Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Patient deluge

Eversince we included BARS access therapy in our program for our patients, we suddenly have seen a jump in the number of patients we are seeing.

This is a testament to the effect and wonders of what BARS can really do to our patients. My praise and admiration to Dave and Claude for their great great work!!!

Friday, December 21, 2007

Patient's concern

The patient with gastric cancer is now more concerned with what will happen to those who he will leave in case he will pass away.

I feel so sad that the reason for his worries are not of self but of those who will left behind. I really admire his altruism.

I wonder how those people who have been dependent on his generosity are feeling. Anxiety, worry or apathy?

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Metastasis

Patient with gastric cancer has officially spread to his rectum. I'm so saddened by the turn of events but know we can still do something about it.

Its now a question of synchronicity. Will we have the necessary people to get thnecessar treatment in time.

I am deeply affected with what has happened to him. I know that if there is a lesson to be learned, its me not giving up easily but on the other hand, I must face to the prospect that I can only do so much for a patient.

He will try taking cesium until he decides where to have chemotherapy

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Learning BARS

I just learned that the BARS access consciousness therapy people will hold a seminar next year. I'm quite excited to be involved in this, since I really saw what this therapy could do to a lot of people.

I guess this will also be part of the growth that is expected from me, if I really want to expand myself to improve my skills as a medical practitioner.

Friday, November 30, 2007

Graveyard Shift, a probable cause of cancer

So now, finally, experts have come to the conclusion that graveyard shifts, or working at odd hours are a probable cause of cancer!

I agree that this must be disseminated to all concerned, from the employees, employers and the government institution. Aside from the usual health industry, police force, utilities, we have a sudden increase in the number of call centers here in the Philippines.

Already, I have been seeing a lot of patients from this industry. Unfortunately for them, the REAL cause of their illness is their unfanthomable, erratic schedules of work!

I already foresee a big jump in health issues in this industry, and now adding insult to injury, cancer!

I hope people will start doing things right to correct this problem or more oncologists will be needed in this country.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Erythropeitin woes

The makers of Aranesp, an erythropoeitin stimulating agent has come out with a website advising patients to fight back and get back the Medicare to cover for treatment for anemia.

I wonder what will the patients do now if their RBC comes falling down! What a mess this is

Sunday, November 18, 2007

BARS access energy therapy

I recently met 2 wonderful persons who happen to practice BARS access therapy. They came and talked to me about helping one another in treating patients.

We hit off pretty well immediately. I was very impressed with both of their energy and genuine drive to help.

I instinctively gave them one of my patients who just had an anxiety attack. She is very worried bout her upcoming CT scans to check for metastasis.

I was glad that my intuition was right about them. I 'm sure I will be working with them more often

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Laser Chelation

So far, my experience with laser chelation is still questionable. I have seen good and no effects on a variety of patients.

I wonder where will this business will go to... It looks, smells, feels like a business to me more than a treatment modality. I guess only time will tell.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Erythropoietin in ovarian cancer

Apparently it has now been shown that ovarian cancer cells become quite resistant to paclitaxel, if they are injected with erythropeitin. This is important because this is the first time it has been shown that erythropoeitin can induce cancer cells to become resistant to chemotherapy.

I suspect that more cancer cell lines also have this effect.

Friday, October 19, 2007

Pay for Performance

For the first time ever, pharma companies offer money back guarantees for its medicines! I think this is great!

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Gone for Good?

My patient with gastric cancer has left for out of the country. Of all the time, it has to be now? I mean, he's CA-199 is of the scale, his CT showed mulitple lymph node involvement in the retroperitoneal space.

I wish I could him help but he's not here. I just hope everything will be better if not at least stable disease when he comes back!

Monday, October 08, 2007

Bad start for the week

Just got back from a vacation, and already its a bad start already.

The gastric cancer patient, Barry has metastasized lymph nodes all over the abdomen, now. He's not taking it well and so am I. Somehow I feel responsible for what has happened.

Everytime a patient of mine who comes back either sicker or dead becomes a personal thing for me. I feel like I didn' do enough for them.

My mind starts to doubt and question whether I should continue taking in cancer patients. My heart says yes, but my logical mind has started to plant doubts as to how can I cope with this morbidity of life.

Looking for Divine help!

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Radiofrequencies for cancer cure

Just got an email about the discovery of using a certain radiofrequency targeting tumor cells by using nanoparticles as a guide to kill tumor cells.

This has already gotten the attention of MD Anderson which will be publishing very soon an article on this modality.

What more is that the radiofrequency generator can literally release Hydrogen and oxygen making it an alternative fuel source.

I hope nothing happens to him soon before his technology because a real alternative to fossil fuels/

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Crazy Sexy Cancer

If there is one blog that stands out right now, its this one! Where will you find someone who literally killed the cancer by being happy and optimistic?

