Month: May 2017

How Much Longer Will We Put Up With $100,000 Cancer Drugs?

  • Of 91 new therapies approved for solid tumours between 2002 and 2016, the median overall survival benefit was little more than two months. 
  • Yet the annual price tag per patient now regularly exceeds $100,000.

 European School of Oncology

Paul Workman, Giulio Draetta, Jan Scellens and Rene Bernards wrote an article, How Much Longer Will We Put Up With $100,000 Cancer Drugs? DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2017.01.034

  • The spiraling cost of new drugs mandates a fundamentally different approach to keep lifesaving therapies affordable for cancer patients.
  • As early as 2012, 12 of the 13 newly-approved cancer drugs were priced above $100,000 annually, and the situation has only gotten worse since (Light and Kantarjian, 2013, Mailankody and Prasad, 2015). For instance, the cost of the combination of nivolumab (anti-PD-1) and ipilimumab (anti-CTLA4) is priced around $252,000, exceeding the median cost of a US home ($240,000 in 2016).
  • With a lifetime risk of developing cancer of close to 40%, the problem is clear.
  • The pharmaceutical industry has traditionally defended these high prices by pointing at the high attrition rate during clinical drug development and the cost of large registration studies.
  • If development cost would be a major factor in the pricing structure, a simple law of economics would have mandated a considerable reduction in price when the eligible patient population increases, but that has hardly happened.
  • This is a recurring theme in pharma. For instance, trastuzumab was first approved for advanced breast cancer and later also for early disease (adjuvant) without a reduction in price. Healthcare payers should not accept this lack of price-volume relationship.
  • Moreover, there is very little relationship between drug price and clinical benefit (Mailankody and Prasad, 2015). This has sparked widespread criticism, alleging that cancer drug pricing is primarily based on “what the market will bear.” 
  • There is a clear and urgent necessity to lower cancer drug prices to keep lifesaving drugs available and affordable for patients. As one patient advocate recently put it: “Innovation is meaningless if nobody can afford it.”
  • Much has been written about the reasons behind the exorbitant drug prices and what to do about it. One recurring theme is the notion that the US federal government is prohibited by law from negotiating drug prices as a result of the 2003 Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act.
  • Considering that Medicare and Medicaid spend $ 140 billion on medicines annually, this represents a serious impediment in driving down drug prices. Lack of competition and a general absence of a connection between drug price, sales volume, and clinical performance are other arguments in the drug pricing discussion (Jaffe, 2015).
  • Indeed, lack of competition and bargaining power made US prices of cancer drugs among the highest in the world, increasing by 10% annually between 1995 and 2013, far above the average inflation rate (Howard et al., 2015).
  • While negotiations may bring prices down, a recent cost comparison in EU countries shows that the ability of individual nations to negotiate discounts is limited, most likely due to the modest market sizes of the EU countries (van Harten et al., 2016).

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Beware the Medical-Industrial Complex

Stevens CW1, Glatstein E.   Oncologist. 1996;1(4):IV-V.

  • “. we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex.” Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States (1953-1961). Farewell Address, January 17, 1961.
  • If Ike were with us today, he might well expand his views on power and influence to include modern American medicine. The corporatization of health care in the United States has moved rapidly in recent years.
  • New developments in cancer treatment include expensive technological “bells and whistles” which physicians must ultimately evaluate objectively, despite lush advertisements from companies with obvious vested interests, and authoritative testimonials from biased investigators who presumably believe in their own work to the point of straining credulity and denying common sense.
  • The 3-D image that was created by a computer may look beautiful (and cost accordingly), but it is hard to believe that it can fundamentally change the outcome of patients when it does not add any new data that bear on basic issues.
  • Thus, new equipment will be exploiting issues of convenience, efficiency, and increased throughput (translate: economic improvement, not biological superiority).
  • We must remember that every new therapy costs money ….
  • Improvement in cancer cure rates has been frustratingly slow. We work against a clever, tenacious adversary – both in the clinic and in the corporate board room. It is our responsibility to tout our accomplishments, admit our failures, and provide progressively better basic and clinical research with an eye toward future improvements in outcome. We must not be seen as yet another special interest come to drink at the well of public spending, but as advocates for the public good.

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The prince and the pauper. A tale of anticancer targeted agents.

Dueñas-González A1, García-López P, Herrera LA, Medina-Franco JL, González-Fierro A, Candelaria M.   Mol Cancer. 2008 Oct 23;7:82. doi: 10.1186/1476-4598-7-82.

  • Cancer rates are set to increase at an alarming rate, from 10 million new cases globally in 2000 to 15 million in 2020.
  • Regarding the pharmacological treatment of cancer, we currently are in the interphase of two treatment eras. The so-called pregenomic therapy which names the traditional cancer drugs, mainly cytotoxic drug types, and post-genomic era-type drugs referring to rationally-based designed.
  • Although there are successful examples of this newer drug discovery approach, most target-specific agents only provide small gains in symptom control and/or survival, whereas others have consistently failed in the clinical testing.

There is however, a characteristic shared by these agents: their high cost.

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Anticancer Drug Development: The Way Forward.

Connors T1. Oncologist. 1996;1(3):180-181.

