cancer-research

WHAT IS TRANSFER FACTOR? “THE MOST POWERFULL IMMUNE SYSTEM SUPPORT AVAILABLE TODAY” and the safest too….. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TF PLUS AND TF ADVANCE FORMULA ?    TF Plus and Advance Formula are different and must be applied differently depending on the condition of the patient. TF Plus is proven to be effective for numerous degenerative diseases and especially for growths in the body such as Cysts, Fibroids, Fibrodenomas, Cancers, etc. TF Advance Formula is applied to people with autoimmune diseases because it can balance and modulate the immune system TF Plus boost NK cell activity 400+% and TF Advance Formula 283% above the normal immune response TF Advance Formula TF Plus LIST OF AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES Neuromuscular system Myasthenia gravis Emos-Lumbert myasthenic syndrome Stiff man syndrome Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis Multiple Sclerosis Gullain-Barre syndrome Chronic inflammatory demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy Multifocal motor neuropathy with Conduction block Chronic neuropathy with monoclonal Gammopathy Paraneoplastic neurologic disorders Hepatobiliary system: Autoimmune chronic active hepatitis Primary biliary sclerosis Sclerosing cholangitis Gastrointestinal tract Gluten-sensitive enteropathy Pernicious anemia Inflammatory bowel disease Opsoclonus-myoclonujs syndrome Cerebellar degneration Encephalomyelitis Rectimopathy Skin                   Endocrine System     Pemphigus vulgaris Pemphigus follaceus Paraneoplastic pemphigus Bullus pemphigoid Dermatitis herpetiformis Linear LgA disease Spidermolysis bullosa acquisita Autoimmune alopecia Erythera nodosa Pemphigoid gestaionis Cicatncial pemphigoid Chronic bullous disease of childhood Hematologic system: Autoimmune hemolytic anemia Autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura Idiopathic Drug related Autoimmune neutropenia      Thyroid Gland Hashimoto's thyroiditis Graves' Disease Thyroiditis with hyperthyroidism Type I autoimmune polyglandular syndrome Type II autoimmune polyglandular syndrome Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus Immune-mediated infertility Autoimmune Addison's disease Connective tissue diseases              Systemic lupus erythematosus Rheumatoid arthritis Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) Anklosing spondylitis Reactive ardrides Polymyositis/dermatomyositis Sjogren's syndrome Mixed connective tissue disease Bebcet's syndrome Psoriasis Vasculitic syndromes: Systemic necrotizing vascolitides Classic polyarteritis nodosa              Allergic angitis & granuloratosa (Chorg-Strauss Disease) Hypersensitivity vasolitis Wengener's granulomatosis Temporal arteritis Taksyasa's arteritis Kawasaki's disease Isolated vasculitis of the Central nervous system Thromboangitis obliterans Miscellaneous Vasculitides Sarcoidosis Graft-versus-host disease Cryopathies LIST OF TYPES OF CANCERS                   Anal Bile duct Bladder Bone Bone, secondary Bowel (colon & rectum) Brain Brain, secondary Breast Breast, secondary Carcinoid Cervix Children's cancers Endocrine Eye Gall bladder Gullet (oesophagus) Head & neck Kaposi's sarcoma Kidney Larynx Leukaemia Leukaemia, acute lymphoblastic Leukaemia, acute myeloid Leukaemia, chronic lymphocytic Leukaemia, chronic myeloid Liver Liver, secondary Lung Lung, secondary Lymph nodes, secondary Lymphoma, Hodgkin's Lymphoma, non-Hodgkin's Melanoma Mesothelioma Myeloma Soft tissue sarcomas Neuroendocrine Ovary Pancreas Penis Prostate Skin Spinal cord Stomach Testes Thyroid Unknown primary Vagina Vulva Womb (uterus) BLADDER CANCER  Bladder cancer affects twice as many men as women in the UK. It is the fourth most common cancer in men and the tenth most common in women. Each year, there are over 10,600 new cases. Bladder cancer is most common in people over 50. It affects the inner lining of the bladder and develops slowly. As it grows, it may spread to other organs near the bladder BONE CANCER  Cancers that start in the bone are rare. There are around 500 new cases in the UK each year. They are different from cancers that develop at other sites in the body and spread to the bones later on. Bone cancer develops from cells in the bone. A rarer type can start in cartilage, the firm connective tissue that surrounds and cushions many joints. If the cancer is not treated, cancer cells from the original site may break away and spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, other bones, or other internal organs.  BREAST CANCER Breast cancer is the most common cancer for women in this country. Each year, there are over 41,000 new cases in the UK. This cancer accounts for almost one in three of all cancer cases in women, and the lifetime risk for breast cancer in women is one in nine. The cancer develops in the milk-producing glands in the breast, or in the passages or ducts that deliver milk to the nipples. Some breast cancers may spread into the surrounding tissue, and can spread to other parts of the body.  BRAIN TUMORS Brain tumours are not very common, and unlike many other cancers, does not usually spread to other parts of the body. It accounts for less than 2% of all new cancers diagnosed in the UK. Each year, there are over 2,500 new cases of brain cancer in men, and over 1,900 cases in women. In the UK, about 300 children are diagnosed with a brain tumour each year. The brain is a soft spongy mass of nerve cells and supporting tissue. It controls every physiological system in the body and is responsible for our thoughts, language and emotions. In the brain, any abnormal growth puts pressure on sensitive structures and may impair their function.  MULTIPLE MYELOMA Myeloma develops from cells within the bone marrow called plasma cells. Plasma cells produce proteins called antibodies, which help to fight infection. In myeloma, a single plasma cell develops faults and multiplies out of control. This makes the immune system much less effective at fighting infection. Myeloma cells produce excessive amounts of a single type of antibody, which is known as paraprotein, or monoclonal spike. Myeloma usually develops at a number of different sites within the body. This cancer is therefore called multiple myeloma. The most common sites for multiple myeloma are the pelvis, spine, rib cage, skull, shoulders and hips.  