Please continue to pray for my friend with pancreatic cancer

[lu ann]

I have a young friend who was just dx. with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, 2 months ago. She had been treated for the last 2 years for stomach problems. Had she of been dx. earlier the cancer might have not spread to her liver and she could of had surgery. She saw physicians at both Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals of Cleveland, Ohio. Both told her to go home and put her affairs in order.

She called Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Zion, Illinois. They have given her hope. She will fly to their hospital in Tulsa Oklahoma on Tuesday.

She spoke to a woman who had the same symtoms and prognosis and was also told by her previous physicians to go home and die. This woman is in her 5th year since starting treatment, in full remission. You can read about her on the CTCA web site.

My friend has a tough battle ahead, but she is a fighter and if anyone can beat this hideous disease, she can.

Please continue praying for my friend Jodee and her family. She has 4 young sons, Daniel age 9, Joseph and James twins age 6, and Dylan age 4.

Her mother is a good friend of mine who I have known for the last 27 years. Jodee was just 14 when I met her. She's still a young kid to me. Too young to die. Please pray.

Love and Blessings from Lu Ann

ps. I don't know what the right word is to use in our breast cancer situation, but we are blessed to have a cancer that is so well researched and has so many treatments available. When one is dx. with pancreatic cancer at any other stage then 1, it is considered terminal. It's just not fair, but I guess life is not going to be fair.

[Vanessa]

I will be praying for you friend. We recently lost a family friend to this insidious disease. I hope she gets the best of care at CTCA.

[Liz J.]

Hi LuAnn,

I will continue to pray for Jodee. May God be with her.

Sincerely,

Liz J.

[geraldine]

Hi Lu ann,
I will light a candle for your friend and will keep her in mind every time I pray.

God Bless

Geraldine

[heblaj01]

Lu Ann,

As a last resort for your friend you may want to investigate this case report :
http://ict.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/5/1/83
Integrative Cancer Therapies, Vol. 5, No. 1, 83-89 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/1534735405285901
© 2006 SAGE Publications
The Long-term Survival of a Patient With Pancreatic Cancer With Metastases to the Liver After Treatment With the Intravenous -Lipoic Acid/Low-Dose Naltrexone Protocol

Burton M. Berkson


Integrative Medical Center of New Mexico and New Mexico State University, Las Cruces

Daniel M. Rubin

Scottsdale, Arizona, rubin@rubinmedical.com

Arthur J. Berkson

Department of Family Practice, University of Illinois at Chicago, Illinois Masonic Medical Center, and the Department of Family Practice, Advocate Health Center, Chicago, Illinois

The authors describe the long-term survival of a patient with pancreatic cancer without any toxic adverse effects. The treatment regimen includes the intravenous -lipoic acid and low-dose naltrexone (ALA-N) protocol and a healthy lifestyle program. The patient was told by a reputable university oncology center in October 2002 that there was little hope for his survival. Today, January 2006, however, he is back at work, free from symptoms, and without appreciable progression of his malignancy. The integrative protocol described in this article may have the possibility of extending the life of a patient who would be customarily considered to be terminal. The authors believe that life scientists will one day develop a cure for metastatic pancreatic cancer, perhaps via gene therapy or another biological platform. But until such protocols come to market, the ALA-N protocol should be studied and considered, given its lack of toxicity at levels reported. Several other patients are on this treatment protocol and appear to be doing well at this time.

[Sandy H]

Lu Ann: I met a lady in my oncology last February who had pancreatic cancer stage 4 I believe, and she went to a Boston hospital I think, it was Dana Farber. She had extensive surgery in the abdominal area. She stayed in Boston for two months to recover as she had to be near the hospital. At that time she was doing well and was expected to have a long term survivial. She was being featured on several TV shows and magazines. I did not get her phone number however, I can call the oncology and see if they will give her my number to call me. I know they will not tell me her name or give me her number. Let me know if you would like me to do this for you. They know I do lots of phone and e-mail support so I am sure it will not be a problem. That is what we are here for is to help each other. hugs, Sandy

[lu ann]

It seems the person my friend talked to misinformed her about benefits. It appears she will need $15,000.00 before treatment can begin. I guess the bottom line is all about money.

Thanks guys for all your prayers and advice. I will pass it along to my friend and I will let you know what she wants to do.

She is running out of time so she needs to make a decision soon. She has just about lost all hope.

Love and Blessings from Lu ann.

[heblaj01]

Lu Ann,
For possible use by your friend here are 2 links where gemcitabine plus one of the platinum drugs are described as effective against pancreatic cancer.
Even if this combo is not an approved protocol, the two drugs are approved & can be prescribed off label:

http://www.communityoncology.net/jou...s/0307428.html
http://www.communityoncology.net/jou...es/0307428.pdf
Treatment update for metastatic pancreatic cancer
Maureen R. Hewitt, MD, and Kenneth Yu, MD
Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
The treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer continues to be a major unresolved health problem and a therapeutic challenge, with a poor median survival averaging 3–6 months. Disappointing response rates to standard single-agent therapy have led to a search for more effective agents. Early study results with gemcitabine indicate a potential survival benefit in these patients, which is illustrated here in a case report of a 75-year-old man with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma who has defied the odds. Chemotherapy with GEMOX (gemcitabine and oxaliplatin) was initiated, and the patient has enjoyed a good quality of life, with long-term disease control (stable disease 21 months after diagnosis).

http://www.cancerselfdefense.com/gemzar.htm
Extract:
The combination of Chemotherapy drugs GEMCITABINE + PLATINUM is not the official "first choice" of the FDA protocol. This article is by a leading lab that tests cancer tumors to determine possible effectiveness of drugs against the cancer cells residing in a given individual, since each strain of cancer in any given person is as unique as the pattern of a snowflake.
Clinical oncologists continue to use sub-optimal dosing schedules for the most important solid tumor drug combination introduced during the past 15 years

from Weisenthal Cancer Lab site

The combination of gemcitabine + platinum (either cisplatin, carboplatin, or oxaliplatin) is the most important drug combination introduced for the treatment of solid tumors in the past 15 years. We have observed clinical responses with this regimen which are, to my knowledge, unprecedented. A complete remission and 6 year history of enduring remission in a patient with unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma metastatic to spleen, kidney, and omentum . A complete remission and greater than 4 year survival in a patient with massive, non-cytoreducible ovarian cancer who had primary progression on platinum/Taxol, followed by progressive disease despite tandem high dose chemotherapy and tandem stem cell transplants at a cost of more than $200,000. A clinical complete remission in a patient with colon cancer metastatic to liver and lungs (large "cannonball" lesions), following failure of adjuvant 5FU/levamisole, 5FU/leucovorin, 9-aminocamptothecin, and biotherapy. A durable, complete remission (lasting years) in a patient with gastric cancer metastatic to nodes and liver. And many others.

[jones7676]

I have a cousin who was given no chance to live. Treated in a V.A. hospital in Milwaukee - has lived 7 years......is doing great and runs his own business. Learning to be a insulin dependent diabetic has been challenging for him - but he has a whole new lease on life and is a better husband than he ever was previously. It can happen!

Praying for all of you. Barb