No chemo?

[Brownie3321]

How many of you have heard of the Burzynski clinic in Houston? I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I wanted to get everyone's opinion who has heard or experienced any of this. I am sorry if this is one of the "quack" places we all don't like, I just can't remember if it is... CHEMO BRAIN!!!!!!!!! I'm in the process of looking at all my options and this website was sent to me. They don't believe in chemo, they focus all on gene therapy and nutrition. Can you all give me any info you might have? Thanks, with love - Deandra

[Brownie3321]

Thanks ladies!!

[BeachGal7]

Hi Deandra, I was diagnosed with Stage IIIb ovarian cancer in April 2006.  I have been fighting this cancer like crazy too.  I finished chemo comprising of taxol and carboplatin in Oct 2006 and my numbers have been slowly climbing, but I haven't taken any chemo yet.  Deandra, I asked my oncologist if in his 30 years he had any patient whose numbers dropped without chemo - his answer was no.  But of course I wanted more validation and I spoke to his nurse who has been working in the same job in oncology for the last 22 years.  She also said that people try all sorts of things, even macrobiotic diets, etc, but nothing brings the numbers down.  If you find a miracle, let us know...

[crecco]

  I know nothing about this clinic but I must echo the others in saying that PLEASE check this out thoroughly before you make any decisions.
Best of luck to you Hon
   Love Chris

[karikay]

I don't see any harm in considering alternative therapies as a *companion* to chemo, but I think it is dangerous to listen to anyone who says to rely on their "alternative" *in place of* chemo. Chemotherapy is not perfect, but it has been rigorously tested in scientific settings, so at least you know what you're getting, what the side effects will be, and hwat the odds are that it will help. A lot of these people who claim they have an alternative cure to cancer have never put their claim to a true scientific test, so it could be a waste of time at best and harmful at worst.
I know chemo is not pleasant, but there are people on this site who have lived for years with ovarian cancer thanks to chemotherapy.

[SimplyStar]

I looked over the web site for this clinic, I know if this were me I would want a lot more info about about treatments offered and would want to talk face to face with some of his patients.  He appears to have written some papers that have been accepted by the ACA and also since he is located in Houston it should be fairly easy to get all the information about his clinic, I would check with the BBB and also the court system to see if there were any lawsuits. We see so many scams that I think sometimes the true clinics get by passed.  He has been around for a long time, I have read about his clinic  in many sources.  But like the others say, check him out.  Your insurance might not cover this also. Leslee's insurance would not cover the Cancer Centers of America.  Good Luck hun, thinking about you all the time  Marty

[Jan214]

Dear Deandra,

I am a sceptic at heart, but I do believe there are treatments out there that are effective that are not mainstream, but after reading about this guy, I am not sure that is a good route for you.  I understand you are afraid as we all are, but please don't jump into something until you know more about it.  I do believe there is some validity to the acid/alkaline theory and I am going to try to raise mine.  I just tested my urine with my soil testing kit and I am a perfect 6, so maybe I should plant something in me and see what grows or maybe I should go to the drugstore and get some strips.  :-) Whatever you do honey, as Paula said we are all different and what works for one of us may not work for another.  Like Paula, I wish it were simpler also.  Maybe if they would stop spending  money on stupid wars and space exploration they would have a few extra bucks to figure out a few more important things like how to keep us alive.
Love ya,
Jan

[PF_PVD]

I focused on an alkaline diet before my dx and throughout my carbo/taxol treatments,   I also had eliminated sugar and wheat from my diet years before my dx and ate as much organic food as possible.  I also consulted a naturopath who prescribed many supplements during my first-line tx (with the approval of my onc), yet I recurred within weeks   I wish it were as simple as this.  Having said that, of course we are all different, and it may work for someone else.  Paula

[msjazz]

I have seen this. I don't think this is what you need to do at this point. I do wonder about getting your body alkaline. They say cancer can not live in an alkaline envirnment???It consists of a 20% acidic and 80% alkaline diet. I also noticed a clinical trial that said a chemo did better on people with more alkaline ph .  I also am interested in bsd medical. They have a machine ( looks similiar to a ct scanner, that heats the area of the tumors during infusion. The closest hospital to me was Univ. of Ar Little Rock. If you can't find these website I will look again.I bought the little strips to check my acidity and I am more acidic. I asked a dr. at West clinic about it, and he said he wished they had the hyperthermia machine there .    Donna

[Helmar]

Dear Deandra...At the moment, you are in a very vulnerable situation, so don't jump into taking on something that is 'pie in the sky'...go into it well before you decide. I would imagine that if this Burzynski Clinic was a real cancer beater, then most of you girls in the U.S. would be beating their doors down by now. The problem is Deandra... with some of these 'clinics' they are just for money making, and who better to hone in on that us... people fighting cancer. It's your decision, so go into well... but the best option at this stage, as far as I can see, is to do that potent chemo combination that you are going to do. At least you are in with a fighting chance,and perhaps you could look at alternative treatments later when things are more under control.
Thinking of you little mate...love...Helen..

[butterflytc]

Sorry but I am not one of the great researchers of our boards Deandra, but since I am up in the middle of the night, I did a search of burzynski and this is what I found... hope it helps some?

www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/Cancer/burzynski1.html

good luck with your own research, wishing you all the luck in the world.
take care
butterflytc