CERVICAL CANCER Cervical cancer develops from cells lining the cervix, which is the canal that connects the uterus to the vagina. During childbirth, the baby passes through this canal. Cervical cancer takes time to develop. There is usually a period when some of the cells lining the cervix develop abnormal changes but are not yet cancerous - these can give rise to cervical cancer later on. Doctors can pick up these changes through screening, and a simple treatment can prevent cancer developing. HODGKIN’S LYMPHOMA  Hodgkin's lymphoma is a fairly rare type of cancer, with just over 1,400 new cases in the UK every year. It is most common in people in their 20s and 30s. This disease belongs to a group of cancers known as lymphomas. Lymphomas are cancers that develop from cells of the lymphatic system. This system helps to protect the body against infections. There are two main types of lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Hodgkin's lymphoma is named after Thomas Hodgkin, the doctor who first described it. It makes up less than one in five cases of lymphoma. The cancer cells in Hodgkin's lymphoma look different under a microscope from cells of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. In the majority of cases, Hodgkin's lymphoma can be cured with modern treatments, particularly if the disease is in its early stages. If the cancer is not treated, cancer cells may break away and spread to other parts of the lymphatic system. If the cancer cells get into the blood stream, they can spread to almost any organ in the body, including the liver, lungs, brain and spine.  MELANOMA There are two main types of skin cancer, melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer. Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. Melanoma (also known as malignant melanoma) is a cancer that develops from cells called melanocytes, which are found in the outer layer of our skin. Melanocytes produce melanin, a pigment that helps protect the deeper layers of our skin from the harmful effects of the sun. This pigment appears as a suntan, which is a sign of damaged skin. Melanomas often start in moles, but they can also develop elsewhere on the skin. In rare cases, melanomas can occur in the eye, under the fingernails, or in other parts of the body not usually exposed to the sun  KARPOSI’S SARCOMA Although Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a type of cancer it differs from other types of cancer in the way it develops. Unlike most cancers, which start in one place and may then spread around the body, KS can appear in several parts of the body at the same time. The most common site for KS is on the skin but it may also affect internal organs, particularly the lymph nodes, the lungs and parts of the digestive system. KS has been shown to be associated with a virus called Human Herpes Virus 8 (HHV8) and can affect people with a weakened immune system, including people with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and AIDS. SOFT TISSUE SARCOMA’S  Soft tissue sarcomas are rare, and only 1,300 or so people a year in the UK will develop a sarcoma. Sarcomas are cancers that develop from cells in the soft, supporting tissues of the body. They can occur in muscle, fat, blood vessels or in any of the other tissues that support, surround and protect the organs of the body. The soft tissues of the body are also known as the mesenchyma, and so sometimes sarcomas are called mesenchymal tumours. Some types of sarcoma occur in children, teenagers and young adults, but generally sarcomas are more likely to develop in people over the age of 30. Some sarcomas, such as osteosarcoma, start in bone. These grow and develop differently and are treated differently from soft tissue sarcomas. Neuroendocrine tumours  Neuroendocrine tumours are rare. They start in neuroendocrine cells - these are specialised nerve cells that produce hormones. Neuroendocrine cells are part of the endocrine system, which is a network of glands in the body. The glands produce hormones. Hormones control many of the body’s functions by controlling the levels of particular chemicals and fluids in the body, and they help us respond to changes in our environment. Neuroendocrine tumours occur most commonly in the digestive system but can occur in other parts of the body. They can be non-cancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant). Some neuroendocrine tumours produce hormones which can cause particular symptoms, such as diarrhoea, flushing of the skin and wheezing. Tumours that produce hormones are called functioning (hormone-secreting). Tumours that don't produce hormones are known as non-functioning (non-hormone secreting). Mesothelioma  Mesothelioma (pronounced mee-so-thee-lee-oma) is a cancer of the mesothelium. The mesothelium is a thin membrane that lines the chest and abdomen and surrounds the organs in these areas. The lining around the lungs is called the pleura and in the abdomen it is known as the peritoneum. Mesotheliomas are uncommon cancers, although they are becoming more frequent. Currently, about 1800 people in the UK are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. Mesothelioma of the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma) is much more common than mesothelioma in the peritoneum. For every person with peritoneal mesothelioma there will be about 12 people who have pleural mesothelioma. Cancers of the bile duct  Cancers of the bile duct are rare in the Western world. There are approximately 600 new cholangiocarcinomas diagnosed each year in the UK. The bile ducts are the tubes connecting the liver and gall bladder to the small intestine (small bowel). Bile is a fluid made by the liver and stored in the gall bladder. Its main function is to break down fats during their digestion in the small intestine. In people who have had their gall bladder removed, bile flows directly into the small intestine. The bile ducts and gall bladder are known as the biliary system. Cancer is classified according to the type of cell from which it starts. Cancer of the biliary system almost always starts in a type of tissue called glandular tissue and is then known as adenocarcinoma. If the cancer starts in the part of the bile ducts contained within the liver it is known as intra-hepatic. If it starts in the area of the bile ducts outside the liver it is known as extrahepatic. Nose Cancer (Nasopharyngeal Cancer)  The nasopharynx is the area where the back of the nose turns to meet the upper section of the throat. The cancerous tumour usually originates at the curved part behind the nose or the post nasal space. As the tumour is situated close to critical structures of the brain, spinal cord and throat, nasopharyngeal cancer can cause many symptoms in its advanced stages.  