Seeking advice -

Rachel18
Rachel18 Member Posts: 3
in Ovarian Cancer #1
Hello all,
My sister (68 yrs old) was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma endometroid type, FIGO grade 3. cancer in the summer of 2010. She is being treated at Sloan in NY. She had a total hysterectomy (they removed regional lymph-nodes as well as portion of the omentum) shortly after followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, she then entered trial therapy as well.
All seemed to be going decently until she had a partial bowel obstruction in April (which cleared after a week or so) - they then switched her to doxil(which seems to have taken a severe toll on her - at one point she had a septic port infection, but than god she came through that). After three months on doxil, she had a promising CT scan which showed that the tumors had shrunk somewhat. The next three rounds of doxil were even harder and that CT scan at the end of those showed increased ascites and carcinomatosis with petrineal thickening, omental infiltration, mesentric nodules, capsular implants and probable serosal implants. It was also showed increaded abdominal, retroperitoneal and left supraclavicular nodes. Also showed mild right hydronphrosis.
The doctor then said he will put her on weekly regiment of single line paclitaxel which is what she is currently on. She is not doing or feeling well, both emotionally and physically.

She has much discomfort, bad hernia (which tumor seems to be pressing against) - and bad appetite. She is being treated at Sloan Kettering since being diagnosed in the summer of 2010.
We are trying to get her to eat as much a possible and have recently hired a nutritional chef to cook her meals as per instruction we recently got during a visit to the Block center in IL.
I've posted before on the uterine board and gotten much appreciated advice and encouraging advice from members there.
There are some other options that Dr. Block suggested we look into and I wanted to share them with you:
Met formin, a diabetic drug - which compliments chemotherapy.
Low dose naltrexone
Overseas agent called anvirzel
Zadaxin
He also mentioned that even in this advanced case there may be surgical options. Though our doctors at Sloan have always ruled this out.

Any words of engorgement/advice would be greatly appreciated.
We really are lost and almost feel that we are clueless.

Thanking you all in advance and wishing each and everyone out there a full and speedy recovery to good health and long life.

Comments

  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    #2
    Block
    Rachel,
    I'm so sorry to hear of your sister's stuggle with her treatment. I am familiar with the Block Center, although I have not gone there for treatment. Personally, I have taken an integrative approach to my treatment and can't imagine having done things any differently for myself. It is evident that the conventional treatments your sister is receiving are taking a toll, with minimal results. Although I have never taken the treatments suggested as options by the center, I know of a couple of them. In my opinion, it seems that investigating alternatives would be beneficial to your sister at this point in time. I'm also a huge advocate for high dose IV vitamin C. I don't know if you are familiar with this treatment, or not, or whether they suggested it at the Block Center. I will strengthen her immune system and probably make her feel at least a little more comfortable. I know that another member here, Laundry Queen, could give you more insight into the treatments you listed above. I hope she checks in with some information for you. Hoping your sister's condition improves soon.
    Take care
  • LaundryQueen
    LaundryQueen Member Posts: 676
    #3
    Tethys41 said:

    Block
    Rachel,
    I'm so sorry to hear of your sister's stuggle with her treatment. I am familiar with the Block Center, although I have not gone there for treatment. Personally, I have taken an integrative approach to my treatment and can't imagine having done things any differently for myself. It is evident that the conventional treatments your sister is receiving are taking a toll, with minimal results. Although I have never taken the treatments suggested as options by the center, I know of a couple of them. In my opinion, it seems that investigating alternatives would be beneficial to your sister at this point in time. I'm also a huge advocate for high dose IV vitamin C. I don't know if you are familiar with this treatment, or not, or whether they suggested it at the Block Center. I will strengthen her immune system and probably make her feel at least a little more comfortable. I know that another member here, Laundry Queen, could give you more insight into the treatments you listed above. I hope she checks in with some information for you. Hoping your sister's condition improves soon.
    Take care

    Integrative therapies
    I don't know how much help I can offer. I have no experience with the Block Center while I did consider purchasing Zadaxin from someplace in Panama. If I could get my insurance to pay for Zadaxin, I would be on it tomorrow. I investigated that drug and it is supposed to kick the immune system into cancer fighting mode.

    I've been taking high dose vitamin C treatments for the past year since after my diagnosis & surgery. I was hoping that it could help me get into remission but so far it's only slowed the progression of the disease.

    My current situation is that I have a high CA-125 following first line treatment that put the cancer into an inactive state for about 3 months. I went to a Mexican clinic when the cancer got active again & had amazing results after three weeks of treatment using insulin-potentiated (IPT) chemo & Laetrile (and other therapies). Unfortunately, I couldn't afford to stay long enough to get the cancer into remission.

    I'm still doing high-dose vitamin C treatments and considering going to a nearby integrative clinic to have more IPT. I'm not having any symptoms at this time so the oncologist has given me the option to extend the chemo holiday for now.

    I think the immune therapy is a good way to go.

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