologists.
Evidence-basis of cancer chemotherapy, is much less established than in other areas of medicine.
Randomized trials with untreated control groups are hard to do. (My comment: how can you say for sure that chemo is better? Perhaps without chemo patients are better off?).
Clinical responses are divided into complete response (absence of all measureable tumor and freedom from tumor symptoms lasting at least three months); and partial response (reduction in size of the volume of all tumor masses by at least 50% lasting at least three months). Most chemotherapy clinical trials report the response rate (complete and partial) as the main endpoint.
Shrinking tumors may not mean that patients live longer or have a better quality of life. (My comment: They are not talking about cure at all, only response! Patients hope or expect to find a cure!).
The unresponsive tumors have response rates of less than 50%. For patients with these unresponsive tumors, claims of increased survival become statistical exercises of researchers financed by drug companies, with nebulous parameters of measurement wide open to wishful thinking and biases. (My comment: They will manipulate and massage the data to get what they want. Ever heard of this saying – Lies, damned lies and statistics?)
Clinical endpoints that matter to patients – survival and quality of life – often lose out to the endpoint that is important to medical oncologists, drug companies and cancer researchers – tumor shrinkage.
Researchers, paid by drug companies, may harbor biases in favor of new experimental treatments when reporting the results of clinical trials.
Patients, clinging to any thread of hope for a cure, hear what they want to hear from the oncologist. If their medical oncologist does not offer them chemotherapy, they may shop for another oncologist.
Survival of people with identical malignancies varies widely due to factors that are not always well understood and often have nothing to do with chemotherapy given by medical oncologists.
Consequently, by treating enough cancer patients with drugs, chemotherapy advocates can always find some patients with unusually long survivals.
FDA approval
To approve new drug … the FDA does not require evidence that the drug prolongs life or improves the quality of life. Dr. Robert Temple, FDA Director of Medical Policy describes this policy that favors drug company profit over patients and the public as follows: “… our accelerated approval rule allows us to rely on a reasonable surrogate, a surrogate end point reasonably likely predict clinical benefit.” Dr. Temple said, surrogate endpoints (My comment: Tumor shrinkage for example does not have to be shown to correspond with clinical endpoints like living longer and feeling better).
Pharmaceutical companies used endpoints other than survival as the basis for 73% of all cancer drug approvals between 1990 and 2002. Consequently, just one cancer medicine in five has ever proved that it extends patients’ lives. For drug companies and health care providers that are “money driven,” this very vulnerable patient population is ripe for exploitation.
Dr. David Cundiff provided a brief review of the present practice of chemotherapy and the effectiveness of the drugs used.
Chemotherapy for Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Unfortunately, we do not have chemotherapy that significantly increases survival chances for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients (about 75% of those with lung cancer).
In my days as a medical oncologist, I never liked to recommend chemotherapy to people with NSCLC because of poor results and distressing side effects. The fact that there is no evidence-basis to support chemotherapy for NSCLC hasn’t stopped drug companies and the FDA from encouraging its use.
Cisplatin (Platinol) has been the acknowledged standard of practice in NSCLC … the average survival with cis platinum chemotherapy added to radiation therapy was 7 months versus 4 months with radiation alone. However, lung cancer patients not receiving chemotherapy probably have more quality time since they do not have to endure the potential toxicities of cis platinum.
Vinorelbine (Navelbine). In 1994, the FDA approved Navelbine on a 6 to 4 vote … to treat advanced NSCLC. What evidence supports this FDA decision? In the first trial, they compared patients receiving vinorelbine given alone with patients receiving the combination of cisplatin with Navelbine. The combination of the two drugs gave a much higher response rate (43% versus 16%) and considerably more side effects. However, the average survival was virtually equal (32 versus 33 weeks). Quality of life comparisons were not reported. Since untreated control groups were not included … these results do not show that either one of these drugs improves survival or benefits patients.
Etoposide. Despite the lack of evidence showing efficacy, etoposide and cisplatin became the acknowledged combination as the standard for treatment of NSCLC in the mid 1990s. One well-designed Italian trial … survival in the drug treatment group averaged 8.5 months versus 5 months without chemotherapy.
Taxol, Gemzar and Taxotere. In 1998, the FDA added Taxol to the list of “safe and effective” drugs for NSCLC. Shortly after …. Gemzar … and Taxotere …. Became FDA approved for NSCLC in combination with cisplatin … Non-inferiority trials served as the evidence basis. These are not medical breakthrough medications ….. (they) used the same kind of purposefully mangled science, poorly designed studies and skillful lobbying to win FDA acceptance. (My comment: Non-inferiority means the effect of a new treatment is not worse than that of an active control by more than a specified margin).