  • Cancer chemotherapy celebrated its fiftieth anniversary last year. It was in 1945 that wartime research on the nitrogen mustards, which uncovered their potential use in the treatment of leukaemias and other cancers, was first made public.
  • Fifty years later, more than sixty drugs have been registered in the USA for the treatment of cancer, but there are still lessons to be learnt.
  • One problem, paradoxically, is that many anticancer agents produce a response in several different classes of the disease. This means that once a new agent has been shown to be effective in one cancer, much effort is devoted to further investigations of the same drug in various combinations for different disorders.
  • While this approach has led to advances in the treatment of many childhood cancers and some rare diseases, a plethora of studies on metastatic colon cancer, for example, has yielded little benefit. 5-fluorouracil continues to be used in trials, yet there is no evidence for an increase in survival.
  • The lesson to be learnt is that many common cancers are not adequately treated by present-day chemotherapy, and most trials of this sort are a  waste of time.
  • Significant increases in survival will only occur if the selectivity of present-day anticancer agents can be increased or new classes of more selective agents can be discovered.

 

 

Shopping for an illusive cancer cure!

A young Indonesian man and his sister came to our centre, trying to “shop” for a cure for their father’s cancer. They came with a long, rolled piece of fax-paper.

The following were written on that paper.

  1. August 2013. Father was diagnosed with cancer of the rectum which had spread to the liver.
  2. Went to a private hospital in Singapore for a biopsy.
  3. Underwent chemotherapy in a private hospital. Drugs used: Oxaloplatin + Leucovorin + 5-FU + Erbitux.
  4. After 4 cycles of chemo, underwent robotic surgery of the rectum in October 2013.
  5. One month after surgery, underwent 8 cycles of chemotherapy again. In total he had 12 chemos. His CEA reduced to less than 5.0. Metastases in liver disappeared!
  6. Took oral drugs: Xeloda and TS One.
  7. CEA shot up again.
  8. More chemo — 8 cycles. Drugs used: Compto + Leucovorin + 5-FU + Erbitux (note: same as before except for Compto instead of Oxaloplatin).
  9. CEA was 10.
  10. Through recommendation of his doctor in Indonesia, went to a doctor at NUH Singapore for surgery to remove the tumour in segment 5 of liver. This was in October 2014.
  11. Underwent radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in June 2015, in Mount Elizabeth, Singapore.
  12. Back in Indonesia, underwent TACE in Gatot Subroto Hospital, Jakarta in July 2015.
  13. CEA shot up to 40.
  14. Went back to the same private hospital in Singapore to undergo more chemo. Received 2 shots of chemo using the same previous drugs: Compto + Leucovorin + 5-FU + Erbitux.
  15. CEA reduced to 15.
  16. Continued with 6 more cycles of chemo with a private hospital in hometown, Semarang.
  17. CEA increased to 50.
  18. Continued with 4 cycles of chemotherapy in Semarang. Drugs used: Avastin + FOLFOX.
  19. Not effective.
  20. Chemo drugs changed to: Compto + Leucovorin + 5-FU + Erbitux (previous drugs as in Singapore).
  21. CEA reduced to 4.
  22. In February 2017, took Stivarga — oral drug (regorafenib).
  23. CEA shot up to 300 and in March 2017 it was at 800.
  24. Suffered severe side effects besides being not effective.
  25. Came to Penang cancer hospital and had one shot of chemo. Drugs used: Paritumumab (or Vectibix) + 5-FU + Irenotecan. One shot of this chemo cost RM 10,000.

After two weeks in Penang, this young man came to our centre. He came to know about CA Care from the internet and wanted to know more about our therapy.

While waiting to talk with me, this young man and his sister was given this notification to read.

Some important points for you to know before you see me

NO CURE FOR CANCER

  1. Most patient who come here, have already undergone medical treatments – surgery, radiation or chemo. Do these cure you?
  2. If you come here expecting me to cure you, know that I too cannot cure your cancer. From my experience, NO one on earth can cure any cancer. After some years cancer comes back again!
  3. But if you want me to help you – to give you another option, to have a better quality of life — may be it is possible. But it all depends on you. Because your health is your responsibility. Are you willing to help yourself? Are you willing to change your lifestyle, your diet, etc.?

OUR HERBS ARE BAD-TASTING, AND HAVE AWFUL SMELL

  1. Besides the bad taste and smell.
  2. You need to boil the herbs a few times a day — that’s a lot of work!
  3. You need to take two, three or four types of teas each day.

YOU MUST TAKE CARE OF YOUR DIET – YOU CANNOT EAT ANYTHING YOU LIKE

  1. You cannot each anything that walks – meaning, no meat, no egg, no milk, etc.
  2. Don’t take sugar (sugar is food for cancer).
  3. Don’t eat oily or fried food, table salt.

TRY OUR THERAPY FOR TWO TO FOUR WEEKS

  1.  May be the first 2 weeks on our therapy, you may suffer more pain, more tired, etc. That’s healing crisis. Don’t stop. Hopefully after 3 to 4 weeks you may feel better.
  2. If after a month on our therapy you still don’t feel better — the herbs are not helping you in anyway — then stop following our therapy. Please ask someone else to help you.
  3. If you feel better, continue with our therapy.

If you are still on chemo or radiotherapy (or are planning to do chemo or radiotherapy), or are taking other treatments elsewhere,

Go ahead and continue with these treatments first,  do not take our herbs yet.

 Comments

While waiting for me to talk to them and after reading the statements above, the daughter said: I don’t think my father can keep up with your therapy!

During the meeting I asked both of them the following questions:

  1. Why did you come to see me after everything else has failed?

Answer: Oh, we never knew that it is another option. We only thought medical treatment is the only way out.

  1. How much did the family spend for all these treatments?

Answer: Oh, could not count! So much.

  1. You were in Penang for 2 weeks already, what makes you take that long to come and see us?

Answer: I could not find CA Care!

  1. But, if you go into the websites: http://www.CancerCareMalaysia.com or CancerCareIndonesia.com, we have a google map in there that shows you exactly where we are.

