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Cancer cures via diet

I heard through a friend today that some people have been cured of cancer with special diets.  Is it feasible that the dietary ingredients which help with reducing cancer could be delivered in TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition)?
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Avatar universal
I am BRCA2 positive which obviously put me at a much higher risk for OVCA, and breast cancer.

In 1983 after my hysterectomy my GYN prescribed Premarin since I was only 40 years old, even though he left one "healthy" ovary which became cancerous in 2007. Now we know the dose was too high, and too many years.

I'm sure those both are the reasons for my cancer, one was my genetics, the other was the way my doctor practiced his specialty at that time.

There are so many cancer "curing" books and non medical treatments out there, I still maintain that if the one a cancer patient chooses to follow does no good, precious time is wasted.
I'm totally in favor of a nutritious approach in conjunction with medical treatments, please understand that. The body must be as strong and healthy as possible to fight the cancer and deal with the surgery, chemo, and/or radiation.

Jane
Helpful - 0
1227806 tn?1267494937
I understand that pharma companies want us to keep spending money on their chemo as much as they can, but I know for a fact that my two personal oncologists care very deeply about their patients in general and me in particular, and when I have asked them over and over what I can eat/smoke/move/do/acupunct/massage to improve my chances, they tell me that I'm already doing it, I trust them. Not the pharma companies, the doctors at world-class research facilities, who have spent their entire careers trying to save the lives of cancer patients at any cost.

I'm not presuming to understand everything about herbal/naturopathic/nutritional interactions, and I'm sure there are people who recover from cancer solely with yoga and kale. I know that cultures who stick with healthy diets, environments and habits from birth live longer and more cancer-free lives, but I don't live there. I would just hate to see a patient who is desperate to stay alive categorically turn her back on "conventional" medicine because of anecdotal accounts she finds online.

I don't mean to underappreciate your years of research or your opinions. I just think this issue deserves clear heads and plenty of second/third/seventh opinions from pelnty of sources.
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Avatar universal
I would be cautious and look for second opinions (from renowned recommended experts) in anything you try. There are likely to be people who have good experiences and those who have bad.

There are many examples of good outcomes from people using suppliments such as Iscador (mistletoe), sometimes in addition to and sometimes separately from Chemo. There is also the example of Paclitaxel (Taxol), the primary Ovarian Cancer drug that is isolated from the bark of the Pacific Yew Tree - so in essence a natural substance that received significant investigation, development, testing proof and subsequent use in OVCA treatment.

In these 2 examples we see the good and bad side. We see that relatively "unproven" drugs such as Iscador is in it's early existence - there is nothing to say that this drug is a cure nor is there anything to say that one day a drug will be isolated from it that will become state of the art to replace Taxol. If the latter was to happen it would take many years of investigation, testing, trial and monitoring. The frustration that many people see is the length of time this takes.

So here is where I will say I disagree with melennzbee83 - The industry got to be a "billionaires industry" by the kind of research and new ideas that Taxol is an example of. These guys want to continue to make money and test thousands of possible solutions every year. Most fail, costing large amounts of money. If they felt that there was a chance that something could be productised then they would jump on it. How do I back this up... the medical industry is bigger than just North America - in the UK for example, with the National Health service being a Nationalised body, they are forever looking to recommend the lowest cost options. They are not lead by the drug companies, they want low cost options such as diet.

What is the state of the art treatment in the UK? Carboplatin and Paclitaxel. My wife's oncologist recommends exactly the approach given by pthjr and carcinista, eat well, support your body through treatment with a healthy balanced diet. I recommend a healthy balance too between new options that do you no harm and taking the best known treatment as it is back up by proof and in the best cases medical peer review rather than industrial commercial review.

My wife has completed her chemo treatment and remains on Iscador today.
Helpful - 0
414018 tn?1268611672
I never said to "reject" your oncologist. I believe a holistic approach is the answer. There are many factors which contribute to someones success at beating this disease on a mental, emotional, spiritual and physical level. I apologise my post was rushed, i only got out of hospital yesterday. What i am trying to say is oncologists are not god they do not have "all" the answers and they are not the right people to go to for nutritional info because that is not their speciality. What i meant was everyone should do their own research and come to their own conclusion. seriously. Try reading "cancer- why we are still dying to know the truth by Phillip day then come to your own conclusion. (or dont) What im trying to say is we as a nation if we are to ever get anywhere we need to start THINKING for ourselves. I for one am only so passionate about being an advocate for ovarian cancer because i like thousands of women are sick of being used as guniea pigs in an area of disease that specialists do not even have answers for!

