Burzynski film

[Rich66]

From: contact@burzynskimovie.com Subject: Tickets now on sale for "Burzynski" at Newport Beach, CA April 1, 2010 For those of you who have attended the screenings of this documentary so far and have shown your support, we want to sincerely thank you for your positive feedback regarding this very important film. Our San Luis Obispo, CA and Asbury Park, NJ screenings were a huge success. Click here for a recent review and reaction to the film in the local Asbury Park, NJ press. For those of you who live in the Southern California area, we are pleased to announce that tickets are now on sale for the Newport Beach Film Festival screening on April 25, 2010 at 5:00 pm at the Edwards Island Cinemas - theater #3. To buy tickets, click here and enter "Burzynski" in the search engine or find it under documentaries. Click here for a map of the theater location. The film's director Eric Merola, as well as Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski, Dr. Julian Whitaker, and many cancer survivors who were cured of their cancer under Dr. Burzynski's care and treatment will also attend and participate in a Q&A after the film. Anyone living in the Southern Florida area, "Burzynski" will screen at the Palm Beach Film Festival sometime between April 22-26, 2010. Click here for more info. We have received a high volume of emails requesting copies of the DVD of this film. We anticipate DVDs will go on sale by early June 2010. This will also accompany a Los Angeles and New York City 7-days commercial theater run - dates and locations yet to be announced. All of our very best. Burzynski Movie www.burzynskimovie.com

[Ellie F]

Hi Rich
never heard of this guy, can you fill me in?
Ellie

[Rich66]

http://www.burzynskiclinic.com/

[ammebarb]

I thought I remembered this Dr.'s name from a newsgroup I wrote to for a number of years. My recollection was that there had been some controversy around Dr. Burzynski's treatment of cancer. So, I just did a search on quackwatch.com and found some information there you may want to check out.

Barb A.

[Jackie07]

Here's a link from the National Institute of Health:

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/p...tient/allpages

I seem to remember his name being discussed on the Forum before. Amazingly his practice has been going on for 30 years without getting shut down by the FDA.

We need a cure...

[Quackwatch: http://www.quackwatch.org/01Quackery...urzynski1.html]

[Rich66]

For the record, not endorsing. It seems to me to be a strange balance between enough possibility of good to allow it to be administered, but not enough support to fully research and resolve it. I mean..there are treatments that are not allowed period. What is that threshold? Regarding the issue of funding for trials in alternative medicine, there are folks at MD Anderson pointing to the problem as well. But...you would think if ther ewas something to it, there would be investors wanting to buy into the antineoplastons, assuming they or th etreatment are patentable.
I figured with those ongoing issues and a film coming out this would be of interest.

There's a discussion here: http://www.cancercompass.com/message...ll,11027,0.htm

Quackwatch link:http://www.quackwatch.org/01Quackery...OTA/ota05.html

Regarding FDA, from the cancer.gov link:

In 1991, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) reviewed some of Dr. Burzynski’s cases and decided to conduct clinical trials on antineoplastons at cancer centers. By August 1995, only 9 patients had enrolled and the clinical trials were closed before being completed. The U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave Dr. Burzynski permission to conduct clinical trials of antineoplaston therapy at his own clinic. Ongoing non-randomized clinical trials at the Burzynski clinic continue to study the effect of antineoplastons on cancer.

The .gov page refers to the side effects in the phase II trial. Here is the pubmed abstract:

Drugs R D. 2003;4(2):91-101.
Phase II study of antineoplaston A10 and AS2-1 in patients with recurrent diffuse intrinsic brain stem glioma: a preliminary report.

Burzynski SR, Lewy RI, Weaver RA, Axler ML, Janicki TJ, Jurida GF, Paszkowiak JK, Szymkowski BG, Khan MI, Bestak M.
Department of Internal Medicine, Burzynski Clinic, Houston, Texas, USA. info@burzynskiclinic.com
OBJECTIVE: A phase II study of antineoplaston A10 and AS2-1 was conducted to evaluate the antineoplastic activity in patients with recurrent diffuse intrinsic brain stem glioma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This report describes the results of treatment of the first 12 patients admitted to the study. Patients received escalating doses of antineoplaston A10 and AS2-1 by intravenous bolus injections. The median duration of treatment was 6 months and the average dosage of antineoplaston A10 was 11.3 g/kg/day and of antineoplaston AS2-1 0.4 g/kg/day. Responses were assessed by gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the head. RESULTS: Of ten evaluable patients, complete response was determined in two cases (20%), partial response in three (30%), stable disease in three (30%) and progressive disease in two (20%). Survival at 2 years was 33.3%. Currently, of all 12 patients, two (17%) were alive and tumour free for over 5 years since initial diagnosis; one was alive for more than 5 years, and another for more than 4 years from the start of treatment. Only mild and moderate toxicities were observed, which included three cases of skin allergy, two cases of anaemia, fever and hypernatraemia, and single cases of agranulocytosis, hypoglycaemia, numbness, tiredness, myalgia and vomiting. CONCLUSION: The results of this study compared favourably with the responses of patients treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The study continues with accrual of additional patients.