It is common among the Chinese population, particularly in Hong Kong and Southern China. In Malaysia, we are talking about an incidence of 25 cases for every 100,000 people in the population. According to the recent National Cancer Registry, nasopharyngeal cancer is the second most common cancer in Malaysian men, after lung cancer. In comparison to the rest of the world, the Malaysian Chinese male has the second highest incidence; the local Chinese women have the highest incidence in the world. The incidence rises with age, particularly between the ages of 50 and 60. But as our population expands, we are definitely seeing more cases in recent years. An epidemiology study in Hong Kong many years ago found an association between eating salted fish at a young age and the occurrence of nasal cancer. However, recent studies have implicated viral origin of the disease. He virus implicated is known as the Epstein-Barr virus. While many of us have that virus sitting dormantly behind our noses, some of us will eventually develop cancer due to the complex interaction of the virus and our genes. Other environmental factors include the consumption of preserved food and fermented fish products, as well as exposure to toxic fumes and tobacco. Symptoms Early symptoms include: · bleeding nose · hearing problems, such as ringing and tingling · blocked nose As the disease progresses, symptoms may include: · hearing loss · numbness in the face · coughing out blood · swallowing problems · breathing difficulties caused by a blocked nose · double vision  Diagnosis: The first stage of diagnosis involves a full ENT (ear, nose and throat) examination by a specialist, which includes examining the back part of the nose. If a swelling or bulge is present, a biopsy is indicated. A biopsy involves removing a small piece of tissue sample to determine the presence of cancer cell. It is essential in making a diagnosis. The ENT specialist is usually the first port of call for patients, as most of them think of their symptoms as common ENT problems. As soon as the ENT specialist detects something amiss or the biopsy is confirmed for cancer, the patient will be referred to an oncologist. The role of the clinical oncologist is to treat the cancer with radiotherapy or chemotherapy, or both. More tests will be done to determine the extent of disease and the best way to treat the patient. This includes a computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head and neck area. X-ray or scans of the chest, liver and bone are also necessary to find out if the cancer has spread to those areas.  Treatment: At Stage I or II of the disease, where the tumour is confined to the back of the nose, the treatment choice is radiotherapy. Radiotherapy is an X-ray treatment using high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells. Radiation is given to the tumour site, which will also include the neck and throat. It is given daily from Mondays to Fridays for 7 weeks. At these early stages, treatment can achieve a cure rate of over 90% and recurrence is very unlikely if an experienced oncologist administers it. At Stages III and IV, when the lymph nodes have become infected with tumour (but the tumour has not progressed to other parts of the body), treatment is a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. When both treatments are done concurrently, a cure of between 60% to 70% can be achieved compared to radiotherapy alone. The side effects are greater with combination treatment, but this is offset by higher cure rates.  Side Effects: Short-term complications start with dry mouth and loss of taste. This could lead to loss of appetite. By the 3rd and 4th week of treatment, there will also be difficulty in swallowing, which will persist throughout treatment. There may be some skin changes in the treated area. Fortunately, these side effects are only temporary and will last until treatment is completed. The taste capacity takes about 2 months to recover, while the dry mouth never fully recovers, but it’s a small price to pay for cure. However, newer treatment techniques using CT scan-based treatment planning may help reduce these long-term side effects. By Dr Ibrahim Wahid  LEUKEMIA Leukemia is cancer of the white blood cells. The bone marrow produces abnormal white blood cells that do not function properly and eventually crowd out normal white blood cells, red blood cells (erythrocytes), and platelets. There are four major types of leukemia, depending on the type of white blood cell affected and the speed of progression. Blood cells in the bone marrow form from two major groups of stem cells: the myeloid stem cell line and the lymphoid stem cell line. Myeloid stem cells develop into red blood cells, platelets, and certain kinds of white blood cells (granulocytes or monocytes). The lymphoid stem cell line develops into a kind of white blood cell called lymphocytes. Both stem cell lines can be affected by leukemia, and both occur in both acute and chronic forms. Acute leukemia progresses rapidly; chronic more slowly. The four types are:     Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common form of leukemia in children, but it can also affect adults. Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is the most common form of leukemia and can affect both children and adults. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) primarily affects people older than 55 years of age, and rarely affects children. Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) affects primarily adults. Unlike CLL, CML eventually but invariably converts to the more rapidly progressing acute form if untreated.  Causes of Leukemia The exact cause of most types of leukemia is unknown. Many patients do not exhibit any of the known risk factors, which include smoking and other tobacco use, exposure to high doses of radiation or the chemicals benzene or formaldehyde, and chemotherapy used to treat other cancers. Leukemia is not an inherited disease, but there may be a genetic link. Depending on the type of leukemia, close relatives of a person with leukemia may be up to four times as likely to develop leukemia as a person with no affected relatives. Down syndrome and certain types of blood disorders also increase the risk of developing the disease.  