colon rectal cancer

Tan (M-73) was 50 years old when she was diagnosed with colon cancer. Prior to her diagnosis Tan had been passing out blood in her stools. She took various kinds of herbs but they were not effective. In December 2002, Tan came to a private hospital in Penang and underwent a colostomy operation. A temporary "bag" was fitted. After five months, April 2003, colostomy reversal operation was performed whereby the colon was reconnected and there was no need to use the bag anymore.

The histopathology report dated 19 December 2002 indicated: moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma of the rectum, Duke Stage C (infiltration into pararectal lymph node). Resected margin: clear. Pararectal lymph nodes: metastatic adenocarcinoma (1/5).

The surgeon suggested that Tan undergo radiotherapy. She refused. She also did not wish to undergo chemotherapy. Tan opted for herbs instead.

Three months on the herbs, Tan reported improvements in her health. She looked better and felt better. Before taking herbs, she had difficulty moving her bowels but with the herbs, there was no problem. An ultrasound done on 4 July 2003 showed normal results.

Tan come to Penang every year to see her doctor for routine check up. So far, nothing is amiss. On 3 July 2009, Tan reported that everything was fine. It has been more than 6 years that she is on herbs. The following are excerpts of our video conversation.

First visit: 18 April 2003

Tan came with a companion and it is her companion who spoke to us.

Companion: The doctor wanted to do radiotherapy. She refused. She also refused chemotherapy.

Second visit, after 3 months on herbs: 4 July 2003

Tan came with a companion and it is her companion who spoke to us.

Question: After 3 months on the herbs, were you okay?
Companion: She is better.

Q: Are you more energetic?
Com: Sure.

Q: You felt better, no pains?
Com: Yes.

Third visit, 6 months on herbs: 21 November 2003

Tan came with a companion and it is her companion who spoke.
Q: When did you do this (referring to X-ray)?
Companion: Today.
Q: What did the doctor say?
Com: Good results.
Q: Please take care of your diet. Also continue to take the herbs.

Fourth visit, 5 years on herbs: 4 July 2008

Tan came alone, without her companion.

Q: Wah, it has been 5 years...
Tan: Six years (after her diagnosis).

Q: No radiotherapy, no chemo.... Did you take care of your diet?
Tan: Yes.

Q: You went to see your doctor - what did he say?
Tan: Very good... it has been 6 years now (after her diagnosis).

Q: Did the doctor know that you are taking herbs and that you did not go for chemo or radiotherapy?
Tan: Yes, he knew. When I took the herbs, I felt well. I take the herbs everyday.

Q: Let me tell you this - if I were you, I would continue to do what you have been doing - don't change. Now you feel good but we will not know when the cancer would come back.

Fifth visit, 6 years on herbs: 3 July 2009

Tan came alone, without her companion.

Q: How long now?
Tan: Seven years (since the diagnosis).

Q: You came here to see your doctor?
Tan: Yes, I saw him just now. The doctor said: Good. He did not give me any medication but asked me to continue to take the herbs. The doctor said the herbs are already my medication.

Q: The doctor said that? He did not scold you for taking the herbs?
Tan: No, no. I showed him the herbs.

Q: As a person, are you okay - any problem? Did you take care of your diet?
Tan: Sometimes, I miss out a bit. I ate a bit of chicken meat. Then I will take herbs after that.

Q: What happen if you did not take the herbs?
Tan: I had the urge to move my bowels. With the herbs after taking chicken, I felt okay..

Comments:

This is a Stage 3 cancer. Normal convention is that Tan must undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy as suggested by her surgeon. But she declined further medical treatment. There is no recurrence or metastasis as of this writing. The question to ask is: Why did the doctor ask her to undergo radiotherapy in the first place? Was it just a procedural advice - to comply with medical convention? Let us ask this question: What could have been the result if Tan were to undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy? Would these treatments be more damaging and cause misery to her life?

It must be emphasized that Tan's healing is not due to the herbs alone. Her diet is just equally important. We ask patients to abstain from meat, sugar, table salts, dairy products and oil. To do well patients must change to a healthy diet and lifestyle.

For more information about complementary cancer therapy visit: http://www.cacare.com/, http://www.cancercaremalaysia.com/

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Colon cancer therapy is a vital process dealing with tumors or polyps that form in colon areas and also includes preventive as well as post-treatment care methods. Therapy can be undergone in various forms and patterns depending upon the scope of cancerous growth and nature of tumors formed in the region.

Colon Cancer Therapy in Detail

This cancer can be tackled well if detected and treated in the initial stages when the tumors do not really metastasize to various local or regional areas of colon. Also, the chances of good colon cancer survival rate are much higher in the initial stages as compared to advanced ones and give an advantage to victim of undergoing through comparatively less mental and physical sufferings. This also helps in keeping a check on possibilities of colon cancer recurrence.

Therapy needs to be executed after considering various vital parameters that form the basis of colon cancer development in a person. The disease is prevalent in both men and women and is slightly more common in males. Also, the numbers of deaths due to cancer of colon are slightly higher in males as compared to females. Main reason for a reasonably high numbers of deaths due to colon cancer is the location of colon in human body. The organ is located very close to some of the vital parts like bowel, rectum, and lungs and forms an important part of digestive system. Any kind of cancerous development in colon severely impacts functioning of all other organs falling within the scope of cancerous growth and leads to fast metastasis of tumors to remote areas of the body.

Metastasis of tumors in primary form of colon cancer is easy to detect and control as compared to that occurring in the secondary form of colon cancer. Hence, one should also analyze the pattern and origin of tumors before undergoing a particular kind of colon cancer therapy.

Different Therapies

Colon cancer needs to be treated in a systematic and phased manner to avoid unnecessary health complications in future. Incorrect of inefficient therapy is one of the major cause of recurrence of the disease. Hence, one must undergo thorough diagnosis under proper medical supervision before deciding upon intensity of therapy to be undergone.

Surgery is the most frequently and commonly adopted technique for treating colon tumors. It can be carried out in various forms and intensities and is usually recommended in early phases when the tumors have not gained an ability to metastasize or spread to remote regions. Surgery can fetch better results if done before the cancer cells infect blood-cells or lymph nodes. Local excision is an effective form of surgery to remove local small-sized polyps. Resection, colostomy, and laparoscopy are some other forms of surgeries undergone to treat the disorder. Some surgeries like colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy are also useful as diagnostic methods. Cryosurgery is also a useful form of therapy.

Radiotherapy is another important form of therapy and involves treating tumors by passage of radiations. Generally, this therapy is recommended for advanced phases as exposure to radiations may put a very bad impact on victim's body and cause severe side-effects in long-run. Chemotherapy is a kind of therapy that involves intake of various medically prescribed medical drugs or chemicals in order to keep a proper check on cancerous growth in colon.

This cancer therapy is usually in the form of targeted therapy and involves focusing on only the affected region without causing any considerable damage to adjacent vital tissues and cells. Therapy plays a vital role in safe recovery of the victim.

For more detail read on colon cancer detection and diagnosis and cancer8.com where you will find detailed information on cancer

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