PMID: 12718563 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


Here are the more recent pubmed abstracts:
Targeted therapy with antineoplastons A10 and AS2-1 of high-grade, recurrent, and progressive brainstem glioma.
Burzynski SR, Janicki TJ, Weaver RA, Burzynski B.
Integr Cancer Ther. 2006 Mar;5(1):40-7.PMID: 16484713 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articles

3.
Long-term survival of high-risk pediatric patients with primitive neuroectodermal tumors treated with antineoplastons A10 and AS2-1.
Burzynski SR, Weaver RA, Janicki T, Szymkowski B, Jurida G, Khan M, Dolgopolov V.
Integr Cancer Ther. 2005 Jun;4(2):168-77.PMID: 15911929 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articles


4.
Phase II study of antineoplaston A10 and AS2-1 in children with recurrent and progressive multicentric glioma : a preliminary report.
Burzynski SR, Weaver RA, Lewy RI, Janicki TJ, Jurida GF, Szymkowski BG, Khan MI, Bestak M.
Drugs R D. 2004;5(6):315-26.PMID: 15563234 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articles

[Jackie07]

Here's the 'recent' warning issued by the FDA:

http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/Enforcement.../ucm192711.htm

[Rich66]

Looks like shoddy trial management...and mention of funding problems.
Seems like it would be better to test the protocol outside the Burzynski facility.

And it concludes:

"Within fifteen (15) working days of your receipt of this letter, you should notify this office in writing of the actions you have taken or will be taking to prevent similar violations in the future. Your response should include an update on the status of the (b)(4) and (b)(4) studies. Failure to adequately and promptly explain the violations noted above may result in regulatory action without further notice."

So I wonder what's up with all this? I would hope that if they didn't comply, by now the plug would be pulled.

[Jackie07]

Wikipedia offers a pretty concise description of the subject. It seems that the so-called 'clinical trials' is just a way for 'Dr.' Burzynski to 'sell' his 'drug' without having the approval from the FDA.

I'd be very happy to see a new treatment that brings patients hope. But 30 years have been a pretty long period of time...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antineoplaston

[Catherine]

Interesting.

[Jackie07]

Wait till you read this on the Houston News about 'Dr.' Burzynski:

http://www.houstonpress.com/2009-01-...-not-a-quack/1


Human nature is such that when I had my recurrence, my friend in town got very puzzled. She went through nursing school in the early 90's but did not stay in the profession because she was mistreated at work. Since her family is well to do, she just concentrates on raising her children and taking care of her husband who is a Math professor in the local University.

She had introduced me to 'Lin-chih', aka 'Miracle Herb', a Chinese traditional medicine made of a huge wild mushroom. Her late Mother drank the juice and lived three more years longer than what the local oncologist had predicted. During those three years, her Mother was taken to M.D. Anderson and consulted with the best lung cancer specialist there. Eventually Mrs. Liao refused to continue chemotherapy because it was just too hard for her 70+ year-old body.

So the daughter vouched for the 'miracle' power of 'Lin-chih' and was sure that my breast cancer would be cured by it...

I had to say that the 'juice' (and later a powdered capsule) did help with my appetite - possibly because of its 'laxative' effect. [In Chinese medicine, it is branded as having 'detoxication' power.]

A smart, well-trained Chinese doctor probably can make millions of dollars by setting up clinical trials for 'Lin-chih'...

10, 20 years from now, maybe scientists will figure out 'why' it cures ... [or 'why it doesn't.]

[Rich66]

Ha!
The Burzynski cancer story pales in comparison to the crow's feet tangent involving anti aging master Goldman:

While Goldman may not be able to call himself an M.D. in Illinois, his credentials are still impressive. According to the academy Web site, he is a Chinese weapons expert with the ability to perform "13,500 consecutive sit-ups and 321 consecutive handstand pushups." For proof of the latter, Goldman has included photos of himself standing on his hands, clad in a snug stars-and-stripes-patterned swimsuit.

I hope this in the movie. It would make a great scene.

