Month: March 2020

Colon Cancer Part 4: Surgery, Xeloda and Oxaliplatin – he died.

In the early morning of 4 February 2020, I received an email from YK.

Good morning, Dr. Chris.

I am YK. Kenny recommended me to see you for treatment of my husband’s cancer.  My husband, EK, is quite weak but he is so adamant to travel to Penang to see you personally and seek your treatment. We will be driving from KL early morning and are expected to reach your clinic before noon. We would appreciate if you could kindly accommodate our request at this very last minute.

EK, 60 years old, was wheeled into our centre. This is what his wife told us:

  1. EK is rather weak but appeared determined to find healing for his cancer.
  1. He was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in March 2018.
  1. He had an operation in a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur. After surgery he had to wear a colostomy bag.
  1. EK was subsequently put on the oral drug Xeloda (or Capecitabine).
  1. He was okay, but only for a while. Three to four months later, the tumour recurred. It was about the size of a tennis ball.
  1. EK underwent chemotherapy. The regimen used was XELOX, a combination of Oxaliplatin and Xeloda.
  1. In addition, he received 25 radiation treatments. The whole treatments was completed in January 2019.
  1. From January to July 2019, EK was put on Xeloda – a total of 4 or 5 cycles.
  1. He suffered congestion in the intestine.
  1. He underwent a second operation to correct this situation and had to stay in the hospital for about three months.
  1. After being discharged, the doctor said there is nothing more that medicine can do for him. In other words the doctors had given up trying to “cure” him. EK was asked to go back to the hospital once every three weeks for palliative care, such as undergoing blood transfusion, infusion of sodium, nutrients and antibiotics, etc. as and when required.

The medical report dated 5 August 2019 stated the following:

  • Ill defined mass centered at the rectum measuring 11 x 7 x 6 cm.
  • Adherent small bowel loop at this site with proximal dilatation suggesting subacute obstruction.
  • Ileostomy.
  • No liver or nodal metastasis.

Chris: How much have you spent for all these treatments,?

Wife: The total cost came to about RM400,000. Paid by my employer.

On 17 Feb 2020, I wrote this email to YK.

I am sorry for writing this email but for the sake of my own knowledge in trying to help others, I hope you don’t mind me asking. Kenny just came to the centre this morning. He told me your husband passed away just a day or two after coming to see me. Is that correct news? Besides that he also took some products and was on Gerson Therapy? If you find it difficult to respond, it is ok … I understand. Chris

Reply: Good afternoon, Dear Dr. Chris.

Thank you for your email. In fact, I wanted to email to inform that my husband passed away on 11 Feb 2020, while we visited you on 3 Feb 2020. In fact, my husband was very positive after our trip to Penang and he did try to follow the prescription for one and half day and a lot of dark slimy charge from his stoma.

Unfortunately, he can’t continue because of his low sodium level whereby he can’t eat at all, just drink some soup and protein / milo drink since 2-3 before CNY. In fact, he told me that he will try again in 1 to 2 weeks time after he resolved his sodium problem.

FYI, He did drink Kangen Water & take all sorts of health products i.e., Ukon, Lingzhi, Hemohim, Lifepak, Usana & Shaklee products + all the vegetables and fruit juices etc.

When we visited you at your centre, he was already very ill but it was his wish to see you then. We are very glad that you were willing to see us at a very last minute request. We really appreciate your kindness. Thank you once again. Regards. YK.

Comments

  1. I am sad to know that EK had died. This is barely two years after being diagnosed with colon cancer. The questions that flooded into my mind were: Why so soon? Do you really have to die so soon? Was the cancer that aggressive? How could this happen?

After surgery, EK did everything that his doctor wanted him to do. He took Xeloda. Barely four months later, the cancer recurred. Why? Is it not obvious that  the scientifically proven Xeloda was not effective?

  1. More questions: After the recurrence, the next “proven” method is to give chemotherapy! That is a given – the golden standard protocol of cancer treatment. What baffles me is, Why was EK given more Xeloda in the form of Xelox regimen? Why Xeloda again? Just because it is part of the Xelox regimen?
  2. After the chemo was done, EK had 25 sessions of radiotherapy. From January to July 2019, EK was again put on Xeloda. It appears there is no other “magic” medicine besides Xeloda? Or someone has fallen in love with Xeloda?

Let me ponder what Einstein said:

My response to Einstein: Yes sir, I would give up Xeloda and find another bullet. That is the only sane thing to do, right?

