Category: Colon-Rectum Cancer

Dissecting Chemotherapy 15: Couldn’t Afford Avastin, Gave Up Xeloda

Leo is a 51-year-old man. He was diagnosed with cancer of the rectum. But his cancer had spread to his liver. He underwent 6 cycles of chemotherapy and 25 sessions of radiotherapy. After the treatment he had a surgery to remove the tumour in his rectum. CT scan showed he was not cured, the tumour in his liver was still there. Leo was asked to undergo more chemotherapy.  He declined. He was prescribed Xeloda instead.  He took Xeloda for 3 cycles and gave it up. He turned to herbs.

Listen to what he said:

 

Why he declined the second round of chemotherapy – FOLFOX  + Avastin

Leo was asked to undergo chemotherapy using FOLFOX plus Avastin. The treatment is going to cost him RM 5,200 per cycle and he was to receive a total of 9 to 12 cycles. In total, that means spending around RM 50,000 to RM 60,000 for another round of chemo. To some patients, the response to such proposition is plain and simple. They cannot afford it! Period.

I remember Pak Jam who got his wife into a private hospital and had to spend RM 2,000 per day. After 15 days he was reduced to be a bankrupt!  He came to see us appearing like a “mad man.” His wife had leukemia. Perhaps today he still has to keep working to repay the borrowings from friends and relatives.

CPW was diagnosed with GIST and was asked to take Glivec for her condition. One tablet per day would cost RM 293.00. That is to say the family will have to fork out RM 8,790 per month for the medication. How long does she need to go on this medication? No one can tell.

HS from Indonesia came to see me. He was diagnosed with advanced kidney cancer that had spread extensively to his lungs. Since nothing much could be done, he was asked to take Sutent (sunitineb). According to his  wife, a month of Sutent would cost him 100 million rupiahs. I asked the wife, How much does an ordinary man get paid per month doing a normal job. She replied, Average earning per month in her home town (in Indonesia) is one and a half million rupiahs.

I have a lot more to say about the cost of chemo drugs nowadays. But suffice to say that the price of certain chemo drugs have gone crazy!

Why he stopped taking Xeloda after three cycles

Leo was not convinced that Xeloda would do him any good. He had fevers and diarrhea. In addition he vomit and had pains around the colostomy stoma after taking Xeloda.

Comments

I wonder what Leo would do if he has the money to pay for his FOLFOX + Avastin treatment – would he go ahead with it?

There are three important issues which patients need to bear in mind when deciding whether to undergo treatment or not.

One, don’t ever believe that money can buy your cure! Leo told us of what he saw. A man had spent more than a million ringgit trying to find a cure for his cancer. He went to Singapore for his treatment but found none. He ended up in a Johor government hospital – bed ridden and debt-ridden. He told his son that he had had enough and told his son not to go around and borrow any more money trying to cure him. One night, this frustrated man jumped out of the window of the 6th floor.  This is not the first time I hear such a story. Some time back, I received a similar e-mail from a lady in Singapore telling me that her father just jumped off the flat after failing to cure his cancer.

Two, ask these question: What is the aim of the treatment? Can this treatment cure me? Or is it just to prolong my life for a while more – if so, is it worth it? You should get these answers straight from your doctor. After getting your doctor’s answers, check them out with other experts as well.

Three, ask your doctor about the side effects of the treatment that he is going to give you. List them down. There is no argument about his – all poisonous drugs have side effects! And you know that chemo-drugs are poisonous. . So ask yourself, are you game with that? Some patients can tolerate the side effects but some patients prefer to die than go through it. Only you can decide. But at the same time, educate yourself about the side effects of these drugs.

Unfortunately some doctors are not forthcoming with such information. They would say, Oh, it is nothing. It is just like ant-bite! I remember one funny episode. A patient from India came to our center for help. She underwent chemotherapy and suffered side effects. She went to her oncologist complaining about a certain problem and was told, That is expected because of your chemo. When another problem cropped up, she was again told, That is expect because you had chemotherapy. This woman was clueless about the possible side effects of chemotherapy. Unfortunately for such patients they have to learn the hard way.

Let me end with one final question. What do you think are the benefits of Avastin?

Do you expect Avastin to cure you – after spending a good sum of your life’s saving? Read what the medical literature has got to say. Be ready for a rude shock!  Are you told of this – or do you ever ask your doctor?

The Phase III study involved 820 patients with metastatic, inoperable colorectal cancer who had been treated with standard first-line chemotherapy and Avastin. The results showed that:

In advanced colorectal cancer, continuing bevacizumab (Avastin) without interruption after tumor progression improves survival modestly.

In another report, it says – patients who received chemotherapy and Avastin did better than patients who received chemotherapy alone.

  • The patients receiving Avastin were likely to have longer tumor control and live longer than patients who did not receive Avastin. On average, they lived about five months longer (Note: this is probably a mistake found in this posting. It is not five months! Five weeks is probably the right number!).  http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=54679

In this article, Avastin prolongs life but drug is too expensive for NHS patients, says Nice, http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/aug/24/avastin-too-expensive-for-patients

  • Avastin (bevacizumab) can help patients with advanced bowel cancer which has spread to other organs, usually the liver and lungs.
  • The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) said it had considered the drug …, but still considered the price too high for the extra benefit it gives patients.
  • Avastin costs almost £21,000 per patient (Note: This is equivalent to RM 102,302.73).
  • Clinical data submitted by Roche to the watchdog shows it can typically offer patients an extra six weeks of life when added to the chemotherapy drugs  capecitabine and oxaliplatin.

The expected benefit (or you call that benefit at all?) is surely miserable compared to the cost that an ordinary patient in Malaysia or Indonesia has got to pay. But that is not all. What about the side effects of Avastin? Click this link, http://www.avastin.com/patient/overview/side-effects/index.html

The most serious side effects (not common, but sometimes fatal) are: gastrointestinal perforation, i.e. developing a HOLE in your stomach or intestine; wound would not heal, serious bleeding including vomiting or coughing up blood; bleeding in the stomach, brain, or spinal cord; and vaginal bleeding, stroke or heart problems, severe high blood pressure, nervous system and vision problems such as high blood pressure, headache, seizure, sluggishness, confusion, and blindness; kidney problems, etc.

The most common side effects are: nosebleeds, headache, high blood pressure, inflammation of the nose and skin, too much protein in the urine, taste change, dry skin, rectal bleeding and back pain.

Worse of all, researchers have  found that tumors treated with Avastin (also Sutent) developed more cancer stem cells, which fuel a cancer’s growth and spread and are often resistant to standard treatment. https://cancercaremalaysia.com/2013/05/14/chemotherapy-spreads-cancer-and-make-it-more-aggressive-articles-from-the-internet/

Ultimate, you need to make your own decision. Decide wisely!

When Treatments Failed: You Need Not Die Yet! Can Eat, Can Sleep and No Pain – What More Do You Want?

Leo is a 51-year-old man. He was diagnosed with cancer of the rectum. He had  chemotherapy and radiotherapy. After the treatment his rectal tumour was resected. CT scan confirmed metastasis to his liver and Leo was asked to undergo more chemotherapy. He declined. He came to us for herbs. After being on our therapy for more than a month, Leo did another CT scan. He then wrote this email below.

1 November 2012: Dear Dr. Chris,

I’ve just taken my CT scan report. The latest report show that both my lungs cancer cells are under control, no further metastasis. But for liver, it had grown bigger from 0.7cm (CT Scan on 18 May 12) to 2.2 cm. Full report will be shown to you. Please advise should I continue to take the required herbs or need to change your prescription. I’ve started to take your herbs on 16 September 12. I want to continue taking your herbs as I am confident that your herbs do help me. By the way, the doctor is going to close my colostomy next month as they are arranging the surgery.  May God bless you.

Reply:  Thanks for your email. Let me suggest two things here:

a) You have done all the medical treatments and you have taken the herbs for a month.  Ask this question — does our therapy help you in any way. If it does NOT, there is no reason why you should hang on to what we ask you to do. Go and find someone else who can help you better. If it does, continue with what you are doing now. Don’t expect “magic” result.

b) If you wish to continue, I think it is wiser and more sensible to come and see me with all the reports and scans. Come and tell me what is actually happening and we shall see what else we can do to help you.

To me, writing emails and expecting the best, is not the way at all. Regards, Chris

Leo came to Penang on 8 November 2012. Below is what I told him that day.

 

The following are the gist of what I told Leo. Reflect on these points seriously if you want to be a winner.

1. Learn how to live with the cancer.

  • Cancer is not an easy disease to overcome. So far I don’t know of anybody who can assure you a cure. In this world nobody can cure cancer.
  • So we have to learn how to live with the cancer! Tell your cancer that you can stay with me but don’t disturb me. We both live together – and when I die, we die together. This is the kind of attitude I am trying to impart.
  • If you fight and fight like in a war, your body is going to suffer a lot more. The kiasu patients always want to fight and fight. If you fight may die sooner!  Tell me, where in the world – when there is a war going on, that the people don’t suffer and the country is not damaged?

2.       Yes, I am still alive and not dead yet!

  • Leo:  I was told by the doctor that I only have 6 months to live. Some months later, I met the same doctor again and she recognized me and said, “Uncle, you are still alive?” I replied, “Yes, I am still alive and not dead yet.
  • In your case, looking at the scan, you are not bad compared to others that I have seen. I have seen people with 15 cm tumour in the liver. Leo: Mine is only 2.2 cm.
  • Let me tell you of a lady with liver cancer. She went to see her doctor and was told that there would be no treatment for her. Just go home. She has only two months to live. Now she has survived more than two years without any problem. She is able to sleep well, her appetite is good and there is no pain. Life has been good all the while. What more can she ask for?  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=29RVgT9CF1U#!

 3.       If you can eat, can sleep and have no pain – what else do you want?

  • Do not ask for more. This is the reality that I am telling you. Don’t be a kiasu wanting to get rid of the cancer because nobody can really do that.
  • You don’t have to die because of your cancer. Many people die because of other reasons. Walk by the roadside, a car comes along and bang you! You die. Take a bus, and the bus  plunge into a river and you die.

 4, Make a visit to the Chemo Treatment room in the hospital – what do you see there? Go, see and ask. Learn!

 5.       Don’t give up yet even if chemo had failed you.

  • The problem is you are being taught the wrong thing. Eat what you like, they say. And this makes the cancer come back again. Change your diet.
  • The herbs cannot cure you, but the herbs can help you and make you well.
  • In your case, don’t expect that after taking the herbs for about one and half months, the cancer is going to go away. No way – that’s absurd.
  • The herbs we give you are specific for your problems. You take Lung Tea for your lung, Liver Tea for your liver, etc. These herbs have helped many people but that does not mean that they will help you. It all depends on you – the individual. Healing takes more than just drinking herbs!

6.       The Story of My Buddy.

  • Listen to this video. https://cancercaremalaysia.com/2010/12/10/the-story-of-my-buddy-colon-liver-cancer/. He was my classmate in college.  It has been nine years now (since 2004) and he is still doing well. The reason of his success is because he takes care of himself – abide by the good diet!
  • Many people come to me expecting to get the same success but they want healing on their own terms. That’s ridiculous!
  • You need to play your part too – take care of your diet!

 7.       You Need to Face Reality.

  • If you come here expecting me to cure you – then this is the wrong place. But if you come here to learn how to live with your cancer so that you can live a bit longer, then this is the right place to come to.
  • That is the reason why I told you to come and see me and we discuss your problem.
  • If you really value your life, coming to Penang is no big deal. But if you think travelling for an hour or two is already too far then forget about it.
  • I am generous with those who are really interested to help themselves and want to know how to go about it. But if you want an easy free ride, then there is no reason for me to waste my time.
  • My final words. Your life is your responsibility. So take care of yourself.

