Breast Cancer recurred four years after surgery. DVT of right leg. Herbs helped her!

Posted on 20/05/2019 by CA Care

Ria is a 53-year-old lady from Jakarta. About four years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a right mastectomy at a private hospital in Penang. Since she did not bring the medical report of her surgery, I was not able to tell you how serious her breast cancer was. Anyway, Rias was asked to undergo follow-up treatments — chemotherapy and radiotherapy. She refused. She was not on any medication either.

Ria was okay after the surgery and did not bother to come back for any check-up after that. About three months ago (i.e. about four years after her mastectomy), Ria became breathless. She was admitted to a hospital in Jakarta and was told there was fluid in her lungs. The doctor wanted her to undergo chemotherapy. She refused.

Ria came back to the same private hospital in Penang where she had her surgery. She was referred to the lung specialist. A CT was done and showed the following:

There is a 5.5 x 5.1 x 3.5 cm mass in the manubrium sterni with an extension of the mass into the prevascular space of the mediastinum.
There is moderate to large right pleural effusion (fluid in the lung).
Collapse-consolidation of right lower lobe.
Right and left main pulmonary arteries and their lobar branches are consistent with pulmonary embolism (PE).

Ria’s right leg was swollen and USG confirmed it was due to extensive deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the right common femoral, superficial femoral and popliteal veins.

The lung specialist was not able to offer Ria any help and referred her to the oncologist instead. Ria was told to undergo 6 cycles of chemotherapy with Taxol and Epirubicin. She refused chemo.

From the pictures above, her breast cancer must have spread to her lungs, bone and liver. In addition she suffered DVT of the right leg. The doctor wanted Ria to be admitted into the hospital right away, to treat her DVT. She also refused.

Ria came to seek our help instead.

What can I do with such a case? Listen to our conversation that morning.

Three Weeks After Taking the Herbs

Ria came back to see us again. She was full of energy and was happy. Her swollen leg was almost (70 percent) healed. Before the herbs her right leg was “hot”, hard and painful. After taking the herbs, it was back to normal.

When Ria first came three weeks ago, I did not believe that I could do anything to help her. This was because I had a bad experience with DVT before. When we first started CA Care twenty plus years ago, I remember of a young man, an engineer, who had cancer and underwent chemotherapy. He developed DVT (deep vein thrombosis) in his thigh. His wife came to our house well after mid-night asking for help. I could do nothing for him. He immediately underwent an operation for his DVT and died.

I told Ria. “I am really surprised. When you first came three weeks ago, I did not write anything about your case history. See the blank page. This is because I thought your condition was so serious that you could die anytime. I did not expect you to live. I am glad that you are well now. God really loves you!”

Then jokingly I told Ria. Now that you are okay, why don’t you go for chemotherapy for your recurrent breast lumps. Ria replied, “Itu racun — that is poison”! What a surprising answer. Ria is not an educated lady. She makes kue — local cakes — to sell in Jakarta market. But she know what chemo is!

From the internet, I gather some information about DVT.

Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, is a blood clot that forms in a vein deep in the body. Most deep vein clots occur in the lower leg or thigh.
Deep vein thrombosis can cause leg pain or swelling with red or discolored skin on the leg. There is a feeling of warmth in the affected leg. This is what Ria said she had.
Deep vein thrombosis can be very serious because blood clots in your veins can break loose, travel through your bloodstream and lodge in your lungs, blocking blood flow (pulmonary embolism). And that is exactly what the CT scan showed Ria had: Right and left main pulmonary arteries and their lobar branches are consistent with pulmonary embolism (PE).
A deep vein thrombosis canbreak loose and cause a serious problem in the lung, called a pulmonary embolism, or a heart attack or stroke.
A pulmonary embolism can be life-threatening. Signs and symptoms of a pulmonary embolism include: sudden shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort that worsens when you take a deep breath or when you cough, feeling lightheaded or dizzy, or fainting, rapid pulse and coughing up blood

Can DVT kill you?

Yes, you can die of a deep vein thrombosis. If a pulmonary embolism(PE) occurs, the prognosis can be more severe.
If the clotis big or the artery is clogged by many smaller clots, a pulmonary embolism can be fatal. About 25% of people who have a PE will die suddenly.
In the US, every five minutes someone dies from a blood clot or deep vein thrombosis. Each year between 100,000-180,000 Americans die as the result of pulmonary embolism.

Surgery did not cure his liver cancer

Posted on 17/01/2018 by CA Care

LKS is a 63-year-old man. Eight years ago he was diagnosed with liver cancer and underwent a surgery. His gall bladder and part of his liver was removed. According to the surgeon there was no need for follow up chemo. There was no need to take medication either.

LKS was well and went back to his normal life — of course, eating what likes.

In late December 2017 (eight years after his surgery), LKS had wind in his abdomen and he had difficulty emptying his bowel. He went back to the same hospital where he had his surgery and did a CT scan.

LKS was told there was fluid in his abdomen. He was prescribed some medication and sent home. He was told nothing else could be done.

LKS and his family came to seek our help in mid January 2018. He presented with distended abdomen, otherwise he was alright.

His liver function test done on 19 December 2017 was as below.

Albumin	34 L
Globulin	46 H
Total bilirubin	73 H
Alkaline phosphatase	307 H
GGT	349 H
AST	136 H
ALT	44

LKS was prescribed liver herbs in addition to herbs for his abdominal distention. Within a week he felt better. Unfortunately this improvement did not last! LKS felt hungry and went to supermarket and bought some “instant food stuff” to eat. He was back to square one!

Comments

Most patients never learn. In spite of us spending hours telling them to stick to healthy diet, they would sure go back to their “bad” diet the moment they feel well. This is my advice to all patients who come and see us. If you want to take our herbs, take care of your diet. If you want to eat anything you like, then don’t come and see us. Yes, your doctors say you can eat you like or your diet has nothing to do with your cancer! Our 20 plus years of experience tell us otherwise — diet plays a vital role in cancer healing!

No need to listen to me. Read what other “enlightened” doctors have got to say.

The take home message of this case is there for you to see! Surgery does not cure liver cancer.

Yes, surgery can buy you some time. After surgery you may be told it is all “taken care off” or “I got the cancer all out”. Don’t be taken up by such assurance — I have seen enough cases of recurrence to tell you that such advice is misplaced and misguided. A misinformation.

Lung Cancer: After Surgery, Chemo and Radiation, the cancer spread to his healthy lung

Posted on 01/10/2017 by CA Care

CK is a 62-year-old male from Kuala Lumpur. He and his wife came to see us with copies of his medical reports neatly filed in a folder. This is a very pleasant couple who is now helpless and directionless. This is what happened.

1) 20 December 2015: Had food poisoning after taking expired red wine.

2) 21 December 2015: Consulted a GP who discovered “cracking sound” in his left lung.

3) 22 December 2015: CT scan of chest showed a 3.2 x 5 cm mass in the left lung.

4) 2 January 2016: A CT-guided biopsy confirmed a bronchoalveolar adenocarcinoma.

CK was referred to a cardio-thoracic surgeon in a “heart hospital.”

5) 14 January 2016: PET scan confirmed carcinoma of the left lung with no associated locoregional or distant metastasis.

6) 23 January 2016: Admitted to the “heart hospital” for lower lobe lobectomy, i.e. surgery to remove a quarter of the lung.

The surgery was a “success” and histopathology report showed:

a) Aortic wall adventitia was infiltrated by tumour.
b) One pulmonary lymph node showed tumour metastasis.
c) lower lobe of left lung — invasive adenocarcinoma with predominant bronchoalveolar and papillary pattern.

7) February to June 2016: Underwent 4 cycles of chemotherapy and 20 sessions of radiotherapy.

Things seemed to be okay after all these treatments but CK had chest pains, coughs and fever. He was prescribed “strong” antibiotics.

8) 30 March 2017 — after slightly more than a year.

Follow up CT scan showed multiple nodules and patchy opacities in the upper and lower lobes of right lung.

Radiologist suggested: Differential diagnosis: lung metastases and pneumonia. Suggest close follow up CT lung after a course of antibiotics.

CK went back to his surgeon about this new development. The surgeon was pretty sure that the spots were not cancer related.

9) 1 June 2016: CT scan of chest. The radiologists wrote the following:

CT on 23 March and 30 March 2017 were reviewed. The current CT is about 2-3 months after the previous CTs. The current CT showed the following:

a) The ground glass opacities in the right upper and lower lobes of the lung appears more dense and larger.
b) Newer small nodular lesions are seen in the right upper and lower lobes.

Based on the above observations, the radiologist was of the opinion that this new development was a metastasis or recurrence. However, ground glass opacities may be due to drug induced lung changes and infection.

The changes in the left upper lobe (note: left lower lobe was removed) are suggestive of non-neoplastic process and fibrosis. If DXT (radiotherapy) was given, these could be due to that treatment.

10) 18 September 2017: Went back to the same GP again (as in 2). “Cracking sound” at the lower part of my good lung.

Cancer marker in December 2016 was 16. In July 2017,it was 173.

