As some of you know, I'm a six-year metastatic cancer survivor (praise the Lord). The other day, I was talking to my onco about this article I read on CNN.com about the president giving money to cancer research and how some specialists are trying to find a way to treat metastatic cancer as more of a chronic illness.

My doctor (Henry Ford Hospital, senior staff oncologist), said that that's where they're pretty much at now. He said that really they are focusing on finding new, more tolerable short-term medicines for metastatic cancer. Ones where the patient would take pills for 30-45 days, then be done with it forever, with very little side effects. No more of the years of debilitating treatments. I told him to hurry on up with that because I've been on meds for going on six years and I am tired of it! He said that he doesn't see it happening in the next three or four years, but they are definitely working on it.

On another note: He's from a middle Eastern country, I forget which one. Anyway, he said that he feels blessed to be able to practice oncology in the U.S. because there is so much more he can do for his patients here than back home. He said that here, he can get me any medication he wants to. Anything. If it's not approved yet, there are clinical trials. Back in his hometown, he had a friend in his 30s who got testicular cancer. He said it is a very treatable cancer, but there the chemo was unavailable and his friend died. And that guy was a doctor himself and still couldn't get the chemo!

So anyway, I just wanted to put that our there about the advancements in research. There is hope on the horizon.

dustysgirl said:

Well, I am glad that they're concentrating on a cure for this dreadful disease. I've once did a research report on breast cancer in college, and I find that some people use alternative methods such as herbs, but they must consult with their doctor. Some have even used treatments from the East in the Orient. Both methods have been used to balance the blood cells. How does your doctor feel about alternative medicine?

angel345 said:

No way would I try alternative therapies. We had this discussion back when I was in my second year of treatment and I was going to start taking a massive amount of vitamins. He basically said that they haven't found out yet which supplements interfere with chemo. Some of them help, some of the hurt. Bascially, he said, nothing is stronger than chemo.

I went ahead with my plan anyway. Took chemo and supplements. Guess what? I kept having bad things happen. The cancer was already detected in two places in my spine. During the next three years, I ate like a nutritionally aware robot, took $80 worth of vitamins a month and one year, I got a tumor on my spinal cord and could hardly walk. More radiation, back on chemo. Advancement of spinal tumors, new chemo. The final straw was a nodule on my liver and my liver going haywire. I quit everything, but went on new chemo and everything calmed down. I won't even take a multi vitamin now. I get my nutrition from food only.

As far as Eastern medicine goes, Henry Ford does have a holistic part of their treatment where I could do yoga, get acupuncture, massages, etc. They also have other non-drug therapies like painting and support groups. I haven't done any of that. I stick to my drug regime and do my own "spiritual" healing practices at home. I guess if these things were closer to home, I would do some of them, but my clinic is 20 miles away. I only go there for bloodwork and doctor visists. A lot of the stuff is located in Detroit which is like 35 miles away.

my very best wishes with everything

I wouldn't put much trust in it. They tend to say that every year so drug companies can keep pushing more drugs to bilk the public and make money. This may sound paranoid, but I still say they are hiding the cancer cure, because it would cost them too much money.

Good on your health though, my dear.