After his trip to Penang, Leo returned home and wrote this email on 12 November 2012.

Hi Dr. Chris,
I’m back here in Johor. It has been a pleasure to meet you and gain a lot of knowledge from you. I totally agree with what you’ve said and will continue to take the herbs to overcome my cancer problems.

I’ve just received a mail from my FB friend stating that finally the US Doctors do admit that surgery, chemo and radiotherapy do great harm to cancer patients instead of “curing” them. All the work done previously by the doctors only INCREASE the spread of cancer tumors to other parts of the body and also make them more aggressive than the initial tumors. This article is written in Mandarin. They also agree that certain “herbs'” do better job. These will increase our body immune system. I will keep in touch from time to time. Thanks and best regards.

Comments

I am well aware that some may agree while others may totally disagree with what I have said. You are welcome to disagree!  The privilege is yours. Over the years I have read numerous books written by experts and my worldview of cancer and its treatment are shaped by I what I have read, together with the experiences of my patients.

Cure: Cure means total elimination of the disease and it will not recur. In medical literature no one talks about cure for cancer. They only talk about remission. According to Dr. Theodore Karrison, patients need to survive for 20 to 25 years before we can say they are cured. In other word, only time will tell if you are cured – no human being can! Prolong survival is not a cure. Being alive for FIVE years does not mean cure. The five years used by most doctors as a measure of cure is an arbitrary figure. There is no scientific basis of choosing this number.

Magic bullet for cancer?

Magic-bullet

Wrong-battle

Root-cause-not-removed

Compromised-immune-system

11 Cannot-cure-everything-deat

Rectum-Liver Cancer: No Cure, Six Months to Live. My Experience in the Cancer Ward

I received the following emails from a patient.

14 August 2012: Thanks, Dr. Chris for your info.

I’ve rectal cancer at stage 4. Have done my surgery (in Jan, 2012), 11 cycles of chemotherapy (2011) and 25 times of radiotherapy (2011). But the tumors recur and spread to both of my lungs and liver. Now the oncologist suggested to go for another 9 to 12 cycles of Avastin and 5-FU chemo. I’ve refused. Once again, thanks a lot for your unique info for cancer. I’ve learned a lot by reading from your website. Hope to see you soon. God Bless you.

This is his story. Let’s call him Leo.

Sometime in 2010 Leo had problems moving his bowels. He took laxative but this did not work. On 11 December 2010 he went for a colonoscopy in a private hospital in his hometown. The doctor found a stenosing growth in his lower rectum.  It was an adenocarcinoma.  Since Leo did not have health insurance coverage, he was asked to seek treatment in the government hospital.

A CT scan was performed on 7 January 2011 and the results showed:

  • An irregular constricting mass measuring 4.1 x 3.3 x 4.4 cm in the distal rectum.
  • A heterogenous enhancing lesion in segment 5 of liver measuring 2.2 x 2.1 cm. Complementary USG showed ill defined heterogenous solid lesion in the segment 4 and segment 7 measuring 2.4 x 1.6 cm and 0.8 x 0.8 cm respectively. Lesion in segment 5 of liver may represent liver metastasis.
  • Multiple cortical renal cysts bilaterally.

In view of the above, Leo was told by his doctor that it was a Stage 4 cancer and he has only six months to live! He was given two options:

  1. Do nothing (and wait to die).
  2. Undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy but these may not be effective.

Leo’s life was turned upside down upon hearing this prognosis. He was in a mad rush wanting to do something but did not know exactly what to do. A week later, on 15 January 2011, he went to Kuala Lumpur for a second opinion. A CT scan was again performed.  This procedure cost him RM 1,000. The results of this repeat CT indicated:

  • A 4 cm mass in the lower rectum.
  • A 5 mm cyst is seen in the right lobe of the liver. The liver is otherwise normal.

Three days later, 18 January 2011, Leo did a PET/CT scan at another medical centre. This procedure cost him RM3,000.  The results indicated the following:

  • A FDG-avid lymph node seen in the right neck, submandibular region.
  • The lower rectum has a 4.5 cm FDG-avid focus.
  • The liver appears normal. No FDG-avid focal liver nodule.
  • No FDG-avid metastases seen.

Composite-1

The adventure in Kuala Lumpur left Leo more confused. The earlier examination said he had metastatic liver cancer. But according to the PET scan there was not cancer in his liver!

Leo  was referred back to the government hospital in his hometown again.  Chemotherapy and radiotherapy were recommended but this local hospital do not provide such treatments. Leo was referred to a government hospital in Johor Baru.

Leo received a total of 6 cycles of chemotherapy – Mayo’s Regime, and 25 radiation treatments over a period of 8 months.

In early January 2012, Leo underwent a surgery to remove the tumour in his rectum. He was then fitted with a colostomy bag.

In June 2012, Leo was asked to undergo more chemotherapy, this time using FOLFOX + Avastin (see report below). He was  asked to undergo 9 to 12 cycles and each cycle would cost him RM 5,200.

Folfox-Avastin

Leo could not afford to pay for this expensive treatment.  The doctor offered him  the oral drug, Xeloda. He took Xeloda for three cycles and decided to stop it due to the following side effects:

  • High fevers.
  • Diarrhea.
  • Vomiting.
  • Pain around the colostomy bag.

Leo said he did not suffer all these side effects before taking Xeloda.

Leo decided to seek our help and was started on the CA Care Therapy in August 2012.

On 8 November 2012 Leo and his wife came to Penang for further consultation. He related his experience in the hospital’s cancer ward.

Some excerpts of our conversation.

Leo: I made a lot of friends in the hospital.

Chris: Did they ever get cured? Did they suffer?

L: (Shake head). No and most of them suffer.

C: This is the way it is. But human beings are such. They always think only  other people suffer, other people die but they never think that this can happen to them … they never die! “I am the exceptional, I want to try.” You try you suffer.

L: I stayed in the hospital for about 2 months.

C: What did you see?

L: So many people. Young and old. The youngest I saw was 6 years old.

C: Did they get better?

L: (shake head) No, all die. I stayed in a room with 4 beds, A, B, C, D. Within one night, 2 patients, C and D,  passed away. I was left with B. We both looked at each other. I also saw a patient committed suicide. He could not stand it anymore. No, cure, no money – all money spent. He went to Singapore for treatment. One million plus gone.

C: I got people who came and told me they spent about RM 600,000. So you have people who spent more than a million and still could not get the cure and eventually committed suicide.

L: I was in the hospital. He jumped down from the 6th floor. His son was sleeping by his bed in the ward. I heard him telling his son that night. “We don’t have money already. Don’t go around and borrow any more money from people. I cannot be cure already.”

Comments 

This is indeed a very sad experience. Treatment means spending money. A lot of money!  But do patients ever get cured? Do we want to leave this world with piles of debts for our children to settle? That is the way it is today with “scientifically proven” cancer treatment.

I am not going to play god with patients who come and see me. I am not going to tell them when they will die or how long they can live because this is not my job. To live or die is God’s prerogative.  Giving prognosis like “You  have 6 months to live”  is most counter-productive and damaging.

17 Play-God-six-month-to-live

J.D. Frank wrote, The insensitivity of scientific medicine to the bad effects of wrong emotions is probably responsible for many failures.

17How-long-to-live-Disappontm

I also tell everyone who come to me that I cannot guarantee that you can be cured. I don’t want to give you false hope. But if you still believe in what we do here at CA Care, then together  —  I emphasize together, we shall do our best.  Remember you are not the only one going through this “battle”. There are many others before you who have travelled the same road. They too had colorectal cancer that had spread to the liver. I am happy to say that some are doing extremely well, but some had failed miserably.  But to say to cancer patients that “You only has six months to live” is mere text book knowledge!  My experience in CA Care showed otherwise. If medical science cannot provide hope to patients, let me say that herbs and change of diet and lifestyle can! And this done at minimal cost!

Let me ask you to listen to those who have succeeded.

While ALL patients who come to see us want to be winners, unfortunately some failed miserably in their quest for recovery. I often tell patients – after talking to you for a few minutes or reading your emails, I could probably “sense” if you can make it or not.  Unfortunately some people are not “cut” or made to be winners. I always say, kiasus don’t win! Here are three examples.

  • Mr. Nut came to seek our help after surgery and chemotherapy could not cure him. His CEA due to colon-liver cancer was on the rise. Used to being a “king” in his “rubber-estate-kingdom” he proved to be too smart, too educated and too demanding for us to handle. He tried taking herbs for some weeks but these did not help him.

If there was one thing I ever remember clearly about this man was what he said when he first came to see me. He repeatedly said, I am a friend of your good friend. There is nothing wrong with this remark, except  to   remember that in CA Care, we play no politics! You don’t need to “pull strings” to get our best attention. Everyone who comes to us are treated equally.

https://cancercaremalaysia.com/2010/12/10/no-healing-for-those-who-acted-too-smart-too-educated-and-too-demanding/

  • There was an interesting man from Indonesia. He came to seek our help after doctors in Singapore and China gave up on him. He had liver cancer. He had no option left but to take our herbs but he would not keep to our recommended diet. His son said, “My father did take the herb from CA Care regularly, until he went in coma a few weeks before he passed away.” With the herbs he survived almost one year and half years. But he would eat anything he liked because he said after his death he did not want to end up being a hungry ghost. https://cancercaremalaysia.com/2011/12/24/liver-cancer-better-to-become-a-full-stomach-ghost-than-a-hungry-ghost/
  • VIP was a well known man in society. He had colon-liver cancer. He took herbs, refusing to undergo any medical treatment. He was well for more than 6 months. Since he enjoyed eating, it was hard for him to keep up to our recommended diet. In a party he attended, VIP took “the forbidden food” and his stomach was bloated soon afterwards. He was miserable for some weeks before he died.

My message to all cancer patients, You have a choice! It is up to you to decide.

10 Doctos-cant-appreciate-heal

Colon Cancer Stage 2: Operation but no chemotherapy or medication.

Eight years on and still doing fine

HM (T-337) was 72 years old when she was diagnosed with colon cancer. A colonoscopy done on 21 December 2005 indicated that the lumen of the distal sigmoid colon (30 cm from  the anal verge) was obstructed by circumferential tumour.

HM underwent an operation the next day. The pathology report indicated a well differentiated adenocarcinoma, Duke’s B, T4NoMx.

Perhaps due to her age, no further medical treatments were indicated. HM’s son came to seek our help on 8 January 2006. She was prescribed Capsule A, C-Tea, GI 1 and GI 2 teas.

Initially HM went back to her doctor for routine check up. Nothing was amiss. Her CA 19.9 was at 55.1 on 22 August 2006 and on 24 January 2007 it was down to 45.3. After this no more blood test was done. Also HM did not go back to see her doctor anymore.

The son was very consistent in taking care of his mother. It was not until 28 October 2011 – almost six years later, that I got to talk with his son (video below).

Son: She is my mother. She does not know that she had cancer. I did not tell her about it. That’s the reason why I did not bring her to see you.

She had cancer in December 2005, and she did not undergo chemotherapy?  

Son: No, the doctor said no need to go for chemo. 

Was she alright after the surgery? Can move her bowels? 

Son: No problem at all. 

Then you came to see us on 8 January 2006 – that means more than five years ago – almost six years now. During these five years plus, did she ever encounter any problem at all? 