CK and his wife decided not to go back to his doctors again. Because it will just be repeating the same procedures all over again — another biopsy and more chemo.

Total cost of treatment = RM130,000 of personal savings.

Comments

I had my first lesson about lung cancer some 22 years ago. The second patient of CA Care is VJ. He had lung cancer and had one side of his lung removed and underwent treatments at the “cancer hospital.” I was at the hospital and saw him suffer and eventually died.. Surgery did not cure lung cancer. Treatments received in the cancer hospital also did not cure lung cancer.

My second lesson about lung cancer came a few years later when the mother of my student underwent radiotherapy for her lung cancer. Yes, I encouraged her to go for the treatment. After completion of her treatment she died. Lesson number two, radiation does not cure lung cancer. To understand why, just go to the market and buy a piece of lung. Bring home and place the lung over fire and see what happen! The lung hardened — and is this not why the patient cannot breath?

Over the years, I have seen this story being repeated over and over again. In the case of CK, it is another one of those cases I have come across over the years.

Can herbs cure CK’s cancer? No. Can we help him? May be. CK’s problem recurred less than 2 years after treatment. After spending RM 130,000 he got nothing out of it.

Perhaps some people would want to tell you that if you don’t go for treatment, you would die sooner. Nope — I don’t believe so. Over the years, I have patients who led a much better life if they do nothing.

Perhaps you may want to read some of the articles I have written earlier:

He Died Of Lung Cancer — Treated by the Best Oncologist in One of the Best Hospitals in the World

2. Medically Given Up Lung Cancer: She died after 5 years on CA Care Therapy

3. Lung Cancer: Six to 12 Months to Live. Must do chemo, that’s the only way. With herbs still alive after 2 years!

4. Lung Cancer: Given Honest Answers Patient May Run Away from Chemotherapy

5. Two Billion Rupiah, Chemo And Surgery Failed. Oncologist said, “More chemo, you just have to trust me!”

6. Lung Cancer: Chemo Experiments That Failed and Failed

7. Lung Cancer Success Stories

My advice to CK.

Don’t give up hope yet. We shall do our best. If you can sleep, can eat, can move around and have you no pain, don’t ask for more. To that CK and his wife totally agreed. In fact that was what they hope for when they came to seek our help … “to have quality life.”

May God bless you.

Recurrence of breast cancer — ignorance, irresponsibility or ineffective therapy?

Posted on 13/03/2017 by CA Care

Kim (not real name) is a 52-year-old lady. Kim did an ultrasound of her breasts in March 2016. The results are as follows:

Right breast: There was a large irregular mass measuring 4.94 x 1.18 x 2.78 cm. Few enlarged axillary lymphadenopathy seen, largest measuring 2.68 x 3.96 x 2.44 cm.
Left breast: A well-defined lesion seen at 11 o’clock position measuring 9.1 x 5.3 x 9.7 mm. This is a fibroadenoma. There are two small benign cysts seen at 11-12 o’clock position.

She underwent a mastectomy in a private hospital. The surgery cost her RM 8,000.

Histopathology report of the tumour indicated the following:

Right breast: Medullary carcinoma.
Adjacent breast tissue: fibroadenosis.
Right axillary lymph nodes: metastatic carcinoma, 8/8 nodes were infected.
Tumour is ER negative, P.R. negative and e-cerb B2 positive.

Kim was referred to an oncologist who suggested that Kim undergo eight cycles of chemotherapy. Each cycle would cost about RM 1,000 to RM 2,000. The oncologist said chemotherapy would not guarantee her a cure. Kim refused chemo and came to seek our help in early April 2016.

We prescribed herbs and told her to take care of her diet.

I did not get to see Kim again until ten months later, in late February 2017. The pictures below illustrate what happened to her. The question that boggled the mind is, why did she allow such thing to happen?

The following is the gist of our conversation that morning.

Chris: Your cancer had recurred. There is no need to continue taking our herbs. I really can’t say why this happened. I only saw you once, ten months ago. Cannot be! The question is: did you really follow what I told you to do?

Did you take care of your diet or did you eat anything you like? Did you take the herbs properly, or you took the herbs one day and did not take the herbs the next day?

If you said you really followed our instructions properly and this is what you get, then I feel like giving up! It is better that I close CA Care — there is no need for us to be around anymore. We are doing more harm than good.

So I need to know from you — tell me the truth what you did. I am not going to be angry. Did you really follow our advice correctly and strictly?

Kim: Yes, I took care of my diet. I did not eat meat or sugar.

C: What about the herbs?

K: I took the herbs once every two days!

C: Why did you take the herbs only once every two days?

K: Your wife told me to do so!

C: Cannot be! How could my wife ever give patients such instruction? You are supposed to take the herbs everyday (note: the instruction on the packet also tells you to do the same!)

I gave you four types of herbal teas — two are for the breast and another two for your lymph nodes. It means you need to take four teas every day. But you said you took the tea only once every two days. That is not right. What tea did you take?

K: I drank the tea and I felt nauseous. So I skipped and took the tea every other day only.

C: I gave you four types of tea, what tea did you drink?

K: I also took the powder in the capsules!

C: Even those in capsules, did you take them every day? (Note; these capsules are to be taken three times a day, every day).

K: No, I took the capsules once every other day — i.e. two days once. I also brew red dates and drunk that as tea.

C: Who ask you to take the red dates tea?

You came to see me in April 2016 and now it is February 2017, that’s ten months ago. If there was something “wrong” during this period, no one could help you. If you were to come and see me earlier or regularly, at least I would be able to help or correct whatever wrong you did.

It is indeed frustrating for me to help people. Even if they live in Penang and it is only 15 or 20 minutes away from us, they say it is difficult to come. Just to cross the Penang Bridge is already far and difficult! Yet I have patients who come all the way from Indonesia. For some Indonesian patients, it takes them two days to come to Penang! Penang people are just spoilt!

I must say it is heart-aching for me to see what happened to you. If this is the result I get all the time, it is better that I close CA Care! There is no reason why we should be around, misleading people! (Note: listening to this sad story is another breast cancer patient from Indonesia. She has been taking the herbs for almost five years now and she is okay! A lesson we learn — we win some, we lose some!).

I also like to say this. When I ask patients if they follow our advice correctly and strictly, the answer would always be “yes”! But when I started to dig in deeper, there it was — I know that they were not telling me the truth!

In this case, you come to see me too late. By right, the moment you saw a little reddish lump you should have come and see me. But you did not do that. You waited until it has spread so badly. Why did you not come and see me earlier?

K: I came to see you during the Chinese New Year (end of January 2017) but you were not around!

C: You should have come long before the Chinese New Year!

K: Oh, I did not know that! I have taken the herbs for so long already (Note: eight to ten months is not long!) I did not expect the cancer to come back.

C: I suggest you stop taking the herbs. Go and see a doctor and ask if he/she can give you chemotherapy. This may be able to help you. But know that it cannot cure you.

Comments

Kim had a metastatic medullary breast cancer, a rare type of cancer. Please understand the reality of cancer treatment …

We do not know why Kim did not follow our instructions correctly. She must have her own reasons!

Was she naive? It appeared so by her comment that she had been taking the herbs for so long and yet the cancer came back! There is no cure for cancer and taking herbs for eight or ten months is not long! You need to take the herbs for years!

Was she ignorant? She did not seem to be an educated person. Defintely she did not have a clue of what cancer is. She did not read or educated herself either.

Was she irresponsible? Did she realise that her healing and her health are her own responsibility. Others can help but only she can heal herself. And she wanted healing on her own terms?

Was our therapy ineffective? From the very beginning we tell all patients who come and see us that there is no cure for cancer! Dr. Ken Osborne and Dr. Susan Love are experts of breast cancer. Read what they said again and again and understand their message. Our herbs are no magic potion. There is no magic cure. Surgery, chemo and radiation do not cure breast cancer either. Read the stories below and you know what I mean.

Breast Cancer: Finally Death is Her Healing

Breast Cancer: When a so-called “cure” was not a cure

This Is What We Often Encounter – Failed Medical Treatment, Healing Crisis after Herbs, Bad Diet and Family Problems

Some Women Gamble With Their Breasts

Breast Cancer: Herbs and e-Therapy Restored Her Wellbeing After 106 Times of Radiation Treatments Part 7: My Journey of Ignorance

Better to Die Than to Suffer

Surgery and Chemo But Her Breast Cancer Remains Incurable

Surgery and Chemotherapy Did Not Cure Their Breast Cancer: Equally A Big Mistake?

Posted on 18/05/2016 by CA Care

Lately, we encountered many breast cancer cases. Indeed pathetic. By sharing these stories with you, we hope that those who come after this unfortunate patients, can learn and understand that cure for cancer is rather elusive.

—————————————————————————————————————

Earlier, we posted about patients who took herbs to “cure” their breast cancer. They ended up in a deep, dark pit. It appears that we have a fool-proof scapegoat to blame. Ah, I told you so, why do such “silly” things taking those unproven and unscientific herbs! Sound familiar right?