Answer: Oh, I did not go into the website! I called your number but could not get through.

  1. We only answer phone from 10 am to 1 p.m. We close at 1 p.m. That is also stated in the website.

Response: I used my Indonesian hand phone and could not get through.

  1. Did you use the correct country code?

Answer: I just dialed without the country code!

  1. This a quotation:

Response: I agree.

  1. This is another quotation:

Response: I also agree with that.

After spending about 30 minutes with them, I sent them home to think carefully about the above.

I never get to see them again!

Let me close with another quote from an oncologist:

 

 

 

 

Healing Cancer is about care and love. To heal is about YOU, your attitude and your belief

Good morning Dr. Chris,

Just to share my experience with you …

Mary with Ovarian Cancer

This lady had a stage for Stage 4 ovarian CA who came last Feb 2016, seeking for 2nd opinion, her name is Mary (not real name). Apparently she rejected conventional therapy. But the alternative cancer therapy she switched to also gave her chemo but in a non-standard small dosage (carboplatin 5X, radiotherapy 27X) for palliative purpose.

She came seeking for a cure, I told her herbs don’t cure cancers, they only help to heal the body. This concept sounded so foreign to her that she lost confidence and went to the other alternative medical doctor. I told myself “that is fine”, that patient will not do well also if she had started herbs because her mindset is not right.

Julie with Breast Cancer

Fast forward one year later, she came and brought her friend (Julie) who has Stage 4 Ca breast with metastasis to bone and liver. By this action I knew Mary agreed with what I said last year and she still trusts me. She wanted me to help her friend.

But I felt vulnerable. Julie has been having chemo from China and locally — now in a bad shape, short of having herself killed.

If I were to start the herbs and she dies, her family members will think that the herbs kill her. I was reluctant to start her on herbs because her expectations were wrong and she still has not given up with the chemo-alternative therapy.

She is one person with one foot here and another foot there. She could not make up her mind. She is confused, scared and suffering.

My observations

Personally both patients wanted to get out of their current treatment but has invested too much in it (to the tune of RM 400k), but too scared.

They are still not grasping the reality that cancer cannot be cured.

And the doctor (not oncologist), when failed in her alternative therapy such as GCMAF and thymus therapy, encouraged patient to go for chemo.

And the oncologist in the hospital then told her that chemotherapy is also divided to conventional chemo — the high dose — and the alternative low dose chemo, but off label used mainly for palliation.

Naturally the patient opted for ‘alternative-chemo’.

In hindsight, comparing my patients with these two patients treated by another ‘alternative doctor’:

1) My CA patients eventually becomes calm, happy, and have a positive outlook of life and prepared to go, cherishing each day as if it was their last.

In contrast, Mary and Julie are still seeking for ‘better’ treatment as long as their finances allows them. They are worried, seeking second opinion for reassurance that what they are doing is right.

2) My CA patients are free to switch or stop their current treatment with herbs and do anything that they think is better or is able to help them. And even when they decide to change, they somehow are still in good terms with me and would sometimes refer their friends who needed help to me.

Whereas, Mary and Julie were initially promised (guaranteed) many things — their confidence boosted. Then later they discovered that such promises were not fulfilled and the guarantee was false.

When they confronted the doctor, the guilt and fear trap was laid by the doctor. Blaming patient for what they did wrong and they would die if they continue to do the ‘wrong’ thing (like stopping their treatment).

Out of fear, they continued with more treatment with the same doctor which they have begun to distrust.

Later on, they will speak negatively about this doctor and tell their friends to avoid this doctor.

That is how I found out about what this doctor is doing.

I am seeing her wither and die in front of me and I cannot and dare not do anything. Very sad.

Best regards,

Dr. Julian

Note: GcMAF is a protein produced by modification of vitamin D-binding protein. Proponents of GcMAF claim that it is an immunomodulatory protein that has antitumor properties and strengthens the immune system by macrophage activation.

 

 

 

A Tale of Two Patients: Alive and healthy — miraculous healing or fluke shot?

There is a town in Indonesia where it appears everybody seems to know everybody — that is, if you are a somebody in town. Many patients came to see us because “somebody” told them about us. For us too, we often learn about the wellbeing of our patients from “somebody” who came to visit us!

Here is a story of two patients who are from this dynamic town.

AS with Liver Cancer

AS was 65 years old when he was diagnosed liver cancer. His problem started in late December 2011 when he felt gastric-like pain in the abdomen. His doctor suspected gallbladder infection. He went to Jakarta and underwent a surgery to remove his gallbladder. During the operation, the surgeon also did a liver biopsy for suspicious liver tumour.

In February 2012, AS went to the National Cancer Centre in Singapore for follow-up treatment.  A PET / CT revealed a  3.2 x 2.6 cm in the left lobe of his liver. AS did nothing after this. But two months later,  AS did another CT scan. The tumour had grown in size.

On 3 May 2012, AS underwent a surgery to remove the tumour. The procedure cost him SGD28,000. Liver histology indicated a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC or liver cancer) and it was 4 cm in size.

About three months after the surgery,  AS went back to Singapore for a review. A repeat CT showed NO evidence of recurrent HCC or focal liver lesion.

Unfortunately six months later (i.e. about 9 months after the surgery) another PET /CT revealed a new recurrent mass in the liver measuring 8.0 x 4.8 cm. Surgery failed and AS was asked to undergo chemotherapy.

On 22 March 2013, AS underwent TACE (transarterial chemo embolization). Unfortunately, the interventional radiologist was unable to access the tumour feeding vessel. TACE was aborted. In spite of the failure, AS had to pay S$5,000 for the procedure.