Son: No, her health was very good. Now she is asking me if she can stop taking the herbs. 

Ha, ha, most people are like that. Hang on, let me ask you some more questions. She did not encounter any problem at all since after the operation? 

Son: No, never had any problem.

Did you return to your doctor for checkup? 

Son: Yes, initially during the first three years. After that we never go and see the doctor anymore. 

What did the doctor say? 

Son: Nothing much, but he started to give her “vitamin” injections. No, we don’t want to go and see him anymore – spending a few hundred of ringgit each time. My mother also did not  want to go and see the doctor anymore. 

Okay, most patients behave like your mother. After taking the herbs for some years, they want to stop taking the herbs. And how old is your mother now? Son: 79 years old.

And she is strong and healthy? 

Son: Yes. In fact I am planning to bring her to Indonesia for a holiday. 

Let me tell you this. We don’t know when the cancer is going to strike back again. There is this lady. She is as old as your mother. And she also had colon cancer and had been taking the herbs for more than three years already. One day she came in and asked to stop taking her herbs. Her cancer came back a few months later and she had to be hospitalized again.  Now she is recovering and taking back the herbs. The situation was made worse because she started to take all the “bad foods” as well, besides stopping the herbs.  I did warn her and her family about this but at the same time said that it is up to her to decide if she wanted to stop or continue with the herbs. So, know that the risk of recurrence is there.  

Son: My mother actually likes to take the herbal teas. It is the capsule A that she does not want to take. 

Capsule A is our “master” herb. What is so difficult about swallowing the capsule?

Son: That is the problem. She did not want to swallow it. But she likes the herbal teas. 

Most patients came to us complaining about the herbal tea – they want us to give them only capsules. They don’t like the teas – too much trouble. Your mother is the other way round.

Okay, over these five years, did she ever complain about the herbal tea – bad taste, bad smell? 

Son: No, the herbal tea makes her move her bowels better. Actually she has not stopped the herbs yet. I shall ask her to go on.

Conversation with her son again on 19 July 2013

When Oncologist Gave “Honest” Advice, Patient Survived!

BT (E137) was 44 years old when she was diagnosed with cancer.  CT scan of her abdomen in March 2004 showed an apple core lesion in the rectum area near the rectosigmoid junction. Perirectal fat and lymph nodes were also affected by the cancer. She underwent surgery to remove 13 cm of her colon. She received 28 times of radiation and also underwent chemotherapy – scheduled for 8 cycles but stopped half way.

Why did she give up chemotherapy? No, she did not give it up. It was her oncologist who gave it up! Listen to what she has got to say (this video was recorded on 7 June 2013 – almost 9 years later!).

 

 

BT said, I can still quote exactly what the oncologist told me that day: I have to stop the chemo because instead of saving you it will kill you.

Upon facing this dilemma, BT switched to alternative healing methods up to this day. It has been 9 years and BT is still alive! She came to see us in Penang hoping that we could help her further in her healing.

Comment

BT was scheduled to undergo 8 cycles of chemo but along the way she suffered severe side effects and was losing weight which alarmed her oncologist. So instead of being “killed” by chemo, why not let her “go” without chemo! BT changed her diet, etc. and she survived up to this day. Stop and think. Who needs chemo then, because even without chemo patients can survive (minus the side effects of course)?

Is this an isolated case where patients survived better without chemo? Absolutely not!

These Honest Oncologists Saved Them Too!

Tony, 67 years old, was diagnosed with colon cancer in December 1995. The cancer had spread to his liver. His doctor told Tony to go home and live happily and count your days. Let me reproduce what Dr.  Rose wrote:

Colon-Anthony-report

Tony came to seek our help on 24 May 1996 and was put on herbs. He benefited tremendously His CEA dropped from 45.2 to 5.0! And he probably lost count of the many good, healthy and happier days he had before he suffered a relapse due to changes in his diet.

Read more: http://www.cacare.com/colon-liver-story-of-tony

On 16 October 2010, I received an e-mail below:

Dear Dr. Chris K. H. Teo,

My mom’s oncologist told us her cancer had recurred and if she does chemo it will extend her life by another six months, and if lucky another twelve months.  But the oncologist does not recommend chemo and thought the treatment would make her worse. He suggested waiting until her condition becomes painful or other symptoms appear. He told us chemotherapy does not cure her cancer and it does not make much difference.

Surgery was carried out to remove 10cm of iluem and 7.5 cm of caecum. This was in March 2010. She refused to undergo chemotherapy after her surgery. I found out about you from the internet. I would like to bring my mom to see you to help treat her.

Read more: https://cancercaremalaysia.com/2011/09/15/colon-cancer-oncologist-said-chemotherapy-would-not-cure-her-or-make-any-difference-%E2%80%93but-cea-declined-after-herbs/

Comment

Please take note of what her son wrote about the oncologist’s advice:  The oncologist does not recommend chemo and thought the treatment would make her worse. He suggested waiting until her condition becomes painful or other symptoms appear. He told us chemotherapy does not cure her cancer and it does not make much difference.

Think hard and long – do you really need chemotherapy to heal your colon cancer? If you want more such success stories click this link: https://cancercaremalaysia.com/category/colon-rectum-cancer/

 

Colon-Liver Cancer You Cannot Find Healing On Your Own Terms

Sometime in April 2012, a 79-old-man came to Penang to seek our help. Let’s refer to him as Peter, a successful professional well known in our Malaysian society.  He had cancer of the transverse colon that had spread extensively to his liver. These are his CT scan images.

Composite-1-April-2012 Composite-2-April-2012 Composite-3-April-2012

CT-scan-report

Peter refused further medical treatment in spite of the seriousness of his illness. According to him: I would not be able to endure all these treatments. Presented with such a situation, what could I do?

There were two realities we must face in this case.

  • One, there was a tumour in the rectum and this had not been removed. And as the scan showed, it was almost blocking the passage way. I pointed out to Peter, if the tumour grew bigger and block the passage of stools then he would be done. Peter understood the message. But he was told by his doctor that even if he was to go for an operation, his life could be prolonged by another three to four months only. Peter categorically told me he would not want to go through the hassle. Okay, this was my bargain with him. Take the herbs and change your diet and lifestyle and if the stools become smaller and smaller (meaning the passage way is blocked) then he has no choice but to go for surgery.  There is nothing much I can do to help if this happened.
  • Problem number two is obviously more serious. The cancer had spread to his liver. I make it clear to Peter that no one on earth can cure liver cancer (for that matter any cancer!).

From my reading of medical literature, this is what you get:

  1. The median survival time for patients with synchronous liver metastases was 4.5 months.  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/000296108190057X
  2. In a series of 156 patients operated on for colonic and rectal carcinoma, 38 were shown to have hepatic metastases. Twenty-four of them died within 6 months, 30 within 12 months, and all except one within 18 months. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/1097-0142(196901)23:1%3C198::AID-CNCR2820230126%3E3.0.CO;2-J/abstract
  3. Bower & Waxman (in Lecture Notes – Oncology, pg. 113) wrote: The median survival of patients who are not treated with curative intent is six to seven months. The median survival of patients in the Far East is much poorer, and the vast majority die within two to three months of diagnosis.

To all those reading this article, let me say this clearly:

  • It would be a great mistake if you come to me hoping to find a cure for your cancer. I cannot offer you any magic bullet because I don’t have any. My experience over the past sixteen years tells me that those who come to CA Care for help are those with late stage cancer or those who have undergone all medical treatments. Let me say again, If you are seeking for a cure, please consider going somewhere else or find someone else who can promise you that!
  • At CA Care we teach you how to cope and in the process heal yourself. In other words, we try to make your life more bearable and in the process many of our patients live much longer and free of problems – provided of course, they follow what we tell them to do.

Let me briefly outline what happened to Peter during the time that he was taking our herbs and following our therapy.

  • We often get his phone calls. One time he asked if he could continue to enjoy his cigar after dinner. He said he had “sacrificed” enough forgoing all his favourite food when he was invited out for dinners. Then he wanted to know if he could still drink his wine since he had a good collection of wine at home. To that I remember saying, No – why don’t you have just give those wine to your friends. He answered, But you know each bottle cost a few thousand ringgit.
  • Surprisingly,  Peter  was doing fine. Once he called me to say that according to his medical doctor-relative it was dangerous not to remove the tumour in his colon. The tumour would grow bigger and bigger and eventually  block the passage way. According to theory or textbook knowledge the tumour will grow if not removed but my experience shows that with herbs and change of diet, this does not necessarily happen! I have seen a similar case before.  I asked, But can you pass your stools? Are the stools getting smaller and smaller? He answered, No. Then I said, In that case the tumour has not grown in size yet. We can still wait – but of course you can go for surgery if you like. So we waited, from April to September. Six months had passed and Peter was alright – no problem of blockage.
  • In early September, Peter came to Penang with a friend, requesting that I also help his friend too. Then Peter decided to buy the e-Therapy machine which had just arrived from the US.
  • On 12 September I was down in Subang Jaya and Peter came to have lunch with us. Peter said: I am happy.  Actually I only need to spend less than a thousand ringgit a month for the herbs and all (note: much less than the cost of a bottle of his favourite wine!)  If I were to go for medical treatment it would have cost me a lot more.  Thus far Peter was doing just fine.
  • But not long after this happy lunch together, I got a phone call from his brother.  I was told that Peter was not doing well. His stomach was bloated and he felt uneasy, had no strength, etc. Problem like this cropped up very often with cancer patients. Without asking further, I related a story of a similar colon-liver case in which the doctor told the patient he had only 6 months to live. This patient was on our therapy for almost 3 years and was well. After that, the day before one Chinese New Year – succumbing to the suggestions of friends and relatives – he decided to “celebrate” the CNY occasion by eating fried chicken. A few hours after his fateful meal, he suffered severe stomach pain and had to be rushed to the hospital. His stomach was bloated and he died soon afterwards.
  • So without hesitation, I asked: What did your brother, ate the past few days?  I was told – pulut and salted fish. Well, was that all? I was not sure and I did ask further. After this my advice to Peter’s brother was:  There is nothing I can do now. We have to take it easy and see if the problem would go away. It is very difficult now.
  • Not long afterwards Peter himself called. In his frail voice told me that he was not going to take our herbs anymore. These  herbs are not helping me anymore. I went for the blood test and the results showed the liver function were all high. I am now tired and have no strength. My friends invited me for dinner but I can’t accept their invitation anymore. I want to return the-Therapy machine and you pay me back half its original price.  Without hesitation, I replied: Yes, Datuk,  no problem! (One week after buying back this machine, one patient from Indonesia decided to buy it at that half-price! I am glad that I can help another patient in need through the generosity of Peter for wanting to sell off his useless machine.)
  • I did not ask Peter what went wrong. He did not offer to explain what went wrong either. So I left it at that.
  • One early morning of November 2012, I received an email from another patient informing me that Peter had passed away. In the evening of the same day, Peter’s brother called to convey the same sad news. This was what his brother told me: Please tell all your patients. Do not eat pulut and pulut kacau (all that sweet stuff laced with brown sugar). After my brother took that food, his stomach became bloated immediately after he went home. Surprising there was no problem about his colon being blocked. My response: Yes Datuk, for the past 16 years I have been shouting from the top of the mountain telling patients to take care of their diet!

Comments

There is no need for me to make further comments on this case. I only hope that some patients do learn from this story.

Let me share with you what I learn about life.

