Cancer cells gulping white blood cells

The January Issue of the Scientific American out came out with an article on cancer cells fusing with white blood cells that ultimately lead to cancer metastasis/ Dr. Pawelek has demonstrated how the cancer cells fuse with the macrophages, making them more aggressive and highly metastatic.

Hmm...

Past Christmas

Saw my patient again last monday, and I would say I am bit surprised if not elated at the turn of events. When I first saw him, I was guarded and frankly pessimistic (pardon my weakness) if he could last til Christmas. That was my goal, he be able to spend Christmas with his loved ones!

Well, apparently, he is doing quite well now, despite the 5 years of chemo and 15 session of daily radiotherapy. In fact so well that he's now a bit complaining, a bit more talkative and making funny comments at me or at our staff.

He's still weak though, cant walk, but can sit for longer periods. I really dont know what I did, if ever I did anything for him. A bit of ginseng, a bit of homeopathic rememdies, a lot of body works (Access).

I wish him luck and his pain to go away and gain all the weight he lost!

Merry Christmas to all!!!

MSG

I was severely disturbed by an ad about MSg being a natural food for the intestine! That is sooo misleading! What is food for the intestinal tract is glutamine NOT glutamate!

Cancer is the leading cause of death by 2010!

Its like a problem looking at us eye to eye and challenging us what are we suppose to do about it!!

Personally, I feel that cancer as the leading cause of mortality is our own creation. We created this disease as we let "progress" take its toll on us and on Mother Earth. How much more of this do we need in order for us to realize that cancer is not just about individual struggle, its not just about losing a mother, father, son or daughter. This is about the survival of our species.

If we make projections, considering the aging population, our species can become in peril or extinction in probably a few hundred years.

Tumor Vaccine

I just attended a 2-day workshop in Cebu. It was so wonderful despite losing my wallet with everything in it!!! I almost slept at the airport :) Good thing we had contacts to borrow money. As for my IDs, tough luck I have to get new ones again.

This tumor vaccine is relatively easy to prepare and sans to life-threatening side effects.

The Newcastle Disease virus (NDV) is an oncolytic virus that causes bird flu in chickens but harmless to humans, except for the tumor cells. Upon infection with the virus, the virus starts replicating in the cancer cells. Infected cancer cells then become recognized by the lymphocytes, NK cells as foreign and therefore tumor lysis occurs.

Confirmation of an age-old knowledge?

There's this study which came out of MSNBC.com, which claimed that patients with cognitive impairment who had kidney transplantions have improved mental functions.

Interestingly, in traditional chinese medicine, the Kidney governs the mind, marrow, and the bone. So any disorder in the kidneys can manifest problems in the Brain, mental function, the blood and bone itself.

As you may know already, Kidneys plays an important role in the blood formation, as well as calcium absorption. But this is the first time to show that improved kidney function can improve cognitive function.

This is certainly an affirmation of how much accurate TCM is, when it comes to diagnostic and pathophysiologic knowledge.

Severe Fungal Infections

I came across this paper and it somehow put a period to my hunch that a lot of patients on chemotherapy drugs do have fungal infections, severe or not.

In most cases I see a lot of patients with fungal infections that drives the immune system to berserk mode. Its just that the infections are most of the time, asymptomatic so its not addressed.

A lot of patients here are given these new drugs.

We are being invaded!!!

I find it a bit disconcerting that Pharma companies are trying to get to med bloggers! First sponsoring events, then ads? then what???

Blogs are personal, IMHO. When commercial companies come in, opinions can become a bit tricky :)

What you think?

Battling with Breast Cancer.. Again

I have been seeing a 65 yr old female with metastatic breast cancer for about a month now. She came back coz the cancer grew back from the MRM. It was growing fast but the patient didnt want to do chemotherapy anymore.

So it was decided that we try homeopathic medicines. After about 1 month or so, seems like the tumor has shrunk to 50% of what it used to be. It certainly surprised me! I didnt thought it would be that fast and effective.

But we'll have to see after a few more weeks.

A Mother's Journey

I just came across this site, won the Pulitzer prize.

I'm just so affected I felt the pain and anguish of both the mother and son,

This made my resolve even stronger to help especially these kids who have so much to live for.

I thank the photographer Ms. Byer! I'm sure even you were affected by this~!

Abraham by Ester Hicks

A patient let me borrow her Abraham DVD and i was just blown away with what was in that DVD!!!

After that,I knew I had to learn and listen to what else Abraham had to say. I'm sure a lot of skeptics would say its a show. My piece of advice, dont shoot the messenger, just listen to the messages.

As I was reading it, I was feeling a sense of joy, peace and contentment that I'm not alone in what I feel and how I feel about me, the patients, people in general.

Beautiful...

Yesterday, I saw a 5 yr old girl who was diagnosed to have autism. I was amazed and felt the joy not only of the child's but of the dad, mom and nanny's.

