Integrative Therapy for Breast, Colon, Ovarian, Pancreatic and Head/Neck Cancer

Hi Azucena-

I am sorry to learn of your advanced pancreatic cancer. I have spent the most time researching and writing about my own cancer, multiple myeloma. However, I have applied the principles that I have learned with conventional oncology’s approach to MM to those cancers that conventional oncology had difficulty treating. Pancreatic and lung are two of the most challenging cancers to treat conventionally as you probably know.

MM average five year survival rate is similar to pancreatic and lung cancer’s five year average survival rate.

In my experience, if conventional oncology has little to offer the newly diagnosed _________ patient (fill in the blank) then the patient must look elsewhere for evidence-based therapies.

Complementary and Integrative therapies offer possibilities in addition to conventional treatment for difficult to treat cancers.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

David Emerson

Hi Enelyn-

I regret that I have not studied ampalaya tea and how it may interact with chemotherapy. I am sorry I cannot be more
help.

David Emerson

Hi Chris,

I am sorry to read about your mom’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis. The focus for the majority of the Pancreatic Cancer Coaching program is to provide evidence-based, non-conventional therapies, supplements, integrative therapies, nutrition, etc. because conventional oncology (FDA approvided therapies) has little to offer patients like your mom.

For example, folfirinox, by itself, is very difficult for the body to manage. Too much toxicity. I think your mom is experiencing muscle wasting disease and should include omega-3 fatty acids and curcumin in order to slow/stop this side effect by reducing the inflammation her body is experiencing.

Yes, the integrative therapies guide is one of the 16 guides in the PCCP. Yes, I think curcumin and bitter melon would be helpful. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Hang in there,

David Emerson

Hi Anthony-

I can help you manage your MM as best you can. Technically, MM is incurable. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

1) what are your symptoms? Bone damage? Kidney damage? Fatigue?

2) What is your therapy plan? What has your oncologist told you?

3) Do you have any “co-morbidities” aka other health challenges that you are dealing with?

Let’s start with these questions and then move on from there. Let me know.

Hang in there,

David Emerson

Hi Amy-

I am sorry to read of your dad’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis. I believe you are refering to bitter melon extract. I have no personal experience with this supplement. When I do take supplements I follow the doses recommended on the label.

Please consider integrative therapies for pancreatic cancer chemotherapy regimens as well.

Hang in there,

David Emerson

Hi Reggie-
I am sorry to learn of your wife’s metastatic pancreatic cancer diagnosis. The Seattle Cancer Alliance is a top notch outfit when considering conventional (FDA approved) therapies.

Regarding your question about alternative healing methods, yes, there are several therapies to consider. Yes, bitter melon has been shown to be apoptotic to pancreatic cancer.

I myself underwent an alternative therapy for my own cancer. But I believe that you/your wife need the full spectrum of therapies- stage 4 pancreatic cancer is extremely difficult and aggressive.

Please consider integrative therapies (therapies shown to enhance the efficacy of conventional therapies), conventional therapies and finally complementary therapies such as nutrition and managing side effects. If she has not already, your wife may have a difficult time just getting enough nutrtion in to her system. She will need to keep her strength up, keep her immune function strong, just to manage herself in the coming weeks, months and years ahead.

Pancreatic cancer coaching program-

Let me know if you have any questions.

Hang in there,

David Emerson

Hi Tania,

On the one hand your husband’s cancer is advanced. On the other hand my own cancer (different type) was also advanced. Both your husband’s and my cancers are aggressive and difficult to treat. My point is that conventional oncology is limited.

I believe your best option is to put a full court press on your husband’s PC. Meaning he should combine conventional (FDA approved) and evidence-based non-conventional therapies. For example, if the chemo you refer to is either gemcitabine (gemzar) or nab-paclitaxel then he should consider those therapies shown to enhance/synergize with them.

I will send you the pancreatic cancer integrative therapies guide to your email address after I send this reply. If the integrative therapies discussed in that guide make sense to you then we should also discuss his nutrition, possible side effects prevention (cachexia), anti-PC supplementation, other therapies.