Symptoms and Diagnosis of Leukemia As affected cells increase, they begin to crowd out normal cells and disable them, causing symptoms such as frequent infections, poor healing of small cuts or sores, and anemia. The leukemia cells may also collect in certain parts of the body, causing pain and swelling. Other common symptoms include: fevers and night sweats, weakness and fatigue, headaches, bruising of the skin and bleeding from the gums or rectum, joint pain, swelling in the abdomen from an enlarged spleen, swollen lymph nodes in the armpit, neck, or groin, and decreased appetite or weight loss. If you or a relative has leukemia symptoms, a personal and family medical history will be taken, and a blood sample sent to the lab for testing. If your blood tests are abnormal, a test of bone marrow cells will be taken to confirm the diagnosis. A spinal tap (lumbar puncture) may also be ordered to determine whether leukemia cells are present in the brain or cerebrospinal fluid.  Treatment of Leukemia Treatment depends on the type of leukemia and the stage of progression, but commonly includes one or more bone marrow transplants, radiation, and chemotherapy. Our understanding and ability to treat leukemia has come a long way in recent decades. In 1960, the 5-year survival rate for all types of leukemia was about 14%. Now it is about 50%. The highest survival rates occur in children suffering from ALL. Methods of Treatment Most patients with leukemia are treated with chemotherapy. Some also may have radiation therapy and/or bone marrow transplantation (BMT) or biological therapy. In some cases, surgery to remove the spleen (an operation called a splenectomy) may be part of the treatment plan. - Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Depending on the type of leukemia, patients may receive a single drug or a combination of two or more drugs. Some anticancer drugs can be taken by mouth. Most are given by intravenous injection (injected into a vein). Often, patients who need to have many IV treatments receive the drugs through a catheter. - One end of this thin, flexible tube is placed in a large vein, often in the upper chest. Drugs are injected into the catheter, rather than directly into a vein, to avoid the discomfort of repeated injections and injury to the skin. - Anticancer drugs given by IV injection or taken by mouth enter the bloodstream and affect leukemia cells in most parts of the body. However, the drugs often do not reach cells in the central nervous system because they are stopped by the blood-brain barrier. This protective barrier is formed by a network of blood vessels that filter blood going to the brain and spinal cord. To reach leukemia cells in the central nervous system, doctors use intrathecal chemotherapy. In this type of treatment, anticancer drugs are injected directly into the cerebrospinal fluid.   Intrathecal chemotherapy can be given in two ways. Some patients receive the drugs by injection into the lower part of the spinal column. Others, especially children, receive intrathecal chemotherapy through a special type of catheter called an Ommaya reservoir. This device is placed under the scalp, where it provides a pathway to the cerebrospinal fluid. Injecting anticancer drugs into the reservoir instead of into the spinal column can make intrathecal chemotherapy easier and more comfortable for the patient. Chemotherapy is given in cycles: a treatment period followed by a recovery period, then another treatment period, and so on. In some cases, the patient has chemotherapy as an outpatient at the hospital, at the doctor's office, or at home. However, depending on which drugs are given and the patient's general health, a hospital stay may be necessary.  Radiation therapy is used along with chemotherapy for some kinds of leukemia. Radiation therapy (also called Radiotherapy) uses high-energy rays to damage cancer cells and stop them from growing. The radiation comes from a large machine. Radiation therapy for leukemia may be given in two ways. For some patients, the doctor may direct the radiation to one specific area of the body where there is a collection of leukemia cells, such as the spleen or testicles. Other patients may receive radiation that is directed to the whole body. This type of radiation therapy, called total-body irradiation, usually is given before a bone marrow transplant.  The term leukemia refers to cancers of the white blood cells, which are also referred to as leukocytes or WBCs. When a child has leukemia, large numbers of abnormal white blood cells are produced in the bone marrow. These abnormal white cells crowd the bone marrow and flood the bloodstream, but they cannot perform their proper role of protecting the body against disease because they are defective. As leukemia progresses, the cancer interferes with the body's production of other types of blood cells, including red blood cells and platelets. This results in anemia (low numbers of red cells) and bleeding problems, in addition to the increased risk of infection caused by white cell abnormalities. As a group, leukemias account for about 25% of all childhood cancers and affect about 2,200 American young people each year. Luckily, the chances for a cure are very good with leukemia. With treatment, most children with leukemia are free of the disease without it coming back. Types of Childhood Leukemia    In general, leukemias are classified into acute (rapidly developing) and chronic (slowly developing) forms. In children, about 98% of leukemias are acute. Acute childhood leukemias are also divided into acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), depending on whether specific white blood cells called lymphyocytes, which are linked to immune defenses, are involved. Approximately 60% of children with leukemia have ALL, and about 38% have AML. Although slowgrowing chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) may also be seen in children, it is very rare, accounting for fewer than 50 cases of childhood leukemia each year in the United States.  Risk for Childhood Leukemia The ALL form of the disease most commonly occurs in younger children ages 2 to 8, with a peak incidence at age 4. But it can affect all age groups. - Children have a 20% to 25% chance of developing ALL or AML if they have an identical twin who was diagnosed with the illness before age 6. In general, nonidentical twins and other siblings of children with leukemia have two to four times the average risk of developing this illness. - Children who have inherited certain genetic problems - such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Down syndrome, Kleinfelter syndrome, neurofibromatosis, ataxia telangectasia, or Fanconi's anemia have a higher risk of developing leukemia, as do children who are receiving medical drugs to suppress their immune systems after organ transplants. - Children who have received prior radiation or chemotherapy for other types of cancer also have a higher risk for leukemia, usually within the first 8 years after treatment.   