All the while I was doing my diagnostics, she was singing and what beautiful voice she had.

I had the most refreshing experience with her. I hope to see more of these kids! They're just fantastic to watch

Missing You

For the past 2 years or so, I have been going. seeing and talking with you. I'm so glad to have met someone as kind and generous as you, never have I felt the genuine trust from a patient more than you!!!

Eventhough I am the most junior of your doctors, you trusted and weighed my opinion as important as the others. Truly, I have never imagined that being a doctor could be such humbling experience. You have shown me so many things, given me more than I can ever imagine or ask of anyone.

But most of all, I thank you, for not only being a patient, but also a Father figure to me and my family. That is priceless. And though you are now somewhere in heaven looking down at us, most probably with that smug face of yours, I will sorely miss you!!! Every Tuesdays I always feel that I have to do something, only to realize you are gone and I have move on :)

Thanks for the lessons, the memories and the love, I know you treated me like your own son, I'm proud of it !!! Proud of being able to meet you!

See you soon :)

Panic attack!

I recently got wind of an Naturopathic doctor who was diagnosed with cancer. What was remarkable to note was that this doctor TOTALLY I mean TOTALLY abhors chemotherapy and isn't afraid of sticking that opinion to the patients. The doctor would even reprimand short of cursing them why did they undergo chemotherapy.

I guess the Universe is giving the doctor a closer look at death. Diagnosed to have cancer, went to the United States for chemotherapy. Whoa that was very surprising to us the very least.

When your life is on the line, you try everything including the kitchen sink cleaners if you have to, just to eradicate the cancer and survive the onslaught.

I feel its very important not to tell the patients what they should or shouldn't do. We must make it clear that we guide them not tell them. It has to be THEIR choice, we just give our opinion on whats the best possible options.

Ho'Oponopono

I was given a book by a patient of mine. Its called Zero Limits by Joe Vitale. If you dont know this guy, he was featured in The Secret, the movie as well as many other books he wrote.

It was amazing to read about a psychologsit who didnt see a single patient at an asylum! And in 2 years all of the patients were discharged!!

I recommend this book to everyone who think their lives are pockmarked with problems! Surely this book will help you :)

Radiation woes

I have a female patient who came to us last month. Prior to her visit to us, she was severely weakened by continous nausea and vomiting secondary to chemotherapy. She was diagnosed to have a thymoma, enveloping part of the pericardium. Her doctor said she must undergo chemo-radiotherapy to shrink it first.

The poor patient vomitted incessantly for 10 days after her chemo session, her oncologist just brushed it aside and said it will pass. Because of that, she was traumatized and didnt want to do chemo anymore.

So another option was radiation. After 10 daily sessions, she again is having nausea and vomiting. To circumvent this problem, she would eat immediately after the radio session, take a bath and then sleep it off. What ingenuity!
but she's also malnourished now.

We are doing what we can but simply the radiation is really hard on her frail body. What can we do, eventually its still her choice either to keep up the fight or surrender outright.

Another one bites the dust

As i write this entry, my patient of 3 yrs whom I have had a wonderful time being with is slowly passing away, entering the kingdom of Heaven awaited by all his loved ones.

Its very difficult for me to see him in distress, much more to see the agonizing slowness of draining of the very life of him.

I remember my school days where the doctors tell us to keep a certain distance so that we wont be too much affected and therefore objectivity is maintained. Well, tell that to someone else, coz its really hard for me, especially for this patient who has showed me what generosity really means.

As he passes away, I look now into the future and begin another chapter in my little small insignificant life, compared to the life he will have.

Its hard to say goodbye, especially if until on their death bed, they expect you to bring them back to life.

So my friend, My Good bye to you, see you again in the next life. I will miss you so much

Passed away

After battling and surviving 7 years with liver cancer, he has passed away quietly. All the doctors told him when he was first diagnosed with cancer that he will die within 6 months.

He celebrated his 7th yr anniversary of the diagnosis with vigor and enthusiasm of making it for another 7 years.

But at last, God may have other plans for him.

I salute you my friend, see you again in the next life!!!

End of days

Its heart-rendering time for me. Both my patients with cancer are slowly losing their grip with life.

Each of them clinging now in their death beds, wanting only peace now, but only to face the fear of death.

How do we as doctors, family, friends comfort them what is past this life, if we ourselves have no inkling what is it all about?

Breast cancer mother

Again, had a 39-yr-old mother of 2 (6 yr and 1 yr) who had breast cancer but now has metastisized to the lungs. I know and felt the pain and dejection after knowing about the metastasis, aside from the worry of raising her very young kids!

Fortunately, her sprits are back up again and wiling to fight it to the very end. She's doing chemotherapy and quite impressive she's taking it quite well. Gave her some supplements to help her immune system.

In a related event, researchers now are really looking at how not just to kill the cancer, but likewise the cancer stem cells!