David Emerson

Hi Kurt-

I will reply to your email account now.

David Emerson

Hi Genevive-
It is an interesting scenario that you bring up. Several things. First and foremost, the studies that I found that applied to your questions were few and generally inconclusive. By inconclusive I mean, for instance, I could not find a study that documented the percentage of pancreatic cysts that are benign, pre-cancer or malignant.

Secondly, several studies I found seem to find that endoscopy of pancreatic cysts are 1) not conclusive for pancreatic cancer but are usually successful. I am not trying to talk you into a procedure you don’t want to have. I am simply saying that there don’t seem to be any negative risks with endoscopies.

My thoughts on your situation is while endoscopic testing will give your doctors more info to go on, that endoscopic testing will not fully answer the question of whether or not your cysts are pre cancer or are metastatic.

You seem to be having success with anti-cancer lifestyle therapies such as diet, supplements, etc. I am in the process of researching and creating a pancreatic cancer coaching program. I would like to email you two of the guides- one about pancreatic cancer nutrition and one about anti-pancreatic cancer supplementation.

All I ask in return is your opinion and evaluation of the info in the guides.

Finally, to bring all of this together…please understand my bias. I am in the “less is more” camp. I think taking things one MRI, one test at a time balances the risks of doing nothing with the risks of over treatment.

However you are the decision-maker. Only you can weight everyone’s feedback and decide.

I hope I have adressed your questions. Let me know if you have more questions. Let me know if you would like me to email the two guides to your email inbox.

Hang in there,

David Emerson

Hi Tina,

I am sorry to learn of your stage 4 ovarian cancer. I will have to research the possible interaction of your chemotherapy regimens but yes, bitter lemon can be a complementary therapy shown to assist your conventional therapies.

I will be direct. Stage 4 cancer is advanced. While conventional therapies like chemo and surgery are a good first step, according to the American Cancer Society, the five year survival rate is 17%. Therefore I think you should consider

1) complementary therapies such as bitter lemon, anti-ovarian cancer nutrition/diet-

2) evidence-based integrative therapies such as curcumin in order to enhance the efficacy of your chemo-

3) Pre-habilitation before your surgery in order to maximize its effectiveness as well as help you recover faster-

4) Consider evidence-based, non-conventional therapies that also have been shown to be anti-ovarian cancer-

I am both a cancer survivor and cancer coach. Let me know if you would like to learn more.

thanks,

David Emerson

Hi Shelly-

To buy the product, simply click the product name (in blue) to go to Amazon to then order the product.

David Emerson

Hi Sam-

Several things. First off, I am sorry to read of your mom’s MM diagnosis. Secondly, I would like to understand what you are saying. Your mom was diagnosed 1.5 years ago and the only therapy she has had is curcumin supplementation? And her only symptom is fatigue aka anemia? If this is correct than she is doing well.

When you say that your mom is “not stable from few weeks” are you saying that her blood markers (m-spike or K or L light chains, etc.) are increasing? The seriousness or not of your mom’s situation depends on her numbers or blood levels of the MM in her blood.

The question you ask about my routine is outlined and standardized in the Multiple Myeloma Cancer Coaching Program-anti-MM nutrition, supplementation (such as curcumin but many others as well), bone health, etc. therapies.

If you become a MM CC client I would encourage you to show me your mom’s current numbers so that we can outline a therapy plan going forward.

I will email you the Introduction to the program that outlines the content of the 13 MM cancer coaching guides as well as my role.

Let me know if you have any questions.

David Emerson

Hi Vilas-

My guess is that there are breast cancer support groups in India. There may even be caregiver support groups. Both you and your mom have learned valuable lessons, both good and not so good, that newly diagnosed BC patients can benefit from.

Good luck
David Emerson

Hi John-

I am sorry to read of your laryngeal ca. Your decision-making about your therapy may be complicated by the fact that stage 2 is in the middle. You are not early stage (90 + five year survival rate) and you are not advanced (less than 25% five year survival rate).