Over the years dealing with cancer patients, I have come to accept that we cannot help everyone. We can only help those who want to help themselves.  So there is no need to be upset if we fail once in a while. This thing happened most of the time. I often tell patients:  If you can eat, can sleep, can move around and have no pain – what else do you want? Learn to be grateful for what you are each day. Unfortunately not all patients have that virtue. Once they feel well, they demand to eat what they like! Unfortunately most patients have to pay a heavy penalty of this violation.

To me, the secret of happiness in life is to cultivate a sense of gratitude. Be grateful for what we are. Be thankful for what we have and what we are blessed with.  This virtue on its own breeds a sense of contentment and satisfaction in life. That is healing. We learn to live with the cancer but at the same time we live in peace with ourselves.

Colon-Liver Cancer: Strong Faith in God Brings Peace of Mind

On 25 April 2012, I had the privilege to meet GS. He had colon cancer that had spread to his liver. Seven of 12 lymph nodes were also affected.  His problem started when he passed out loose stools with blood, otherwise his health was fine.

 

 

A colonoscopy confirmed a tumour in his sigmoid colon. Subsequently GS underwent a surgery. This operation cost him RM 27,000. After surgery he was told that his cancer had spread to his liver – making it a Stage 4, or terminal. Nevertheless GS was asked to undergo chemotherapy, which was to cost him about RM 60,000.

Did you ask your doctor: If I were to undergo chemotherapy, can this cure me? Of course chemotherapy would not cure. Without chemotherapy, GS was told that he had only 6 to 8 months to live. GS decided not to undergo chemotherapy. He came to seek our help instead and was started on Capsule A+ B, LL tea, GI 1, GI 2 and Liver 1 and Liver 2 teas.

Why did he not want to undergo further medical treatment?  He said, “The doctor said this is serious case – fourth stage cancer because it has spread to the liver. But deep in my heart, I said – because I am a Christian – I reject it in the name of Jesus. After that my confidence level remained as normal … I just take it as it is. My fate is in the hands of the Lord. That is it, as simple as that. Even when I went for the operation, everything went on smoothly – 2 days in the ICU, 8 days in the normal ward. On the fifth day they remove my drip. I really thank my God for giving me His hand of healing.”

With full trust in his Lord, GS felt at peace.  He did not worry any more.  Soon after his surgery he came to seek our help and turned down chemotherapy.  Since then GS has been consistent in taking our herbs and he changed his lifestyle and diet. He had no problem. However, he realized that our herbs would not cure him but he was and is contented and happy.

His blood test done on 15 November 2011 and 2 March 2012 showed a slight increase in his tumour markers. In spite of that GS took it calmly – he was aware of his condition. After all, his doctor said he would only last 8 months at most, and GS had already survived 7 months and he is still doing fine – leading a normal life.  His strong faith in God had given him peace of mind.

 

15 November 2011

2 March 2012
Alpha-fetoprotein

117

189
GGT

92

146
SGOT

37

46
CEA

71.8

190.3
CA 19.9

3,698.0

3.849.5

 

I often tell patients this:  Believe in the diagnosis but don’t believe in your doctor’s prognosis! Indeed after performing a scan and biopsy and if you were told that it was cancerous, by all means go for a second opinion, but don’t try to deny the diagnosis. Cancer is common these days and most probably what your doctor told you is correct. Some patients go into a self-denial mode and do all sorts of things trying not to “believe” the diagnosis.  However, since doctors are not gods, don’t believe their prognosis. How long you live or when you die is not for your doctor to determine.  Based on experience or research results we may be able to predict the ultimate outcome but it is not necessarily true. You may beat the odd if you do things right.

In my conversation with GS,  I have pointed out what happened to some of our patients.  There was this lorry driver in Kuala Lumpur. He had colon-liver cancer. Without chemo, his doctor said he had only 6 months. He did not have the money to pay for his treatment and came to us for help. He survived for more than 3 years and then died. But he died due to his own foolishness. I was in Kuala Lumpur at that time and saw him. I asked him what he did wrong. His reply, “During the Chinese New Year I ate fried chicken.”  He suffered severe pains and his stomach bloated. Since he came to us he did not take such “forbidden” food – why now? Perhaps he was tired and bored of living?

There was a 49-year-old lady in Penang. She was diagnosed with terminal stage liver cancer. The tumour in her liver was 8.7 x 6.6 x 10.0 cm in size. The doctor in the general hospital sent her home – there was no treatment.  This lady came to seek out help and took our herbs. After 5 years, she is still alive.

At CA Care we see enough of doctor’s prognosis gone wrong! So, don’t believe your doctors if they say you are going to die soon. Indeed, a person who understands healing would refrain from “playing” God. Such words do great harm to patients.

 

I have an opportunity to share some thoughts with GS about cancer and life.

  • There is no cure for cancer

As much as anyone wants to say that you do this or you do that you can cure cancer, our 16 years dealing with cancer tells me that there is no cure for metastatic cancer. Cure means total elimination of the disease, not just surviving for 5 years as defined by your doctors. Amy Soscia (deceased) aptly put it this way:

 

Many patients come to CA Care wanting to find the “magic bullet” for cancer. There is none. What is even more unrealistic is that most of the patients who came to us have undergone all the possible medical treatments and failed. Yet when they came to us, they expected us to “cure” them. “I am not god” is my answer to such people.  However, that does not mean that I cannot help them – yes, we can within our humanly limit.

 

  • Accept your reality

Accept the reality that cancer is now a common disease.  Many patients who came to us have spent thousands and thousands of dollars to find a cure for their cancer in modern medicine. At the end, many were let down – desperate and felt helpless. Besides they found a “big hole” in their pockets or bank account.  Ask your oncologist before undergoing your cancer treatment: Can you cure me? See what answer you get.  You may get these responses: The treatment can prolong you life.  Oh, it will stop the cancer from spreading. Cure – no guarantee! Also ask, What are the side effects? Unfortunately some of the answers given are misleading and less than truthful.

 

 

  • Are you happy being on our Therapy? Did you benefit from our herbs?

No, we are not going to be able to cure GS of his cancer. But the more important question to ask is, Is he happy with what he is doing? If our herbs help him, be grateful. Praise God for this blessing.  At CA Care we teach you to live with your cancer, not to fight your cancer.

GS benefited from our therapy. Since coming to us he did not have to take medications for his high blood pressure and also uric acid. He lives a normal, happy, pain-free life. What more can anyone ask for? Be grateful for what you have and what you all. Most people forget this.  They want a complete cure – being able to go back to their old ways of life and anything short of this will not make satisfy them.

 

  • Death is the Ultimate Healing
Let me end with this message to all cancer patients:

 

Colon Cancer Part 3: Our Privilege to Help This Determined African Lady Who Has So Much Common Sense

You wrote to me sometime in December 2011 asking for help but I hesitated and virtually did not want to take on your case. Why were you persistent in wanting to take our herbs?  Other patients would just have given up and go elsewhere. After all internet / website information are not reliable.

My mind just felt very positive towards trying the herbs. Nobody recommended me, God pointed me in the direction I needed to go.

You have been taking all these supplements before the herbs. These were: a lot of vitamin – B, D, E and K, (mostly chelated), licorice root, milk thistle, wheat grass, raw vegetable protein powder, Poly MVA, Selenium, Chelated iron tablets, broccoli sprouts, colostrums, beta glucans, Co Q10, barley juice, chorella and digestive enzymes. This is besides taking Ibuprofen (for pain) and Xeloda (Oral chemo). Are you still on them now?

I stopped taking some of them. Initially, when I started taking the herbs, I stopped all supplements because I wanted to feel the effects of the herbs. I wanted to know exactly what the herbs will make me feel. I started some of the vitamins after a month on the herbs so that I will be able to identify if need be whichever one causing a feeling/symptom.

How was your health before taking the herbs?

  1. I got intense heartburn that felt like I was having a heart-attack sometimes.
  2. Right now I have a lot of heat! I sweat all time, and I am always hot. I also feel a lot of internal heat. This started after the radiation, I got a test of my hormones and they were elevated and this puts me in pre-menopause.
  3. I don’t get my menstrual period anymore, although I got what I felt like really painful ovulation last month.
  4. I started having psoriasis all over my skin and also a skin outbreak looking like small boils behind my thigh and butt.
  5. The last ultrasound scan showed about 3 uterine fibroids the biggest was about 5cm.
  6. I rarely sleep before 4a.m., although I have gained about 10kg.
  7. I also have a bump on the right inner side of my tongue,
  8. The hospital was planning to remove the whole rectum/vagina and give a permanent colostomy, but I have declined this.  Even the oncologist agrees with me not to do the surgery.  The only thing I am planning to do is close the colostomy after the rectum heals so bowel movements can go the normal route.

Are you in pain? Describe, where, what type and how serious? 

Yes, there is pain, but it has reduced. The pain is in the rectal area, sometimes radiates to the vagina. It aches, sometimes burns. On a scale of 1-10 pain is about 5. 

Can you sleep? 

No can’t sleep. 

Do you feel tired?

No.

How often is your bowel movement? Difficult, constipated, with blood?

Two to three times daily, normal, soft, no blood. 

How is your appetite? 

Appetite is okay, but can be better.

Any swelling?

No

Do you have any other medical problems such as: gastric?

Multiple uterine fibroids.

Urination: how frequent? Is it painful? Any blood?  

Six to seven  times daily. No pain. 

Do you cough?

No. 

Do you have difficulty breathing? Elaborate. 

No.

List and explain any other complaints. 

Very dry skin. Recently I started getting eczema and acne. The bottom of my feet sometimes hurt when I walk. There is a bump on my tongue (pink).

When you started to take the herbs for the first week (r two), did you suffer from any healing crisis? Your conditions got worse and then improved later?

Yes, I had pains all over my body, headache, sore throat, mild temperature and rashes. Some of the symptoms got worse before they got better.

After how long taking the herbs that you felt you were beginning to feel the herbs were helping you?  

From the first week after using the herbs, I felt a difference and I knew that the herbs were helping me.

Why did you say you were getting better after talking the herbs?