But here are patients who did the “right thing” from the very start. They went to see their doctors, did what their doctors wanted them to do — i.e. surgery and chemotherapy. After undergoing all these treatments and having spent so much money besides enduring all the nasty side effects, they also ended up in the deep, dark pit — equally messy and equally dangerous situations like the patients who took the “unscientific” path.

Let us present you these 4 sad cases which we encountered very recently.

Case 1: Jati (not real name) is a 60-year-old Indonesian lady. She was diagnosed with right breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy. Then she underwent 12 cycles of chemotherapy and 5 sessions of radiation. She was told the cancer had already spread to her lungs. Jati took 2 cycles of Xeloda.

The cancer did not go away. Jati came to a private hospital in Penang and underwent 6 cycles of chemo. Each cycle cost her RM 4,500.

CT scan on 4 May 2016 showed:

The mass seen in the right axilla and right retropectoral region appears slightly larger compared with the previous scan on 24 February 2016.
The nodules in the right and left lungs are larger and more in number compared with the previous scan.

Blood test on 4 May 2016 showed her CA 125 was at 165 (High, normal 0-35) and GGT at 123 (High, normal 9-36).

The above results showed that the chemo was not effective. Not only that, the cancer had grown to be more serious. The oncologist asked Jati to do more chemo! And more chemo? Actually, Jati had just been hospitalised for 5 days due to severe diarrhea after the chemo.

Jati refused further chemotherapy and came to seek our help. Chemo made her skin turn dark like the pictures below:

Case 2: Shirley (not real name) is a 53-yer-old Indonesian lady. In 2012, she was diagnosed with Stage 2B, right breast cancer. She underwent a mastectomy. Histopathology confirmed an infiltrating carcinoma, mixed ductal & lobular. The tumour size: 2.4 x 2.4 x 1.5 cm. One of 12 lymph nodes were positive for tumour cells. The tumour was negative for estrogen receptor, negative for progresterone receptor and negative for Her 2/neu.

Shirley received 6 cycles of chemotherapy. No radiation or medication was indicated since this was a triple negative cancer.

Shirley had regular checkup and everything seemed to be normal. CT scan on 17 April 2015 showed no signs of metastatic process. Upper and lower abdominal organs are within normal ecopattern. But the good news did not last. A few months later, blood test showed the CA 15.3 was rising.

PET scan on 14 August 2015, showed:

the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes — left collar bone and arm pit, paratracheal, etc.
there is fluid in the lung, probably due to metastasis.
there is a lesion in Segment 7 of the liver.
metastatic lesions in the bone — sternum and rib bone.

Shirley was asked to undergo chemotherapy again. After 2 cycles of chemo, she was told that the treatment was not effective. Shirley then went to another hospital where she received another 3 cycles of chemo — Brexel (Docetaxel), Epirubicin and Cyclophasphamide. After that Shirley decided to give up.

The following is her blood test results — in spite of the chemo.

	CA 15.3
30 December 2015	41.99
12 February 2016	43.00
30 April 2016	114.10

Having run out of option, Shirley and her husband came to seek our help.

Case 3: Mas (not real name) is a 44-year-old Malaysian lady from Sabah. In May 2015, she felt a lump in her left breast and did not bother about it. About 7 months later, in December 2015, she went for a check-up.

Ultrasound on 4 December 2015, showed:

a large ill-defined hypoechoic lesion at 2:00 – 26.9 x 33.0 mm.
two ill-defined hypoechoic lesons at 11:00 – 5.5 x 5.4 mm and 8.9 x 8.2 mm.
enlarged left axillary lymph node, 1 cm.

A mammogram on 4 December 2015, showed a large ill-defined mass with spiculated margins and architectural distortion at the left upper outer quadrant, 2 o’clock.

Mas complained of pains in her backbone. A CT scan on 15 December 2015 indicated the following:

confirmed earlier finding of an irregular mass in the left breast, 2.0 x 3.8 x 3.8 cm in size.
multiple hypodense lesions of varying sizes scattered in both liver lobes in keeping with liver metastasis. The largest at segment 8, measuring 3.4 x 3.2 cm.
a small hypodense cystic lesion at pancreatic body measuring 0.5 x 0.3 cm, likely benign.
multiple lytic lesions scattered in almost entire visualised vertebrae, both iliac bones and sternum in keeping with bone metastasis.

Mas underwent a mastectomy in January 2016. The tumour was ER positive, PR positive and HER2 positive.

After surgery, in February 2016, Mas was started on chemotherapy (drugs: EC). The treatment was scheduled for 6 cycles but after 3 cycles the doctor stopped the treatment because Mas’s liver was badly affected. Mas also suffered side effects of the chemo for the entire 3 weeks after each cycle of chemo.

	1 March 2016	22 March 2016
ALP	308 H	455 H
ALT	153.3 H	96.1 H
AST	228.7 H	200.4 H

Case 4: Yan (not real name) is a 36-year-old Indonesian. She felt a small lump in her breast in January 2016. The nipple discharged pus. A biopsy indicated cancer. Yan underwent a mastectomy on 26 February 2016 in a private hospital in Melaka, Malaysia. Histopathology confirmed an invasive ductal carcinoma. Fourteen of the 16 axillary lymph nodes showed evidence of tumor metastasis. One lymph node at Level II showed evidence of metastasis.

The tumour was positive for oestrogen receptor, negative for progesterone receptor and positive for C-erbB-2.

PET scan on 23 March 2016 confirmed the cancer had spread to the numerous lymph nodes in the body.

Yan was referred to an oncologist for follow-up. Based on the above, the oncologist recommend the following:

Chemotherapy – 8 cycles, 3 weeks once. Cost: AC + Gran RM 2,500 x 4 = RM 10,00. Docetaxel + Pegasta RM 5,600 x 4 = RM 22,400. So in total the 8 cycles of chemo would cost about RM 32,400.
Heceptin, total of 17 injections, to start at 5th chemo session. This could take a year at total cost of RM 150,000.
Radiotherapy, 15 sessions, for three weeks. Cost RM 10,000.
Hormonal therapy to take for 10 years. Nolvadix (or Tamoxifen), 20 mg, RM 150 per month.

Did you ask if the above treatments are going to cure you? I never ask! I only asked about the side effects.

What are the side effects? Total hair loss, nausea and onset of menopause.

So what do you want to do now? I don’t want to do any chemo.

A quick addition of all costs: RM 200,400 (besides the surgery).

Can we learn some lesson from all these cases?

These four patients did the “right thing” from the medical perspective. After all we have been told and made to believe that medicine is scientific and proven. Reflect on the various quotations below, then ask these question: Is the present treatment of breast cancer (or any cancer at all) based on science? Or is it just a guessing game based on biased opinions? Are you being told the truth or being misled?

Why The Current Cancer Treatment Failed

Cancer Treatment is a Guessing Game — no one can tell why

Am I Not Told All These?

You are not alone. Even educated people like an army colonel also got trapped.

The Cruel, Mad and Greedy World

We really felt sorry for Yan, sitting in front of us not knowing what to do.

Let’s take a closer look at her case. She was 36 years old when diagnosed with breast cancer. After surgery, the follow-up chemo treatments alone would coast her about RM 200,000. That did not take in consideration cost of travel and stay in Malaysia (on and off) for the treatment for about a year. Let’s assume that everything comes to about RM 300,000 for the treatment.

Let us also assume that she will be cured after all these treatments — which may not necessarily be the case. She may die half way through the treatment. She may suffer a relapse after spending that RM 300,000. No one can predict, no one can tell and no one can know for sure.

If there is a recurrence, there will be another pile of medical bills to settle.

If Yan were to start saving right on the first day when she was born, it would come to about RM 694 per month or RM 8,333 per year. Do that for 36 years to be able to raise that kind of money for her “unpredictable” breast cancer treatment.

Look at it another way. If Yan were to go to the university and started work at age 20, it would mean that each year she has to save RM 18,750 per year or RM 1,562 per month for 16 years to be able to accumulate RM 300,000 to pay for her medical bills.

Indeed, something must have gone wrong in this world today? Is it not about time that someone come out with an cheap but effective option to heal cancer? Knowing how the world operates that is another illusion! Read these quotations:

After all the staggering cost and believing that there is a cure, here’s the real bomb shell

Breast Cancer: Surgery, Chemo, Radiation and Hormonal Therapy Did Not Cure Her. Xeloda made her miserable! Patient, Only You Should Decide What You Want To Do!

Breast Cancer: Surgery did not cure. Recurrence and cancer spread extensively to her lungs. But does she want to live?

Look at the Bigger Picture Part 2. You don’t have to “swallow” everything that they offer you!

2.3 cm Malignant Breast Lump: Surgery, Chemo and Radiation — Disaster

Breast Cancer: Surgery, Chemo, Radiation and Tamoxifen Did Not Cure Them

Her Breast Cancer Came Back After 14 Years

Posted on 16/03/2016 by CA Care

Last week (early March 2016) we had a call from a lady. Let’s call her Nancy.

Nancy called to say that her husband wanted to see us. Is her husband having any problem? Her daughter explained that was the one having problems and her mother wanted to come and see us with her husband. Okay come to the centre now if you like, was our answer.

