The Meandering Path - Saying No to Traditional Treatment

[CreativeOne]

Over the years, I've watched friends and family members die from cancer, some from the progression of the disease, but most from a body compromised by treatments and just not able to continue functioning.

My health crisis occurred in 2015 at age 63, when I couldn't pee and medical staff couldn't insert a catheter because the urethra was cancerous. Surgery removed the prostate, which was 90% cancerous, but the bladder neck and urethra were involved too, and there was not much they could do. The nerve bundles and vesicles were involved and the margins were positive. pT3b M1 N0 Gleason 4+3=7.

I awoke from the surgery with a permanent suprapubic catheter and a bag to catch urine. My PSA was never zero and has been doubling roughly every 3.8 months. Based on my observations of the results, I declined chemo, radiation, and ADT and focus on quality of life, rather than, longevity at any price.

I managed to reverse my PSA progression from 5.78 to 4.11 over 3 months with vegetable-juice only diet, but couldn't keep that up forever. My PSA began rising again as soon as I returned to a mostly normal, but all organic, diet.

Recently, I read about the homeopathic Banerji Protocol being used in Kolkata India and decided to try it. My latest PSA test results on 4/5/19 dropped from 8.23 to 5.32, after 3 months on the protocol. Not outstanding, but an improvement. Does reversing my PSA mean that my cancer has stopped growing during that interval? I'm encouraged, but still reserved about the outcome. Anything which slows the inexorable march of the rising PSA is a good thing.

[tennis4life]

Hi CO, IMO (and the opinion of my MO), since you are not on ADT, your PSA should be reflective of the disease progression but I would want to confirm with a scan. And continue to monitor with PSA and evidence from future periodic scans. (Be aware that there are a few supplements that mask PSA test results.)

[Tall_Allen]

I agree with tennis4life that one has to be wary of supplements that mask PSA. Curcumin may be one such supplement.

[Hidden]

Both quality of life and quantity of life are increased, not decreased with proven treatments.

It's the cancer, not the treatments that will ruin your quality of life. Yes, they are not free from side effects, but far better than untreated, out of control prostate cancer. I am speaking from experience.

[ctarleton]

I'd keep an open mind about the risk/benefit profile of ADT as you continue to monitor your PSA trend and any results of scans you may have. Many men tolerate ADT alone fairly well, and it can work wonders when first tried. PSAs in the hundreds or thousands can be reduced a hundred or a thousand-fold within a few months. Very painful bone mets can sometimes be subdued for quite a while, too. I was there, myself, a little over 5 years ago at original diagnosis, with a bone scan that lighted up like a Christmas Tree. Treatments starting with ADT have helped me live a relatively pain free life, compared to the agony I was in with the bone mets I had in my lower spine and with a lymph node originally the size of a golf ball in my pelvic bed.

Charles

[timotur]

A PSA drop of about 30% is an excellent result. Unless one of the supplements is masking, that means the tumor size has decreased about 30%. Doesn’t mean it’s cured, but it is not progressing. Not a Dr, but keep going and test monthly. Before I started ADT, I was able to stop my PSA progression by taking Berberin, Inositol, and Amla powder.