  1. In terms of general feelings, I feel great. I am getting stronger physically,
  2.  I don’t sleep at 4 a.m. anymore. I don’t feel tired when I wake up.
  3. Basically, if not for the fistula, I have no symptoms.
  4.  I do more things myself now.
  5. Before I started the herbs, I had slight burning pains from the rectum and sometimes I had to use Ibuprofen (pain killer).  This week, I have not had that pain at all (even when I don’t use the pain tea).
  6. I can sit on a hard surface better now, prior to this moment, it was uncomfortable.
  7. My vagina does not itch anymore. Previously, it was itching so bad that I would scratch it until it bleeds. (Probably this is because you have stopped Xeloda?)  Yes, I was taking Xeloda the month before I started taking the herbs. The psoriasis on my body is also clearing up. They appeared after I started taking Xeloda.
  8. My lower abdomen was very tender upon touch, now I can press it without wincing.
  9. I definitely feel I am making positive progress both mentally and physically. I don’t know what it is but I feel happier!
  10. I tried out my shoulder and neck today. Unbelievable! Zero pain! Just five days ago I was in severe pain.
  11. I walked around for over an hour without getting tired. Before the herbs, I felt tired, and I would always get irritated and my mood changes and I become “snappy.”
  12. I am back to preparing my teas myself without help.
  13. The headache is gone as well as the sore throat and body aches. Yes, I believe it was a healing crisis. It started suddenly, got worse and then disappeared.
  14. I still have some phlegm but, it is clear in color.   It started during the healing crisis, it was milky in colour.
  15. I was able to take a bath without getting fatigued.  I typically spend an hour in the bathroom because of the colostomy. The colostomy is not regulated so, feces  come through it at anytime. Because of the difference in water temperature and body temperature, it stimulates the colon however lightly when water touches it. As I wash, it may come just when I finished washing and before I notice it it’s on my skin, I have to wash again. I could easily take a quick shower to prevent this but, if I go at a normal pace, I would start breathing hard.
  16. I don’t urinate as often as I used to! Previously, I used to urinate about every two hours or four times during the night. Now, maximum is once a night. Lately I don’t urinate throughout the night.
  17. Now, I sleep through the night without the need for urinating. Before the herbs it was difficult getting some sleep. Even if all the lights were off, I still couldn’t sleep till the early hours of the day.  Following the use of herbs, I sleep earlier, even when I try to stay up, I always become sleepy. But most importantly, even if I get six hours of sleep, I still feel very well rested upon waking up.
  18. Now I wake up and I don’t feel tired, I feel well rested.  Previously, I would wake-up, even after sleeping for nine hours and I would be tired.
  19. For me, if I didn’t have the colostomy or if the fistula was fully closed I wouldn’t remember I am healing cancer.
  20. The drainage from the fistula has reduced greatly and the mucus has also reduced. (I remember you saying that one day after the herbs the stools came out a lot into the bag, as never before?) I kept going to the bathroom and frequently too; the stool kept coming and coming like something was pushing them out. But it wasn’t diarrhea, it was soft, very frequent and in copious amount. The second night, the bag would have burst if I didn’t notice it on-time, it was that full.
  21. My nails look better!!! I was looking at them yesterday and I was admiring them because they look pretty, previously they looked terrible. They would bend and contour in odd ways.
  22. I just started sweating and felt the prickly sensation as I was typing this. It happens several times a day, even at night when I am sleeping. 

27 March 2012 

How are you doing over there? What about the fistula wound? Is it closing and improving? Then the heaty feeling inside? Does the C-tea help?

1 April 2012 

Hi Dr. Chris,
I am doing great! I cooked dinner today.  Turned out great! The only thing was, I had to keep my sweat from getting inside the pot.

The fistula is closing, the mucus barely comes out anymore and the exudate has reduced greatly. With the C-tea, I think it transfers the heat from inside the body to outside. I don’t feel the inside heat surge as much as I used to, but the sweating is a lot which is not bad. This is because,  sometimes I don’t feel the heat inside it’s only when I start sweating that I realize my body was hot. I don’t know if what I am saying makes sense? Now I look at the sweating in a positive way. I just tell myself my body is trying to get rid of all the chemo and radiation I bombarded it with. How is Auntie Im? My greetings to her. 

5 April 2012 

Thanks for your email. I am glad that you are living a happier life now —are you going to reconnect the colon? I thought you have done that already since I did not hear from you for a while. 

Okay — you have been on the herbs for more than two months now, going to be three? While on the herbs, did you also take any of the doctor’s medication? 

Compare your life now – after taking the herbs versus those days when you did not take the herbs. A lot of improvements? How do you describe your situation now? Taking the herbs indeed helped you?  Take care, Chris 

Hi Dr. Chris.

I am doing really, really well. I still expelled the dark stuff from my rectum this morning but the horrid smell is reduced.   I am not reconnecting the colon at this time. I prefer not to rush and wait a while for the rectum to heal fully. I may give it another year before deciding.

I am planning to come to Penang soon. But, I will be coming alone.  I will like to have enough money before coming so I can leave with enough herbs.

I have not taken any doctor’s medication since December last year. Now I feel strong /energetic, like I can do anything now. Well, except for my wrist. First it was the left wrist that was hurting. After a while it stopped. Now the right wrist hurts.

The herbs really, really helped the fibroids too! There is no more pressure on my bladder. I gained more weight too. People keep asking me if I am the caregiver to the patient and where the patient is. Of course I say with a huge smile I am the patient.

I thank God for His many mercies. Health is Wealth. 

One last question …

You said you felt well after taking the herbs. What if people put it to you that it is not true and that the “feel good” stuff who wrote about is just your imagination to justify what you are doing for yourself? It is not true!

Fortunately, some of the people who have cancer don’t have pain. However, for those who have pain it can leave you begging for death; even I found myself weighing the benefits of dying rather than continue to suffer the pain. If anyone has been in this kind of extreme pain, I don’t think there is anything in the world that can lead you to imagine “feeling good” when you don’t (well, maybe hypnosis, but I wasn’t hypnotized).

It’s like someone being burned alive, you know your body is healing when the pain reduces even if the scars are yet to fully heal.

When you start losing the muscles in your butt from inactivity, and then you start being active later own, your commonsense should tell you that both experiences are absolute opposites hence they are different and not imagination.

When people around you and even doctors get excited about the changes in you without telling them what you are using, then this is the most definite part proving it’s not being imagined. People are not in my head and they can see me becoming different.

When people can look at you and ask you where the patient is, and even argue with you that you are not the patient; I don’t need anyone to tell me otherwise.

When I can walk for an hour without pain when I could not walk five minutes previously, commonsense tells me things are very different and getting better.

When the pain stopped acting as my alarm clock and I was actually sleeping and waking up on my own terms…oh I knew, I knew without a doubt things were changing for the better.

I could go on, but I’ll hope you get the gist by now. With Stage 4 cancer pain, there is no imagination that can block the pain you are used to experiencing for two years. Unless maybe you are a monk or something (I apologize if that statement is rude). 

Comments 

I can only say this. This young lady has a lot of common sense. She is not rushing to get herself “cured.” Let the fistula “really” heals first before doing the surgery to reconnect the colon. It is our pleasure to be able to help such an exceptional lady. I am glad that I did recognize my mistake for trying to ignore here request for help. But all the same, this story has a happy ending. May God guide us as we go forward!

Colon Cancer Part 2: Her Treatment in India

India is cheaper with medical treatments and they have similar equipments to advanced countries.

CT scan revealed the tumor was almost obstructing the rectum, the surgeon suggested an emergency surgery to divert the stools so as to prevent blockage. I have had thirty radiation treatments and three cycles of chemotherapy.

You had radiotherapy at the same time took xeloda? Did they tell you radiotherapy is going to cure or shrink your tumour? Why did you agree to do the radiotherapy? Did you suffer any side effects when on radiation?

They told me radiation would shrink the tumor so they could do the surgery because I did not want a permanent colostomy.  Now that I think back, if the tumor was truly about to block the rectum, then I would not be having normal size bowel movements. But my bowel movements were normal in size, I guess they deceived me there again.

I had side effects; my bladder was on fire (burning)! Every time I urinated I cried because it burned as I urinated, I reduced my liquid intake because I did not want to urinate. I was urinating about every 30 minutes.  When I told the radiologist about the pain, he said it was impossible; it was too early to have any symptoms. I started having symptoms after the first week. I lost all my genital hair.  My whole genital area was irritated and which itched and itched and itched! Nothing relieved this itch.  One of the doctors said “you’re young, you should be able tolerate the pain”.  They then gave me Urispass after I complained for 3 weeks, to help with the burn when urinating.

A week after I started radiation was when I started to sweat excessively.  I have bouts of internal heat even when I am in an air-conditioned room. My whole head/face/back and chest would look like I poured water on it.

Also, with the chemo, I had nerve tingles in my hands and feet. I also had prickly sensation all over my body occasionally. I don’t get the tingles anymore, but the prickly sensation still appears once in while.

I was not informed about any side effect of radiation. The only thing they did was to ask if I am married. I said no, and they proceeded. I asked, begged for the doctors to talk to me, all I got was, we are trying to help you, calm down be grateful and take the pain.  But eventually I got tired of them saying they were trying to help me, I quit for three weeks after I had a fight with the clinic.  The doctor actually said “you are going to die if you stop the treatment, the disease is advanced” and I yelled, it’s been advanced for almost two years I AM STILL ALIVE!!!  They then told me, if I do not continue the treatment the only surgery they could do was take out the whole rectum and take out the vagina and if they should try to do that, it would result in death. I cried, my mum cried, nobody cared that I was just another random paying patient!

I asked to know the amount of radiation I was getting, they said they couldn’t tell me, I asked to view my file, they said I couldn’t.  I know every patient has a right to view their file upon request because they paid for it!

I have refused surgery because the surgeon plans to take out the whole rectum and vagina.   I refused Chemo IV after the first, gave me bad burns on both my arms and close up my throat.

When did you complete all these treatment?   

Radiation was completed in October. I stopped taking Xeloda December last year (2011).

What are your plans after treatment?

My plan is to start a fulfilling job in the health industry and enjoy the life I have prevented myself from enjoying for all these years.   Everyone that can afford it wants to eat what Americans are eating.  They need someone to teach them to stick to their own food.

Give us an idea of what it cost to be treated in an Indian hospital.

  1. Visit to oncologist,what is the consulation?  Less than US$20 per visit
  2. Total cost of opeation for colostomy?  About US$6,000
  3. Total cost of 30 radiation?  US$8,000 including tests.
  4. One cycle of Xeloda? Around US$5 per pill. Around $270 for a cycle.
  5. Are the facilities good — clean? The facilities are okay since it’s an international hospital.  About 50percent overall cleanliness, but the toilets were 20 percent clean. I bought my own bleach and cleaning supplies because I am very fussy about clean bathrooms.
  6. Are the doctors and nurses pleasant to deal with, well trained?

For every ten nurses, only two spoke English at a level that can be fairly understood.  I believe they are well trained but the nurses don’t follow procedures like I believe they were trained. I had to remind them to clean the injection site with alcohol/spirit before giving the injection. They rarely wear gloves so there could be cross contamination among patients.

I had to inject myself a few times because they didn’t know how to administer Intramuscular injections in the thigh. My butt was in a sea of pain, because they don’t administer pain medications through the IV unless in the ICU.  However, most of them are pleasant!  The doctors are well trained and spoke good English. The surgeon was trained in France.  I think that is one of their strongest qualities, general surgery, transplant/orthopedics, cosmetic surgery.

What are your experiences with the doctors in indian hospital?

They feel the doctors have the final say and know all, even the nurses dare not question the doctors.  It was surprising that, aside from Indian food, patients were provided junk food like French fries.  The fresh juices were again loaded with sugar.  They didn’t seem to understand that sugar feeds cancer. I declined dextrose IV because it caused pain since it was sugar. They thought it was in my head.  They ignored me until I pulled out the IV myself.

There were flies in the hospital and the food had stones and hair in them.  Most people don’t wear shoes in the hospital with the amount of diseases in the hospital.  In the clinic I went to receive radiation, I was told I would not receive treatment if I do not remove my sandals, meanwhile people walk barefoot on the street, so there really is no difference between those wearing shoes and those walking barefoot. We are all bringing in the same dirt.

I noticed the doctors don’t follow-up with their patients.  If you don’t show up for an appointment, they don’t even bother to ask the nurses to find out the status of the patient.  I stopped seeing my surgeon since October 2011. It wasn’t until I went to the hospital in January 2012 that he saw me walking by and asked “Oh, are you okay?”

The Oncologist

Your article made me remember when I was arguing with the oncologist a few months ago about chemo.  I accused him about the so-called cure and ask for the percentage rate. He said the best is 25%!!! I was flabbergasted! And even when radiation is included the maximum is 30%. Then he proceeded to suggest I have chemo for one whole year. I laughed and said that’s not going to happen, God forbid I stay on chemo for a year. He looked at me as if I didn’t know the severity of the illness. I told him, But you know that chemo and radiation cause secondary cancers.  He told me to stop reading the internet and all those are not true! I smiled and made a mental note not to share anything with him again.

