Newbie stage 4 looking for support and guidance

takingcontrol58

Jill,

I'm sorry about your diagnosis but am so happy my story made you feel better (takingcontrol58). Stage 4 cancer does not have to be a death sentence. But cancer drugs alone will not heal Stage 4 cancer. If cancer drugs cured cancer, we still wouldn't be searching for the cure.

The best place to research metformin is www.pubmed.gov- this is the site of the NIH and it contains all of the published medical articles from the medical community. There are many other sources of information on metformin, but this is the site doctors are supposed to read. I have done much research on cancer over the years. Metformin targets many of the key processes in the body that need to function properly so that cancer does not form. I can't list them all here. It is well known to correct metabolic dysfunction, and your metabolism is the engine that runs your body. Even though many researchers use the drug, they do not use it for cancer treatment because it is not FDA approved as a cancer drug- it is an old drug and cheap and does not make money for the cancer complex. It was discovered to have anti-cancer properties in 2006. You will probably have to get metformin from an internist or endocrinologist- but the good cancer doctors know all about the drug. My integrative doctor was well aware of metformin in cancer treatment. When someone tells you not to try it, they have no idea of all its benefits. First, let me summarize some of the well known things metformin is prescribed for:

1) lowers glucose

2) lowers insulin - I had high insulin (you need to test your blood for this)

3) lowers insulin growth factor hormone 1 (IGF-1)-key driver of many cancers - I had very high IGF-1 (you need to test your blood for this)

4)treats pre-diabetes (so you don't become diabetic) - I was pre-diabetic (measure your hemoglobin A1c)

5) first line drug for type 2 diabetes

6)treats insulin resistance (when your body does not use insulin properly -I was insulin resistant

7) prescribed for PCOS (caused by insulin resistance)

***insulin and IGF-1 are key hormones involved in cancer that oncologists don't test

Metformin worked well for me because I had many of these metabolic issues- and metformin corrected them. It was an excellent targeted drug for me. But the drug does so much more. The researches know this and many use the drug themselves.

To heal cancer, you have to identify all the sources of your cancer- health issues, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, excess metals and chemicals, hormone imbalances, emotional issues- you have to determine what toxins are in your body that created an environment for cancer to grow and address them. And that mostly requires the use of non cancer drugs, supplements and lifestyle changes. Oncologists do not take this approach which is why they frequently say there is nothing more they can do, which they have done very little. If I had used the additional cancer drugs my oncologists wanted me to use, I believe I would not have survived. I only had 6 infusions of Taxol/Carbo. No other cancer drugs. Just metformin, low dose aspirin, doxycycline, supplements, major lifestyle changes and faith in God. I made my own decisions as to what cancer treatments I would use, going against the recommendations of three top oncologists.

Metformin also targets many of the key processes involved in the formation of cancer-

1) inactivates the PIK/Akt/mTor pathway (the pathway that controls metabolism) 90% of all endometrial cancers have a mutation of this pathway

2) targets cancer ste m cells - the cells that cause metastasis - no cancer drugs for this

3) targets angiogenesis--the creation of blood vessels that feed cancer cells to turn into a tumor (crab like appearance)- targets the VEGF protein (just like Avastin and Lenvima), but without the serious side effects

4) helps manage autophagy- cellular recycling of our cells - you have to clear out the garbage to make room for new cells- or the old cells become food for the cancer

5) helps lower estrogen

There are so many other biological processes that metformin addresses, I can't go into here.

You can go to pubmed.gov and search metformin and cancer or metformin and endometrial cancer- I think there are over 7000 articles posted. You can print out specific articles and bring them to your doctors. It is well known to be helpful for gynecological cancers, particularly endometrial cancer.

Caris Research- it is important that your tissue was tested for genomic mutations. I personally believe Foundation Medicine is the best company as it tests over 325 genes and provides an excellent detailed report. I never saw that Caris tested this many genes, though their testing could be updated. You should find out what test they ordered for you. Hopefully they didn't just order the test to qualify you for immunotherapy- you need much more data. Once you identify your genomic mutations, you can research what cellular processes those genes control and determine the best way to address them (and it will probably be with non-cancer drugs and supplements).

I have been counseling and working with cancer patients since 2016 to help them create a realistic plan to heal their cancer. I would be happy to answer more questions in detail- you can send me a personal message.

The best chance of long term survival is to get involved in your cancer treatment from the first day of your diagnosis and start addressing all your health issues as soon as you identify them- you need to heal your body to heal your cancer. And there are many options for cancer patients that oncologists won't discuss.

I am a living, breathing cancer-free example of how if you can find the right targeted treatments to address the causes of your cancer, you can have miraculous results. I will celebrate my 10th anniversary this fall.

Takingcontrol58

Linda