Monday, September 03, 2007

Xanthohumol

An American firm came here to offer the Xanthohumol, Meridium XN. Its active ingredient is extracted from hops flower, which is also the same plant that makes beer. I did make research and apparently it ranks 2nd to quercetin as a flavonoid antioxidant. I'm still looking for articles on the effect of xanthohumol in vivo.
Almost all of the published trials are in vitro. So I'm still looking, but the products seems good. I wonder if it will perform as well as it is touted to be.
Well, there are other sources of xanthohumol like ashitaba plants.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Marital Abuse

I saw a married couple a few days back. They were seeking alternatives for the husband's diabetes despite taking medicines.

What whas significant about this case, was that after I have finished with the husband and he was doing some acupuncture treatments, I began asking the wife questions, due to the fact that on SCIO, it seems like she has or had depression.

She started opening up and told me that the husband was abusing him physically and emotionally. She hasn't told it to anyone for fear of her family breaking apart. So she kept quiet about it. She confessed that this was the first time she said anything about it.

case in point, that people seem to be more open towards strangers, knowing that whatever is saod or discussed, it won't leak out to the family or friends. As what Armstrong-Coster wrote in her book Living and Dying with Cancer. I just hope everything will be fine for her

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Laser Chelation

There have been several clinics now offering chelation using a He-Ne laser. I have my doubts about the efficacy, since I haven't seen any REAL papers on how it affects the human body. What I do know about lasers is more on research of laser acupuncture. It contends that the laser increases ATP in cells as well as the Ca+ ion pump.

Friday, August 17, 2007

Giving up the fight

Yesterday, I was giving some treatments to a patient of mine with Non-Hodgkin's. She has been a patient of mine for close to 2 years now. She was a good patient, she followed all the instructions to the letter.

"Was," because for the past few months, she started straying and eating all the foods that a cancer survivor should not eat. Her lymph nodes have swelled to astronomical proportions on different parts of her body. God only knows how much lymph nodes are now affected.

When she was asked, if she wanted to go to the hospital, her reply was "NO, just let me be, I'm tired."

So I had talked to her daughter that she needs to talk with her siblings on what is the next appropriate action.

I told her, that I don't like the idea of treating patients who doesn't want to be treated anymore. I would rather the patient spend their time on what they want to do rather than feeling imprisoned with the treatments that they feel will not make any difference.

Monday, August 13, 2007

The Power of Belief

What if tomorrow's biology is based not on the Newtonian physics but rather on Quantum physics? Will there be a cure for all he known scourge of man?

If you read on Bruce Lipton's website, you'll be surprised that our cells are interacting with our environments, our thoughts and emotions shape our cells to do what is necessary for its survival.

The concept of Bruce Lipton, fits exactly to what the SCIO, a quantum diagnostic device does. It detects and corrects anomalies in the bio-electric field. I hope people will start to realize the importance of thoughts and their subsequent actions to their health.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Filipinos in Crisis

The newspapers here are now quite busy doing stories on the state of our medical system. Doctors have been leaving the country to be as nurses, literally greener pastures.
Estimates are blurry as to how many doctors will be left from this brain drain but the big fact that remains, is that the ordinary Filipino is suffering from lack of doctors and nurses especially in the provinces.
Private and public hospitals are closing down or downscaling from lack of medical personnel. So who is to blame, government blames the doctors and doctors blames the politicians running the government. But up til now, no concrete steps have been made to slow down this trend. Only grandstanding.
I wonder if there will be enough people left after they have finished their grandstanding dramas. Poor little Juan De la Cruz, no food, no job and now... no right to be sick.
 

Thursday, August 09, 2007

Cancer Stem Cells

There has been a lot of journal articles now that have mentioned the role of cancer stem cells in the recurrence and sometimes resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapy. Simply put, even if all the cancer cells are killed by chemo or radiotherapy, the cancer stem cells may still be intact and can cause recurrence of the cancer.
So in my humble opinion, I think that more research be done on these stem cells if in fact we want to get rid of this disease that will become the number 1 cause of mortality world-wide in the next few years

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Back to Work

After consulting with a counsellor, I have now realized that what I am doing is not to save but to act as a conduit to help others help themselves.

And so I'm now a bit up and about, doing what I know and feel that is my calling

Friday, August 03, 2007

Lost

I feel like I'm losing patients more than I am helping them. Its like atug of war but for every inch I pull in, I give up 3 inches afterwards.

I dont know about the real score in the alternative clinics that are out there claiming to have a very good success rate. But the reality is is that success based on their stay at the clinic or at the cause of death of the patients.

There are times I feel like there is not much I can do but to make them feel comfortable and a good quality of life. If I am able to cause the cancer to be stable or regress then thats a big bonus to me and to the patients and family.

I still haven't given up yet, I know I will be able to help more than I will lose them

Sunday, July 29, 2007

ALS

Got a 65-yr old female who came to me about 3 months ago with just hoarseness of voice. I ask her to get me the results of the EMG to confirm it.

She came back just a week ago, and clearly had fasciculations, and difficulty talking as well as swallowing. Bulbar type ALS.

We dont have much time, I'm too much preoccupied with what else to do for her. But for now, her dental works has to go before any therapy initiated.