Our Patient 14 Years Ago

Nancy was 54-years old when she was diagnosed with with Grade 2, infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the right breast in May 2002. After a lumpectomy, her doctor recommended a total mastectomy – just to be safe! The pathology report indicated no residual malignancy or lymph node metastasis. No chemotherapy or radiotherapy was indicated but the doctor wanted to put her on tamoxifen (for five years!).

Nancy and her husband were fully aware of the side-effects of tamoxifen and declined to take the drug. But her doctor told her: You have only one in a million chance of getting cervical cancer! Nancy responded: That one could be me! Nancy’s is a case of once bitten twice shy. Two years prior to her diagnosis, at the onset of her menopause, she was on hormone replacement therapy (HRT). She was well aware of the risk of breast cancer while on HRT. Her doctor checked and monitored her breast health every month to ensure that everything was under control.

But it was not to be. Two years on HRT, cancer reared its ugly head in her right breast. Nancy came to seek our help in May 2002 and was started on CA Care Therapy. Nancy was in excellent health since then. But after 5 years we never get to see her again.

After all Nancy learned from her doctor and friends that if you survive 5 years then you can be considered cured. You will now learn from this story that you-are-cured-after-five-years-doctrine is an illusion, faulty and without basis.

It was one morning in early March 2016 — Nancy, her husband and daughter were sitting in front of me with her CT scan report (19 February 2016) which said:

There are lobulated mass lesion in the right breast 4 x 6 cm invading the pectoralis muscle and underlying chest well.
Multiple nodules seen in both lungs 5 to 15 mm.
Multiple enlarged right axillary lymph nodes seen.
Multiple enlarge mediastinal lymph nodes seen.
Mild right pleural effusion.
L2 compression fracture with spinal canal stenosis.
Multiple lytic bone lesons seen involving the sprine, sternum, ribs, pubic bones and left iliac crest.

Immunohistochemistry stains profile supports the diagnosis of high grade metastatic adenocarcinoma from the breast.

Blood test results on 19 February 2016

Platelet	353
Alkaline phosphatase	270 H
Aspaartate Transaminase	42 H
Alanine Transaminase	15
Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase	64 H
CA 125	50.7 H
CA 15.3	171.3 H

I was in despair not knowing what to say or feel. It was a frustrating morning indeed. It is hard to see apparently “successful” case turning rotten. Over the years we have warned our patients that there is no cure for cancer. One day if you do something “wrong”, the cancer will come back again. If you are well, continue to do what you are doing and don’t let go. For most people it is hard. They want to go back to their old lifestyle, they want to eat what they like again, they don’t want to take the herbs any more — in short, they just want to do whatever they like, believing in this faulty idea that the cancer is gone forever after surviving 5 years.

My aunty had cervical cancer. She survived 13 years and then started to cough for 2 years without anyone at home suspecting that something had gone wrong! Most tragic of all. there was a doctor living in the house! A CT scan showed the cancer had spread extensively to both her lungs. It was too late. After 8 months on herbs, one morning aunty died peacefully without any pain.

Over the years, we have seen such tragedies being repeated over and over again. But not many people want to learn. Everyone wants to believe what their doctors tell them —You are cured after 5 years!

This is another story: Breast Cancer: When a so-called “cure” was not a cure. MT had breast cancer in 2005 and underwent a mastectomy followed by 6 cycles of chemotherapy and 30 radiation treatments. Then she was prescribed Tamoxifen, which she took for 5 years. MT was told by her doctor that her breast cancer was at an early stage and that she had a 90 percent chance of complete cure with the treatments that she had undergone.

MT believed her doctor and did exactly as what she was told to do. Each year she came back to her doctor in Melaka for routine checkup. At every visit she was told that she was fine. After 5 years, MT was told to stop Tamoxifen because she was already cured.

Barely a year later, in April 2011, MT started to have pains in her tail bone and shoulder blade. She ignored the problem and did not go back to see her doctor. Then she started to take “jamu” (Indonesian herbal). The pains did not go away but rather became more intense. Then her legs started to hurt as well. She became breathless and was unable to walk far. In February 2012, MT returned to her doctor in Melaka. Examination indicated her cancer had recurred. MT asked her doctor why the cancer recurred when she was told earlier that she had been cured. The doctor replied, I do not know why. But don’t blame yourself. It is your fate. Also the recurrence has nothing to do with what you eat. It is just your fate. Yes, when modern medicine failed, God gets the blame!

Looking at things from a positive angle, at least Nancy was already lucky or blessed. Her cancer recurred only after 14 years. Many people even died 3 to 4 years after undergoing all the medical treatments of their cancer.

Nancy had radiation to her backbone and this helped ease the pains. She was told to undergo chemotherapy but she refused, prefering to take herbs again. We are out front with Nancy — we can only do our best to help her live a pain-free happy life but we cannot cure her. We urged her to seek medical help if necessary (whatever that means).

(UPDATE: Nancy died on 9 June 2016)

Let me ask you to ponder what I wrote earlier in Understanding Cancer War and Cure.

Breast Cancer: Surgery did not cure. Recurrence and cancer spread extensively to her lungs. But does she want to live?

Posted on 11/06/2015 by CA Care

TTH is a 73-year-old Indonesian lady. In early 2014, she felt a lump in her right breast. If touched she felt pulling pains in her breast. She came to Penang for consultation.

USG on 26 June 2014, indicated a spiculated hypoechoic mass at 11.00 o’clock, 3 cm from nipple. The mass measures 17.7 x 16.3 x 24.0 mm. There are feeder vessels seen supplying this mass lesion. No axillary lymphadenopathy. Impression: Highly suggestive of breast cancer. Category 4.

A mammogram of both breast also showed similar results.

Chest X-ray showed slight increased reticular markings of both lung parenchyma. No lung nodule seen.

TTH came to seek our advice on 27 June 2014. We suggested that she remove her breast.

Mastectomy

TTH underwent surgery on 7 July 2014. Histopathology report confirmed:

Invasive ductal carcinoma, Stage T1.
Resected margins, niple and areola: Free.
Right axillary lymph nodes: Sinus histiocytosis (4/4).
Tumour negative for estrogen, negative for progesterone and negative for c-erb B2 receptors.

The mastectomy cost RM 6,600. The doctor said no need for chemotherapy or radiotherapy. There was not medication.

TTH came to seek our advise again after the surgery. We prescribed her some herbs and told her to take care of her diet. We did not get to see THH again after that.

Recurrence and Extensive Lung Metastasis After a Year

A year later, 3 June 2015, TTH and her daughter came to see us again. Why did she come and see us? A routine check up with her doctor on 2 June 2015 indicated extensive lung metastasis. Her CA 15.3 was elevated to 100.2. This time her doctor said she needed chemotherapy and it would be better for her to go home and receive the treatment in Indonesia.

A CT scan done on 2 June 2015 indicated:

focal nodule noted in right anterior chest well, on the pectoralis muscle. The nodule measured approximately 8 mm in diameter.
There is an adjacent skin nodule approximately 5 mm noted.
There are extensive intrapulmonary nodules and masses noted in right and left lungs. They measured approximately 12 to 45 mm n diameter each.
Nodular thickening of the interlobular septae noted in both lung bases, consistent with lymphangitis carcinomatosis.

Impresssion: Local recurrence with extensive lung metastasis and lymphangitis carcinomatosis.

Looking at the above images, we felt real sorry for TTH. How could such extensive metastasis happened within a year? An X-ray done a year ago showed the lung was clear — could this result be wrong?

Chris: You came to see us last year and took some herbs?

Patient: I took the herbs for a while and stopped. There was nothing wrong with me and I thought I was cured already.

C: Did you take care of your diet?

P: People told me if I don’t eat this and that, I would not have energy – no strength!

C: Your cancer has recurred and it has spread extensively to your lungs. Even if you take the herbs, I am sorry I cannot cure you.

P: Okay, in that case, there is no need to take the herbs then.

Comment

Last month we posted an article, Breast Cancer: It is all about you — your human nature and attitude

Speaking to TTH, it appeared to us that this patient felt she is already old enough. There is no need to do anything beyond the normal routine that she has been accustomed to. Our experience through the years tells that only 3 out of 10 patients benefited from our herbs. Those who succeeded showed their commitment and wanting to help themselves. Others just came to find an easy way out. Such people are really depressing to work with. It is better that they don’t come and see us at all.

Breast Cancer Recurrence – Choosing the Road to Disaster

Posted on 16/05/2012 by CA Care

Mary (not real name) was a forty-six year-old lady. She was diagnosed with right breast cancer in October 2004 and underwent a mastectomy. She was asked to undergo chemotherapy but declined, preferring to follow the CA Care Therapy. She was started on the herbs: Capsule A & B, LL-tea, Liver-P and Breast M on 28 November 2004. She was doing very well while on our therapy. On 28 November 2006 we interviewed Mary about her health. For full details of her story read Chapter 9 of Breast Cancer: The Herbal Option.

Breast Cancer: Well After Two Years on CA Care Therapy

Chris: How are you, today?