AS was discharged on 25 March 2013 and was referred to an oncologist for intravenous chemotherapy. AS was disappointed with the doctors and  decided to give up further medical treatment. He came to seek our help.

AS was prescribed Capsule A, B, C and D. In addition he had to take LL-tea, Liver 1 and Liver 2 teas. We sent him for a blood test. The results as of 15 April 2013, showed his alpha-fetoprotein = 1,064.0 and total bilirubin = 25.0. Other liver function enzymes were within normal range.

After the CA Care Therapy

Eight months after taking the herbs, a CT indicated the tumour had shrunk to 5.2 x 2.2 x 3.9 cm in size (from 8.0 x 4.8 cm).

About 2 years later, 18 January 2015, AS and his wife came to visit us. AS’s wife was very agitated and upset. Since the past few weeks AS had been taking “bad food” – food that we tell patients not to eat. On top of that AS sometimes was not taking the herbs properly.

Briefly my message to AS (and also all cancer patients) that night was very clear, crude and blunt.

  1. When patients are “half dead,” they would follow our advice without protest. But when they get well, most of them will “misbehave.” That is normal.
  2. To live or to die is your choice.
  3. There is no need to be upset about the patient’s choice. If he wants to die, let him die.
  4. My experiences have shown that if patients eat anything they like, this “good time” would probably last about 2 months. After that the cancer would recur and they would not be able “enjoy” food anymore.
  5. I also told AS, Perhaps it is time you stop taking the herbs. Go home and eat a lot of what you want to eat and “go” faster.
  6. AS had lived for almost 2 years. He should be grateful that he is still alive – healthy and without pain. What more do you want? Be grateful for what you are now!

I wish to state too that telling AS the above was not done with anger! But I suspect these words were too harsh for him. I did not get to see AS again!

Later I learned that AS is a somebody in his town! He owns rubber plantations and his son-in-law is a medical doctor!

Did his son-in-law stop him from taking our herbs? No, on the contrary, his son-in-law was the one who asked him to come and see us after the medical treatment in Singapore had failed.

It is now 2017 — it has been four years since we first met AS. What has happened to him? Many visitors from his town told us he is still healthy and doing fine!

Let’s hear what Jaya has got to tell us about AS in the video below.

 

Gist of our conversation

Chris: Let me ask you about your friend with liver cancer, who brought you here. I did not get to see him anymore. Is he still alive? And healthy?

Wife of Jaya: Yes, yes.

C: Have you seen him lately? When was the last time you saw him?

W: I met him and his wife in the market, a few days ago.

C: And he is really healthy?

W: Yes and he has a big tummy and his face looks pink and healthy.

C: Still alive!

W: Yes, very much alive! His son-in-law is a medical doctor. It is his son-in-law who asked him to come and see you.

C: Oh, the son-in-law did not object him taking our herbs?

W: No, no.

C: I am really happy to know that he is doing fine. That is the most important thing. Good for him. In your past conversation with him, did you ever hear him saying that the herbs are not effective and that is why he does not want to continue taking it anymore?

W: No, never. He said he is already old (72 years already). So there is no need to take anymore herbs. But he said he still takes care of his diet.

C: The last time he and his wife came here, I remember I scolded him for not wanting to take care of his diet. His wife was also mad at him. May be because of that that he did not want to see me anymore.

Jaya: Before we came here, his wife talked to me over the phone. She wanted me to send you her regards and let you know that AS is doing fine. Only that he does not want to continue with the herbs anymore.

C: That is okay. As long as he is fine, there is no need to take the herbs. Why waste time to come here and waste all the money. I am not unhappy about that. What is important is to know that he is doing okay.

Jaya with colon cancer

Another somebody in town is Jaya. Actually it was AS (above) who brought Jaya to see us in 2015.

Jaya was then 48 years old when he was diagnosed with colon cancer — T3N8X, stage 2. He underwent an operation in October 2014. This was done by a surgeon in a Jakarta hospital. A chemo-port was installed and Jaya had 2 cycles of chemotherapy with FLOFOX 6 regimen (oxaliplatin + Leucovarin + 5-FU).

The first chemo was on 16 November 2014 and the second on 30 November 2014, done in a hospital in Jakarta. Jaya was scheduled for 10 cycles of chemo,  every 2 weeks.

Unfortunately after the second chemo, Jaya developed serious infection. He was rushed to Singapore and was hospitalised for 17 days for Staphylococcus aureus infection (because of chemo-port infection).

While in the hospital he remained unconscious for 3 days. The doctor had asked the family members to “get ready.” Fortunately, Jaya recovered from this ordeal. The treatment in Singapore cost him SGD31,118.

Jaya and his wife flew together with AS and his wife flew to Penang to seek our help. Jaya did not want to continue with his chemotherapy anymore although his wife insisted that he follows the doctor’s advice.

Jaya was started on our herbs and was told to take care of his diet — no more chemo!

It has been two years now, Jaya is doing fine, like his friend AS.

 

Gist of my advice to Jaya

Chris: What is important now is to ensure that you maintain our wellbeing as it is now. Continue to do the right thing that you are doing now. It has been two years since you first came to see us and was started on the herbs. It seems (based on the blood test results) that everything is just fine.

But be careful and know that being good for two years is NOT a cure.

Jaya & Wife: (nodding their heads). Ya.

C: Don’t ever think that your cancer is already gone and cured. From my experience, I know that we cannot cure any cancer. It will come back! Look at one of our patients there (pointing to a picture). He was with us for more than twenty years. Doing fine. Then the cancer recurred (because he did something wrong). Now he is dead.