In most cases, neither parents nor children have control over the factors that trigger leukemia, although current studies are investigating the possibility that some environmental factors may predispose a child to develop the disease. Most leukemias arise from noninherited mutations (changes) in the genes of growing blood cells. Because these errors occur randomly and unpredictably, there is currently no effective way to prevent most types of leukemia. To limit the risk of prenatal radiation exposure as a trigger for leukemia (especially ALL), women who are pregnant or who suspect that they might be pregnant should always inform their doctors before undergoing tests or medical procedures that involve radiation (such as X-rays). Regular checkups can spot early symptoms of leukemia in the relatively rare cases where this cancer is linked to an inherited genetic problem, to prior cancer treatment, or to use of immunosuppressive drugs for organ transplants. WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES TO TRANSFER FACTOR AND IMMUNOTHERAPY Cancer Treatments 1) Active surveillance (or watchful waiting) - Some types of cancer grow very slowly and may cause no problems for many years. 2) Surgery - An operation is done to remove the tumour 3) Radiotherapy - use of high energy x-rays to destroy cancer cells 4) Chemotherapy - use of anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells. 5) Hormonal Therapy - work by altering the levels of particular hormones in the body. 6) Other treatments - biological therapies and include interferon and interleukin. CANCER RESEARCH - CHEMOTHERAPY AND REAL THERAPIES  “The medical establishment works closely with the drug multinationals whose main objective is profits, and whose worst nightmare would be an epidemic of good health. Lots of drugs MUST be sold. In order to achieve this, anything goes: lies, fraud, and kickbacks. Doctors are the principal salespeople of the drug companies. They are rewarded with research grants, gifts, and lavish perks. The principal buyers are the public - from infants to the elderly who MUST be thoroughly medicated and vaccinated...at any cost!” “Why do the authorities forbid alternative medicine? Because they are serving the industry, and the industry cannot make money with herbs, vitamins, and homeopathy. They cannot patent natural remedies. That is why they push synthetics. They control medicine, and that is why they are able to tell medical schools what they can and cannot teach." Guylaine Lanctot, M.D  Chemotherapy; Afraid of Their Own Medicine  In one survey, most oncologists specializing in lung cancer reported that they would not take chemotherapy if they had the disease. Yet, everyday these doctors give their patients chemotherapy. In conversation with an investigative reporter, one brain cancer specialist admitted that he would never submit to radiation if he had a brain tumor. Nevertheless, he continues to send patients for radiation, because he would be kicked out of the hospital if he didn't follow the accepted protocol.  Based on information in: Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Jan 1998; Spectrum, Mar/April 1998 "Drugs do not cure, popular opinion notwithstanding. Cure must come from within; or there is no cure" - M.L. Tyler M.D DANGERS OF CHEMOTHERAPY  William Campbell Douglass II, MD - "To understand the utter hypocrisy of chemotherapy, consider the following: The McGill Cancer Center in Canada, one of the largest and most prestigious cancer treatment centers in the world, did a study of oncologists to determine how they would respond to a diagnosis of cancer. On the confidential questionnaire, 58 out of 64 doctors said that all chemotherapy programs were unacceptable to them and their family members. The overriding reason for this decision was that the drugs are ineffective and have an unacceptable degree of toxicity. These are the same doctors who will tell you that their chemotherapy treatments will shrink your tumor and prolong your life!” THE POLITICS OF CANCER REVISTED "The National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society have misled and confused the public and Congress by repeated false claims that we are winning the war against cancer -claims made to create public and Congressional support for massive increases in budgetary appropriations." Dr. Epstein Gangsters In Medicine  The Journal of the American Medical Association recently reported that as many as 106,000 deaths occur annually in US hospitals due to adverse reactions to prescription drugs that are properly prescribed by physicians that use them as directed by the drug companies. The National Council for Patient Information and Education reported that an additional 125,000 deaths occur annually due to adverse reactions to drugs that the physician never should have prescribed. The annual death toll from synthetic prescription drugs, both from the correctly prescribed and the incorrectly prescribed, amounts to about 231,000 deaths every year.   From the article “Gangsters in Medicine” by Thomas Smith Classes of Drugs  Chemotherapy drugs for non-metastatic and metastatic breast cancer fall into several categories ; 1) Alkylators - affect cancer cells much like radiation does: by damaging the proteins that control growth in the genes of the tumor cell. 2) Antimetabolites - act as false building blocks in a cancer cell's genes, causing it to die as it gets ready to divide.  3) Antibiotics - (not to be confused with antibiotics that fight infection) include potent inhibitors of gene replication. ("Anti" means "against," and "biotic" means "growth.") 4) Antimiotic agents - or natural agents rob cellular genes of the ability to reproduce themselves during division. 5) Antimicrotubule - or natural agents interfere with cell structure and cell division. CHEMOTHERAPY DRUGS                      2'DCF® 2'-deoxycoformycin® 5FU® Alkeran® BiCNU® Caelyx® Campto® Cosmegen Lyovac® DTIC® Eldisine® Eloxatin® Etopophos® Erwinase® Fludara® Gemzar® Hexalen® Hycamtin® Hydrea® Isovorin® Lanvis® Leukeran®                       Leustat® Matrex® Mitoxana® Myleran® Myocet® Navelbine® Nipent® Oncovin® Pharmorubicin® Puri-Nethol® Sodiofolin® Taxol® Taxotere® Temodal® Tomudex® Uftoral® Uromitexan® Velbe® Vepesid® Xeloda® Zanosar® Zavedos® COMMON FAVOURED DRUGS FOR CHEMO “Idarubicin”  Idarubicin is chemotherapy that is given as a treatment for some types of cancer. It is most commonly used to treat breast cancer, and some types of leukaemia. Possible side effects Each person’s reaction to chemotherapy is unique. Some people have very few side effects, while others may experience more. The side effects described in this information will not affect everyone who is given idarubicin, and may be different if you are having more than one chemotherapy drug. (continue to next slide….)  