Likewise, the breast cancer patient with pulmonary mets is now undergoing chemo. I pray she will get better.

Friday, July 20, 2007

Back to the Hospital

I was at her house last week. I know that what I saw and felt a that time will forever put a mark on my consciousness.

I went to her home, because the husband wanted to have an IV on her. She was having a difficult time with breathing. What I didn't know what that she was already very dehydrated and had not eaten much for days. Her O2 sat was falling to less than 90%. She was definitely in respiratory distress.

And during all this time, her 2-yr old kid was so happy and oblivious to what was happening to her mother. He was giving her toys and stuff, giggling while her mother was leaning on a chair and gasping. It was like a, pardon my euphemism, Hallmark moment.

At the back of my mind, I started asking myself why am I in this situation, and why am I so much affected? Is this what it meant to be a doctor? Is the suffering of one part of a healer? Did the Hippocratic Oath mentioned anything on suffering?

I remember when I was in med school and my professor once told us to try being objective and impersonal so that judgement will not be affected with emotions. But how can this be? Anyone will be affected whether we like it or not.

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Acupuncture

I seem to realize now that I really need to practice and use my acupuncture skills. I had this lady who had like 3 months of shoulder pain. 

This was her first acupuncture session and upon inserting the needles, she could only say: "I like that feeling, Its great."

It was instant relief!

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Resurggence

I hate it when it happens, because they are more difficult to treat. My patient with liver cancer came back, with bleeding coming from the t-tube. His MD who placed the tube said it is normal but its been a week. I'm waiting for the bleeding parameters.

The tumor has grown back to how it used to be. The patient is worried, I'm quite disturbed because he did start eating meat again, could be that reason.

Awaiting labs

Monday, June 18, 2007

Wine Drinkers

I was at a grocery yesterday and there was a wine-testing booth. So naturally, for everything that may come as free people will surely hover around, especially if it has alcohol in it! When I got to the counter, I saw a brochure where it said abstainers are more likely to die from all-cause mortality and cancer than drinkers. That surely made me laugh.

So I searched medline, google scholar and Bandolier. Guess what, I was the one to be laughed at. Light to moderate wine and beer drinking do seem to confer a protection against death and cancer.

Hmmm.... But should we start advocating wine during meals? I can't drink alcohol without looking like a drunkard after one drink. I'm allergic to ethanol.

So to everyone else, Cheers

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Ginseng

I really don't go out and buy or endorse supplements for my patients. However, there are a few exceptions and one of them is this Ginseng I got from my patient.

What is different from other Ginseng product? Well, for one, this Ginsengs seemed to have a detoxifying effect, and patients (not only one) had a sort of "healing crisis." At first, I was a bit skeptic and waited for the effect if any.

The liver cancer patient was almost gone, he couldn't stand up, poor sleep, no appetite, extremely dehydated. He then was introduced to this ginseng product that was farmed in a temperature-controlled area. He claimed it made him stronger, sleep better. But still I was a bit hesistant. 

But this morning, I saw him and he showed me his lab work-up and it was a surprise! His HBV DNA count was lowest in 3 years but he still takes Hepcera. What really suckered me in was his SGOT, SPGT going back  to normal levels. AFP was 5.86 almost normal.

Lets see now if it works for my mother. I hope she follows my instructions.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Cancer complications

I've been closely monitoring my breast cancer patient for the past 2 weeks now. Its hard for me to see her having a difficult time breathing every and then. All the test done on her showed all normal except for the lungs with multiple multi-nodular densities. So most likely the cause of her dyspnea is the tumor infiltration to the lungs.

She is very brave. I don't think lesser persons can be able to handle the stress and difficulty of always catching their breathes, literally. But I do expect, not hope but really expect her symptoms to improve very soon.

I hope I am right!!!

Saturday, June 02, 2007

A refreshing start

For whatever reasons that my subconscious mind has given me, I'm quite ok now I could say. Seems like the gloom over my head has slowly dissipated and disappeared. I'm quite optimistic of seeing patients.

Speaking of patients, one of my patients was trying to convince me of buying one of her "new found" products.

There's such a great number of supplements out there and you cant really say which is good, very good, or its just a load of crap. Frankly, I'm quite a pessimist unless I see the actual results.

For example, there are a lot of products in the market that has green vegetables that you mix with water and drink it. Now, how do we know which is the best?

And how about those that are certified "5-star" organic? Sheesh!!!

Monday, May 28, 2007

Lost cause?

My patient with breast cancer just informed me that all the doctors have given her the diagnosis of stage 4 cancer as if it was the death sentence. She felt sad and seems to believe what they are saying.

I replied: " those who are happy that they are alive are more likely to live longer than those who thinks that their lives are about to end soon."

And this is so true. I have had patients who worries too much about their condition that it has taken control of their lives or the fear of death that faces them, makes them even more prone to their death bed.

Those who are happy, accepted their fate but at the same time tries to live their lives as much as they can, have lesser incidence of infections and cancer-related morbidities.