Comments

When AS with recurrent liver tumour first came to see us, we told him that he had a serious problem. I was not sure if I could help him in anyway. I can only do my best. Back in my mind, in a case such as this — 8 cm recurrent tumour in the liver — at best, survival would be six months! I did not expect him to survive! But as this story has it, it has been 4 years now and AS is still healthy.

AS had given up further medical treatment after surgery and attempted TACE had failed him. He took herbs and changed his diet. And he survived. That’s amazing!

Then you have Jaya. After surgery, he did the so called “right thing” medically. He had two shots of chemo which almost killed him. He had to be rushed to Singapore for help — to clear off his severe infection. Luckily he survived the ordeal when even the doctors thought that he would die.

I remember clearly when AS, Jaya and their wives came to see us that night. Jaya wanted to give up chemotherapy. Jaya’s wife wanted him to continue with the chemo. Later commonsense prevailed. Jaya decided to follow our therapy.

It has been two years now and Jaya is as healthy as anyone else — yes, without chemo!  He took herbs and watch out for his diet.

Often patients are being told, If you don’t operate you die! You don’t do chemo you die! You take herbs — that’s unscientific and unproven! Quackery. In the USA, they call people like me, snake oil salesman!

Which do to prefer? Snake oil or chemo that may kill you?

Related stories

  1. Liver Cancer: 3 cm Tumour OUT, 8 cm Tumour IN After 9 Months and S$28,000-Surgery
  2. 8 cm Liver Tumour Shrunk After 8 Months On Herbs. Still Alive and Well After 2 Years
  3. Colon Cancer: My Chemo Experience

 

 

 

Colon Cancer: Go, have it removed!

RS is a 51-year-old Indonesia lady.  About two years ago, she passed out blood-stained stools. The doctor in her hometown said she had a tumour in her rectum.  RS was told to have it removed. She refused to undergo an operation. She said, I was afraid! She then opted for herbal therapy.

  • RS was given three types of herbal capsules. The herbalist told her that within three months she would be cured.
  • Three months came, nothing much happened. RS was told to take other capsules for another three months. Again nothing happened.
  • RS continued taking the capsules for another three months.
  • After a total of nine months on the herbal capsules, something happened. Her condition deteriorated!

RS  then switched to taking daun binahong tea and also used a type of spray for the mouth. You can read how great these products are in the internet. The spray that she used cost IDR 1.8 million per bottle.

RS never found any relief (let alone cure) from what she did. She and her daughter came to consult a doctor in a private hospital in Penang.

A colonoscopy confirmed an ulcerative tumour at the distal rectum involving the anal canal. CT scan showed an irregular lesion in the lower rectum measuring 1.5 to 2.0 cm in thickness. No evidence of distant metastasis.

RS’s daughter wrote me an email (unedited):

dear Dr Chris,

advise doktor that my mom has to operation, cut her rektum. is it only the way dok,? but we hope with another way. now my mom at XX hospital dok, do colonoscopy and ct scan. may i sent you the result of medical check up before we come. thank you.

Reply: No need to send the reports. Just come and see me and I’ll tell you what to do.

RS and her daughter came to CA Care. Listen to our conversation that morning.

 

 

The gist of our conversation

Part 1: Go for surgery

Chris: Tell me what happened from the very beginning.

Daughter: She passed out blood in her stools.

C: When was that?

RS: About two years ago.

C: What did you do?

R: I went to see a doctor and did a colonoscopy. There was a tumour in the rectum.

C: The doctor asked to operate but you did not want? Why?

R: I was afraid!

Herbal Capsule — Herbalist said can cure!

C: So did you go to the bomoh (sharman) and do jampi-jampi (chanting)?

R: No. I went to a herbalist and he gave me three types of herbal capsules.

C: How long were you on this capsules?

R: About 9 months. After that I stopped.

C: Before you took the herbal capsules, did you ask if these can cure you?

R: I did ask and he said, yes — can cure!

Daughter: The herbalist said can cure.

C: Can cure? After how  long?

R: The herbalist said take the herbs for 3 months, and I would be cured.

C: And did it cure you after 3 months?

R: No. So the herbalist said take for another 3 months?

C: Was it the same herbs? And are they more expensive?

R: He gave me different herbs. Yes, it cost more now.

C: So, you took the herbs for another 3 months.

R: I took a total of 9 months and I gave up. It did not cure me and I had more pain.

C: Did you ask him why the herbs did not cure you?

R: He asked me to continue taking the herbs!

Switched to binahong tea and spray

R: I stated to take herbal tea — binahong. The leaves of a creeping plant.

D: Boil the leaves as tea.

R: And I took it every morning.

D: Mom also use a spray (for the mouth). It is actually a nutritional supplement. It cost IDR 1.8 million per bottle.

C: Are you on all these now?

R: No more.

Doctor in Penang

C: Then you came to Penang and did a colonoscopy. What did the doctor ask you to do after that?

D: Operate, but mom did not want it.

C: Did you ask the doctor is surgery is going to cure you?

R: Never ask.

C: Did he say you need chemo after the operation?

D: The doctor said after the operation, mom can live a normal life.

C: Did he said, mama need to use a colostomy bag?

D: Ya. The doctor also said, if the cancer has spread, then mom has to go for chemotherapy.

C: How much is the operation going to cost you?

D & R: About RM25,000.

Go to Dr. X to your surgery

C: Removing the tumour would not kill you! It is okay. But remember that NOT all doctors are the same. Some do a good job, some don’t. If I were you, I would NOT think too much. Believe me, go for the operation. But let’s find a good surgeon for you! Yes, this is important — who can do a good job for you.