More … and more questions: What if after the surgery, EK were to do nothing? No Xeloda, no Xelox chemo and no radiation! Many of you must be thinking I am mad to have the gut to pose such a “silly” question.

You may say, If EK did not do chemo, he would die (immediately???) or The cancer would spread all over the body.

Hang on, please read this:.

Read what Dr. Cynthia Foster said:

Dr. Richard Smith is the editor of the prestigious British Medical Journal. Why is he so upset? Does he know “something” that you and me do not know?

In May 1996, that is almost 24 years ago, the daughter of Tony, a 67-year-old man from Penang, came to my house asking for help. Her father was diagnosed with colon cancer which had spread to his liver. After surgery, his honest doctor concluded that chemotherapy or radiotherapy would be of limited benefit. The doctor told Tony’s daughter, Bring your father home, organize a party for him and then tell him he has cancer! Let him live happily and count his days.

Luckily, at that time there was no Xeloda or Xelox yet! If there was a Xeloda, would Tony’s doctor prescribed that to him? What do you think would happen after that?

Tony’s doctor was left in a limbo. His advice was to do nothing. I believe he had a pure conscience and was just being blatantly honest. (See, I am not “mad” after all to suggest that at times you don’t need chemo!).

Take a look at the pictures below. Tony had difficulty moving around. Even eating by himself was difficult. He had to be fed. That was before he was started on our herbal therapy.

I prescribed herbs for Tony. I must admit at that time,(again a reminder, 24 years ago), I was very much a green horn. I have not seen many cancer patients yet. After all we had just started CA Care in mid-1995.

Having seen the doctor’s medical report and comment, I was not hopeful at all that I could help Tony in any way. But what choice have we got at that time? But look at the photographs below. Tony bounced back to life. He was able to ride his motorbike and travel to visit friends in distant town.

Tony was one of my few pioneer patients. It was from patient like him that I started to learn more and more about how to heal cancer.

Twenty-four years ago, that young man’s hair (left) has not turned gray yet!

From being weak and half-dead Tony gained weight and regained his health within months. Look how happy he was.

Fast forward to 2020. We are often told that oncology has progress tremendously. With more and more state-of-the art (but expensive) drugs cancer patients would be better off today than 20 years ago. Really?

Below is the photo of EK taken on 3 February 2020 – two years after being diagnosed with colon cancer and after being subjected to all gold standard methods of treatment. I am not sure how he looked like before his scientific treatment. But I guess he would look like a normal person, unlike the one we see on a wheel chair in this picture below. Is  that progress or regress? And that is after spending RM400,000.

If you have a choice in the way you die, which do you prefer? Dying smiling or dying with sufferings like this?

Let me end by asking you to reflect seriously what Dr. Azra Raza wrote below:

 

 

 

 

Colon Cancer Part 3: Surgery and Xeloda – cancer recurred. Cannabis (illegal in Malaysia) oil did not work either.

Jim (not his real name) is a 52-year-old Malaysian. He is both a smoker and a drinker.

  • About two years ago, October 2017, he was diagnosed with colon cancer. He underwent an operation at a private hospital. The operation went well. After surgery Jim took eight rounds of Xeloda (each round means, two weeks of Xeloda followed by one week rest). The total cost of the treatments (surgery and Xeloda) was about RM40,000.
  • In June 2018, Jim went for a colonoscopy and was told that everything was clear. He was cancer-free.
  • According to his wife, Jim did well and he put on weight. Life went back to normal — and he continued with his heavy smoking and drinking habits.
  • Barely two months later, in December 2018, Jim had backache. He consulted a doctor, who is also a friend. Jim was told there was nothing to worry out. It might just be due to stress.
  • In April 2019, Jim could not move his bowels. A scope showed a tumour blocking his sigmoid colon. The only solution was undergo another surgery.
  • Below is his PET scan done on 11 June 2019.

  1. There is a mass at upper rectum infiltrating the pararectal fat and presacral space. It measures 4.0 x 3.5 x 4.8 cm in size.
  2. There are four nodules in the anterior pelvic cavity subjacent to anterior pelvic wall measuring 1.6 cm in diameter.
  3. A small focus seen in the right rectus abdominis muscle just below the umbilicus muscle measuring 2.0 cm in diameter.
  • Jim was given three options:
  1. If he was to do the operation in the private hospital where he had his previous operation, the cost of the surgery would come to about RM60,000.
  2. Jim could go to another private hospital, the same surgery would cost about RM40,000.
  3. Jim could go to a government hospital. This would cost RM3,000.
  • In June 20919, Jim opted for surgery in a government hospital since he had spent all his insurance coverage. The doctor did the surgery but could not remove any tumour. A by-pass was done instead. A colostomy bag was installed.