1)Lowered resistance to infection 2) Bruising or bleeding 3) Anaemia (low number of red blood cells) 4) Nausea (sickness) and vomiting 5) Sore mouth and taste change 6) Tiredness and a general feeling of weakness 7) Hair loss 8) Discoloured urine -- and several others less common side effects WHO GETS CANCER ?  1 in 3 people will develop cancer during their lifetime, but cancer is not common in children or young people - it mainly occurs in the later years of life.  Cancers can occur at any age, but the risk of developing cancer increases with age. Over 70% of all newly diagnosed cancers occur in people aged 60 years or more. WHY DO CANCERS KEEP COMING BACK ?  A cancerous (malignant) tumour consists of cancer cells which have the ability to spread beyond the original site. If left untreated they may invade and destroy surrounding tissues. Sometimes cells break away from the original (primary) cancer and spread to other organs in the body by travelling in the bloodstream or lymphatic system. When these cells reach a new area of the body they may go on dividing and form a new tumour, often referred to as a "secondary" or a "metastasis".  TRANSFER FACTOR STUDY ON 20 CANCER PATIENTS Rob Robertson, M.D. conducted the following studies:  Twenty patients, 12 men and 8 women, were selected for this in vivo study. The average age was 49.3. The twenty individuals were each level 3 or level 4 cancer patients. Each patient was basically sent home by his or her oncologist to die. The average life expectancy was 3.7 months. The protocol was to place each patient on 9 capsules per day of Transfer Factor Plus™. The patients were given a number of other general nutrients*. After eight months, 16 of these individuals were still living and were either in remission, improving or stabilized.  Overcoming Immunosuppression from Chemotherapy  Cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation which greatly weaken the immune system, can greatly benefit from taking transfer factor supplementation. Transfer factor supplementation serves to protect the body from "opportunistic" infections, which often occur during these treatments. Dr Duane Townsend, former director of gynecologic oncology at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, puts all of his cancer patients on transfer factor treatments to boost their immune systems’ abilities to respond to any health challenges.  (a true story by parents Raphaele & Michael Horwin)  No Rights for a Child….. Over forty years ago, those powerful words were written and endorsed by many nations throughout the world including the United States. It is a beautiful declaration but sadly it is only an illusion. The medical establishment took every single one of those rights away from our only child Alexander. Without the right to live, there are no opportunities for affection, play, or love.  Alexander was two years old when he was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, the most common pediatric brain tumor. This cancer is rising in frequency. After the first round of chemo, Alexander began to change. Even after two brain operations, Alexander was still a vibrant, ruddy, strong, energetic child. But as the chemotherapy repeatedly filled his small body Alexander began to die inside.  - First the relentless stomach pains and the horrendous projectile vomiting began. Then his beautiful curly hair fell out. Next his dark skin tone turned pale as a ghost. He got sick with fevers and spent weeks in the hospital. - Then there were the blood transfusions to replace the blood cells the chemo had killed, the hearing tests to see if the chemo drug cisplatin had not devastated too much of his hearing, the nuclear medicine tests to check if his kidneys were not giving up under the strain of processing so much poison, the liver function tests to ensure that his liver was not being destroyed, etc. - During chemotherapy we had to squeeze an antibiotic into his nose called nystatin several times a day. He hated it and buried his face in a pillow when he saw it coming with all the strength his little body could muster. One of us had to pin Alexander down and keep his head immobile while the other pushed the syringe into each nostril and injected the solution. We were also called upon to give him GCSF injections at home. - Then we found the following statement written by Hyder in our son’s medical chart. It was dated September 26, 1998: “Dr. Heideman also called me because he was very concerned about Mr. and Mrs. Horwin…He was very concerned that the family would refuse treatment and that a court order would have to be obtained to treat Alexander.” - And on October 6, 1998 Hyder continued: “I think that if Mr. and Mrs. Horwin do not bring Alexander in for chemotherapy tomorrow, additional steps will be necessary.” - We went to see an attorney to find out if the oncologists could take Alexander from us if we decided to stop chemo. Incredibly, the answer was yes !. - The oncologists warned us that if we didn’t use chemotherapy that the tumor would probably return in three months. These doctors assured us that the chemo they were administering to our son was the current “state-of-theart.” They told us repeatedly that this was Alexander’s best choice for a long and healthy life. - We continued the chemotherapy. As a result of the drugs, Alexander’s balance was lost, his ability to see deteriorated, and he lost hearing in one ear. The whole thing was horrendous. - After a “clean” MRI on January 4th, Alexander had a spinal tap. A day later Alexander complained of pain in his head and back and he began to vomit. We asked for another MRI but Hyder, the oncolgist, refused because he had done one just a few days previously. Hyder told us that Alexander’s pain was just a side effect of the spinal tap. But as each day passed the pain became worse. - We brought Alexander into the hospital on January 11th and Hyder ordered a CAT scan without contrast. We were told that the scan looked “fine,” although later, we would find out that a CAT scan especially one taken without contrast is not designed to reveal the presence of a returning brain tumor. - Finally, on January 18th, we brought Alexander into the hospital and demanded a MRI. Hyder refused to order the test. He explained that it was too late in the day to schedule one. We