Cancer cures

[grizz]

Why is it that we have so many loved ones die from cancer and the suffering which they go through, yet Ive always heard that there is a cure and that the FDA controls all this because they would lose millions and millions of dollars. Why are we all not banding together and stopping the FDA controls.

[Oxl3y]

Why is it that we have so many loved ones die from cancer and the suffering which they go through, yet Ive always heard that there is a cure and that the FDA controls all this because they would lose millions and millions of dollars. Why are we all not banding together and stopping the FDA controls.

because its conspiracy theory nonsense?

[GasTownDreams]

Why did you post this in the Kelowna section? Couldn't help but laugh at what you wrote. You go do what you have to do, tell me how it goes. If you have cigarettes and Tim Norton's I might join you.

[monroe]

No, asking a question like that Does Not a conspiracy theorist make.

Personally,i dont exactly believe there is a cure-all out there - but i do firmly believe that big pharma make their own rules.

...which is why ill never wholeheartedly support mainstream cancer research. And having a family member going though a cancer she wont walkway from and seeing the system and how it "processes" people like her through it, I'll never think about it the same way again.

Not saying i dont believe chemo, etc doesnt work. I am saying though, that cancer is a booming, one-way industry.


The next time someone "runs for the cure" beyond just attempting to make themselves feel good, Or the next time you dump a 10 spot in the donation jar - do yourself a favor and spend 30 minutes online and do some research on those who choose to swim upstream and help to bring attention to new and alternative therapies, medicines, etc.

Maybe one day we'll see a cancer foundation setup that supports the research of more of these types of alternative treatments, therapies and medicines. Not Jus those deemed worthy by the fda/big pharma.


Great question OP.

[Steve-O]

Was diagnosed with cancer in 2011. Started reading anything and everything I could. I agree with monroe, this is big business to the pharma industry. One stat I learned is a cancer patient/victim is worth something like $400g to 1.6m to pharma from diagnosis to death. Because it is worth so much to them, they lobby the heck out of gov'ts to protect themselves.

On the other hand, there are some big break through's happening on the research front that is improving survival and quality of life for cancer patients. Keep up the good work.

[zzontar]

There is much proof that elements in cannabis can prevent or cure cancer, but of course many people would rather die or have loved ones die rather than utilize this because of the "reefer madness" stigma attached. Garlic doesn't have the stigma, and is also a wonderdrug:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265853.php

Below are examples of some scientific studies published in peer-reviewed academic journals about the therapeutic benefits (or not) of garlic.

Lung cancer risk
People who ate raw garlic at least twice a week had a 44% lower risk of developing lung cancer, according to a study carried out at the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention in China.

The researchers, who published their study in the journal Cancer Prevention Research, had carried out face-to-face interviews with 1,424 lung cancer patients as well as 4,543 healthy individuals. They were asked about their diet and lifestyle habits, which included questions on their smoking habits and how often they ate garlic.

The study authors wrote "Protective association between intake of raw garlic and lung cancer has been observed with a dose-response pattern, suggesting that garlic may potentially serve as a chemo-preventive agent for lung cancer."
Brain cancer
Organo-sulfur compounds found in garlic have been identified as effective in destroying the cells in glioblastomas, a type of deadly brain tumor.

Scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina reported in the journal Cancer that three pure organo-sulfur compounds from garlic - DAS, DADS and DATS - "demonstrated efficacy in eradicating brain cancer cells, but DATS proved to be the most effective".

Co-author, Ray Swapan, Ph.D., said "This research highlights the great promise of plant-originated compounds as natural medicine for controlling the malignant growth of human brain tumor cells," Ray said. "More studies are needed in animal models of brain tumors before application of this therapeutic strategy to brain tumor patients."
Hip osteoarthritis
Women whose diets were rich in allium vegetables had lower levels of osteoarthritis, a team at King's College London and the University of East Anglia, both in England, reported in the journal BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. Examples of allium vegetables include garlic, leeks, shallots, onions and rakkyo.

The study authors said their findings not only highlighted the possible impact of diet on osteoarthritis outcomes, but also demonstrated the potential for using compounds that exist in garlic to develop treatments for the condition.