Mary: Do look at me. No words can describe how well I feel. Actually before this medical report was out (showing her latest blood test results), my heart already knew that it would be better than the last time because I could feel it myself. I feel better although I am tired at times. But with the right balance of food, and a little bit of rest in between, I am up and about again. Fifteen minutes nap and a few deep breaths – even though I might be very tired, I would be up again.

C: Compared to the days before you had cancer, are you just as good?

Husband: Her health condition was very bad before that. She would have constant flu which would last up to three months.

Mary: In terms of health, I think I am better now. I am healthier. Before the cancer, it was terrible. I had backaches. After I had walked a little bit, I had to sit down. My heels were hurting. I always had headaches. I often had flu and coughs. I was always sick – like going down and down. It would start with a sore throat, then runny nose, fevers and finally coughs. It would go on and on for two to three months. The doctor gave courses of antibiotics. At one time, the doctor wanted to take out my tonsils but I said no, no, no. Somehow, something made me say no. I had to take antibiotics. I recovered for a short while after all the medications the doctor had given. They made me so blur and not know what was going on. Then I got sick again. I had been ignoring all these problems for two or three years and my health then was up and down. My body was sort of trying to cope.

C: With cancer, you changed your diet and lifestyle? What happened to all the problems you had before your cancer?

Mary: For the past two years, I only have had two flu attacks. I was careless. I was pushing myself too hard. When I realised what was happening, I pulled back, had more rest and did a little bit more exercise – then I was back on top again.

Cancer Returned

We met Mary again on 22 April 2009 (about five years after her diagnosis). She had bad news for us. The cancer had recurred to her bones. This happened all too often. But the question we want to ask is – why? Must this happen?

In an earlier article, I have written about MT, a lady with breast cancer. She underwent a mastectomy, 6 cycles of chemotherapy, 30 sessions of radiotherapy and 5 years of Tamoxifen. She also had a recurrence. So this is not a matter of Mary not receiving all the “total ingredients” of medical treatment and that she was taking herbs instead. It does not matter, MT had done all that were needed to be done. She also ended with bone metastasis (for her full story, click this link When a so called “cure” is not a cure).

So, the question is why – the recurrence? MT’s doctor said this, “I do not know why. But don’t blame yourself. It is your fate. Also the recurrence has nothing to do with what you eat. It is just your fate.” That unfortunately is a doctor’s view. Unfortunately too, I don’t find such answers convincing or intelligent.

My message to all of you is this. There must be a reason why this happened. Second, you are not helpless. You can do something for yourself to minimize the chances of recurrence happening to you. But, it is your choice. It is up to you. Let Mary tell you why she had a relapse. This video was recorded in the late evening of 22 April 2009.

Breast Cancer Recurrence

The gists of our conversation:

Complacency: In 2005 (when first diagnosed) and 2006 she complied fully with our therapy. In 2007, she started to become adventurous – hovering around In the forbidden territory. And in 2008, she totally forgot about what CA Care Therapy was all about.
No herbs, bad diet: In December 2008, cancer reared its ugly head again!
No monitoring: She did not even do any blood test in 2008.
Pushing the Boundary: What prompted her to try push her boundary? She was overconfident! She felt she was already well and therefore “cured.” Her explanation was, “I was trying to live a normal life.” She wanted to go into the “main stream” and behaved like others who did not have cancer.
The Gathering Storm: Cancer did not strike back like a thunder bolt. There were clear signs that the storm was gathering. In December 2008, she was not feeling good – feeling bloated, winds in the stomach, started to have coughs and flu, and her blood test results were not good. In March 2009, a CT scan showered recurrence. She had severe pains after pushing her car. Disaster struck.
Returned to CA Care For Help: She was weak and thin, had severe pains and had difficulty breathing. After a week on the herbs (again!) she got better.
Did you realize your mistakes? Mary said, “ I never take time to take care of myself and never slow down.” Her business took priority over her health causing a lot of stress. In addition she did not take the herbs and ate anything she liked, etc. etc. My advice: You know how to take care of yourself. Go back to Step 1 and start all over again!

It is with regrets to note that we never get to meet Mary again. She died not long afterwards.

Stomach Cancer: Fainted and In ICU After One Chemo, Now Surgeon Said Go For More Chemo

Posted on 04/03/2012 by CA Care

Lisa (not real name, M805) is a 35-year-old Indonesian lady. In October 2009 she passed out black stools. She came to Penang for a medical check-up. An upper endoscopy showed acute gastric ulcer but the rapid urease test was negative for H. pylori. Her blood test showed low levels of haemoglobin (8.3), red blood cell (2.9) and high platelet count (431). She was prescribed medication for gastritis and was told to come back for further observation after a month.

On 3 December 2009, another endoscopy was performed. It showed an almost completely healed ulcer. A repeat rapid urease test again was negative for H. pylori. A gastric biopsy was also performed and indicated an adenocarcinoma, diffuse type. A CT scan on 11 January 2010 showed a thickening of the gastric antral wall consistent with the clinical finding of carcinoma. The diffuse hypodensity of the liver parenchyma was in keeping with fatty liver change. No mass lesion was seen in the liver. There was no evidence of any focal lung lesion or lymphadenopathy.

Lisa underwent an operation to remove her stomach. The histopathology dated 12 January 2010 confirmed a diffuse type adenocarcinoma of stomach, T3N1M1, Stage 4. Lisa was asked to go for chemotherapy. She returned to Jakarta and received one cycle of chemotherapy. The treatment was a disaster. She fainted and had to be admitted to the ICU. She was discharge after four days but could hardly remember many things. She only recovered after a month.

Lisa returned to Penang for a follow-up examination with her surgeon. A CT scan on 21 July 2010 showed no evidence of pancreatic, splenic or renal mass lesion. There was no evidence of any lymphadenopathy. There was no obvious recurrence in the surgical bed.

Lisa and her husband came to seek our help on 23 July 2010 as she was not prepared to go for any morechemotherapy. She was prescribed Capsule A, Stomach 1 and Stomach 2 teas and C-tea.

Sometime just around the Chinese New Year (end of January 2012) Lisa felt a small lump in her stomach. She returned to Penang on 20 February 2012. A CT scan showed the following:

Fatty liver change.
Mild to moderately dilated intrahepatic ducts.
Ill-defined enhancing soft tissue around the pancreas and common bile duct which extends inferiorly along the right retroperitoneum, right paracaval and ilio-psoas down to the right inguinal and upper anterior thigh region. This has infiltrated the right upper ureter. Features are suspicious of tumour/metastatic deposits.
Moderate to gross hydronephrosis of the right kidney with diffuse cortical thinning.
Mild ascites.

Blood test showed elevated liver function enzymes:

Alkaline phosphatase	188.74 H
GGT	102.44 H
ALT	48.1
AST	47.77 H
CEA	1.23
CA 19.9	36.2

Lisa and her husband met with the surgeon. The surgeon said it was not possible to undergo further surgery. She was told to go for chemotherapy. That was the only option left.

The following is the transcript of our video-taped conversation on 22 February 2012.

Wanting a cure, whatever it may cost

Husband: January 2011, she had the surgery.

Chris: Her stomach was removed. Before the surgery, did you ask the surgeon if the operation could cure her?

H: He told us after the removal of her stomach, she would be okay. Then we need to go for chemotherapy.

C: Did you explicitly ask if after the surgery, she will be cured?

H: He did not answer that question. The surgeon explained that after the surgery, everything would be clean. The cancer would not spread anymore. We believed whatever he said. The reason why we went to him was because we wanted to find a cure.

C: Yes, I understand – all patients who come here (from Indonesia) are searching for a cure. So whatever answers you get or what the doctors said, you all would believe them. And also pay whatever it may cost. What you all want is a “cure.” I understand that. So, after the operation, how long was she in the hospital?

H: About two weeks.

Health worsened after the surgery

C: How was her health before and after the surgery?

H: After the surgery she became weaker – she was worse off. Before the operation, she was okay- okay, normal and there was nothing wrong.

C: Why did you go for the surgery then?

H: She was okay, she could eat – there not nothing wrong with her. She was told that she had cancer and we were afraid that disease would spread.

C (to patient): Can you tell me – before the operation, you were okay?

Patient: Nodding vigorously.

H: Nothing wrong with her except she passed out black stools. Then they did a biopsy after a scan and said it was cancer.

C: That was all?

H: Nothing – no pain, nothing. If she had pains it would it would have been a different matter. But she was able to eat well.

C: And when the doctor asked you to operate, you went ahead with the surgery? And after the surgery, she was not getting better?

H: No, not better.

Surgery – a RM 20,000 adventure

C: How much did the surgery cost you?

H. About RM 20,000.

First Chemo – she fainted and four days in ICU

C: After the surgery, she had chemo?

H: Three months later, she had chemotherapy in Jakarta. There was no problem on the first day after the chemo. The night of the second day, she had a seizure and her hands were shaking vigorously and she fainted. She was admitted into the ICU and was there for four days.

C (to patient): Did you remember anything when you were in the ICU? Did you remember going off or flying away somewhere?

P: No (shaking her head).