In the end, it is the psyche of the patient that dictates the course of their lives, rather than the other way aroun

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Depressed

I haven't blogged now for a couple of weeks, I guess I'm just to depressed to do anything right now.

So much have occurred recently and I should be happy but I'm not as happy as I should be.

Must snap out of it soon.


Have so much to do, to meet people, to discuss future plans.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Slow week

Its been a slow week for me, everything seems to move in slow motion. I'm wishing that this week will end soon and my gloom will clear out soon.

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Bone metastasis

Almost all my patients who have passed away seem to succumb sooner or later to bone metastasis. This is the most painfull of all the pain there is today, and to avoid having bone metastasis is my number one priority.
Once symptomatic bone metastasis sets in, everything else is unimportant. Only pain is the concern of the patient. Sleep, food, medicines, supplements, social manners takes the backstage. There are medicines that can halt it or delay its progression, but the costs are prohibitive in this country of mine. I wish that these medicines are available to them and they don't have to suffer unnecessarily.

Friday, May 04, 2007

Doubts

When patients go from bad to worse, you become more paranoid and doubtful about your abilities as a healer. Mind you, as a healer not as a doctor. A doctor prescribes medicine and hopes that it will work and if not then lets try another.

A healer in my definition is someone who alleviates and cures illnesses, via drugs, herbs, or simply by counselling. I find it more hard to heal than to medicate.

My patient is definitely going down unless we do something drastic. Drastic meaning it may be a bit tricky and has risks involved. But at this point, where I feel that I have done everything within my abilities and powers, I have to be more aggressive and really pro-active in this patient's condition. The patient has already sought so many doctors, posing-to-be doctors, GOD-complexed physician as well as good-hearted healers (only they seem to be fewer in numbers than the aforementioned).

I am now praying that it will work or else, someone will become orphaned and widowed soon.

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Cancer Stem Cells

Been reading a lot of medical journals lately and there have been not one or two, but several authors agreeing that there are cancer stem cells. These cells are pratically immortal and have no effects when treated with chemotherapeutic agents. In fact, as one of the authors suggested, they undergo further mutations when they come in contant with chemo drugs. 

I guess then that chemotherapeutic agents are only good against the cancer cells but useless on cancer stem cells. We must be able to come up with substances that are able to revert these stem cells back to normal.

Friday, April 27, 2007

Demolished in 1 day

Its sometimes so hard and disconcerting to discover and realize that one's work and patients' achievement can be suddenly wiped out in a matter of minutes.

This is exactly just what happened to my patient with breast cancer. After nursing her back to health, physically, mentally and emotionally; her sister-in-law who is also an MD comes into the "rescue" and advised her to do chemotherapy, and then changed her mind and told her to just enjoy the last few months of her short life.

I was angry, to see such a tactless person, telling someone that they have a few months left. And to think that these are doctors, they should encourage not discourage them.

I have to go back and build the walls back up again.

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Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Breast Cancer

I took pictures of this patients before and after 3 weeks of treatment. I was taken aback at the speed at which the tumor has shrunk. Upon measuring this mass, it was at the beginning around 13cm, and at the time I took the second set of pictures, it was already around 6cm.

We did some iscador injections as well as Wobenzymes, EFAs (Budwig Diet) etc.

At present, even though there was really a big difference in the size, the family is now very adamant at chemotherapy, I won't interfere. I give them advice, I don't decide for my patients. Their paths must be carved by their own decisions rather than by others.

We, as an individual must be able to decide what is best for ourselves, provided we have all the information at hand. I want the patients to have the full satisfation and free from regret of what they are doing or have done. So that they won't be constantly looking back at their decisions if it was the right one or not.

Emotional Freedom Technique

A patient with panic attacks when she is stuck in traffic or too many people in 1 room, came to me for help. We did the EFTs and on the first try nothing happened, but she did recall herself when she was 6, where she had fear of going inside a movie theater because it was dark.

So we dealt with that issue. And when I asked her to rate her discomfort of anxiety when she was recalling that same event again, she just smiled and said "What I saw was a happy little girl in a dress and pony tail."

Wow, I was so much happy and felt that it had made my day. So even if I have financial difficulty, nothing still beats the knowledge and satisfaction that I have at least helped one soul seeking freedom and independence from their past painful experiences

Monday, April 23, 2007

Tighten my belt

got to admit it, my belt is now tightening a bit. My practice isn't really giving me back the financial rewards that I would wish to have. But its better than what my colleagues earn nowadays.

Whats so hard to balance is the amount of supplies I need to maintain to keep a decent clinic. I'm trying to buy as much as I can without sacrificing the quality that I need.

Supplements are a plenty but quality has a price, and I wouldn't want to sacrifice the quality of the supplements I have. I'm not really the type to buy all the supplements I need, only the ones that are not easily available on the market. And that alone is so hard to balance.