Radiologist

Before radiation, nobody ever bothered to explain the side effects to me, I knew that there would be some effects with my reproductive organs, I asked for a fertility center, so I could at least preserve my eggs. They said there was none in the state and I stupidly believed them.  After twenty bouts of radiation later, I found a clinic, they said they couldn’t help by then.  I cried so much and had a fight with the doctors for acting like they were God and the sole decision maker. I was very upset. I learned that because the cancer was stage 4, they didn’t think I would survive to be able to have children anyway.

Before the treatment you were not told about the side effects of chemo or radiation?

They told me nothing with radiation. But for chemo, they said nausea, hair loss and fatigue but, I didn’t have them.  Instead, I had terrible heart burns that felt like a heart attack.  I still have hair on my head. I’m sure the oncologist will have a heart attack if he sees me without my hat/scarf.

Did the oncologist / radiologist know that you are taking supplements and herbs?

The radiologist said I should not take anything. These might make the side-effects of the radiation worse. The oncologist said not to take anything that may reduce the efficacy of the chemo.  I told them I was only taking one multi-vitamin but continued taking all my supplements.

Did they oppose or support your desire to take herbs and supplements? What did they say?

They opposed as they didn’t think it could have positive effects, only negative. When I informed the oncologist I was going to use herbs to improve my WBC, he said herbs won’t work, that I was better off taking the injection to boost it. When I asked  where I could find alternate treatments, they said only the temple/church.

Then you found cancer care? How do you know us then? Any one told you about us.

God pointed me in the direction of CA Care. Nobody told me. Nobody I know knows CA Care. I prayed during my ordeal and I told God, I don’t want all these chemicals, they are hurting me. I was always sad when taking these treatments. I wanted to be better and not become more sick. A few days later, I started seeing advertisements on TV about Malaysia.  It would show pictures of Malaysia and how beautiful it is, and encouraged tourists to visit.  The commercial always ended with “Malaysia, truly Asia”. I told my mum, I want to visit Malaysia. One of my friends promised me a vacation after I get out of the hospital, and asked where I would like to go. I said Malaysia. I didn’t know anyone or anything about Malaysia but, my spirit wanted to go for some reason. My subconscious knew something I didn’t know.  A few weeks later, I said a prayer and got on the internet just searching. I don’t remember the specific thing I was searching for. I was just searching, knowing God will lead me where I needed to go and I came upon www.cacare.com

I don’t believe in coincidences and I know everything happens for a reason. I went through the site and it clicked in my mind, this is why I have been seeing Malaysia on TV.  Since then, I have not seen that commercial on TV. God is indeed wonderful!

 

 

Colon Cancer Part 1: Helping A Young, Relentless and Well-mannered Lady from Africa

We received numerous emails from foreign countries asking for help. Like the walk-in cancer patients, not all, but most of them were only “shopping” for a magic bullet. We don’t have such magic potion at CA Care. After an earlier initial effort to help patients through the Internet, we have decided not to accept any more patients from foreign countries if they only send us emails. However,  a young lady from Africa made out a case for me to change my mind – at least an exception for her case. Why? This is because, I strongly believe in what I have written earlier. I have respect for those who are committed. Yes, even the grave would make way for such people!

This was what happened. Let us call this lady Nancy (not real name).

7 December 2011

Hello Sir,

I filled out the form online about last week. My name is … I am following up with the scanned reports from the hospital.  I am looking forward to your reply on how we can proceed.

24 December 2011

Hello Dr. Chris!
I keep getting success news from you, but you haven’t responded to several emails I sent.  I believe I came across your website, not by chance, not by coincidence, but, by divine planning. I am a young lady who will really like to use your herbs for rectal cancer.  I really hope you will consider helping me with your knowledge. I await your response.  Thank you.

30 December 2011

Greetings sir, I have been trying to get back in contact with you for a while now.  I will please like to try your herbs. 

31 December 2011

I am sorry for not replying sooner. I have so many people coming to me from different places even on Christmas day. They are all desperate for help. As for your case, I did go through your medical reports:

1.  You are now under the care of medical doctors. I really can’t say much about this. But do what is comfortable for yourself.

2.  India is also a good place for alternative medicine — they have the Ayurvedic  medicine, Sinddha, etc., besides homeopathy. Have you looked into these?

3.  My herbs are not magic. It needs time to get response. And my experience with people writing on line is that it is not going to work. To be useful, I need to monitor your situation regularly and know what is going on. How you live your life, what you eat, etc., etc. Even by just talking to my patients I would know what is wrong. Because of that I have given up trying to help people from foreign countries through the net. In fact I have now another similar request from India. A   few days ago, I had a request from Melbourne. I am not going to take these up. It is extremely hard. At the end of it all, it is just a waste of effort. Experience tells me it does not work.

5. But if you have someone here in Malaysia … even if I know it is not going to make any magic … and if you still insist on wanting to try … you may ask your friend to come and see me in Penang or go to my centre in Kuala Lumpur, whichever is convenient. I can give the herbs and some instructions and you can try.

6. If you have been reading my articles and they talk about miraculous healing, you will note that these patients come here and we do the therapy together. That is the reason why they succeed.

I don’t what to be negative.  I understand you need help but I must be sincere and honest to myself too. In my heart I know there are times and situation when I just cannot help. The problem is beyond me to solve. And I also know that I cannot solve everybody’s problem in this world. I have been working very, very hard every day to help cancer patients and I know in my heart I can do that much only and no more.  Take care, Chris.

31 December 2011

Thank you kindly for your response Dr Chris, it is truly appreciated.  I understand and respect you are a very busy man. I also understand your herbs are not magic, only God performs miracles. I had decided even before getting your email that I will come to Malaysia.  I already looked up visa requirements and other information.  I can make an initial consultation with you physically after getting the visa and we can proceed from there.  Considering this, I will like to know how many days I should plan to stay so I can estimate the length of time I need to put on the visa application. There is no magic bullet. However, I will like to do what my heart feels strongly towards.  I am sure we can work something out after my first visit. Happy New Year to you and loved ones!

(In another e-mail, Nancy wrote to say that the Malaysian authority in India had rejected her visa application to visit Malaysia. This saddened me. It is not Nancy’s fault. And since she had taken that extra mile to do what was necessary to help herself but failed and this was beyond her control, I felt I ought to reciprocate accordingly. I wrote her …)

10 January 2012

Okay Nancy! I am sorry to have made your life so difficult — actually I have just replied an email to a lady in New Zealand saying that I am not able to help her husband. To be honest I just cannot afford to help people outside Malaysia. But I do realise that you have made a lot of efforts in trying to get my herbs — okay, so be it. God has probably opened my heart. I shall try to help you the best I can via the net. So I shall try to send the herbs to you by post and see what comes out of it. 

10 January 2012

Thank you kindly sir! You have just put a smile on my face. God bless you! You have not made my life difficult, I am the one actually making your life difficult by bothering you with my relentlessness, and I thank God for giving me a chance with your herbs.  I can use any herbs, no matter how bitter is it, it is only for my own benefit.   I put God in control of the herbs. Thank you kindly sir! You have no idea how happy you have made me.

This is Nancy’s story in her own words.

My problem started when I was about 19 years old, i.e. ten years ago (I am now 29 years old). I started to bleed from the rectum after bowel movements.  I went to the doctors and may be because of my age, they said it was just hemorrhoids and was advised that I increased my fiber intake.

Before this bleeding problem did you eat a lot of bbq meat, fried stuff and bottles/canned drinsk like coke, etc. —the typical us-diet

I didn’t really eat a lot of BBQ meat. I had lots of sugared drinks/juice though.  Ice-cream, junk food like cookies, chocolate, chips and most of all, I was under extreme stress.

What doctors told you that you had hemorrhoids? Did any examintion, test or scan done? And what medication did they give you?

The first doctor (general physician) I went to did the fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and said I was fine.  You usually need a referral to see specialists like a proctologist.  I didn’t get one then because she felt I did not need it.          The second doctor actually gave the typical rectal exam, by using her fingers. She said she could not feel anything.  This was 3 years after the bleeding started.  She diagnosed as hemorrhoids.  My hemoglobin had dropped very slightly.  She advised I start taking fiber supplements.  I was not given any medication.

Since the bleeding until the next episode, augsut 2009, what did you do? Did the problem disturb you at all? Any symptom? Discomforts?

The only symptom was the bleeding after bowel movements.  Since they told me it was a hemorrhoid, this was what I focused on. I found different natural treatments for hemorrhoids, from oils, to creams, to paste to pills, and freezing device. When that didn’t work I tried immortelle oil. It stopped the bleeding for like 2 days.  I stopped eating anything containing sugar, because I noticed the bleeding got worse when I consumed anything sweet.

In 2005, my gynecologist put me on birth control pills because my periods were heavy and painful.  I think this actually made everything worse.  Immediately I got on the pill, I started having recurrent yeast infections, literarily every month. I told my gynecologist, I thought the pill was giving me the yeast infections and she said it was impossible.  I started having colds like every three months.  My blood pressure went up. When I complained, all they did was put me on another pill.

I used to go to the hospital only once a year for a physical check-up, but I got on the pill and started going to the hospital every month for one complaint or another.  The birth control pills made my menses worse.  I used to have them for 5 days. I got on the pill and they became 7 days and even more painful. That was the first time I noticed my lower belly was getting big (it used to be flat).

I started getting fatigued.  By the time I got home in the evening my whole body will be hurting like I worked on a construction site.  My mum also gave me herbal concoction for hemorrhoids, they helped with the bleeding too but, not for long. I went to another doctor but she also said hemorrhoids.

After researching on the internet, I found out the pill lowers the immune system and actually puts the body in a state of dominant estrogen, which all give way to cancer.  A lot of my research always pointed to cancer, but for some reason, I never thought it would get to that level with me. I thought I was very far away from getting cancer.

In 2008, I had pain in my tummy, although it turned out to be gas. However, I had an ultrasound, both vaginal and abdominal.  They never mentioned a fibroid in the report, neither did they mention a mass in the rectum.  I had done a bi-manual exam on myself and felt something in the rectum.  When I told me doctor, she said it was impossible for me to examine myself. By August 2009, a ball in the left side of my vagina ruptured.

A ball in your vagina ruptured? How big? How do you know it is ball size? Any pain before that? No symptoms?

It was like a big boil (sty).  I could touch it under the skin of the vagina.  No pain before that, but the boil was very painful before it ruptured.  Again I went to the hospital; the doctor said it may be Bartholin cyst, and I should use sitz baths.   The drainage never stopped, although it was very light blood, I noticed something was still coming out.

Again, I went to another doctor, a man this time and he said he didn’t see any bleeding. He noticed the fibroid and said it was very common and I shouldn’t worry about it.  The very light bleeding continued and I went back to see the doctor, I tried to explain to him that I am not crazy and something is wrong in my body but he got tired of me ranting wrote a prescription for progesterone for me and opened his office door for me to leave his office while I was still talking.  I threw the prescription in the garbage after I Ieft his office.  He told me it was my cycle messing up and that’s why there was blood, this was after I told him the bleeding was close to the exit of the vagina.

I started going back to the hospital, after seeing about five doctors, the last one finally figured out that the ball like thing from the vagina was actually a mass growing from the rectum.  The diagnosis in 2009 was low grade invasive adenocarcinoma. In December 2009, I went for a biopsy and the malignancy was confirmed.

