[VDC]

Paul,
No worries! You are off the hook legally. I DO tell my oncologist of everything I am taking. Ultimately it is my decision and while I do take information from all sources, ultimately it is my own research and my decisions to make. So far my oncologist has worked with me, although I think I DO try her patience at times! I require medical research as proof from her. The "status quo" or especially the hated word "protocol" is not in my vocabulary which frustrates her.

Even the radiation oncologist was frustrated by my way of looking at the research and developing my own opinion. When we discussed radiation after surgery I asked for the research indicating his quoted 50% decreased risk of recurrence with radiation. When I read the articles for myself, I discovered that radiation only decreased recurrence for about 10-12% of all women and made no difference for the other 88-90%. For 75-80% of women their cancer would not recur even if they did not receive radiation. For the other 20-25% 10-12% will recur even with radiation. So, radiation only helps 10-12% of women. Yet, 30% of women receiving radiation treatment would have life long side effects from it. I then asked if my analysis was correct. He didn't want to answer and ultimately said "I would prefer you didn't look at it that way. I would prefer you recognized a 50% reduction in recurrence." Again, the way things are said matter and are manipulative at times.

All of this to say that I do my own research and come to my own decisions. I appreciate your information because it gives me a new line of thought to research. But, I take responsibility for my own decisions. Any poor decisions are mine alone!

I will look into the Interleukin 6 and see what I find. I don't know much (okay anything) about it.

Thanks! ....and have a GREAT vacation!