Arrggghhhhh

Friday, April 20, 2007

Metastatic Breast Cancer

After much discussions, my patient has decided to have the CT scan that I have requested. At first she was reluctant, wary of the dye for contrast CT scan.

I knew when she first consulted that her cancer has metastasized. She was still trying to deal with the pain of the tumor as well as the pressures from her family to do chemotherapy (which she was very adamant not to undergo).

After seeing regression in the tumor size, she has to come to the point of asking herself, if there are other concerns that need to be dealt with.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Tumor Regression



I had just m et my patient with liver cancer who had also lung metastasis. Good news always follows bad news, that's seems to be the pattern in my experiences.

Previously in my blog, I mentioned him to undergo a procedure to divert his bile due to the enlarging liv er tumor. Because of the procedure, he started having difficulty eating, he lost about 20 lbs in less than 2 weeks, which was very alarming. So we had to do something quickly to increase his food intake. He then, decided that its time to end his vegetarianism and started eating meat again. Good thing though, even if he was losing weight, his tumor did not grow larger as I had anticipated.

And then, he was introduced to a pranic healer, and I would say it has helped him a lot. You can see for yourself the change in size of the tumor.

WOW!!! Ain't GOD so wonderful that at the very time we thought that things will go for the worst, it was the other way around!!!

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Sunday, April 08, 2007

Radio talk show

Tomorrow, I'm supposed to talk about cancer prevention and nutrition on radio as invited by my boss at the UP college of medicine.

Wow, that's a first!

Monday, April 02, 2007

In Panic

I just had a talk with my patient who has breast cancer stage III but refuses to do any neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to surgery. Because of this dilemma, NO SURGEON would want to operate on such a large tumor due to bleeding and other post-op complications.



I had already informed her that at her current situation, surgery is still be the best option. However, since she doesn't want to have anything to do with chemotherapy, I had given her another option which was intra-tumoral injection of iscador. Tumor has visibly shrunk, no more pain and less heaviness on the tumor area.



But unfortunately, she had met a "healer," and without even asking for his medical opinion, he lightly touched her pulse (like TCM doctors do) and tells her that her tumor has metastasized to her spleen and liver.



After this meeting, she was very much shaken like everyone else at her situation. She started having dizziness, pain on the breast and all the things that one might associate with tumor metastasis.



I am incessantly shocked and angry, at this healer, who has no background on any medical or alternative therapies other than what he claims to have read off the books and internet. He has caused great damage not only to her physically bt most of all, the mental anguish of giving her the opinion of stage IV breast cancer, even without asking his opinion.



I just hope I can clear her mind soon.





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Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Humbling Experience

I just came from a lecture by a Chinese Prof. who has a cancer hospital in China (Fuda Cancer hospital). What is strange, was it didn't use therapies from China, but rather technologies from the USA. They have cryoablation, photodynamic therapies, dendritic cell vaccines, immunotherapy as well as chemoablation.

They claimed to have a very good success rate in increasing survival. Patients from all over have come to this hospital in Guangzhuo.

From the website, you will see some video clips of news programs about their successes especially on the patient with a large neurofibroma.

All I can say is, Prof. Xue is a brave man who will not back down on any case as long as he thinks its doable. I'm sure a lot of his colleagues would have disagreed with some of his decision to operate.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Dichloroacetate: a cheap but effective cancer drug?

This drug, Dichloroacetate (DCA) has been in the news for the past few weeks now, ever since its paper was published in the Cancer Cell journals. It showed that it can actually kill off the cancer cells by programmed cell death or apoptosis, without even harming the normal cells. A caveat though, its only been tested on mice with tumors.

However, DCA has been used for a long time now, treating patients with lactic acidosis. What is great and promising, is that this drug is cheap, and only the use of DCA AS A CHEMO DRUG has been patented by the primary investigator. The subtance itself is not.

In fact, in the Official website of the University of Alberta, they have already gotten funds for further research on humans, I presume. And of the countries that was mentioned to have given funds is my own country, the Philippines.

Wow!!! I wonder who those person/s are? I'm sure they are not doctors. :)

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Cancer Survivors rides' of their lives

Often people and patients alike ask me the question of how the diagnosis of cancer will affect their lives. This question for me is one of the most important, since it will significantly affect likewise, how they will deal with it.

To make the answer as brief and as close to reality as possible, I make an analogy to it as a roller coaster ride. It is, literally a roller coaster ride! When we are sick and recovering, we climb up the rails slowly, and the steeper the angle, or sicker you are, the slower the recovery will be, and yet when you reach the plateau, you feel so good again, but its not too long. Then you get sick again, the fall is sometimes so quick, you didn't know what happened.

When patients hear this, sometimes they get so disconcerted, but like all roller coaster rides, it has to end. It is how we look at it, how we react and how we laugh or cry as we follow the troughs of life.

To some people, its a frightening adventure, and yet to some, they take it with courage and acceptance.

So who do you think will take the ride and get on with life?