I declined chemo, surgery and radiation.  I did nothing but used immune boosters and antioxidants.

Why did you not want to do chemo, surgery, radiotheraphy? Have you read anything about them before?

I’ve read a whole lot of books and articles about them. I watched documentaries about them and the evil they bring.  I discovered a fistula a few weeks after the biopsy, I guess they took out too much tissue.  I was in severe pain. Morphine was only working 50%, I had to combine with high dose of ibuprofen. The ibuprofen eventually gave me a black tongue and pitting edema on my right foot which also became black. I was bleeding heavily, even in clumps; I was using the bathroom after every meal, so I stopped eating until I was starving to death.

Anytime I used the bathroom, the pain increased one thousand percent.  If I used morphine and ibuprofen around 9a.m. and I used the bathroom at 9:45am, the pain surpasses the effect of the morphine and I can’t use more morphine, I will have to cry and start rolling on the bed, because I was basically confined to one room and the bed. Then I got codeine.  So, I would use morphine plus ibuprofen, then for break through pain, I would use codeine plus ibuprofen.

I found some herbs that stopped the bleeding for about 2 weeks, but it came back.  The herbs did not improve the pain or tumor, at this time I could already feel the tumor under my left butt check if I pressed it.  The steady/constant pain started after the biopsy.

I actually took some herbs  I found some after I conducted some research.  I wouldn’t say it worked, although they stated the tumor was going to get bigger before it started healing.  It did get bigger but after over 3 months on it, the pain only got worse.

I  continued searching for herbs.

Cancer of the Rectum Stage 3: Almost Nine Years on Herbs – Surgery But No Chemo or Radiation

ST (M-73) is a lady from Medan. She was 50 years old when diagnosed with rectal cancer in 2002. About a year before this diagnosis, she passed out blood in her stools. She took all kinds of herbs but the herbs did not help her.

In December 2002, she came to a private hospital in Penang and underwent an operation. The pathology indicated a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma of the rectum, Duke’s Stage C (infiltrating into pararectal node). Pararectal nodes with metastatic adenocarcinoma (1/5).

ST was fitted with a colostomy bag for three months. In April 2003, the bag was removed and her colon rejoined. The doctor suggested that ST undergo radiotherapy. She refused. She told her doctor that she wanted to take our herbs.

ST came to seek our help on 18 April 2003 and was prescribed Capsule A, C-tea, GI 1 and GI 2 teas. Three months later, ST came back again and reported that she was getting better. An USG done on 4 July 2003 confirmed that everything was normal.

Since ST is from Medan, we do not get to see her often. She came once every few years. However, she continued to take the herbs over these years. On 30 December 2011, ST dropped by the centre. She was doing fine. She went to see her doctor and the doctor told her that everything is normal.

 

 

Questions to ponder

After the surgery she declined radiotherapy or chemotherapy.

  1. What could have happened if she was to undergo radiotherapy as suggested by her doctor?
  2. Would radiotherapy make any difference to her well-being today?
  3. How much better could she be with radiotherapy? Or would it result in some unforeseen, long-term side effects?

 

Colon-Lung Cancer: Surgery, Twenty-seven Cycles of Chemo and SGD 100,000 Did Not Cure Her

Sar (S12) is a 63-year-old lady from Indonesia. She was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2008. Her daughter wrote, “ It was a shocking news. We decided to bring mom to Singapore to get the best possible treatment.”

Sar underwent a laparoscopic anterior resection for localized rectal cancer in April 2008. Four of 15 nodes were infected with cancer. Histopathology report confirmed a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma – pT2N2. Sar did not receive any chemotherapy after the surgery.

About a year later, in June 2009, during a follow-up, the doctor detected her CEA was rising. Further investigation showed the cancer had spread to her lungs. Sar underwent chemotherapy. The regimen used was Xelox-Avastin (Capecitabine or XELODA +Oxaliplatin + Bevacizumab or AVASTIN). Sar received 6 cycles of this treatment. According to her doctor, the treatment helped stablised her disease. Unfortunately, such “fortune” did not last long. In less than a year, the cancer showed progression.

In January 2010, Sar underwent more chemotherapy. This time the regimen used was FOLFIRI + Avastin (Irinotecan + 5-FU + Lecovorin + Bevacizumab).  She received a total of 8 cycles of this chemo. Again, according to her doctor, the treatment stablised her disease.  But the doctor also suggested another new drug, Cetuximab (or Erbitux) to be added to the treatment regimen. But Sar could not afford the extraordinary high cost of this drug.

FOLFIRI + Avastin did not help Sar. The cancer continued to progress. In October 2010, a clinical trial comparing Cetuximab (or Erbitux) and panitumumab (or Vectibix) opened at Johns Hopkins Singapore.  Sar participated in this trial from November 2010 to June 2011. She received a total of 13 cycles of the treatment at Johns Hopkins. Sar had initial response. But that turned out to be meaningless because later the cancer started to progress.

A PET scan evaluation on 26 July 2011 showed lung metastases as well as lymph node involvement in the mediastinum and para-aortic region. The conclusion: “Overall findings indicate disease progression on comparison with the previous PET study.”

Sar was asked to undergo more chemotherapy. On 29 July 2011, she and her two daughters came to seek our help.  We prescribed her some herbs for her colon and lung. Unfortunately we do not get to see them again after this.

The only news we got was what we read in her daughter’s blog, “In total she (mom) has undergone 27 x chemo with three different drugs plus almost a SGD 100,000 loan. The debt is really pressurizing for her and her family who are average income earners. As for mom, she is still surviving in a fairly good condition and now taking herbs since the last chemo had stopped responding.”

Comments

It is indeed sad to hear such a story.  Patients and their family went to the “best” for their medical treatment but the “best” failed them. But such a story is not an exceptional story – or is it a norm that happens most of the time? The conclusion is yours to make.

What saddened me most when dealing with cancer patients is their “lack of knowledge.” We can understand if patients are illiterate and therefore have to depend entirely on others – the “experts” to help them deal with their problems. But if you are able to read what I am writing now – then it would be most unfortunate indeed if you still choose to remain “uneducated”, ignorant or “blind”.

Let me pose some questions for you to ponder on.

  1. Her daughter wrote, “We decided to bring mom to Singapore to get the best possible treatment.”  The patient received the best treatments alright – and the most expensive treatment as well? But what about the outcome? Did she get the best outcome?
  2. Do you still believe that money can “buy” the cure for cancer? I am reminded of what I wrote in the website earlier.  Click this link, https://cancercaremalaysia.com/2010/11/20/the-world%E2%80%99s-most-well-fought-battle-against-colon-cancer/ and you can read about the case of Tony Snow. I gave that article the title – the World’s most well fought battle… Why? This is because the man involved in this battle against colon cancer, Tony Snow, used to walk along the corridor of power in the most powerful political office on earth. He lost his battle against colon cancer and died. Did he not get the best – the best doctors, the best hospital and the “best” support from the most powerful man on earth? Why did he die? And if you have time, browse through the  same website and  learn for yourself why many patients who did not get the “best” still survive their colon cancer.
  3. Did it ever occur to you that before you undergo invasive treatment such as surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy that you should ask your doctors if these treatments would cure you cancer? Most people don’t ask – they assume that since they get the best, the treatment outcomes would also be the “best”. I always remind patients – ask what the chances of you getting a “cure” are before you undergo any treatment. If you want make sure that you speak the same language like your doctor.  Cure means getting rid of your cancer altogether, not just “remission” or buying of time. If the “expert” you are dealing with do not give you a clear cut convincing answer, you might want to seek a second or third opinion from different sources. Weight out the pros and cons before you decide on the path to take.
  4. In this case, Sar was given 6 cycles of  Xelox-Avastin. Did it ever occur to you to check with reliable sources what these drugs can or cannot do for patients with lung metastases? Does Avastin ever cure lung metastasis? How effective is the Xelox regimen for metastatic colon cancer?

You can get all these answers if you spend enough time at your computer. Or do you prefer to remain blind and ignorant. For some the easy way out is to be ignorant – after all this is what they often say, ignorance is bliss.

If you have some money to spare, why not get some books and read. Take for example this one, https://cancercaremalaysia.com/2011/09/02/book-review-money-driven-medicine-%E2%80%93-chemotherapy-for-non-responsive-cancers-%E2%80%93-denying-reality/. Read what the author, a medical doctor said about chemotherapy for colon cancer.

  1. After Xelox-Avastin had failed. Sar underwent more chemo. But this time following the FOLFIRI + Avastin regimen.  Is this not doing the same old thing over and over again? Different combination of poisons but the mindset remains the same. This is what Einstein said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
  2. Avastin seems to be popular. And it is also expensive.  Exclusive and expensive stuff must be good, right?  If you read this article, https://cancercaremalaysia.com/2011/12/27/utero-ovary-lungs-cancer-part-1-she-almost-died-after-spending-two-billion-rupiahs-on-chemotherapy-in-singapore/ you will learn that a cycle of Avastin plus another drug cost about S$12,000. But is Avastin effective for cancer? You judge for yourself.
  3. From the internet, information on the effectiveness of Avastin and other expensive chemo-drugs are readily available. To get you started, just click the links below. From there, I wish you a happy journey – go, read more!

This is what her son wrote,

“My mom’s oncologist told us her cancer had recurred and if she does chemo it will extend her life by another six months, and if lucky another twelve months.  But the oncologist does not recommend chemo and thought the treatment would make her worse. He suggested waiting until her condition becomes painful or other symptoms appear. He told us chemotherapy does not cure her cancer and it does not make much difference.”

Colon Cancer: Oncologist Said Chemotherapy Would Not Cure Her or Make Any Difference –But CEA Declined After Herbs

This is an e-mail we received on 16 October 2010.

Dear Dr. Chris K.H. Teo,

My mom’s oncologist told us her cancer had recurred and if she does chemo it will extend her life by another six months, and if lucky another twelve months.  But the oncologist does not recommend chemo and thought the treatment would make her worse. He suggested waiting until her condition becomes painful or other symptoms appear. He told us chemotherapy does not cure her cancer and it does not make much difference.

I found out about you from the internet. I would like to bring my mom to see you to help treat her.

We are living in Singapore and planning to go to Penang next week to see you. I think we may need to stay in Penang but not sure how many days to stay. Are you able to advise how many days we should stay? I saw the video on healing crisis after taking your herbs. I’m afraid if we just take your herbs and go back, my mom may experience pain, vomiting or has diarrhoea, Then my mom may think the herb is not working and would not like to continue taking the herbs. I think your presence and guidance will give us confidence to face the battle against her cancer.

Here is what I know of my mom’s condition and cancer.

Histology report identified the cancer to be mucinous adenocarcinoma of the iluem which has invaded the muscular wall and peritoneal surface. Conclusion: Pseudmyxoma peritonei, stage 2B.

Surgery was done to remove 10cm of iluem and 7.5 cm of caecum. This was March 2010.

She refused to undergo chemotherapy immediately after surgery.

Subsequently doctor ordered blood tests and PET/CT scan. Her CEA marker has been rising from 5.4 to 6.3, 9.6 and yesterday the oncologist said her CEA was12.9. But the PET/CT did not show any tumour.

My mom easily gets stomach and intestine bloating and discomforts, after she takes cooling food or if it is cold/rainy weather. Even some vegetables make her have loose stools and diarrhoea. Ginger tea helps remove the wind.

Other than that she is losing weight, about 0.5 to 1 kg every 3 to 4 weeks.

She can eat, sleep and has no pain. She has been taking some Chinese medicine to help her but her condition is like above with CEA rising. We do not know what the Chinese medicine contains. Please reply as soon as you can. We pray for God’s help and yours too.

