Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which lacks expression of the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2/EGFR2), is an aggressive breast cancer phenotype with a poor prognosis.
the surgeon and oncologist both tell me i have very little time, perhaps 2-4 weeks, before it spreads to either lung, liver, brain or bone. they also tell me this cancer is one of the few cancers that is very responsive to chemotherapy. they want me to begin a course a week from monday, and tell me that i would be on chemo for perhaps up to 3 months. there's a 40% chance the chemo will reduce the tumour enough to permit surgery and lead to what they call a complete cure. if i can wipe out the cancer now and get through the next five years my prognosis is very good to excellent, unlike the slower acting cancers where there's high risk of recurrence. they emphasized the fact, however, that i have a very small window for treatment here and that once it's gone and it spreads as aggressively as its reputation, i'm, in short, a goner. there's of course a chance that the chemo won't work or that it's already spreading at a level these tests can't register yet, but there's no point dwelling on that.
i've been doing more research and am redoubling my own treatment efforts between now and the scheduled first chemo session with the hope that i can demonstrate results that in turn would permit me to decline their treatment recommendations. i never thought in my life i would ever even _consider_ getting chemotherapy, but given the rare type of cancer i have and the risks involved, i'm not sure how lucky i feel.... would you give a natural treatment a couple more weeks to work if those couple more weeks could kill you?
all parties agree that what i'm doing certainly can't hurt and that with this kind of adversary a multi-dimensional approach should really work for me... starving it metabolically as i am, inducing apoptosis through natural means and possibly chemo, and resection of the affected parts to prevent metastasis.
mindful of recent research that has proven curcumin's ability to kill TNBC cells, i'm increasing how much raw tumeric i'm ingesting... i peel the raw tuber and shred it into my food and got some advice as to how much i can get away with eating this way. i also picked up some bee propolis tincture at the organic farmers market which also has reputed anti-TNBC effects. an herbalist i talked to today suggested i try adding suma root to my medicinal teas so i bought a small bag to try, and while i was in the apothecary i noticed he had a jar of rose petals. i know they have no medicinal value to me at the moment but i really felt a longing for them and the idea of having some rose petal tea and so asked for a small amount. he gave them to me at no charge. i was really moved by his kindness and could hardly contain my delight when telling him that coincidentally there is a rose in my name...
No comments:
Post a Comment