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Saturday, March 17, 2007

Epoetin and cancer risk

Just got a mail that warned of FDA imposing a warning on the use of Epoetin alpha on patients with cancer. Epoetin and the other drugs of the same class are given to people with low RBCs, including patients with chronic renal disease as well as those undergoing chemotherapy.

These drugs increase the amount of RBCs which are important to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. However, with this warning, it will cause some apprehensions now on the part of patients and doctors alike. Chemotherapy and cancer itself, can lower your blood cells.

I' m sure a lot of doctors now will think twice before giving any of these drugs. I hope that the doctors and patients will now try to look at how to improve your anemia with nutrition which, IMHO, is the best way to go about it.

I use a lot of the "Wonderful but cheap" Malunggay! (Moringa oleifera) Its very much available here in the Philippines. I ask my patients to juice them, in fact when their RBCs go down, I immediately know that they are not taking them!

Our present national hero, Manny Pacquiao, eats it before a fight! That's how much the trust of Manny to the strength giving characteristics of malunggay.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Stem Cells

I just came across a product that is claimed to have stimulating effect on a body's own stem cells. This is not like other products that uses embryos, placental tissues or from other animals. Its from Spirulina.

This would definitely be good for vegetarians and those who are against embryo harvesting.

The question remains, is that if it really does what it claims to do. There is only one study on the effect on this product among healthy volunteers. I would love to see if it can do the same for sick persons. And secondly, if it really can help improve the condition of a sick person.

I'm a bit skeptic until proven otherwise. But I would love it if this thing works. Its definitely cheaper and a better alternative

Monday, March 12, 2007

Anti-angiogenesis

I've been doing research lately on the effect of anti-angiogenesis on cancer growth. I'm sure there are a lot of studies on it, specfically for the VEGF inhibitors for lung and colorectal cancers. But that's not the only thing that is out there.

There are a lot of herbs that also seem to arrest tumor growth by killing off the arteries that feed it. One of them is the shark cartilage. The pioneer in this field is Dr. Folkman who even wrote a chapter in the the Harrison's textbook of Medicine.

I feel sorry for the sharks but the cartilage of sharks do have anti-angiogenic factors. We just need to come up with a good way of extracting it and using it for real patients not just on cells and animals. I guess you can't patent something like that until you make a synthethic version of it.

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Spilling the Beans

Yesterday, I just had a chat with a patient of mine who had stage 4 liver cancer. Like all the other conversations I had, it was just about what they were doing and what do they plan to do in the near future. I always ask this question, especially to  very ill patients, in order for them to focus on something other than their illness.

But suddenly, the conversation shifted to his problem of sleep. He stated that he wouldn't be able to sleep and that he would somehow get memories of his past. Like a movie playing at an accelerated rate, it recounted his past life ever since he could remember.

I was a bit happy for him, for this is part of the healing. The healing of the past hurts in his life, which was I would definitely say, very traumatic for anyone. Being left an orphan from a well-to-do family, he was "sold" to his second family. It was very painful for him more since he could distinctively remember he had a sister, who he has never seen again.

And yet... I was sad. For patients to be having "life reviews," it will definitely mean either they  get well or move on to the next life.
I've seen it already a few times, and this one is no exception. I just hope he will be liberated from these pains soon. Its the emotional pain that will not go away or be dulled by any pain killer.

Friday, March 02, 2007

Bravery: Women vs Men

I recently had a Breast Cancer patient with an already oozing lesion on the nipple area. She was advised to have chemotherapy prior to surgery. She refused to do the chemo, feeling that it will hasten her poor health.

Instead, she opted to have all those Vit C, B17 injections. Lost and unable to express what she really wanted to do. Unfortunately, all the MDs who told her to do this and that did not inform her that her tumor will not shrink that fast with those procedures. When she came to me for help, I explained to her, the REAL condition, and still adamant against the chemotherapy.

I see great courage when I see this kind of persons. They will hold on to their belief even if their family and friends have advised otherwise. She is the 3rd patient to refuse chemotherapy altogether without even trying one session.

I salute them for their courage, though only God will know if their beliefs will be their folly. My first patient also breast cancer, refused all conventional treatments. Her tumor was bigger than a watermelon but disappeared completely, only to metastasize to her lungs 2 years later. It was a sad moment for me. She held on that belief until the very end.

My second patient, also breast cancer, held that firm belief. Only this time, the tumor actually shrunk from 4cm to almost 0.5 cm at this time. I am quite certain that the tumour will disappear completely with her treatments, and she will not develop any metastasis anytime soon though.

This just exemplifies the courage of these extraordinary women. I have yet to encounter that same courage in men. In fact, men are less inclined to hold on a belief or principle when they are sick, and seem to be more passive with their choosing of treatment options.

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Experience is the Best

When I was just a "new, out-of-the box, ready to take the world" doctor, I felt that I know whatever there is to learn about medicine and taking care of people. I expected and felt that I can be as good, and maybe "even better" than other doctors (how stupid and arrogant).

Everything there is to learn is in the books, journals, websites and all the places that doctors read to be abreast with the current medical practices.