had a confrontation. We would not leave until a MRI was ordered. Finally, Hyder relented. Alexander was wheeled into the MRI suite. - An hour later we had the news, Hyder shook his head and told us that Alexander had over 30 tumors throughout his brain and spine. “What does that mean?” we asked completely stunned. Hyder just continued to shake his head. “What is it?” we asked him. “Leptomeningeal sarcoma. I am so sorry. There is nothing we can do.” “How is this possible?” “It happens,” he said. “How often,” we asked. “It happens sometimes. I’m so sorry.” How long does Alexander have,” we asked. The surgeon paused. “A few days, perhaps,” he said. “The only thing we can do is send you home with hospice care. I’ll give you a prescription for morphine and decadron,” Hyder said as he awkwardly patted me on the shoulder. “I think it is better to keep your son here tonight and you can go home tomorrow,” he added. Alexander died on January 31st, 1999 in his mommy’s arms. Our son was only 2 ½ years old. After Alexander was buried, Raphaele and I wanted to know what happened. No one ever told us that the cancer could come back and kill Alexander while he was on chemotherapy. In fact, Alexander was only one quarter through a twelve-month chemo protocol (comprised of induction and maintenance chemotherapy). The following quotes are taken verbatim from Alexander’s medical chart. Each entry is written by Hyder. September 25, 1998  (-- continue to next slide) Mr. and Mrs. Horwin and I discussed treatment options in the office for about two hours…We discussed the risks of chemotherapy at length including low hemoglobin, low white blood cells, low platelets, infection, need for blood transfusion, need for platelet transfusion, pain, nausea, vomiting, hair loss, skin injury, heart damage, lung damage, liver damage, kidney damage, loss of hearing, small stature, hormonal problems such as low growth hormone or low thyroid hormone, infertility, second cancer, intellectual decline, worsening of neurological symptoms, ineffectiveness, and death. Mr. and Mrs. Horwin were quite distressed by all the potential side effects, but I explained that despite all these risks, I believe the potential benefits of chemotherapy in prolonging the length of cancer free survival or possibly cure are greater than the potential risks. October 2, 1998 …without chemotherapy I am quite certain that the disease will relapse and this could possibly result in Alexander’s death. PLANS: We will proceed with chemotherapy like CCG-9921A, as the best available therapy. October 3, 1998 I received your voice mail message that you have decided not to bring Alexander for scheduled chemotherapy today…Alexander needs chemotherapy now…We need to get chemotherapy started if Alexander is to survive this disease. (-- continue to next slide)  October 6, 1998 “About 4:30 p.m. on October 5, 1998, Mr. Horwin telephoned and asked me about a variety of biological therapies such as “nerve cell growth factor,” “retinoic acid,” and “tumor necrosis factor”…Mr. Horwin asked to use these biological therapies for his son before chemotherapy. I again told him clearly in my professional opinion, chemotherapy is the next treatment to use because of its known clinical efficacy. He was distressed by the limitations of chemotherapy, since treatment is successful in only about 30-40% of children with Alexander’s type of cancer…I explained that the best opportunity we have to successfully treat Alexander’s cancer is to use chemotherapy now…I reiterated that my best professional advice which is to use chemotherapy now against Alexander’s cancer. I spoke to Mrs. Horwin and explained what I had explained to her husband. I told her that my best medical advice is to use chemotherapy for treatment of Alexander’s cancer. I told her that without chemotherapy, Alexander may die from cancer…” - We began to research “leptomeningeal sarcoma” the cancer that had grown so rapidly and killed him. One of the abstracts that came back stunned us. - It was a study published in 1994 by Dr. Heideman, the oncologist we had met at St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital. It discussed the “leptomeningeal progression” of medulloblastoma in thirteen children Alexander’s age who were given chemotherapy. It explained how the cancers returned and spread in eleven of the thirteen children within five months. - It mentioned that for some of the children the cancers grew in the spines. Incredibly, this abstract described in detail exactly what happened to our son. But even more astounding, the abstract explained that this protocol was terminated due to the poor performance of the drugs. - The chemo that they had given these children was identical to the chemo Hyder had administered to Alexander. The four drugs were exactly the same - vincristine, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide and etoposide. The cancer that returned, metastasized and took Alexander’s life did so in less than five months from the time when he had his surgeries - What you are about to read will shock you. It is a story of oncologists lying to parents and the public about the efficacy of their therapy. The quotations that follow come from abstracts and articles printed in their peer reviewed medical journals that trace the use of these drugs in children starting almost a quarter of a century ago. It is organized in chronological order. Incredibly, all these drugs are still being administered to children in hospitals throughout the country, sometimes without the parents’ consent. Alexander was put on protocol CCG 9921 that consists of: Vincristine Cyclophosphamide Cisplatin (very similar to Carboplatin) Etoposide (also called VP 16) - 1976 Vincristine causes seizures: In 1976, the oncologists experiment on children with a drug called vincristine. Twentytwo years later, they would administer the same drug to Alexander. Here in 1976 they find that the drug causes seizures. -1978Vincristine does not eliminate cancer: A year later, they tested vincristine with two other chemotherapy drugs on more children. The tumors returned in an average of 45 weeks with the chemo. -1982Vincristine destroys eyesight: The fact that oncologists were already warned that vincristine was dangerous to a child’s eyesight didn’t seem to make an impression. It didn’t for Alexander’s oncologist in 1998. This article is written about another child who nearly goes blind from vincristine in 1982. -1983Cisplatin destroys hearing and leads to neurologic deterioration: In 1983, the danger of another chemo drug, cisplatin, is discovered, but only after trying