Topic: The Right to Choose Your Cancer Treatment

Jun 14, 2012 06:21 AM, edited Jun 14, 2012 06:21 AM by Ruby-

Thanks CP, this is a perfect example of how science actually advances !

6 Scientific Advances Courtesy of Reckless Self-Endangerment 

"In school science labs, we always learned that proper experimentation hinged on a delicate balance of adequate subjects, samples sizes and controls and a precise understanding of all the variables of the environment. But it turns out that even science isn't always an exact science. There are plenty of white-coated professionals throughout history who spat in the face of empirical research and just injected themselves with shit to see what would happen. And to some of those men, we owe the basis of modern medicine.

In 1898, Bier was responsible for the first successful attempt at spinal anesthesia, proving to the medical community that regional numbing was possible. This opened the door for countless advancements in surgery and medicine, and it was all thanks to one man who dared to ask the question, "What's the worst that could happen if I shot cocaine into my spine?"

Read more: 6 Scientific Advances Courtesy of Reckless Self-Endangerment | Cracked.com www.cracked.com/article_19829_...

Jun 14, 2012 10:36 AM Joy_ wrote:

Even recently researchers have taken personal risks to show that accepted medical beliefs were wrong. But if I took such a risk and recovered it would be written off as an unscientific testimonial.

Barry Marshall and Robin Warren showed that the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the cause of most peptic ulcers, reversing decades of medical doctrine holding that ulcers were caused by stress, spicy foods, and too much acid. 

 It has been claimed that the H. pylori theory was ridiculed by the establishment scientists and doctors, who did not believe that any bacteria could live in the acidic environment of the stomach. Marshall has been quoted as saying in 1998 that "(e)veryone was against me, but I knew I was right.

 After failed attempts to infect piglets in 1984, Marshall, after having a baseline endoscopy done, drank a Petri dish containing cultured H. pylori, expecting to develop, perhaps years later, an ulcer. He was surprised when, only three days later, he developed vague nausea and halitosis, (due to the achlorhydria, there was no acid to kill bacteria in the stomach, and their waste products manifested as bad breath), noticed only by his mother. On days 5-8, he developed achlorydric (no acid) vomiting. On day eight, he had a repeat endoscopy and biopsy, which showed massive inflammation (gastritis), and H. Pylori was cultured. On the fourteenth day after ingestion, a third endoscopy was done, and Marshall began to take antibiotics.

In 2005, the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to Marshall and Robin Warren, his long-time collaborator, "for their discovery of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and its role in gastritis and peptic ulcer disease" 

Jun 14, 2012 11:30 AM, edited Jun 14, 2012 12:38 PM by cp418

"I include conventional and alternative medicine, but wonder if there are alternative cures that are not used due to jealousies from the established medical system, backed by the law."

 Totally agree --- more like too easy and inexpensive to extract and pharma companies cannot place patent and control it or make $$$$$$$$.  At least that was common response on recent news about parsley and celery having anti-breast cancer response when tested in tumor induced mice. 

Jun 21, 2012 11:48 AM AlaskaAngel wrote:

Same focus for me, 1Athena1. I appreciate this thread too.

Stepping outside conventional practices a moment.... When research indicated that olive oil was possibly especially helpful for dealing with HER2, I wondered out loud whether something as "simple" as spraying sterile olive oil on the tumor bed with tumors that have any HER2 positive component might have helpful results in limiting recurrence/mets. To me that is the kind of free thinking that has sometimes led to better science over time, although not always.

I still wonder.

A.A.

Jun 22, 2012 10:19 AM, edited Jun 22, 2012 10:26 AM by thenewme

Is there anyone, anywhere on the entire BCO board, who advocates taking away the "right to choose your cancer treatment?"

It's terribly disingenuous to imply that anyone here believes cultural differences, education level, social status, or any other factor are used to deny someone's choice of treatment or deny their opportunity to be here.  

Facts and evidence-based treatment information are completely independent of all those factors, and should be included in discussions, IMO. 

Jun 22, 2012 10:49 AM sweetbean wrote:

thenewme, I don't think that was the point of the article.  Everyone has the right to choose whatever treatment he or she wants, provided that they can afford it.  In the article, the BC patient chose a progressive (for the time) mastectomy, rather than the radical MX that her doctors were insisting on.  When she went on TV to advocate for the option, the doctors were condescending and made fun of her.  Of course, a radical MX these days would be considered barbaric.  But that's thing about any "out of the box" thinking - the regular medical establishment tends to come down hard, completely dismissing it out of hand.  And I say this as someone who had the full course of conventional treatment.  However, I find it frustrating when options are limited by what can often be a very narrow viewpoint.  I think we would all be doing better if folks were more openminded.

Jun 22, 2012 11:37 AM AlaskaAngel wrote:

Is it surprising that the alternative medicine forum discusses mostly alternative medicine, or that it discusses possible choices not limited to those advocated by the conventional medical process?

Jun 22, 2012 07:49 PM Joy_ wrote:

Thenewme, I've forgotten what the article said and have used my monthly quota at NY Times.  I was commenting on the objections on this forum to some of my personal choices and opinions.  I had two people question my credibility based on misquotes or misunderstandings about my personal life, not my treatment choices.

I had BC. I'm interested in alternatives and new research. I don't need any other credibility, but maybe the people concerned need to ask themselves why they would comment on my  personal life rather than the subject of the OP and the ongoing discussion.

You said... It's terribly disingenuous to imply that anyone here believes cultural differences, education level, social status, or any other factor are used to deny someone's choice of treatment or deny their opportunity to be here.

So why was I harassed?  I've also seen several members rubbished because their English was lacking as it was not their native tongue, their emotional health was questionable or they chose not to have surgery.  And others say they were shunned by their health professionals because of their choices.  We may not deny members their right to be here formally, but the harassment and inuendo may drive them away.  I see Chilli has not been back for weeks.

If we allow these things to continue without calling them what they are then others will join in.  Some of us know how to assert ourselves and are not afraid to do so.