H: After coming out of the ICU she could not remember things – memory loss. She could only recognize me. But gradually her memory started to come back. It took about a month for her to become normal again.

C: Did the doctor want you to continue with the chemo after this episode?

H: At first he said she had to do 3 cycles of chemo, but after seeing what had happened, the doctor did not ask her to continue with her chemo anymore.

No more chemo for me

C (to patient): If you were asked to go for more chemo – do you want to do it again?

P: No, I don’t want any more chemo.

After extensive recurrence – the only solution is chemotherapy

H: Now, the only solution is chemotherapy.

C: You went to talk to the surgeon. He told you she should go for chemotherapy. Did he know what had happened to your wife after the first chemo?

H: He knew. But he did not have any more words to say. He told us, there was nothing else he could do except chemotherapy. But how are we to go for chemo after such a bad experience? We are afraid. She is going to lose her hairs and what not.

C: Loosing hair is not a problem at all – it will grow again. But what we need to worry is if she would “fly away.”

Next-bed-patient became blind after two chemo and died after three

C: You told me earlier that there was another patient in the next bed. She also had chemo when your wife was having hers.

H: After the chemo, she became blind. Her eyes could not see anymore.

C: What? Before the chemo, were her eyes okay – could she see?

H: Yes, her eyes were normal. After two chemos her eyes could not see anymore. She died after the third chemo.

C: What? She died after the third chemo? After the second she became blind – why did she continue with the third chemo then?

H: Her husband made that decision. Because of what I have seen, I would not want her to do any more chemo.

C: Did you really talk to her husband?

H: Yes, I talked to him.

C: Even after becoming blind, the husband still wanted her to continue with the chemo?

H: Yes, he wanted to continue with the treatment.

C: Did he tell you why he wanted to do that?

H: No and I did not ask.

Comments

1. Lisa passed out black stools, otherwise she was okay. What could have happened if she did nothing? Do no surgery or chemo? How bad could she be?

2. Lisa and her husband asked the surgeon if surgery would cure her. The answer was rather evasive – He told us after the removal of her stomach, she would be okay. Then we need to go for chemotherapy. We believed whatever he said. We would like to believe that whatever doctors say or do, it is always for the best interest of their patients. But let’s not be naïve. At time it is good to be reminded of what Dr. Mendelsohn said:

3. Lisa had her first cycle of chemotherapy and she fainted and lost her memory. Her next-bed fellow patient was blind after two chemos and was dead after the third. This clearly shows that chemo is not for everybody.

4. The story of Lisa clearly showed that surgery did not cure her cancer. She expected a cure but she was short-changed. In fact she became weaker and was worse off.

5. As it is now, after two years, the cancer had metastatised extensively – could her cancer be worse than this if she did nothing?

Breast Cancer: Surgery and Hormonal Therapy Did Not Cure Her

Posted on 28/02/2012 by CA Care

SH (H785) is a 67-year-old lady. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 1998. A left mastectomy was performed. The histopathology report of 13 January 1998 indicated two malignant nodes. No residual tumour in her breast. Axillary fat and lymph nodes were free of tumour.

No chemotherapy or radiotherapy was indicated. But SH was put on Tamoxifen. She took this drug for 6 years.

SH said she was well all these years and her progress was monitored by her doctor. About 10 years later, in early 2009, SH developed shortness of breath. She could not lift her left arm. She was tired and lost her appetite. A chest X-ray indicated large left pleural effusion. SH had the fluid in her lung tapped out. A CT scan on 7 January 2009 indicated several subcentimeter nodules in her left lung. The lymph nodes in the left axilla and aortopulmonary window were enlarged. Impression: left pulmonary and pleural metastasis.

SH sought a second opinion from another oncologist at a university hospital. Another CT scan was performed and it also confirmed a metastatic breast cancer with left pleural effusion with small benign liver cysts.

A bone scan done on 29 January 2009 indicated multiple skeletal metastases in the sternum and two ribs on the left side.

SH was prescribed Arimidex – another oral chemo-drug for breast cancer. She was on this drug for 2 years.

In August 2011 SH developed shortness of breath again. A CT scan on 4 August 2011 confirmed presence of mild left pleural effusion. Fluid was tapped out of her lung again.

The doctor told SH that Arimidex did not work for her. She was prescribed yet another oral drug – Aromasin. SH was on this drug for about 3 months now. At the same time SH received Zometa injection (for her bone) every 6 weeks. Each Zometa injection cost RM 1,200.

A bone scan done on 18 March 2011 indicated “sclerotic bone metastases in manubrium showing activity.” SH was told that if Aromasin did not work for her, she would have to undergo intravenous chemotherapy.

The following are her CA 15.3 readings throughout the years.

Date	CA 15.3
17 January 2009	149.0
4 March 2009	230.0
8 July 2009	30.0
Year 2010 fluctuating values under 30.0
26 April 2011	51.0
22 June 2011	66.0
4 August 2011	67.4
27 October 2011	164.5
24 November 2011	227.0
23 December 2011	231.7
31 January 2012	477.0

SH and her family came to seek our help on 5 February 2012.

Below is her AcuGraph reading on 5 February 2012 which indicated a rather unbalanced internal energy.

Comments

Why did you take tamoxifen? To prevent recurrence, so you are told. Some patients are also often told this – if you survive 5 years, you are cured of your cancer! What a great lie. Did tamoxifen cure cancer in this case? It must have since his patient had survived for 5 years. That, “medically” is defined as a cure. But, you never ask – what if she does not take tamoxifen? She may also survive 5 years! Anyway the cancer came back after 10 years. This time it struck the lungs and the bones. Where then is the so called cure?

Reflect on the quotations below:

Second-Line Treatment: Arimidex

Arimidex (anastrozole) is indicated for the treatment of advanced breast cancer with disease progression following tamoxifen therapy.

Side Effects: Patients receiving Arimidex had a mean decrease in both lumbar spine and total hip bone mineral density. Patients should be informed that Arimidex lowers the level of estrogen. This may lead to a loss of the mineral content of bones, which might decrease bone strength. A possible consequence of decreased mineral content of bones is an increase in the risk of fractures. Arimidex may also cause heart disease.

Effectiveness:

Pooled Efficacy Results of Second-line Treatment

Source: http://www.rxlist.com/arimidex-drug/clinical-pharmacology.htm

Final results of the Arimidex, tamoxifen, alone or in combination (ATAC) trial, presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium and published simultaneously in The Lancet, found that, compared with tamoxifen, anastrozole (Arimidex) improved disease-free survival by 13% and increased time to recurrence by 21% ,however, there was no statistically significant improvement in breast cancer survival or overall survival. (Note: be skeptical when reading figures like such percentages – they could be manipulated to bring out only the positive message.)

Some researchers questioned whether use of Arimidex was justified in light of its higher cost ($6.56 per day for Arimidex versus $1.33 per day for generic tamoxifen) and lack of a demonstrated survival benefit (Source: Journal National Cancer Inst (2005)97 (2): 86-87)

There are 197 comments by women taking Arimidix (as of 27 February 2012) in the website below: http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drugreview-4511-arimidex+oral.aspx?drugid=4511&drugname=arimidex+oral

Below are some examples.

Comment 1: Have not had bothersome side effects from this med so far, but am experiencing hair thinning. Some aches in a hip and knee, lack of sex drive, minor hot flashes …So far this med has not bothered me.

Comment 2: I am 63 and found I had breast cancer at 60. Had lumpectomy, 6 chemos over 7 months (carboplatin, docetaxol, nausea med, Herceptin IV’s, and a Neurlasta shot), followed by 8 more IV’s of Herceptin over 8 months, along with 31 radiation treatments, at last one 1miligram Arimidex I’m to take for 5 years daily. My complaint is that I was completely bald all over…I had started daily Arimidex about June 2010. A month ago, I was looking at some old pics made in May2011, and it started to hit me that my hair was thicker with more coverage than NOW (Jan. 2012). It was heartbreaking, it was becoming thinner and patchier on top front where you want it the most. I accidentally happened on a site, read that 40 or more women sharing this experience, and most believed it was the Arimidex. I tried Femara for 2 mo. with no improvement. I have aches and pains and feel “aged from the inside out” … I might just drop the Arimidex, take no “cancer” pill, and pray it won’t come back.

Comment 3: Taking this med for approx. 2 months. Extreme lower back pain 2 weeks after started, brushed it off. At this point just using my arms is very painful. My shoulders are in extreme pain. Talked to oncologist nurse and am changing to another but as of today I just want to cry I am sick of all this pain. Did not have any of this before!! I am in no way a baby, and can handle pain but even I have reached my limits. Hope this helps someone else who is experiencing the same issues with this drug.

Comment 4: I used this drug for 3 years and 4 months thinking I was doing fine on it. Suddenly I felt like my crotch was on fire. It took another 2 months of doctor appointments and medical procedures before I had a doctor that made the connection. Vaginal dryness given as a side effect is a huge under-statement. I’ve been free of this drug for 10 weeks and on estrogen cream for 4 weeks and am still miserable.

Comment 5: Constipation, depression, lack of motivation, muscle weakness One plus sleeping 6 hours a night instead of 5.