  • After the surgery, Jim was asked to undergo chemotherapy. Based on the result of the Kras & Braf Mutation Analysis, the oncologist in the private hospital (who previously gave Xeloda to Jim) suggested that Jim MUST undergo chemotherapy using Avastin. This would cost RM 20,000 per cycle. If Jim was to receive this Avastin treatment in the government hospital, it would only cost RM5,000.
  • Jim was undecided on the chemotherapy. It was at this point that he and his wife decided to seek treatment from a monk in a temple in Chiangmai, Thailand. He was there for about a week. Besides some herbs, Jim was also given cannabis oil (the use of cannabis in Thailand is now legal but it is illegal in Malaysia). In addition, the monk did acupuncture on Jim. According to Jim’s wife, Jim had less pain and could sleep better.
  • On 5 September 2019, Jim had an MRI. The mass at S1-S2 presacral space had grown bigger, to 5.7 x 4.2 x 5.6 cm.
  • Jim decided to go for chemotherapy but his wife objected.

Comments

I received an email from Jim’s wife one evening. The next morning Jim’s wife drove from Kuala Lumpur to Penang, alone by herself, to seek help for her husband. I asked her, “And you are going to drive back to KL again after this?” This 47-year old wife replied, “I am still young!”

I never get to see her again after this first visit.

What can we learn from this story?

  1. After talking with her for some minutes, I realised that she was a very focused and determined lady. But, I am not too sure about her husband who seemed to want results quickly.

To me, from my years of experience, I have come to the conclusion that healing of cancer is about healing human being – a very difficult problem indeed. Is the patient committed to his own well being?

After surgery and Xeloda, Jim was well for a while. According to his wife, Jim put on weight and life went back to normal. Like most people Jim thought he was cured! He went back to his previous lifestyle — heavy smoking and drinking. To me, that is wrong! I don’t want to pass negative judgment on people but I want you to ask yourself: Why did he do such thing? Due to ignorance or irresponsibility?

  1. Surgery and taking of Xeloda did not cure Jim. That is a fact, in spite of the fact that we are being “brain washed” into believing that medical treatments are very scientific and proven!

If you have been following my blog, I have written many stories about colon cancer patients who took those so called FDA-approved drugs, like Xeloda, as advised by their oncologists. Unfortunately, these oral drugs did not work for them either.

But it is not for me to tell you to take or not to take Xeloda. It is up to you. I am here just relating the stories of patients who came to seek my help, after medical treatments have failed them. Perhaps there are many others who find Xeloda is good for them.

  1. When the cancer recurred Jim was told undergo another operation. Then Jim was asked to go for chemotherapy using Avastin (may be with other chemo-drugs added in as well). He opted to go to Thailand and tried marijuana oil which can be legally used there.

I fully understand that there are patients who are desperate. They would want to try their luck with anything. Now, cannabis is the in thing! I honor their choice. So they hopped over to Bangkok,Thailand, for the cannabis treatment. Unfortunately, in Malaysia cannabis oil is illegal and carries a death sentence (sorry, I may be wrong). Knowing this, at CA Care we stay away from cannabis oil – just to be on the right side of the law. Let me share with you the stories of two patients.

There was this patient with a huge liver tumour. He was on our herbs for about two plus (?) years and was okay. Then he developed pain in his abdomen and decided to go to Bangkok to try the cannabis treatment. After three weeks in Bangkok his stomach was bloated and he died.

There was also a lady who had a recurrent cancer of the uterus (?). She opted to go for cannabis treatment in Bangkok. After two months in Bangkok, her situation deteriorated. While she was in Bangkok she wrote me asking for help. Her stomach was bloated and distended. I asked her to go to the hospital to tap out the fluid in her abdomen. Just a week ago, I received an email informing me that she passed away.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not against cannabis. So, by all means, if you think cannabis is good for you, do what you think your heart tells you to do.  Share your success or failure story after that. But what I want to let you know is that there is no magic bullet for cancer. Don’t be misled. That is my main point.