I need to confirm your current status. If I read your email correctly, your initial surgery went well, no complications, your voice works, etc. The only problem is that the surgeon left a little cancer behind?

And now to remove the remaining your oncologist is recommending BOTH surgery and radiation?

If my thinking above is correct then you have several considerations. Both therapies come with risks. First and foremost I would ask your oncologist to make a case for you undergoing BOTH therapies.

Based on the research there is less risk with radiation than surgery. But my initial thinking is that to undergo both therapies for stage 2 may be… overkill?

If you read the blog post about integrative therapies then you understand the concept. For example, if you choose to undergo radiation to kill the remaining cancer, I would recommend a course of evidence-based therapies before (prehabilitation) during and after radiation. All therapies are based on research however these therapies are considered to be “non-conventional” because they have not been evaluated by the FDA.

You are correct. There are possible side effects that come with radiation to your vocal chords. I had radiation to my C5 years ago and my voice, swallowing, dry mouth, etc. are a continuing problem. But supplementation, HBOT, lifestyle, etc. EARLY in the process may prevent these side effects from radiation happening to you.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,

David Emerson

Hi Cathy-

I am sorry to read of your MGUS diagnosis. Though I believe you have the right attitude. If you click the link below you will go to a blog post
that talks about the risk of progression of pre-MM to MM. If you look on the right of the page you can watch a free video that outlines the pre-MM cancer coaching program. Let me know if you have any questions.

MGUS and SMM Risk of Progression to Multiple Myeloma

David Emerson

Hi DJM-

I am sorry to read of your mom’s pancreatic/GB/gastro cancer diagnosis. While there are evidence-based supplements such as curcumin that have been shown to by cytotoxic to cancer of this area the therapies that hold the greatest hope for your mom’s length of life are evidenced based integrative therapies. Meaning therapies such as curcumin that research as shown can enhance the efficacy of a chemo regimen and/or reduce it’s toxicity.

Keep in mind that there are also evidence-based lifestyle, and mind-body therapies that can help your mom as well.

Hang in there,

David Emerson
Cancer Survivor
Cancer Coach

Charly- attitude is more important than oncology knows. Let me know if your mom would like to know more about the evidence-based, non-toxic therapies that I listed previously. David

Hi Charly-

I am sorry to read of your mom’s MM diagnosis. However MM caught early is much easier to treat and brings a much better prognosis. Over the past 10 years I have researched and identified the evidence-based, non-toxic therapies below. I encourage your mom to do as many as possible.

-16 non-toxic, cytotoxic/apoptotic supplements,
-dozens of anti-angiogenic (anti-MM) foods
-more than 15 integrative therapies that synergize with five common MM chemotherapy regimens,
-more than a dozen mind-body therapies,
-detoxification therapies,
-thorough discussion of bone health therapies including a dozen non-conventional bone health therapies
-review and links to more than 20 online MM support groups
-links to the most successful MM specialists and hospitals

How old is your mom? What symptoms is she experiencing? Bone pain? Anemia? Kidney damage?

Hang in there,

David Emerson
MM Survivor
MM Cancer Coach

Hi Dana-

Your question is on of the if not THE most heatedly debated issues of all time. I have read studies proving both sides of the question. I have read that turmeric/curcumin enhances the efficacy of certain chemotherapies. To be safe you can always discontinue the day or two before chemo and then begin supplementation again a day or two after chemotherapy.

What stage were you at diagnosis?

David Emerson

Hi Fabienne-

I need to learn more about your situation.

1) what type of cancer?

2) If you are talking “terminal” is it stage 4?

3) When was the cancer first diagnosed?

4) What therapies has the patient already undergone? Surgery? Chemo? Radiation?

Depending on the type of cancer, Bitter Melon is one of several different non-toxic, evidence-based therapies that may be cytotoxic to the cancer.

Let me know.

Hang in there,

David Emerson