Health
| The power to fight breast cancer |
|
|
|
Page 2 of 2 In September 2005, when the seven tumours first appeared, it was suggested I have some more conventional chemotherapy, but I was reluctant. I had heard about Professor Angus Dalgleish's work on vaccines at St George's Tooting, so I went to see him and volunteered to be in a pilot study for a breast cancer vaccine. After various meetings involving my oncologist from the Royal Marsden, the London Oncology clinic, St George's, together with oncologists from the Cancer Vaccine Institutes Scientific Advisory Board, it was agreed that I had stabilised to a slow progression of the disease and that there was a window of opportunity to try this exciting way forward. There were various challenges along this route, however, not least trying to grow tissue from the tumour in a test tube. Eventually, a few months into the study, the cancer was on the move again and no longer stable, so my team advised that now my best option was to be on the Lapatinib trial if I qualified. In many ways this was a disappointment because I believe in the vaccine approach. What has since become clear is that the vaccine or immunotherapy approach is effective where there is less of a heavy burden of cancer. Complementary therapiesThe next most important aspect of my survival is having integrated medical care - that is, combining orthodox treatment with complementary therapies and remedies. I know that at least one woman dropped out of the clinical trial of Lapatinib because she had a problem with side-effects. I, too, would not have been able to cope with one particular side-effect had I not been recommended slippery elm powder by the doctor at Penny Brohn Cancer Care. This simple little powder meant that the side-effect was under control and I could perfectly tolerate Lapatinib, which now seems to be a fantastic drug for me.There is no doubt that some of the drugs are very toxic and either homeopathic or herbal remedies can help and support liver and kidneys while undergoing treatment, ensuring that you are as well as you can be throughout. Although there is quiet acceptance of the benefits of integrating orthodox medical care with complementary care, a doctor's main worry is that their patient is going to be talked into some quackery that does nothing and is expensive. Worse, that it reacts with the orthodox treatment rendering it useless and maybe even dangerous. It is essential that the therapist is a fully qualified member of a professional body and that the oncologist is aware of any pills, vitamins, herbs etc. that you are advised to take. It is easy for the pharmacy to check that medications are compatible. The complementary sector tends towards a holistic approach, and it seems bizarre now that anyone could possibly consider cancer anything other than a holistic disease, potentially affecting the mind, spirit and other parts of the body. As far as your body is concerned it is fighting the prime site and possibly metastasis - when the cancer travels to another part of your body. Rightly or wrongly, cancer causes immense fear and a very real concern as to outcome, so that a patient can often feel isolated, frightened and preoccupied with worry. Spiritually, cancer can be dampening and depressing and anyone feeling this way should seek help. Positive patients do better and there are ways of changing one's perspective towards what is probably the most feared disease of our time. The mind-body-spirit approach was pioneered by Penny Brohn Cancer Care: their teaching gives the cancer patient all the tools required to battle cancer and to be as well as possible through the disease and treatment. As for me, I have felt very empowered. Cancer has given me the perfect excuse not to address those things I really do not want to do and to concentrate on those things I do want to do. My life has radically changed direction and purpose and I am going with the flow, living - with cancer - life to the full. The writer is a member of Yarmouth WI, Isle of Wight. Her book The A-Z of Everything You Should Know About Cancer is about to be published. Further information
|