  1. With much due respect to the law makers, taking herbs for your cancer, and in this case cannabis, should not be made a crime! Read this website of the US National Cancer Institute https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/hp/cannabis-pdq
  • Cannabis (also known as marijuana)has been used for medicinal purposes for at least 3,000 It was introduced into Western medicine in 1839 by W.B. O’Shaughnessy, a surgeon who learned of its medicinal properties while working in India for the British East India Company. Its use was promoted for reported analgesic, sedative, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and anticonvulsant effects.
  • By federal law, the possession of Cannabisis illegal in the United States, except within approved research settings; however, a growing number of states, territories, and the District of Columbia have enacted laws to legalize its medical use.
  • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved Cannabisas a treatment for cancer or any other medical condition.
  • Commercially available cannabinoids, such as dronabinoland nabilone, are approved drugs for the treatment of cancer-related side effects.
  • Cannabinoids may have benefits in the treatment of cancer-related side effects.

Some thirty years ago, I was invited by the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) to go to Bhutan for a month to advise the government on the potential of herbs. While there, I learned that when pigs get sick, the farmers feed them with marijuana leaves! These pigs get well again! Mind you, you see marijuana plants growing everywhere by the roadside! I did not see anybody went “high” smoking that stuff. In fact, I think they have more problem with “makan sireh” (chewing of bettle nut + sireh leaf) than drug addiction.

So I am not anti-marijuana, But since I am in Malaysia, I don’t want to be made a “criminal” and thrown into jail facing a “death sentence.” If there is one lesson we can learn it is this: Any herbal plant is good for mankind, but it is human beings that make it bad by abusing and manipulating it in the hope of curing human greed.

 

 

Colon Cancer Part 2: What if no chemo?

In my earlier posting, I shared the story of SE who had colon cancer, underwent surgery but refused follow-up chemotherapy. To many people, SE is taking a great risk by rejecting chemotherapy. But according to her doctor, chemo or no chemo, the final outcome would be about the same — not much difference! So, where is the risk?

If you were SE what would you do? Go for chemo or not? It seems the answer to SE is obvious. NO chemo after discussing with her family about what the oncologist had told her. On top of it, SE has a son (let’s call him YA, story below) who was also diagnosed with colon cancer. He too refused chemotherapy.

Stage 3 colon cancer: No chemo after surgery

YA is a 43-year old salesman. In early 2018, his stomach did not feel good. He went to a GP in a private clinic and was prescribed pain killer. It did not help him even after three visits. Later, he had altered bowel habits.

In mid-July 2018, YA did a colonoscopy in a private hospital. There was a circumferential tumour in his ascending colon – just distal to ileocaecal valve.

This first visit to the hospital and examination cost him about RM6,000.

YA was told to undergo an operation. He hesitated and went on to consult three doctors in three different hospitals of their opinions. All the doctors gave the same advice: Operate! (yes, right. If YA were to come for my advice, I would have urged him to go for the operation too).

YA had no choice but had to undergo surgery as recommended. It was a hemicolectomy. Histopathology report firmed a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma of ascending colon. Three of the 15 pericolic lymph nodes are involved with metastatic carcinoma. CT scan showed no metastasis to either the lung or liver.

This is a stage 3 cancer, T3N1Mx. The operation cost him RM23,000.

After the surgery, YA was asked to undergo follow-up chemotherapy. The oncologist suggested  Xelox regimen, i.e. taking oral drug Xeloda plus injection of Oxaliplatin. Each cycle costs about RM5,500 to RM6,500. YA has to undergo a total of  8 cycles.

The oncologist told YA:

  • No chemo, there is a 40 percent chance of recurrence. The chance of cure is only 60 percent.
  • With chemo there is a 90 percent chance of cure. The chance of recurrence is only 10 percent.

This means YA could expect a benefit of 30 percent if he undergoes chemotherapy.

Take a pause, what would you do if you were YA. Go for chemo or not? YES or NO? I am sure different people will have different opinions. Let me share with you what I know based on my twenty plus years of experience helping cancer patients. There is no right and wrong way! Because nobody on earth can predict the real outcome.

Don’t only just take my words, read what these doctors tell us:

Chemo gives only 30 percent benefit? YA decided not to undergo chemotherapy!

I think the reason that made YA come to seek our help is also because he was “influenced” by one of his customers from Melaka. Let’s call him Mr. X.

Mr. X had stomach cancer. He underwent surgery but refused to undergo follow-up chemotherapy. Since he was adamant on NOT going for chemotherapy, his surgeon helped X find CA Care in the internet and suggested that X come and seek our help.  Mr. X was prescribed herbs and was doing very well (note: X’s story is not finished yet! More  to come later).