Until, finally with only more than 7 years of practive and a few hundreds of patients, I realized what I have not learned in the books, lecture halls, workshops, and dissections.
The human face of medicine and treating patients. It's not about science, it about art. Merging the science with the art of "healing patients."

That's what you don't learn and what they don't teach you in school.

Before I use to wonder, how come this doctor has so many patients when you look at their academic and clinical skills, it is at par with everyone else, and yet another doctor who has had several papers he authored appeared in prestigious journals, have flies as his regular patients?

Last few days, I somehow felt that now I know what it was that separated the good doctors from the "popular doctors". The art of talking, reassuring and making sure patients are satisfied with all their concerns while at the same time, using the science of medicine in alleviating the problems patients have,and expecting the troubles ahead of time.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Lighter Side of Life

I was explaining to my patients the downside of drinking Coke, specifically how much acidic it is and how much sugar it contains. To further prove my point and make it clear that it is not healthy to drinking this stuff, I told him about how a can of Coke can literally digest the teeth and nails when these are soaked. Moreover, that a can of Coke can unclog pipes.

His reply was: "Wow, that Coke thing is real scary, good thing I drink Pepsi!"

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Lost voices

This is the second time in less than a month where in I have had the opportunity to see 2 patients with lung cancer who have lost their voices. Both of whom are very much eager to gain their voice and be able to be "normal" again.

It must be hard to have a diagnosis of cancer and even harder of not having a voice and be able to communicate what they want and what they want to say to their loved ones.

Just had a talk with one of my previous patient with lung cancer stage IV. She is not walking anymore due to the metastasis to her spine, but she is still strong and fighting. I am amazed at her inner strength and emotional stability. Likewise, the strong family support that she is getting.

This is so opposite the lung cancer patient with brain metastasis, whose wife is so negative and and unbelieving in what we are trying
to achieve for her husband.  Even if she doesn't believe what we are doing, I will understand and accept.
But to see that she doesn't even help with what his husband is going through, that for me is unacceptable.

Cancer support is the most important thing a patient needs. Loneliness, despair, anxiety and worry adds exponentially to an already stressed individual. I have seen time and time again, how the family acts and support their loved ones from a disease, will somehow predict their survival.

My next step is to form a cancer support group. I hope and wish that we can make it happen at the soonest possible time.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Back from Vacation


Just got back from the a well-needed vacation!!! I had a some sun burning issues right now, hahahaha! The Boracay beach is still looking white and clean, though I notice it's not as clean as it used to be. When you see cigarette butts floating, you start wondering what else is there that you can't see or haven't seen. Yucks!

I hope that they will able to maintain its pristine beaches. It's one of the few beaches where I have been that fishes are also swimming beside you eventhough you are not even 5 feet away from the shoreline.

I guess its back to work for me.

Friday, February 09, 2007

Depression?

Met my friends whom I have been with for the longest possible time. Everyone is now successful in their respective fields. And one of the friend asked me: "Don't you get depressed when one of your patients died, that's why I didn't want to be in the clinical setting." He is a hospital administrator for their hospital.

I suddenly stopped and didn't know how to reply to that question. At that moment in time, I realized: "I think I am, but I am not fully aware of the extent or depth of that emotion."

My reply was, shrinking away from further questioning: "Of course, a little bit." But the truth is, I really don't know, and do I really want to explore that area?

In my med school and I'm sure in almost all the med schools out there, students aren't trained or at least informed of how to handle the emotional and psychological effects of patients' questioning, pestering, pleading, and worse suffering and death itself. WE all were just thrown into the proverbial lion's den and fend for ourselves for whatever physical and psychoemotional asteriods that come into our direction.

Sure there are also psychiatrists, but honestly, how can they treat fellow collegues esp if they themselves suffer the same affliction. And how can you "stay unattached" as much as possible? Only robots and reptilian-based creatures can do that, being cold and steady without emotions.

What will keep the doctors sane after long years of practice?

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Blogging

I've been tweaking my blog site lately and I would say that I am a bit amused at how my site looks with all the funny buttons here and there.
Guess, I am a little envious of some of the blog sites that are featured in the "Blogosphere" though for what reason I'm not yet certain. Maybe I want to be famous too! hahahaha.
But I'm happy and contented that I can express myself without fear of reprisal or unwanted criticism from my patients or from fellow doctors.
Until I saw Doctor Anonymous! I said to myself, I don't want to be like him, hounded and all. I feel sorry for him that he is Anonymous no more. Me don't want that, I want to remain anonymous for the longest possible time :)

Monday, February 05, 2007

Lung Cancer with Brain Mets

Its going to be a hard case, this one. I have doubts that the patient and his wife are really going to realize the importance of doing things the natural way. I fear that I might not be able to help them since the patient is still in a state of denial, while the wife is leaning towards chemotherapy. But after the 10 sessions of radiotherapy and the lost hair, isn't it enough to show the wife that her husband might not be able to withstand chemotherapy.
I saw using the SCIO that he's in a lot of stress, not only because of the cancer but more because of the financial difficulties now and waht lies ahead, with the chemotherapy drugs which will cost more than 100,000 for them ($2000) each session.
I hope I can help them at least for the time being.