I know of one colorectal surgeon who is good. I have sent a few patients to him. He is a good person and did a good job. But I also want you to know that I do not get any financial incentive (professional they call it referral fee!) by asking you to go and see him. NO, I don’t do such thing — making money that way. What knowledge God gives me, I would share that with my patients without any fee.

So, I suggest that you go to Dr. X for the surgery. If you don’t want to go to Dr. X, of course, you can go to Singapore. But that is going to cost you three times more!

After the surgery, the doctor may want you to do chemo. If you want to do chemo, go ahead. But if you don’t want to go for chemo, you can come back to see me again after that, about 2 weeks after the surgery. Bring along all the medical reports.

If you don’t want to go ahead with the chemo, let the doctor know that you want to take herbs. As I have said, a few of my patients just did that. They had the operation but no chemo.

 

 

Part 2: My advice — why you need surgery

D: Actually we were supposed to go for surgery yesterday. But I consulted my friends in Surabaya. They suggested that I try to find out another option. One of them send me your name card. Mom does not want surgery if possible.

C: You were supposed to go for surgery and you deferred it. The doctor was angry with you?

D: No, he said it’s okay. I told him that we need to discuss with our family members first. .

  1. The cancer has not spread yet

C: Okay, Ibu. If you come with a tumour in your brain, liver, pancreas or lung, I would not encourage to go for an operation. But your case is different. There is a tumour is your rectum.

According to the report, the cancer has not spread to other organs yet. So you are lucky. If the cancer has spread to the liver, then it could meaningless for go for the operation.

In your case, the cancer has not spread yet. So it is best that you have it removed.

  1. No reason for you to suffer

C:  Ibu, you have made a mistake earlier for not going for an operation. The tumour is growing bigger and bigger. And now it is causing you so much pain and discomforts.

If you want to live a bit longer without sufferings, my advice is to have it removed. The tumour is growing in there. It will get bigger. You will have bleeding, pain and find it difficult to move your bowels. Why do you need to suffer like that? I hope you understand.

D: Yes.

  1. You are still young

Think properly, Ibu. You are still young. There is no reason why you need to die of this cancer. If you are at my age, perhaps there is no need to think of going for an operation.

There was a 80 plus-year-old lady who had colon cancer. Her children came to seek our help. The doctor was angry because the family declined surgery. The reason being, at that age, she might just die on the operating table. I gave her the herbs. She had pain after taking the herbs. After two weeks she was okay. She survived a few years and died of old age. No, her cancer was okay.

So Ibu, if you are as old as that lady — 80 plus,, then I would NOT push you to go for an operation.

  1. Herbs do not cure cancer

So please listen — don’t take the wrong path again! Taking herbs for 3 months and hoping the cancer would go away is absurd, not intelligent, not honest and not right. Outright stupidity.

If that herbalist said his capsules can cure your cancer, then we might as well close all the hospitals in this world. Everybody goes to him for a cure. It is not true, Ibu.

I have come across such case like yours before. A herbalist ask patients to take herbs and promised the cancer would be cured. Yes, he made money. The cancer does not go away. The patients go back to him again. This time, he will say, I have a better herbs for your problem. You pay more for this herbs. He makes more money the second round.

Now, do you want to go and see the herbalist who says he can cure you? You want to go to him? He would guarantee you a cure? You want?

R: No, don’t want.

C: Ibu, I have Jesus in my heart. I believe that God is with me in my work here at CA Care. I want to be honest to my patients. I will give my advice truthfully. I don’t want to bluff anybody. I also do not want to sugar-coat what I say. I know that sometimes what I say is something you don’t want to hear. Yes, truth hurts. Some patients come here wanting to hear only what they want to hear.

Even if you take my herbs, I cannot say that the tumour will disappear. My guess is, it will not disappear.

From my experience no one on earth can cure any cancer. Please know that. It is not that I don’t want to cure you. The truth is I cannot do that. This is my honest assessment of your situation. If my herbs can cure you, then we can tell all the hospitals to close shop!

  1. No need to rush — think carefully

C:  You have been living with this cancer for the past two years. So there is no need to rush to make your decision. Take your time — one week or one month — think carefully what you want to do. Remember what I have told you. But as I have said earlier, I do not think what you did earlier was right — wrong path.

If I am here only wanting to sell you my herbs, then I would surely tell you to take our herbs NOW. Take our herbs and don’t go for the operation. But I know right down in my heart, that is not the right thing to do.

  1. Follow your heart

C:  Mama, if you don’t want to follow my advice, I would not force you. It is up to  you. Yes, take my herbs and then some months or years down the road you may suffer. The cancer spreads to your liver. Of course you would not die yet — then you come to me again. What can I do?

Ibu, you are still young but if you want to “go home” faster or sooner, that’s okay. After all we learn that Up There Above is a better place than right down here! Right? So, can go home if you like.

  1. Pray and ask Jesus for guidance

C: Have peace in your heart and consider what you want to do next. For now there is no need for you to take my herbs yet. It would not make any difference and it is just a waste of money. Go home and pray first. Talk to Jesus what you have to do. But Ibu don’t tell Jesus what to do like saying I don’t want to operate. I don’t think that is right. Ask Jesus to guide you — open a way for you.

I know many people came to see us because they said god sent them here — some said Buddha asked to come, some said Kuan Yin (Goddess of Mercy) asked to come.

Okay, do you want to ask any more question? Mama, you are still young, you look healthy. There is no reason why you need to die because of this cancer. Please go home and discuss with your family first. And most important talk to God.