it out on children. This is another drug the oncologists would inject into Alexander fifteen years later. - “Six children received cisplatin for recurrent brain tumor. Five of the six children had evidence of significant hearing loss after only one cycle of treatment. Two (children)…developed profound deterioration in neurologic status within 72 hours after infusion.” - Granowetter L, Rosenstock JG, Packer RJ: Enhanced cis-platinum neurotoxity in pediatric patients with brain tumors. J Neurooncol 1983; 1(4):293-7. - Cyclophosphamide does not affect survival: That same year, another chemotherapy drug called cyclophosphamide is tried out on children. It does not effect survival. This is the third of four drugs they would administer to Alexander many years later. This article admits that even if a drug is “active” and temporarily shrinks a tumor, it does not prolong life. - “A case of fatal myeloencephalopathy (inflammation of the spinal chord and brain) secondary to accidental intrathecal administration of vincristine is reported in a 16 year old boy. He underwent a progressive ascending chemical meningoencephalitis leading to coma, and died 36 days after the injection. At autopsy, all regions of the brain that had been in direct contact with the cerebrospinal fluid were necrotic (dead).” “Gonadal function was studied in two groups of children previously treated for medulloblastoma…In group one, but not in group two, the children also received adjuvant chemotherapy (BCNU or CCNU plus vincristine in four and procarbazine in three patients). The nine children in group one showed clinical and biochemical evidence of gonadal damage… In group two, each child…(developed) normally…We conclude that nitrosoureas (chemotherapy) was responsible for the gonadal damage…” - Ahmed SR, Shalet SM, Campbell RH, Deakin DP. Primary gonadal damage following treatment of brain tumors in childhood. J Pediatr 1983 Oct; 103(4): 562-5. -1984Oncologists may not count dead children in their statistics: The next year, several chemo drugs including vincristine, and etoposide, are administered to children in another chemo experiment. Etoposide is the fourth and last drug in the chemo cocktail they would administer to Alexander fourteen years later. -1985Oncologists admit that chemo is ineffective: A year later, after trying out all the various chemo drugs on children, a group of pediatric oncologists admit that the role of chemotherapy is “unclear, ” that “responses are generally transient,” and “virtually no cures are reported.” They also admit again that an “active” drug (a drug that may temporarily shrink a tumor) has no relationship to a cure. -1987Oncologists admit that chemo is ineffective and increases the risk of infection: “The (survival) rate was not improved by the chemotherapy program. An increased risk of infection was associated with the chemotherapy.” - Jenkin RD, Boesel C, Ertel I, Evans A, Hittle R, Ortega J, Sposto R, Wara W, Wilson C, Anderson J, et al. Brain-stem tumors in childhood: a prospective randomized trial of irradiation with and without adjuvant CCNU, VCR, and prednisone. A report of the Children’s Cancer Study Group. J Neurosurg 1987 Feb; 66(2): 22733. The fact that chemotherapy actually causes cancer should be of no surprise to the oncologists. The chemotherapy they gave Alexander and thousands of other children is listed as “Known Human Carcinogens” by the National Institute of Health, the National Cancer Institute and the FDA. In fact, cyclophosphamide was listed as a “Known Human Carcinogen” by the First Annual Report on Carcinogens published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 1980. In addition, there are four other chemotherapy compounds on that list. Furthermore, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer lists ten chemotherapy agents including cyclophosphamide and all alkylating agents as “Materials known to be carcinogenic to humans.” - It is hard to believe that oncologists would be injecting known human carcinogens into children with cancer. But, that is exactly what they are doing. They should not feign surprise when the children begin developing secondary cancers. - This is what happened to Alexander. His first cancer was medulloblastoma. After three months of chemotherapy the cancer returned as 30 separate tumors. At that point the doctors called it “leptomeningeal sarcoma.” -1991Chemo leads to destruction of hearing, infertility and secondary cancers. - Complications of chemotherapy include,“permanent hearing impairment secondary to cisplatin, infertility and an increased risk of second primary neoplasms.” - Allen JC: Complications of chemotherapy in patients with brain and spinal cord tumors. Pediatr Neurosurg 1991-92; 17(4): 218-24 -1993The chemo is not the problem, it’s the children who are at fault: It’s 1993 and the oncologists have a new strategy blame the victim. The drugs are exactly the same. Now, the problem isn’t that the chemotherapy is worthless. The problem is the children. They just have a poor prognosis. “Children younger than 5 years who have PNET have a poor prognosis.” - Goldwein JW, Radcliffe J, Packer RJ, Sutton LN, Lange B, Rorke LB, D’Angio GJ. Results of a pilot study of low-dose craniospinal radiation therapy plus chemotherapy for children younger than 5 years with primitive neuroectodermal tumors. Cancer 1993 Apr 15; 71(8): 264752. - Today, according to the oncologists, children on chemotherapy have their brain cancers return in an average of 5-7 months. With chemo, Alexander lived a little more than five months from when he was diagnosed and he had all his tumor removed. - Incredibly, the children operated on 70 and 80 years ago already beat Alexander in terms of survival, but if these kids had had the benefit of a modern surgery they might have lived even longer. Who knows how long these children would have lived if they had been given a modern operation? - This suggested that chemotherapy was shortening children’s lives, not lengthening them! -1998But even after these admissions that “virtually no cures are reported” with chemo in 1985, that chemo is “controversial” in 1991, “unproven” in 1993, and provides “a poor rate of survival and high treatment associated morbidity (i.e. side effects)” in 1997, nothing changes. Here we are in 1998. The children are still getting the same drugs. The children die of the disease or the chemo itself. The conclusion is that the treatment doesn’t work. How many dead children did it take to reach that conclusion? What’s worse is that even with that conclusion, the oncologists continue to use these drugs on children….