Saturday, February 03, 2007

Genes and then some


I have seen a lot of my patients who have done chemotherapy, radiotherapy or both. But almost all of them somehow will ultimately fail or failed to finish the course because of poor tolerance to the side effects or tumor doesn't respond or even becomes bigger.
Recently, more and more research have come out about the importance of doing genetic profiling of the tumor to get an overall picture of the prognosis as well as which chemotherapeutic agents willl be effective.

I wish that we here in the Philippines, will adopt that and spare patients from trial and error. Though I know that this will be unlikely in the near future since, all medical expenses will be paid by the patients.

Sad to say, our medical insurance in the Philippines, deliberately or not, excluded cancer for coverage and left people to spend a preposterous amount on chemotherapy. And adding insult would be that chemotherapy drug or drugs will eventually go to waste since the patients will not finish a course. Leaving the patient in pain, frustration and disgust to their fate.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Sleepless

I can't seem to sleep these past few days. I keep thinking of my past and present patients who I am and have taken care of. It seems that I am rationalizing things that are already been done or things that were inevitable.

Weird, maybe my subconscious is tryng to tell me something!!! I have to know what is it soon, or I go crazy. I can't stop thinking especially of a new patient with lung cancer with metastasis to the brain, that is going to be a bit more difficult. I hope I can help him fast!

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Nutrition in Cancer


I just came back from seeing my patient with liver cancer who had just had a t-tube placed due to the blockage of the bile ducts. He is still weak from the surgery and the hospitalization. In fact, I felt a sense of desperation on his part, mainly because he is usually strong and up and about even after being with the liver cancer and all for the past 5 years.

I think its fantastic that this person is able to deal with it sans despair, until now. So I had to talk and coerce him to take things one at a time and give his body enough time to recover. Of course, as we age, our recovery time lengthens, what more if he has cancer.

What was striking was the fact that one of his doctors told him he can only have 3 eggs /week!! I was aghast!!! He is a vegetarian so where else aside from beans can he get the necessary protein? Eggs have one of the most complete set of nutrition that is easily available. He doesn't have high cholesterol, my god, he is suffering from malnutrition.

I wish that the doctors will re evaluate their philosophies (note not knowledge coz most physicians aren't well versed in nutrition) and update the current thinking with real hard facts.

I remember a patient told me that his pediatrician told her to stop taking omega 3 oil because she was breast feeding (another jaw opener) My reply was, if thats the case, then why in the world is Omega 3 specifically DHA incorporated in infants' formula?

My wish is that at least the doctors will start reading rather than listening to med reps!

Friday, January 26, 2007

Passed away

I am totally shocked right now, knowing that one of my patients had just passed away. He was just hospitalized for pneumonia but apparently, things got worse than better. I was already looking forward of seeing him again, after his wife called and told me that he was looking to see me too!

His condition was bad, having liver cancer but no metastasis to other organs at that point in time. He was, I would deduce a good chance of surviving for at least 2 years without any pain or complications. Looking back now, I still feel and think of the same assessment. I guess I forgot to include his overall outlook in life. He was a bit bitter and angry for the past events of his life.

We were going to that point of dealing his emotions, but things got worse day by day, to the point that he was hospitalized.

As previously posted, I am really apprehensive of cancer patients going to the hospitals due to the fact that their immune system is totally shot if not non-existent. Definitely, the case here exemplify this scenario AGAIN.


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Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Recovery

Its been a slow week for me, and therefore more time to read and reflect really. I feel as if our Creator has told me to slow down for a moment and think about what I have done right and WRONG. Most especially the wrong part.

I remember a quote from someone saying like: "To make a right decision requires experience, and to gain experience is to make the wrong decision."

Ouch, I wish it would be that easy if it were not for the life of a person on the line, however I have yet to see a major blunder and I really am very careful what I do and give my patients.

My liver cancer patients are slowly coming back to life ( I really hope so) I will see them this week or the next, following their hospitalization, one for pneumonia, the other for tube placement (his bile ducts were obstructed due to the tumor, despite the fact that we were already seeing regression of the tumor from the outside) Well, you cant get every tumor all at the same time.

But I am optimistic that the treatment we are doing will continually and without interruptions, make the tumors with a BIG S, will gradually go away PERMANENTLY!

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

As of late, I think I am now in a low-level of enthusiasm, I dont know why? Is this transference, burn-out, boredom or a combination?

I know I have to keep up with the knowledge but lately I feel I'm not even a bit interested, wonder why?

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Bile duct obstruction

I just got one patient who just had jaundice, as it turned out, the bile ducts (the tubes that secretes bile) was obstructed by the tumor.

It was so disappointing since when I started the homeopathics, the tumor was already shrinking.

But because of his having difficulty sleeping, the tumor grew back and bigger this time I hope I can do soemthing more

We'll see