Comments

On 8 May 2017, I received this email from her daughter:

dear Dr Chris,

terima kasih Dokter, mama sudah operasi oleh Dr X, dokternya baik dan Helpful. saat ini mama tinggal pemulihan pasca operasi. terima kasih banyak Dokter. Tuhan Yesus menyertai dan memberkati pelayanan Dokter. amin.

(Thank you Doctor, mama already had surgery by Dr. X. This doctor is kind and helpful. Currently mama is in postoperative recovery. Thank you very much Doctor. May our Lord Jesus be with you and bless Doctor’s ministry. Amen.)

I spent talking to RS and her daughter for almost one and a half hours. I accept no professional fee. The greatest satisfaction I have is to be able to help people in need. I am glad that RS’s daughter wrote back to say that her mom had been operated on and was recovering in the hospital. When she left our centre, I thought I would not hear from anymore — because that is what usually happen!

To those of you who are reading this article, please also know that if you have a tumour in your colon or rectum, know that I would ask you to have it removed first before taking our herbs. This is if the cancer has not spread yet. If it has already spread to other organs, than it is a different story.

 

 

Amazing Healing of Cancer Pain

Y is a 53-year-old Indonesian lady. In early February 2017 went for a pap smear. The result was okay but she was told that she had a 13-cm-cyst in her uterus.

Y underwent a hysterectomy. Histopathology report confirmed a leiomyosarcoma and endometrial stromal tumor.

After this operation, her right leg swelled and she could not walk (picture below).

Y was referred to an oncologist who suggested that she undergo three cycles of chemo to be followed by another surgery. According to the doctor, the swelling was due to a blockage.

Y refused further medical treatment and started to take Linzhi and Porcupine stone! One capsule of porcupine stone cost IDR300.000 and she took 2 capsules per day.

Y’s daughter came to seek our help on behalf of her mother. We prescribed herbs for her to try. After 10 days on the herbs, the swelling of her right leg subsided (picture above).

Y and her family decided to come to Penang. She went to consult a doctor in a private hospital. She was told the cancer had already spread to her kidney. She was asked to see a surgeon.

Y refused further surgery and came to see us.

Chris: You have a sarcoma that had spread to the kidney. What do you expect me to do?

Y: I want you to cure me.

C: No, I am sorry, I cannot cure you.

After talking to the family, I realised that Y is not an easy patient to handle. I advised her accordingly!

Some weeks later, Y’s children — daughter and son — came back to see us again. Listen to our conversation that morning.

 

 

Gist of our conversation.

Chris: When she (your mother) came to see me, I “scolded” her! When she went home, did she take the herbs?

Daughter: Yes.

C: After taking the herbs, did she get better or worse?

D: She is better now!

Pain Gone

C: She was in pain. So I gave her Pain Tea. After taking this tea, did the pain become more or less?

D: For the first two weeks, she still had pain. But after that the pain was reduced. The past two weeks, there is no more pain.

C: Before taking the herbs, how was her pain?

Son: Pain from head to toe. We could not even touch her — she would feel pain. She could cry when the pain was severe. The whole body was in severe pain. The pain came on and off.

C: For each attack of pain, how long did it last?

D: About half an hour or so.

C: In a day, how often did she get this pain attack?

D: Two to three times a day.

C: Was this pain attack a result of something that she did? Or for no season the pain just came on?

S: But the past week there was no more pain.

C: I remember you writing me to say that she wanted to take doctor’s pain medication.

D: No, no she did not take any doctor’s painkiller.

C: Before you said the pain was so severe that she cried. Now, there was no more pain — even if you touch her, she did not feel pain any more. I must say, I really don’t know how this works!

Swelling of Leg Reduced

C: You send me a picture of your mother’s legs. You said it was swollen after her operation but after taking the herbs for 10 days the swelling was reduced (picture below).

 

Declined Further Medical Treatment

C: Why did you not want to go and see the doctor?

S: Don’t want.

C: Why didn’t you want to go for chemo? Tell me, you don’t want her to go or your mother did not want to go?

Fatigue

C: Apart from the pain, what other problems has she now?

S: She is very tired, no energy. This is because she did not eat and sleep well.

Vomiting

S: When she drank the herbal tea, it went it and then out again — vomited. Even food or drink, she would just vomit out.

D: She had to take in little by little.

C: Even for the herbal tea? Do you think she even manage to take in 50 percent of the teas?

D: Difficult.

C: If she can’t even take in 50 percent of the teas — it’s going to be a difficult story. But what can we do. Let’s try our best.

The following are some of the emails written by her daughter.

Dear dr. Teo,

I need your advice about the result of blood, urine, and faeces test that my mom took 2 days before.

The doctor here said the result showing my mom’s vomit was because of ‘junk in the blood’ so he advised to take haemodialysis (cuci darah) to reduce the vomit. And from the CA125A test, he said that my mom was at 4th stage cancer.

Do you mind to see the result?

Reply: I checked your mom’s file. For the vomiting — still vomiting, still cannot eat? I asked to take Appetite and Vomit tea. Also did you take the Lower Edema tea for the swelling of the leg?

Dear dr. Teo,

Yes, we prepared the drink you said and the swelling one. But she cannot drink at all too, once the drink swallowed, she will vomit again.

Reply: You should give her the Appetite and Vomit tea first. Stop other teas.

Yes, we’ve tried but also can’t drink at all 😦

Reply:  Aya! susah (problem).

Yeah, I confused with this situation. Actually she said that it is not her not wanting to drink. She want but she can’t.