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Avatar universal
I find posts like this one very frightening and confusing. I feel like I'm being pulled by two forces.

We know that nutrition is important when we're battling this horrible disease, but to reject the medical community and treatments, in favor of a natural approach feels like going back in time,

We only get one chance to get this right, it's not a matter of trying "naturopaths or holistic" medicine and if it doesn't work, then going the medical approach. Too much time could be wasted and it may be too late.

Yes, medical companies and doctors are a huge part of our economy, but to reject them is unacceptable to me. We know that advances in fighting all disease is always bemg advanced.

I trust my oncologist with my life, literally, and I'm hoping for the best quality of life for as long as I can survive.

If the herbal, or non medical cancer treatment is successful for those who swear by it, then I'm missing out on the healthy non toxic way to fight OVCA and I'm the loser. The whole "which way to go" decision is an extremely difficult and personal choice.

Good luck with all your decisions on your treatments.
Jane

Helpful - 0
414018 tn?1268611672
I totally disagree. Cancer is a multi-billionaire industry. do you think oncologists and drug companies want a natural cure? they would prefer a pill they can charge thousands of dollars for. I have been doing research on this for 4 years now and have met living proof of people who even refused chemo and ured themselves through other supplements. There are cultures out there who have never had cancer not one as they have not been exposed to the western society. Why do people give so much power to oncologists? they are not naturopaths! Every one i have met does not even believe in a holisitic approach, its drugs all the way. Seriously, how can "chemo" a poison poured into our body ever lead to a cure?

There are actually natural treatments you can get via IV, oncologists around the world have been doing it for centries yet sadly have been shunned due to their success and once again the 'drug companies" and their influence. Sorry too much to write . . . this is something im so passionate about. . .message me personally if you want  more info.. there is DOCUMENTED studies done on this. I ask this why would  MULTI-BILLIONAIRE INDUSTRY. . .put a natural cure all over the news? why?
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1227806 tn?1267494937
I'm with Jenny. While a good diet before cancer will help keep it away (although this is not infallible - I ate very well, and here I am) and a good diet during cancer will help keep tumors from growing, your immune system strong and fighting, and your side effects (esp. constipation/diarrhea) from taking over your life, not to mention keep you strong to survive the treatments, there is NO WAY that a diet can cure your cancer. Anyone who tells you that there is is trying to sell you snake oil.

Anecdotal information ("My sister's roommate's cousin's best friend ate nothing but grapefruit and kale, and her ovarian cancer just went away!") is VERY different from supervised, regulated, statistically significant studies in a clinical environment. If this were the case, we'd all be living on broccoli and pomegranate, it'd be all over the news, etc.

That being said, you should try to eliminate (or at least limit) processed foods (anything advertised on TV should be OUT of your life), white flour, rice, pasta, and sugar. Get as many plants (fruits and vegetables) in your diet as possible and if you don't already, start cooking for yourself. Drink water non-stop. Take a multivitamin and 2000 IU of Vitamin D every day. Treat your food like medicine, your body like a temple, and each day like a precious jewel.

Sarah
Helpful - 0
229895 tn?1261601948
Firstly let me start off by saying that I am the first person to add supplementary "herbal" treatments to my every day life to help my immune system and give some sense of control of helping keep the beast at bay....but while I do believe a good diet is helpful to each of us as we "fight the good fight" diet alone will not keep this at bay. If it did we would all be put by our oncologists on the kick cancer diet.  

A good diet (or what we can manage) certainly goes a long way into helping our traditional treatment be effective and help us on the path to recovery after treatment is finished.  Please don't be mislead by any to good to be true good luck stories that you here in the treatment of cancer.

I wish you all the very best

Jenny
Helpful - 0
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