Barbara: Thanks for the tip on the mushrooms, I think that might be just
the thing for me to use. Glad things are going pretty good for you. Thanks,
Lillian
-----Original Message-----
From: Barbara Silverman <bsilverman@worldnet.att.net>
To: mol-cancer@lists.meds.com <mol-cancer@lists.meds.com>
Date: Saturday, January 10, 1998 10:37 AM
Subject: Re: [MOL] Squamous cell carcinoma in lower part of lung
>Dear Marty,
>
>Thank you and all of you for sharing yourselves and your information with
>me!! I so look forward to meeting with my mol-friends each night, as do my
>cats who take turns sitting on my lap and help me read the letters.
>Talking about alternate approaches, my Acupuncturist sent me an article
>entitles "Complentary Care for Cancer". It's a bit on the long side so I
>thought I would share some if the highlights here and attach a file with
>the entire article.
>
>Fifteen years ago, while visiting the Beijing Institute of Materia Medica,
>I first learned about the therapeutic properties of a mushroom called zhu
>ling (Polyporus umbellatus). There Chinese researchers described how an
>extract of this mushroom dramatically improved the health of lung cancer
>patients receiving radiations and chemotherapy. Studies had shown that zhu
>ling stimulates an immune response against tumors and reduces the toxicity
>of conventional treatments.
>
>There is growing evidence that these adjunctive therapies (herbs, dietary
>measures, and other natural therapies) can enhance immunity as well as
>increase effectiveness of the conventional treatments and minimize their
>side effects. Research in China has even documented increased survival in
>patients receiving both herbal and Western therapies.
>
>Both chemotherapy and radiation have the unintended effect of damaging the
>immune system, which plays a key role in fighting cancer. Indeed, one of
>the newest frontiers of cancer treatment is immunotherapy, which involves
>methods that take advantage of natural healing mechanisms to recognize and
>destroy malignant cells without harming normal ones.
>
>In the meantime, here are several measures that can help cancer patients
>undergoing chemotherapy or radiation to mobilize their own healing
>resources and play a more active role in controlling the disease.
>
>Build a support system. women with advanced breast cancer who attended
>weekly support groups lived an average of 18 months longer than those who
>did not participate in such groups.
>
>Improve your diet. I recommend that cancer patients eat a low-fat,
>high-fiber diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables and little in
>the way of animal protein. I also suggest eating particular foods perhaps
>three or four time a week. Soy products - such as tofu, tempeh, and soy
>milk - have several cancer-fighting compounds. Certain varieties of
>seaweek, including kombu and wakame, contain a compound called sodium
>alginate that helps the body eliminate radioactive particles left from
>radiation therapy. And onions and garlic can help detoxify the blood of
>patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation. Patients using these
>convential therapies should also drink plenty of liquids to protect the
>kidneys and eliminate the waste products of cell death.
>
>Exercise regularly. A German study published last year in the journal
>“Cancer” found that patients who engaged in regular aerobic exercise after
>finishing their course of high-dose chemotherapy recovered their energy
>faster than those who rested instead.
>
>Manage stress. Living with cancer is surly one of life’s most stressful
>circumstances, so I urge you to incorporate some method of relaxation, and
>listening to relaxing music.
>
>Take tonic mushrooms. I recommend that cancer patients take one or more
>of the following tonic mushrooms, in extract form: maitake, reishi,
>shiitake, and zhu ling (follow package directions). They are completely
>safe and will not interfere with conventional therapies.
>
>----------
>> From: Martin Auslander <fitecancer@earthlink.net>
>> To: mol-cancer@lists.meds.com
>> Subject: Re: [MOL] Squamous cell carcinoma in lower part of lung
>> Date: Friday, January 09, 1998 6:45 AM
>>
>> Dear Barbara,
>>
>> Couldn't help read your message here and as usual I am awe struck by the
>> great courage and inpspiration so many here have. The ability for one to
>> take charge and wish to progress in a path of wellness by researching
>> into other methods that will help support and heal is very courageous
>> and rewarding. The additional ability to question and learn about their
>> disease is essential to the assistance and understanding of which
>> direction to proceed on in beating the disease. You and many of my
>> friends here do..do that. We have learned much by the exchanges and
>> diaglogue of ideas and thoughts and sharing. Thank you for your
>> contribution as I thank the so many here for theirs. Keep up the great
>> work. It will be rewarding for you in your recovery.
>>
>> God Bless
>> marty Auslander
>>
>>
>> Barbara Silverman wrote:
>> >
>> > Dear Claire, Carla, Torie & all,
>> >
>> > Thanks much for the info. Well, I had my appointment with an
>oncologist at
>> > Sloan yesterday. He recommended no further followup treatments of
>chemo or
>> > radiation - just keep an eye on it with bone scans, cat scans and a
>brain
>> > MRI. He told me they normally give chemo and/or radiation before
>surgury
>> > to see which drugs the tumor responds to. (Of course, I already had
>> > surgury so that was not an option.) He told me that clinical trials
>are
>> > being done on the chemo combination I was given; i.e. taxotere and
>> > navelbine, and they are showing some promise. However, he also said
>the
>> > side effects I experienced are common - one man almost died from the
>chemo
>> > - and if I had continued treatment, I would have gone through the same
>> > reaction as I did the first time.
>> >
>> > A point of interest - he told me that they are finding out
>inadvertantly
>> > from their clinical trials that those individuals who had an infection
>in
>> > their lung following surgury seem to be less likely to have a
>recurrance of
>> > the cancer. They feel that the infection stimulates the immune system,
>> > which kills off cancer cells while fighting the infection. And here I
>> > thought what bad luck it was that I had come down with an infection
>right
>> > before surgury!!
>> >
>> > I'm continuing with the vitamin and herb regiment, and finding my
>health
>> > and energy improving daily so I'm going to keep that up. I'm also
>thinking
>> > of going to a holistic cancer doctor for other recommendations in this
>> > direction so as soon as I do, I'll share.
>> >
>> > Take care. My thoughts and prayers are with you as always.
>> > Barbara S.
>> > ----------
>> > > From: Claire <clee02@snet.net>
>> > > To: mol-cancer@lists.meds.com
>> > > Subject: Re: [MOL] Squamous cell carcinoma in lower part of lung
>> > > Date: Monday, January 05, 1998 9:05 PM
>> > >
>> > > Barbara Silverman wrote:
>> > > >
>> > > > Dear Claire,
>> > > >
>> > > > You wrote that your husband had 2 incidents of Squamous Cell lung
>> > cancer.
>> > > > Could you please let me know, did he undergo followup treatment;
>i.e.
>> > > > chemo? radiation?
>> > > >
>> > > > Thanks much,
>> > > > Barbara S.
>> > > >
>> > > > Dear Barbara --
>> > >
>> > > My husband had no follow-up treatment after his surgeries although he
>> > > had frequent check-ups and sputum analyses. His last incident was
>> > > almost 14 years ago, however, and things may have changed.
>> > >
>> > > I've heard that if additional treatment for squamous cell lung
>carcinoma
>> > > is called for radiation, not chemo, is used. Sorry I can't be more
>> > > helpful.
>> > >
>> > > Claire
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