 

 

Pancreatic-Liver Cancer: Declined Surgery, On Herbs only! Amazing Healing

LT is a 66-year-old Indonesian male. In December 2015 he had pains in his stomach and started to vomit. He consulted a specialist in Medan and was told it was a pancreas problem. He was given medication but his problem did not go away.

In March 2016, he had stomach discomfort again and was hospitalised. The doctor said there was a tumour in his pancreas. LT was told to consult specialist in Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. The doctor in Medan was not able to handle such a case.

LT went to a university hospital in Kuala Lumpur. He was told to undergo an operation. The doctor told LT. With the operation there would be a 95 percent chance of berhasil (implying, cure? good result? success?). The family was not impressed and declined surgery.

LT went to consult a doctor in a university hospital in Taiwan, as he has a daughter living there.

A CT scan on 11 May 2016 indicated the following:

  • There is a 2.5 x 2.7 x 5.1 cm tumour in the pancreatic head and uncinate process.
  • Dilation of pancreatic duct is noted.
  • Liver metastasis (3.6 cm) in the S8 of liver.

The doctor said the only option is surgery but he would not be able to know if the cancer can be removed or not. If he were to open him up and found many more tumours in the pancreas or liver, then we would just close him up and would not proceed further.

Faced with such uncertainty, LT declined further medical treatment. A family member searched the internet and found CA Care. The decided to come and consult us.

 

The following is the gist of our conversation that morning.

Daughter: We brought him to a hospital in Medan. The doctor said his pancreas was swollen and prescribed some medications. The problem went away. But in March 2016, his stomach was uncomfortable again. He vomited. MRI indicated a tumour in his pancreas. The doctor recommended that we either go to Kuala Lumpur or Singapore for further treatment.

So we brought him to Kuala Lumpur. The doctor suggested surgery and told us that this would give a 95 percent result (berhasil).

Chris: Wah, 95 percent result — do you know what the doctor meant by 95 percent result. Sure, when you cut out you will surely get some results. But does that mean it is a cure?

D: My father was frightened and he refused the operation. So he went to Taiwan for further consultation.

C: Why Taiwan?

D: We have a family member there. And we were told that the doctor in Taiwan is good at treating cancer. The Taiwan doctor also suggested surgery.

C: You went to Kuala Lumpur, the doctor asked you to operate and said you have a 95 result. Now, the Taiwan doctor also asked you to operate.

D: But the Taiwan doctor said he could not guarantee the result. He did not give us any assurance or guarantee. He said he would open up and see. If the cancer has already spread to many places then he would not proceed further. He would just close it back.

C: So you did not go ahead with the operation in Taiwan?

D: Yes, and we flew right back to see you here.

Son: I found CA Care in the net and told her about it.

C: Let me tell you sincerely and honestly. I cannot cure your cancer. From my experience, if you have brain, pancreas, lung or liver cancer, it is better that you do not operate. Surgery may give more problems and make you miserable. That’s my experience.

Patient: From the pancreas the cancer had already spread to the liver.

C: Yes, that’s even worse. And most of the time, that can happen because the pancreas is just situated next to the liver (see diagram below).

C: Did you ask if removing the tumour in the pancreas can cure you? But on the other hand, if  you don’t operate and you take my herbs, this is not going to cure you either.

So, you need to make your own decision — what you want to do now?

P: I want to try your herbs.

C: Even if you take my herbs, you need to know that this is not going to cure you! I want to be honest with you. I cannot cure you. And from what I see, no one on earth can cure cancer either.

But even if there is no cure, it is okay if you can live a life without any suffering — can eat, can sleep and no pain — we must be thankful for these?

After all human beings will have to die one day. So don’t fear death.

Whether your life is going to be longer or shorter, all depends on you and your diet. You may be told to eat anything you like. But I say no!

D: Yes, the doctors told us to eat anything we like. What you want to eat, just eat!

C: Yes, eat what you like and you die sooner. My advice is, Take care of your diet!

About One Year Later

LT’s daughter and son, came to report her father’s progress.

 

The following is the gist of our conversation that morning.

Chris: (Trying to recall) Oh, it has been a year since you came to see me and started to take the herbs. How is your father doing?

Daughter: Baik, baik (doing good!).

C: Before taking the herbs, was he okay?

D: No, he was in pain.

C: Now, after the herbs, he can eat, can sleep, no pain, can work? Is that so? Okay?

D: Yes.

C: So he has no more problems now? Before taking the herbs, was he able to do all these?

Son: No, he always slept all day long.

D: He could not eat, and would vomit.

S: Drink also vomit.

C: Previously, he walked with difficulty — now okay? Before he had fever?

D: Now okay and no more fever. He has good appetite.

C: Did he keep to his good diet?

D: Yes.

C: Is he okay now — can work in the house?

D: Ya, can help take care of his grandchild.

C: When he first came, he had pancreatic cancer that had spread to his liver. A real difficult problem. Normally patient like that would die within six months or so. And before he dies, he would suffer — painful.

Now, it is already one year since he first came here. And he is doing fine. I did not expect this to happen. I did not believe that he could live a normal life like you said.

It has been a year. Okay, let’s aim for another year of good health. Let’s see what happen next year!

This is indeed unbelievable. It’s God’s blessing — I can’t say more!

Now, we need to maintain this good health. We cannot cure his cancer but he can live a good normal life — what else can we do?

We have to be careful. Do what is right that makes him well. Don’t change your “good healthy” ways. Never, never, ever do things that’s not right.

I am really in awe. I cannot understand or explain this healing. If you ask me earlier …. No, I would have said to you that he would not be able to survive that long. Who would believe this kind of story? Indeed difficult to believe. But remember, do not do anything that is not right. Very good. It’s God blessing.