Iressa. Of all the undeserved FDA approvals of chemotherapy drugs for NSCLC, the most irresponsible was the approval of Iressa for patients. The FDA approval of (Iressa) based on a 11 to 3 vote … based on one uncontrolled trial in which 10% of 216 patients receiving the drug had 50% or more shrinkage of tumors lasting for one or more months …. Researchers did not show increased survival or quality of life in these patients. People may die faster with (Iressa) for all we know. (Iressa) should be withdrawn from the market. (My comment: Yes, Iressa was later withdrawn after many deaths in Japan. Currently, it is being replaced by a sister drug called Tarceva).
Colon cancer chemotherapy
In my training and practice as a medical oncologist in the late 1970s and early 1980s, I treated few colon cancer patients with chemotherapy. I did not believe that benefits exceeded risks.
Dr. Charles Moertel’s uncontrolled colon cancer trial in 1960 had made national headlines. He reported an 85% complete and partial response rate in patients with advanced colon cancer who received chemotherapy drug 5-FU. This led to the FDA approving 5-FU for metastatic colo-rectal cancer in 1962. However, when other investigators reported their results in a few years, the response rate rates dropped to the 60% range. After further studies, the average response rates fell to the 40% range. Finally, about 20 years after his initial glowing report, Dr. Moertel wrote, “… lack of beneficial effect of 5-FU on survival.” The response rates around the country ranged from 12% to 20% and overall survival of chemotherapy patients was not proven better than for those not taking chemotherapy drugs.
Leucovorin. In 1991, on a 5 to 4 vote, the FDA approved leucovorin in combination with 5-FU … trials showed only little if any effects on survival. The Mayo Clinic reported marginally significant survival data … and the results from … Canada … showed no statistically significant survival benefit. Mucositis (destruction of the gastrointestinal lining cells from the mouth to the anus) and diarrhea were both more severe with high dose leucovorin added.
Irinotecan (Camptosar). While it may shrink tumors, there is no scientific evidence that irinotecan benefits people with colo-rectal cancer. Despite this lack of evidence, the FDA voted 9 to 0 to approve irinotecan.
Xeloda. In 2001, the FDA approved (Xeloda) … for colorectal cancer. Again, no randomized trials with placebo treated or untreated control groups to show efficacy of (Xeloda) in prolonging or improving quality of life.
Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) obtained FDA approval in 2004 for colorectal cancer. This approval was based on randomized comparisons showing equivalence (non-inferiority) with other chemotherapy agents – no untreated or placebo control group was included.
Avastin…. FDA approval (was) … based on one small trial comparing two strengths of (Avastin) added to 5-FU + leukovorin. Patients taking the higher does lived 16.1 months on average compared with 21.5 months for those taking half the higher dose. Those taking 5-FU + leukovorin alone averaged 13.8 months of survival. A subsequent trial comparing 5-FU +leukovorin + irinotecan with and without (Avastin) also showed about a 5 month survival advantage with (Avastin).
Erbitux. In February 2004, the FDA approved (Erbitux) ….”although treatment with (Erbitux) has not been shown to extend patients’ lives, it was shown to shrink tumors in some patients and delay tumor growth, especially when used as a combination treatment.”
Pancreatic cancer
From my days as a medical oncologist, I remember pancreatic cancer as the most refractory tumor to chemotherapy.
Gemzar. The FDA approved (Gemzar) for advanced pancreatic cancer patients in 1996. This approval was based on a randomized comparison with 5-FU in which none of the 126 patients in either group had any significant tumor shrinkage. The FDA justified its approval on a new criterion that they called “clinical benefit,” defined as a reduction in pain or pain medication consumption, weight gain or improved functional status. This very subjective endpoint can easily lead to biased reporting by drug company funded investigators.
Brain cancer
Because of the so-called “blood brain barrier,” most drugs do not penetrate well from the blood stream into the brain tissue. With the exception of childhood neuroblastoma, brain cancers respond poorly to chemotherapy.
For over 30 years, the standard chemotherapy drug for adult patients with the most common types of brain cancers (gliomas and astrocytomas) have been BCNU, CCNU and Matulane. These drugs cure no one, are not shown through scientific evidence to prolong survival and are not FDA-approved for brain cancer.