Comment 6: I thought I had it made …no symptoms except a little weight gain… Now my thumb is locking up and I had no idea it was from the Rx until reading the other reviews. I am achy after sitting for a short time and have really sharp pain in the back of my hand sometimes when I pick something up, even a cup of coffee.

Second-Line Treatment: Aromasin

Aromasin (exemestane) is indicated for the treatment of advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women whose disease has progressed following tamoxifen therapy.

There are 99 comments from patients taking Aromasin http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drugreview-17966-Aromasin+Oral.aspx?drugid=17966&drugname=Aromasin+Oral. The following are some examples:

Comment 1: I have been on this medicine for 4 1/2 years. The past few months have been the worst. Every joint in my body hurts, night sweats and sleepless nights. It takes all I have to get out of bed in the morning.

Comment 2: Shortly after starting the drug (04/2010), I developed a cough, which I still have. Had a dose of sinus infection, sore throat, worse coughing just before Christmas. Chose to let my immunity fight it off instead of antibiotics. Took 3-4 weeks to get over it, but I did it on my own. Still have the cough. Tried arimidex first-made my hands, feet and face swell. Satisfied with aromasin except for cough.

Comment 3: I had a forced menopause after the 2nd cycle of chemo for my stage 2A BC. Never taking tamoxifen, was prescribed Femara for 2 months and then switched over to Aromasin following the chemo and radiation therapies. It has been 6 months since taking Femara and Aromasin. First experienced severe back and knee pains then had hand surgery for my Carpel Tunnel syndrome and now the pains has extended to all bones and joints, mostly in my hands and wrists. Memory loss and attention deficit is getting obvious. Hot flashes and insomnia is concerned. Without having daily walk and exercise and Melatonin Plus for sleep support, I would be miserable with all the side effects from the drugs.

Comment 4: After 20 days on arimidex I was suicidal, had severe bone pain, severe insomnia. I switched to aromasin and have found it easier to tolerate if I take meds for the side effects. I take ambien to sleep, percocet for pain, wellbutrin for depression. It’s either treat the side effects or I have a 70% chance of cancer recurrence. I will give it six months because sometimes the side effects do get better and I don’t want to die at age 63. But there does come a point when quality of life wins out – however short it may be.

Comment 5: Have had major side affects with it. Tried Arimadex first, then was prescribed this one; a little more manageable, but still have trouble. Joint pain, sweats, muscle cramps and renaud’s syndrome.

Comment 6: I was prescribed aromasin by my doctor after the other 2 AIs had adverse side effects. I took it for 3 yrs and 3 months. I could not tolerate the lack of quality of life.

Don’t Be Complacent – When can I stop taking the herbs? Or go back to my favourite food?

Posted on 17/01/2012 by CA Care

We rejoice with patients when they get well. We hope they continue to get well. However, we would like to remind those involved – please don’t be complacent. The cancer may come back. If you think you are done with cancer – remember cancer may not be done with you yet. As such as we advise you to relax and be positive, we also hope that your healing experience has changed your lifestyle and attitude towards life permanently and positively.

Often people ask this question, When can I go back to my old favourite food? Some people learn easily, some others learn the hard way, yet many others don’t seem to want to learn at all. Our answer to such question is well known, Never go back to your old unhealthy habits. Later, for some reasons if you decide that you are bored or tired with life – then indulge in whatever you want to do, and pray that you go quickly and peacefully.

There was a man with liver cancer and was doing well after taking the herbs. When he tookthree pieces of lor bak + a plate of char-o-fan his alpha fetoprotein liver shot up three times to 40,000 plus. Is that worth it? You have a choice to stay healthy or to get sick! My advice to him and many others was, Take more of the lor bak so that it is worth the misadventure. It is not worth getting into trouble just because of three pieces. Take a lorry-load of it. Then it is worth it.

The second question often asked of us is, When can I stop taking the herbs? Honestly, we don’t know – nobody in the world knows for sure either. If you are willing to take the risk – then do what you wish. If you value life more and do not mind that extra chore of cooking and drinking the herbs, then continue. When people take vitamin pills or supplements they do it willingly – without fuss. It is hard for us to tell you to stick to our herbs for life – which is like trying to hook-winked you into buying the herbs forever and ever.

We know of many who are on the herbs for the last many, many years. They are still on them and are doing well. On the other hand they are those who took the herbs and stop after they get well. Then they go back to their old lifestyle.

A lady with breast cancer was responding very well to the herbs. After she was done with her chemo, she stopped taking the herbs as well. Barely six months later her father brought her in a car – half-dead, lying in the car and was unable to walk. The cancer had spread and was too far advanced to do anything.

Another lady with breast cancer was doing very well on the herbs – including no side-effects while on chemo. After the chemo treatments she stopped taking the herbs. Two weeks ago, she came back and told us that the cancer has spread to the lung and brain. We asked the husband why she did not continue taking the herbs – the answer, We thought that the cancer was already gone.

While on this, our mind went back to a pretty lady – our friend called Su, a matron in one hospital. She had thyroid cancer and was one of our earliest patients. The doctor said that she would not be able to get back her voice – she was in bad shape indeed. She took Cap. A and fresh rodent tuber juice plus radio-iodine treatment. With God’s grace and mercy she became well and could even sing with a beautiful voice. One evening she came to Centre with a nice cake as a present to us. That cake, loaded with lots of sugar really disappointed me (hi, be careful what you give to us!). A few months later, we learnt that Su was not well again – we called Su’s husband and asked if we could be of any help. Too late, the cancer has gone to the lungs; she was breathless and died soon afterwards. We went to her house and talked to her husband (also from a Health Department) and we asked him this frank question, Why did you stop taking the herbs? The answer was, We thought that the problem as over. We were over confidant because she recovered so well. So we stopped the herbs and went on eating our “catered food” again.

Dear friends, you have a choice – choose wisely. Reflect on the above examples – they are true accounts. We never attempt to dramatize or exaggerate them. If at all there is a lesson to learn or an advice to give, let not Su die in vain – she has a message for you.

Do Not Be Complacent

One most misinformed or misunderstood idea that many patients believe is that cancer is cured after one has undergone surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. This is often further compounded by the doctors’ pronouncement that everything is alright! The patient goes home and continues to live their previous lifestyle. Unfortunately, soon afterwards, the patient suffers a relapse i.e., the cancer comes back. We know of cased in which a relapse occur even after 10 to 15 years in remission. This implies that there is no certainty in the complete cure of cancer. Perhaps cancer patients are not aware or have not been told of the disturbing fact that conventional medical treatments can only help (not cure) 40% of all cancer cases. Unfortunately, 60% of the cancer cases do not respond to these medical procedures.

In her book, The Activist Cancer Patient, Beverly Zakarian said that one of the few things known with certain about (ovarian) cancer is that it is uncertain.

Do not be misled. If you think that you are done with cancer, cancer may not be done with you yet. So, do not be complacent. We take the view that patients need to consider the change to healthy lifestyle and diet as permanent. From our experience, we know that most patients would ask for their unhealthy and forbidden food the moment they feel well enough to talk and eat. This is indeed most regrettable and disappointing. It makes no sense to revert back to an old lifestyle or habits at the first sign of regaining health. Also, patients may need to continue taking the herbs and cleanse the body for a long time yet. There are people who would reduce or stop totally, taking the herbs after the initial signs of recovery. The risk of a relapse is too great to take any chances.

A Great Failure and Let Down

Posted on 20/11/2010 by CA Care

Sam is a 51-year old male from Indonesia. Sometime in May 2008, he had pains in his abdomen. A check up in a hospital in Sarawak indicated gall bladder stone. Sam underwent an operation to remove the stone. At the time of the surgery, the doctor discovered that Sam’s liver was not good. A CT scan revealed possibility of a hepatoma or liver tumour.

Sam was asked to undergo a liver operation in Singapore which would cost him about S$50,000.00. Sam came to Penang instead and underwent an operation for his liver in a private hospital. This cost him RM 35,000.00. This operation was done in October 2008.

CT Scan Report: 3 October 2008: There is ill-defined hypodense lesion at Segment VI. It measures 3.5 x 3.5 cm. Feature is suggestive of right lobe hepatoma.

Histology Report: 7 October 2008: Liver tissue weighing 350 gm, measuring 140 x 120 x 60 mm. Diagnosis: hepatocellular carcinoma.

After the surgery, Sam underwent two times of chemoembolization, in December 2008 and January 2009. Each treatment costs about RM 5,000.00.

In February 2009, Sam suffered severe jaundice. The blood test results on 10 February 2009 is a below.

Total bilirubin	523.77 H
Direct bilirubin	394.69 H
Alkaline phosphatase	143.34 H
GGT	758.75 H
ALT	121.38 H
AST	109.07 H
Alpha-fetoprotein	5,845.0 H

Sam underwent another surgery to install a metallic stent in the upper common bile duct. This procedure costs RM 20,000.00.

A CT scan done of 10 February 2009 indicated:

Worsening of the liver with increase in the number and size of the liver nodules.
There was thrombosis of the adjacent portal vein extending partially to the main portal vein.