But seriously..I do think the FDA rep stating that there is a big gap between orphan drug approval and standard approval is...weak. Imagine being a patient using the drug under this status thinking the FDA thinks it's worthwhile.
Allowing a phase II trial along with orphan drug approval under FDA auspices would suggest to many, rightly or wrongly, that there is something there worth pursuing. If Burzynski has continued to mismanage the approved trial protocol, it should be yanked. Seems to me both the FDA and Burzynski should get their collective sorry acts together.

"A smart, well-trained Chinese doctor probably can make millions of dollars by setting up clinical trials for 'Lin-chih'"

Maybe..if he could get funding to research what is likely unpatentable.

I have seen plenty of preclinicals identifying cytotoxic abilities of traditional chinese medicine. But that's where the research stops. Kind of like "Hmmm..guess there IS something to this old stuff. Interesting."

Here's an example that caught my eye recently:http://her2support.org/vbulletin/sho...137#post222137

[fullofbeans]

I wondered if anyone has a bit more info on this. I watched the movie and I am still wondering what to think.

Yes I know FDA says it is rubbish but then FDA allows synthetic milk hormone, Aspartame and generally any product Monsanto decides to generously offer the world..such as the (unlabelled) GM food, a ecological catastrophy that has just began and will be unfolding onto the next generation, their PCBs pollution (banned in the 80 and the reasons Inuits still cannot breast feed their children) will be peanuts in comparison. If I had to name the anti-Christ I think Monsanto would be mine!:-)

What makes me wary of burzynski is the high price of his treatment. Has anyone tried it or knows of anyone that has? Also he is being dishonest when he said he has a Ph.D but only studied for one year, also the patent must have run out by now..is anyone else thinking of selling this for less?

[hutchibk]

Very interesting indeed. In the medical world I am always intrigued by quacks, those who appear to be quacks, those who are quirky but might be on to something, those who are flat out genius though not necessarily in medicine but in marketing, and those who are flat our genius in medicine and find true breakthroughs...

So many are thought provoking yet tremendously dangerous.

Regarding cytotoxicities of Chinese medicine, my oncologist had a best friend's wife die of liver toxicity while she was being treated by a 'Chinese medicine' doctor for arthritis in her knees. It can be scary scary stuff.

[Jackie07]

Because the 'formula' of Traditional Chinese Medicine usually constitutes several ingredients, it can cause allergic reaction and toxic effect to certain patients.

My Oldest Sister-in-law cooked a herbal soup for me with the ingredients obtained from a reputable TCM shop in Taipei my freshman year in college when she noticed that I was having dibilitating problems with my periods. The soup worked great - except that my skin was all 'burning up' and I was wearing shorts in the winter season (the temperature was around 50-55 F.) Evidently I was having some allergic reaction to the 'soup'.

It would take more than 10 years before my life-long brain tumor was diagnosed and problem solved. (I had found a book in the early 80's concluding that lack of 'deep sleep' would cause cramps.) The huge brain tumor disrupted my sleep and I always woke up telling others the 'nightmares' I was having during sleep.

Many leading medical institutes have been studying TCM since the 70's trying to figure out the why and how by analyzing it with modern technology. The link below presents what the Mayo Clinic says about TCM:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alt...dicine/PN00001

[hutchibk]

Being that it is a non-regulated practice, it's also that quite simply the practitioners have no way to personally verify the sourcing of the herbs they use. They very well may not be receiving what they believe they have purchased from a distributor in China. Quite often they could be anything or be cut with something extremely toxic, and how would the practitioner in the US ever know? (much like baby formula and pet food, etc) This is actually an enormous problem and one of the top reasons my nutritionist asked me not to use anymore Chinese herb tea ever, at all.

As well, dosing has never been standardized and established and testing has never been done to determine at what dose is something toxic to an organ or person.

Many 'natural' things are not intended for human consumption and are toxic to humans.

[Jackie07]

Not an advertisement (as I would not have any financial gain from it), but if anyone is interested in taking Chinese herbal supplements, the company listed below is a reputable one:

http://www.cgb.com.tw/j2j0/cus/cus2/pdt/pdt_main.jsp

It is affiliated with one of the largest hospital systems in Taiwan:
http://www1.cgmh.org.tw/branch/lnk/e/about.aspx?id=5

[KDR]

I became very interested in the work of Dr. B after watching this film. I do believe there is some credibility to his practice. I was disappointed with the quality of presentation materials sent. For instance, patients were listed by cancers and in columns. Reponses were not clear, for instance, "mixed response" was one of the repetitive outcomes for most of the columns. Dr. B does seem to have more success with brain cancers than any other cancer, however. His story is compelling, and as for as I know, his trial is FDA-approved and in the third phase.
Karen