After studying YA’s case, I prescribed herbs for his colon and lymph nodes. I also cautioned YA that he must take care of his diet and change his lifestyle. Travelling around everywhere (being a salesman) is too stressful and is not good for his healing. He decided to embark on this non-medical journey.

In late February 2020, I got to meet YA and had a chat. This is one year four months after his first visit in  August 2018. YA is doing fine. The following are his blood test results.

  10 Jul 2018 16 Aug 2018 Started

on herbs

 18 Sept 2018 22 Feb 2019 27 July 2019 11 Feb 2020
ESR 26 H 11 H   2 4 13 H 11 H
Platelet count 308 224   244 212 203 205
Alkaline phosphatase 77 61   53 59 53 55
SGOT (AST) 13 18   22 22 30 33
SGPT (ALT) 15 11   33 21 46 52
GGT 24 20   12 18 25 27
CA 125 n/a 13.6   3.9 3.2 4.7 3.6
CA 19.9 n/a 4.3   3.1 10.3 7.1 10.1
CEA n/a Less 0.5   Less 0.5 Less 0.5 Less 0.5 Less 0.5

During the follow-up with his surgeon, YA underwent routine check-up.

USG on 22 July 2018: No evidence of liver metastasis. There are a few polyps measuring up to 5.5 mm.

USG 14 March 2019: Gallbladder polyps measuring 3-4 mm. No evidence of metastasis in this examination. Chest X-ray: Normal chest radiograph.

USG 1 August 2019: Gallbladder polyps, the largest measuring 0.3 cm. Chest X-ray: Normal CXR Colonoscopy: Normal ileo-colic anastomosis.

USG 13 February 2020: Small gallbladder polyp, measuring 5 mm (in July 2018 – few polyps). No evidence of metastasis. Chest X-ray: Normal mediastinum and lung fields. No rib lesion seen.

Comments:

  1. From what I could see, YA is very concerned about this health. He tried hard to take care of his diet. His understanding boss cut down his travelling, etc. I could see he was trying his best to get well. Every six months, YA went to see his surgeon and did USG, X-ray and blood test to monitor his progress. So far so good.

During his latest visit to his surgeon, he even asked if he needs to do more detail examination. The doctor said there is nothing else to do, after all he is doing well already.

  1. As a person, YA said he is doing fine, that is after one over years now. I was upfront with YA – I have done my best to help him. I really don’t know what else I can do. My experience tells me that there is no cure for cancer. So YA is not out of the woods yet. There is still a long way to go. It is my sincere hope that he stays the course. For now, if he is doing okay – can eat, can sleep, no pain and can continue with his work – what more than we ask for?

Only time can tell if the cancer would recur or not. But so far, YA is doing fine.

Read what Dr. Jerome Groopman and his wife wrote:

  1. YA came to seek our help because he saw that Mr. X (his Melaka customer with stomach cancer) was doing so well when taking our herbs. Then when YA came to see us he got to meet Johnny (not real name). Johnny had a similar cancer. He had surgery (two operations in a month) in January 2006. He too refused follow-up chemotherapy. Johnny was on our herbs and is doing very well up to this writing (almost 14 years now).

One lesson we should learn: Whatever happen to others – success or failure, know that it may not happen to you!

When you go and see a doctor (or an alternative healer like me), know that we are just conducting an experiment on you. We try to do the “right” thing for you based on our own experiences. Yes, we can predict what may happen to you after undergoing the treatment but we cannot guarantee the exact outcome. In scientific jargon we are just conducting an experiment where n=1 (only one subject in an experiment). That is what happened all the time.

Read what Dr. Hamilton wrote:

  1. YA knew us through Mr. X. During our latest chit-chat, I asked YA. Okay – how is Mr. X doing now? His answer: He already died. X was doing really well initially for about two years. I am fully aware of that. But what I did not know about his progress after that.

YA told me that after doing so well, like all other patients, X started to “misbehave”. There is nothing to be upset about – this happened all the time! X started to miss out on his herbs. He started to eat what he liked! According to YA, X had to be hospitalised. His legs were swollen and his stomach was bloated. After a month in the hospital, he died. For that the family faced a hospital bill of about RM100,000.

This is my message to YA. I hope you learn from this unfortunate experience. Your life is in your hands. You decide where you want to go.