Patient (H-434) and her son came to see us in Penang on 22 October 2010.

e-mail 28 October  2010

Hi Chris,

My mom … is happy and confident about the herbs you prescribed her. She fell asleep Tuesday morning and I didn’t want to disturb her. So we did not come to see you on Tuesday. Please accept my apologies for not turning up Tuesday morning. I’ll keep you updated about her progress via email. Many Thanks and God bless you and Ms Teo.

e-mail 29 October 2010

Thanks for the update —- when she goes home, how is she? Does she feel any better now?

Chris

e-mail 1 November 2010

She feels better after taking the herbs you have prescribed. Thanks for your concern and please take care too.

e-mail 18 May 2011

Hello Dr Chris,

After taking your herbs, her cancer marker came down from 12.9 to 8.8 and the doctor advised her to come back in six months for checkup. My mom feels okay now. I made vegetables and apple juice for her once a week. But she finds them ‘cooling’ and gets diarrhea / indigestion or lots of gas after that. Taking ginger soup helps though.

The patient came to see us for the second time on 21 May 2011. Listen to our conversation that day

Comments

The doctor conveyed this gloomy prognosis:

  • Since cancer has recurred, patient had only about six months more to live – or at best with luck, a year!

Since human beings are not God, we always tell patients, Believe the diagnosis but don’t believe the prognosis. It is sad that the practitioner of noble profession has come to a point of not realizing what he says is insensitive or   damaging to the patient whom he is supposed to help. Telling patients that they are going to die soon is inflicting a nocebo effect.

The oncologist did not recommend chemo and thought the treatment would make her worse. How many oncologists would admit to the fact that there is no cure for metastatic cancers and that chemotherapy will do more harm than good? In most cases and most of the time, chemotherapy seems to be the standard fare “dished” out to all patients – irrespective of age or stage.

Given that this patient has come to the end of the road, there is no option left other than alternative medicine.  In spite of that, we often have to remind patients that they have to relax and take it easy. Face the fact squarely and fairly. Do not come expecting us to “dish” out an instant or magic cure. One patient wrote that after taking herbs and the change to vegetarian diet and juices for a month, the tumour is still growing in her colon! What do you expect? Cure cancer with herbs and juice within a month?

Another mistake that caregivers often commit is to over-react. After reading about the purported benefits of juices, raw diet, supplements, etc. they would go over-board feeding their loved ones with all these stuff, sometimes resulting in more problems. In this case, the enthusiastic  son thought that juices might perhaps cure his mother. His mother has a yin (cool) body and cannot tolerate raw food and juices. So she ended end up having diarrhea.

Listen carefully to what this patient said if you want to live well with your cancer. She had clearly accepted her lot and has a positive attitude. Relax, be happy and take life easy. Enjoy your days while there is still time to enjoy. You don’t have to give up but at the same time you don’t have to live each day with fear of dying. Go out and smell the flowers.

Update:  27 February 2012

Hello Dr Chris,

My mom is getting better. Just 2 weeks ago she went for medical test and the doctor said he cancer CEA marker has dropped to 5.9. Thank you Dr Chris. And wishing you good health.

Reply:  Wah, your mom is doing well and her CEA  is 5.9 ? What did her doctor say? Did the doctor ask her why? Did he know that she is taking herbs? And is your mom taking the herbs without stopping?

Yes my mom CEA was as high as 12. She continues to take your herbs. We now add ginger into the C-Tea so that she does not get stomach bloatedness.

Doctor did not even ask why the marker reading is low or ask whether she is taking herbs. All they do is blood tests for cancer marker. Also because her doctor got promoted he now passed my mom to one of the doctor in his team. We only found out on the day of the medical appointment. Also I learned from the nurse that the promoted doctor attends to private patients only. What a surprise to us the way they handled patient.

Dissecting Chemotherapy Part 8: Chemo for Colon Cancer – Only Three Percent Benefit

DL is a 47 year-old-male. Sometime in September 2010, he had uncomfortable feelings in his stomach. He went to see a GP who thought it was a food poisoning or gastric problem. He was told not to worry about it as the problem would just go away in a day or two.  Unfortunately it was not to be. The problem persisted and in early February 2011, DL felt there was lots of air/gas in his stomach.  In the early morning of 8 February 2011, DL went to see the same GP again. This time the doctor took his blood sample for analysis. An ultrasound was also done.

The blood test results of 8 February 2011 showed ESR = 40 (high), GGT 67 (high) while the cancer markers were all within normal range; CEA = 0.7, CA19.9 = 7.7, and Total PSA = 0.5.

Ultrasound of the abdomen showed “thickened loop of bowel, suggestive of colorectal malignancy”. He was advised to undergo a colonoscopy and CT scan of the abdomen.  A follow up CT scan confirmed thickening in the colorectal region.

On 10 February 2011, a colonoscopy was performed. There was a caecal polyp, and ulcerated growths in the transverse and sigmoid colon.

Biopsy report confirmed the following:

  1. Caecal polyp:  tubule-villous adenoma with high grade dysplasia, along with suspicious foci of infiltration.
  2. Transverse colon: malignant transformation of a tubule-villous adenomatous polyp with foci of infiltration.
  3. Sigmoid colon: malignant tubule-villous adenoma with foci of infiltration. Grade 2 adenocarcinoma with infiltration.

DL was referred to the government hospital for surgery.  A second colonoscopy was done at the government hospital and on 1 March 2011, DL underwent an operation to remove the cancer. According to the pathology report, the descending colon, part of ileum of appendix, caecum, ascending colon and descending colon and mesocolon were resected.  Histology indicated:

  1. Mycinous adenocarcinoma, well differentiated, pT3NoMx
  2. Tubular adenoma with invasive adenocarcinoma at caecum, well differentiated.
  3. Intramucosal adenocarcinoma (at caecum) forming small polyp.
  4. Inferior mesenteric lymph node: no malignancy.

DL was in the hospital for seven days.  He was told that it was a Stage 2 cancer. DL was subsequently referred to an oncologist in the same government hospital. The oncologist offered chemotherapy and this is what DL was told:

“With chemotherapy, the chance of recurrence would be 17 percent, without chemotherapy the chance of recurrence would be 20 percent.” DL would have to undergo thirty cycles of chemotherapy.

Listen to what DL told us when he came to CA Care on 15 July 2011.

Comments

DL was indeed lucky to have met an honest oncologist who told him the “reality” of what chemo is all about.

  • In exchange for thirty cycles of chemotherapy, DL would stand to cut recurrence rate by 3 percent.
  • An equally important   point not said but implied is that even with chemotherapy there is no certainty that DL would remain cancer free. There is a 17 percent chance of recurrence.

So in dealing with cancer, no one will know with certainty its ultimate outcome.  Patients need to be honestly told the odds against them. The cards must be laid out openly on the table. Patients must be the ones to make the decision since this involves their life.

It is most unfair for those in the know to tell only the “good things” about chemo treatment, downplaying the many “bad things.” Patients are sometime “threatened” and “pushed” or “cheered” into taking a path that they are reluctant to take. We salute DL’s oncologist for being honest with DL. Even more so, when he told DL that should DL decids to do chemotherapy in the future, he is welcome to come back to receive the treatment. Many patients tell us, “If we defy our doctors, we will not be able to go back to the hospital again.”  This fear is real and has “cowed” patients into following what their doctors want them to do.

Liver Metastasis: No Chemotherapy – Fourteen Years Still On Herbs

Koh/342, was 75-year-old when she was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1997. She underwent an operation. An ultrasound done on 15 July 1997 indicated ill defined masses in the right lobe of the liver. The left lobe appear spared but slight dilatation of the ducts are seen. Conclusion: liver metastasis.

Due to her age, she did not undergo any further medical treatment. Her daughter came to seek our help   on 25 July 1997. Koh was started on Capsule A & B and Liver Tea. Her conditions improved. Her pains disappeared. She was able to eat and sleep well. She was able to lead a normal life and could even go marketing every morning.

Seven weeks on the herbs, the daughter told us that a medical checkup showed her condition had stablised. Her doctor told the family: Continue taking the herbs!

On 8 October 1997, Koh’s daughter told us that according to the doctor, the liver nodules had shrunk. Their sizes had become smaller.

On 6 June 2003, the daughter came to collect herbs for her mother. Koh was in good health. This means Koh has lived for already six years.

On 25 March 2011, Koh’s daughter came to collect herbs for her mother. We had a rare opportunity to chat with her. Below is the video recording on that day.

Comments

According to medical literature, up to 70% of patients with colorectal cancer would eventually end up with metastasis to the liver. Unfortunately, chemotherapy does not cure metastatic liver cancer. In general, the mean survival for patients with minimal disease is 16 months, while those with advanced disease it is 3 months. Generally patients who come to us are often told by their doctors that they have only 6 months to live.

In this case, Koh is still healthy for her age. And she is about to celebrate her 90th birthday. It was 14 years ago that she was diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer. She was only on herbs, no medical treatment at all. Indeed this is an unexpected and unbelievable but true story.

In CA Care we often see miraculous cases like this do happen. In fact is this kind of story that makes us “tick” and encourage us to want to continue our work so that many more can also be equally blessed.

Unfortunately we cannot give you more details about this case. This happened 14 years ago and at that time, we just started CA Care. We made no video recording of patient who came to see us, unlike what we are doing today.

There are many factors that contribute to the success of this case.

One, Koh is indeed very lucky to be at 75 years old when she had cancer. Her doctor had the good sense to think that chemotherapy was not going to help her. The scenario would have been different if she was younger. No one is going to take chances!  And most probably she might or might not survive the treatment.   There is always this rationale – You are young, give yourself a chance and fight your cancer with chemo. In this case, not only the doctor but all family members did not have that will to fight. It turned out to be a blessing for Koh.

Two, there are two kinds of doctors. One kind would take the heroic task of trying to solve problems even if the problem is unsolvable. Fight and fight – change one drug to another, and see what the outcome is. The war only stops when the patient dies.  Another kind of doctor is one who sees the bigger picture.  For this I must admire Dr. Jerome Groopman, professor and oncologist at Harvard School of Medicine. For this wise professor, pressing for a solution when none is apparent can be the worst course of action – “Picking up a scalpel and cutting can be just the wrong thing” when you don’t see the whole picture. Groopman wrote: “Don’t just do something, stand there” as he counsels against the impulse to jump in and do things.

In another story, a son brought his 85-year old mother, who had breast-liver cancer, to an oncologist. After taking the drugs, she became severely breathless and fainted.  She had to be rushed to a hospital for emergency care. Read more here: https://cancercaremalaysia.com/2011/03/30/breast-liver-cancer-just-wait-for-her-time/

Three, a nurse told Koh and her family members about CA Care. They believed what they heard! What could have happened if they had just brushed it off (like many do) as hocus pocus?

A lesson to learn from this story: Don’t ever think that the cancer is going to be “cured”, that is to say, permanently eliminated. Doctors normally  define “cure” as living past 5 years. This is not cure in its true sense. Koh tried not to take the herbs when she became well. The cancer started to come back. In this instance, it was lucky that she came back to us and started to take the herbs again. Things like this happen often. When patients get well they forget all that we taught them! And the cancer came back.

Perhaps you might want to hear a similar story: Liver-Bile Duct Cancer: Herbs Kept Him In Excellent Health: https://cancercaremalaysia.com/2010/12/09/liver-bile-duct-cancer-herbs-kept-him-in-excellent-health/