In 1999, the FDA granted accelerated approval status to Temodar for treatment of adult patients with aggressive form of brain cancer. Only about 10% of brain cancer patients had tumor shrinkage in studies that had no untreated or placebo control groups. No meaningful assessment of survival or quality of life could be made.
Conclusion
The direct cost of treating cancers in 2007 in the U.S. (physicians, drugs, hospitals, etc.) will be about US$89 billion. About $52 billion will be for chemotherapy drugs.
Chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), metastatic colon cancer, pancreas cancer and brain cancer are but a few examples of FDA-approved drugs for which there is no convincing evidence of benefit.
Inappropriate chemotherapy treatments cause incredible suffering. Most of the 550,000 Americans who die of cancer each year receive chemotherapy despite of the fact that only about 20% to 30% of them have tumors that respond well to drugs.
Chemotherapy cures many children and some adults that would have otherwise died. However, for most people with advanced cancers of the lung, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and brain, chemotherapy increases suffering and cost without significantly prolonging life.
Cancer chemotherapy is lucrative for medical oncologists, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and stock market investors.
Patients and their families hope for miracles despite all odds. Many times their vulnerability leads them to accept treatments uncritically that are not in their best interests.
Medical oncologists are paid well for giving chemotherapy and hardly at all for counseling and supporting their patients.
The economic forces in the current medical marketplace work to patients’ disadvantage.
Comments
Let me stress again, the above 44 statements are words written by Dr. David Cundiff, a medical oncologist turned hospice doctor. Dr. Cundiff left oncology perhaps because he couldn’t “stomach” what he saw and practised. He has now joined the list of those brave souls who have enough conscience and guts to speak up. Einstein once said, The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil. But because of those who look on and do nothing. I am sure, in the years to come, the world would say “thank you” to Dr. Cundiff for what he had said and done. Dr. Julian Whitaker, another medical doctor said this, I am convinced that the best protection against evil that lurks among us – and make no mistake that it lurks among us – is information. I believe Dr. Cundiff shared similar vision – to provide information to those who need it. It is for this reason that the front page of his book has this unique message, “Photocopy authorization policy: Authorization to print or otherwise reproduce items for internal or personal use, the internal or personal use of specific clients or for review is granted by David K. Cundiff, M.D., provided that the source is cited.”
Today, Dr. Cundiff is not alone in trying to call a spade a spade. In his book, The War on Cancer – an anatomy of failure, Dr. Guy Faguet – cancer researcher and medical doctor, wrote, “An objective analysis of cancer chemotherapy outcomes over the last three decades reveals that … the cell-killing paradigm has failed to achieve its objective …. a model based on flawed premises with unattainable goal, cytotoxic chemotherapy in its present form will neither eradicate cancer nor alleviate suffering” (pg.89).
Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez, a medical doctor from New York, USA (in Knock Out by Suzanne Sommers) put it more blatantly when he said, “It is hard for me to believe that an oncologist who has gone through four years of college, four years of medical school, three years of residency, and then three years of oncology post-residency training can’t connect the dots. You have to be an idiot not to be aware that for most of the cancers chemo isn’t doing anything. It’s in all the journals. It’s not like it’s a secret. The fact of the matter is that 95 percent of the patients who call my office have been brutalized by the orthodox system … my staff just sits there dumbfounded by their stories, story after story, over and over again. Everyday. Spend a one day in my office listening to the dozens of people who call in with these horror stories about the conventional therapies that were pushed on them with false hope, then you will see why we get upset when we are criticized as alternative guys offering false hope. These people come to me half-dead because they were promised that these treatments could work …”
I am aware that what is being presented here may not be palatable to some readers. Truths are always bitter. What is more, as Dr. Cundiff said, “Patients, clinging to any thread of hope for a cure, hear what they want to hear from the oncologist.” If they don’t hear what they want to hear, they go away disappointed!
History has shown that bearers of such truths are castigated and condemned – there is no exception, as we sometimes experienced in CA Care. The practitioners of alternative medicine are labeled as charlatans, quacks and snake oil peddlers. That is the way the world operates. Professionals on each side of the fence, throw mud at each other’s face and unfortunately leaving cancer patients with not much choice – having to choose between the devil and the deep blue sea. That is the reality of today.
So I say to all of you reading this, Try, if possible, not to get cancer! How? you may ask. That unfortunately again is another long and debatable subject.
CANCER STORY 
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