In spite of such deterioration, nothing was done. And Sam was sent home without much explanation.

Sam and his wife came back to Penang again in March 2009. Unfortunately this time, the surgeon who operated on Sam’s liver was rather “hostile” in his attitude. It was a complete change of the surgeon’s attitude from the previous time before Sam had the operation. Sam and his wife felt let down and cheated. Sam’s wife said that before the operation the surgeon even hugged her and assured her that Sam would be alright. Now, after the relapse he did not even want to talk to them. They also told us that surgeon insisted that Sam undergo the surgery immediately because it was a very serious case. Sam and his wife requested go home and think it over first. The surgeon told them that if they returned to Indonesia, there would be a delay and by that time Sam’s condition would have deteriorated and he (the surgeon) would not be able to perform the surgery any more. Sam and his wife were virtually coerced into making their decision.

Listen to this video conversation.

Some excerpts:

Chris: You came to Penang – what did they say?

Sam: I had to be operated.

C: Before you did the operation, did you ask the doctor if surgery would cure you?

S: It must be removed.

Wife: Otherwise the cancer will increase more and more.

C: That is not true! Oh, you came here and they say cut and you agreed to get cut?

W: If we don’t operate, it is going to be dangerous. So, okay we agreed to the operation.

C: Let me ask you one more thing. Before you came here, before the operation – what was your condition? Were you healthy?

S: I was alright – healthy.

C: And after the operation, and having spent RM 35,000.00 – were you better?

S: No.

W: Before the operation, the surgeon was very friendly to us. He talked to us very nicely.

C: Oh, before the operation, Ibu (mama) asked anything and the doctor would answer you? He was nice to you?

W: Yes, he answered our questions and was very nice. But after the operation, he did not want to say anything anymore. We wanted to consult him but he did not want to talk to us. When we asked him questions, he just walked away. In a rush he just said – No problem, no problem and left us.

S: No, we were not able to talk to them like this (with you).

C: Before the operation, he talked to you nicely?

W: Yes, correct, correct. He even hugged me and assured me – Don’t worry, don’t’ worry, he (my husband) would be well and alright.

S: Oh, he was so sweet.

W: We felt so good and comforted. He told us the operation has to be done immediately.

S: It told him I was not prepared for it yet. The surgeon leaned back and sighed: Arr … if you don’t do it now, your condition will deteriorate.

W: He said: I would not be able to operate you anymore.

C: Wah, that is what he told you? If you go back to Pontianak first, your condition would get worse and you would probably be half dead?

W: By that time, it would be difficult to help.

C: That could not be true at all.

S: We did not have other alternative.

C: Yes, I fully understand. Patients are often rushed into making decisions. I don’t believe this is correct. Sometime, doing nothing is better than doing something.

The blood test results on 6 March 2009 are as below:

Total bilirubin	138.00 H
Direct	114.66 H
Alkaline phosphatase	143.34
GGT	203.05 H
ALT	57.98 H
AST	98.45 H
Alpha-fetoprotein	239,595.00 H

Sam then moved on to see another doctor who prescribed him two oral drugs. 1) Baraclude (entecevir) which is commonly prescribed for Hepatitis patients. 2) Nexavar – a drug that cost RM 20,000 per month. (Note: Pang in another story was also asked to take similar drug, which his doctor said was only 20 to 30% effective).

Sam took the drug, Nexavar for a day and a half (i.e., a total of 3 tablets). He suffered the following side effects:

He felt tired when walking or even talking.
His chest felt tight.
His ear started to produce a humming sound throughout the day.
His sleep was disturbed.

Sam and his wife came to seek our help on 8 March 2009 and decided to give up further medical treatment.

Comments:

This is a very tragic story indeed. Professor Jane Plant wrote: Conventional cancer treatment can process patients to the extent that they no longer understand what is really being done to them. It started with a threat or instill of fear in patients. Your liver is rotten – if you don’t get it out it is going to kill you. And you must do it fast! And look what has become of Sam now? Dr. Richard Fleming (in Stop inflammation now) wrote: … all forms of surgery cannot provide a long-term cure because they do not deal with the underlying cause of the disease, which is inflammation … Surgery often triggers an even greater inflammatory process, which encourages the illness.

Sam handed us the reading of his alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) below.

Study the above numbers carefully. Sam’s AFP value was only 3.0 before the gall bladder operation. After the operation, his AFP started to increase, from 50.5 to 3,201. Then he came to Penang and underwent a liver surgery. The situation got worse. As of March 2009, Sam’s AFP has exceeded a quarter million.

AFP (alpha-fetoprotein) Reading

19 December 2007	3.0	Done in Sarawak
7 May 2008		Gall bladder Operation in Sarawak
11 July 2008	50.5	Done in Sarawak
25 September 2008	2,433	Done in Sarawak
4 October 2008	3,201.97
6 October 2008		Liver operation in Penang
5 December 2008	18,550	Done in Penang
30 December 2008	17,857.8	Done in Penang
10 February 2009	5,845.0	Done in Penang
6 March 2009	239,595.0	Done in Penang

When Sam tried to seek clarification with the surgeon, he was snubbed. The surgeon did not even want to talk to Sam and his wife. Sadly, patients like Sam were left in a limbo. Sam was then passed on to another doctor.

Sam was prescribed an extremely expensive drug – at RM 20,000.00 per month. Of course, Sam had no choice. Accept it or die. But the point is: Was Sam told that the drug would not cure him? No, and he did not have the slightest clue about the truth. The data provided by the drug company’s website clearly indicated the following: For liver cancer,

Patients who took Nexavar – median survival = 10.7 months
Patients on placebo (sugar pill) – median survival = 7.9 months.
Nexavar only increased survival by 2.8 months. No where in the website does it ever say Nexavar cures liver cancer.

If ever there is anything we can learn from this story, it is this: Ignorance can kill. For years, we at CA Care, have been trying to empower patients by providing them with knowledge. However, patients are not interested to read or find things out for themselves. Far too often, patients prefer to find an easy way out and remain ignorant. And then when they reach this desperate end stage they would say to us: Oh, but we do not know all these. We trust the doctors.

Note: In mid-April 2009, we were informed that Sam died. Sam was operated on in October 2008 and by April 2009 he was dead. That was just six months after surgery.

What do you think has hastened his death?

Was it the surgery or his cancer?

What could have happened if Sam did not do anything?

Could he have lived much longer (minus the hefty hospital bills)?

More related stories:

Liver Cancer: Surgery and Chemo Did Not Cure Him

Surgery for Liver Cancer: Eighty Percent Success?

Liver Cancer: He Died After a RM 10,000 Open-Close Surgery

The Doctor Said: “No More Hope” After a 60-Million-Rupiah Operation for Bile Duct Cancer

Healing of Metastatic Liver Cancer

CANCER STORY

Research on effectiveness of herbs and alternative therapies for cancer

Tag Archives: recurrence

Breast Cancer recurred four years after surgery. DVT of right leg. Herbs helped her!

Surgery did not cure his liver cancer

Lung Cancer: After Surgery, Chemo and Radiation, the cancer spread to his healthy lung

2. Medically Given Up Lung Cancer: She died after 5 years on CA Care Therapy

3. Lung Cancer: Six to 12 Months to Live. Must do chemo, that’s the only way. With herbs still alive after 2 years!

4. Lung Cancer: Given Honest Answers Patient May Run Away from Chemotherapy

5. Two Billion Rupiah, Chemo And Surgery Failed. Oncologist said, “More chemo, you just have to trust me!”

6. Lung Cancer: Chemo Experiments That Failed and Failed

7. Lung Cancer Success Stories

Recurrence of breast cancer — ignorance, irresponsibility or ineffective therapy?

Surgery and Chemotherapy Did Not Cure Their Breast Cancer: Equally A Big Mistake?

Lately, we encountered many breast cancer cases. Indeed pathetic. By sharing these stories with you, we hope that those who come after this unfortunate patients, can learn and understand that cure for cancer is rather elusive.

Breast Cancer: Surgery, Chemo, Radiation and Hormonal Therapy Did Not Cure Her. Xeloda made her miserable! Patient, Only You Should Decide What You Want To Do!

Breast Cancer: Surgery did not cure. Recurrence and cancer spread extensively to her lungs. But does she want to live?

Look at the Bigger Picture Part 2. You don’t have to “swallow” everything that they offer you!

2.3 cm Malignant Breast Lump: Surgery, Chemo and Radiation — Disaster

Breast Cancer: Surgery, Chemo, Radiation and Tamoxifen Did Not Cure Them

Her Breast Cancer Came Back After 14 Years

Breast Cancer: Surgery did not cure. Recurrence and cancer spread extensively to her lungs. But does she want to live?

Breast Cancer Recurrence – Choosing the Road to Disaster

Stomach Cancer: Fainted and In ICU After One Chemo, Now Surgeon Said Go For More Chemo

Breast Cancer: Surgery and Hormonal Therapy Did Not Cure Her

Don’t Be Complacent – When can I stop taking the herbs? Or go back to my favourite food?

A Great Failure and Let Down