The long-term study, involving more than 1,000 healthy female twins, found that those whose dietary habits included plenty of fruit and vegetables, "particularly alliums such as garlic", had fewer signs of early osteoarthritis in the hip joint.

Potentially a powerful antibiotic
Diallyl sulfide, a compound in garlic, was 100 times more effective than two popular antibiotics in fighting the Campylobacter bacterium, according to a study published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.

The Campylobacter bacterium is one of the most common causes of intestinal infections.

Senior author, Dr. Xiaonan Lu, from Washington State University, said "This work is very exciting to me because it shows that this compound has the potential to reduce disease-causing bacteria in the environment and in our food supply."
Heart protection
Diallyl trisulfide, a component of garlic oil, helps protect the heart during cardiac surgery and after a heart attack, researchers at Emory University School of Medicine found. They also believe diallyl trisulfide could be used as a treatment for heart failure.

Hydrogen sulfide gas has been shown to protect the heart from damage. However, it is a volatile compound and difficult to deliver as therapy. Hence, the scientists decided to focus on diallyl trisulfide, a garlic oil component, as a safer way to deliver the benefits of hydrogen sulfide to the heart.

In animal experiments using laboratory mice, the team found that after a heart attack the mice that had received diallyl sulfide had 61% less heart damage in an area of risk, compared to the untreated mice.

The team presented their findings at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions conference in Orlando, Florida in November, 2011.

In another study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, scientists found that garlic oil may help protect diabetes patients from cardiomyopathy.

Cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of death among diabetes patients. It is a chronic disease of the myocardium (heart muscle), which is abnormally thickened, enlarged and/or stiffened.

The team fed diabetic laboratory rats either garlic oil or corn oil. Those fed the garlic oil experienced significantly more changes associated with protection against heart damage, compared to the corn oil fed animals.

The study authors wrote "In conclusion, garlic oil possesses significant potential for protecting hearts from diabetes-induced cardiomyopathy."
Human studies will need to be performed to determine whether they confirm the results of this study.

High cholesterol and high blood pressure
Researchers at Ankara university set out to determine what the effects of garlic extract supplementation might be on the blood lipid (fat) profile of patients with high blood cholesterol. Their study was published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry5.

The study involved 23 volunteers, all with high cholesterol; 13 of them also had high blood pressure. They were divided into two groups:

The high-cholesterol normotensive group (normal blood pressure)
The high-cholesterol hypertensive group (high blood pressure)
They took garlic extract supplements for four months and were regularly checked for blood lipid parameters, as well as kidney and liver function.

At the end of the four months the researchers concluded "...garlic extract supplementation improves blood lipid profile, strengthens blood antioxidant potential, and causes significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressures. It also leads to a decrease in the level of oxidation product (MDA) in the blood samples, which demonstrates reduced oxidation reactions in the body."

In other words, the garlic extract supplements reduced high cholesterol levels, and also blood pressure in the patients with hypertension. The scientists added that theirs was a small study - a larger one needs to be carried out.

Prostate cancer
Doctors at the Department of Urology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China, carried out a study evaluating the relationship between Allium vegetable consumption and prostate cancer risk.

They gathered and analyzed published studies up to May 2013 and reported their findings in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention6.

The study authors wrote "Allium vegetables, especially garlic intake, are related to a decreased risk of prostate cancer".

The team also commented that as there were not that many studies, they recommend further well-designed prospective studies be carried out to confirm their findings.

Alcohol-induced liver injury
Alcohol-induced liver injury (ethanol-induced liver injury) is caused by the long-term over-consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Scientists at the Institute of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Shandong University, China, wanted to determine whether diallyl disulfide (DADS), a garlic-derived organosulfur compound, might have protective effects against ethanol-induced oxidative stress.

Their study was published in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)7.

The researchers concluded that DADS may help protect against ethanol-induced liver injury.

Preterm (premature) delivery
Microbial infections during pregnancy raise a woman's risk of preterm delivery, several studies have demonstrated. Scientists at the Division of Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, wanted to find out what impact foods might have on antimicrobial infections and preterm delivery risk.

The study and its findings were published in the Journal of Nutrition8.

Ronny Myhre and colleagues concentrated on the effects of Alliums and dried fruits, because a literature search had identified these two foods as showing the greatest promise for reducing preterm delivery risk.

The team investigated the intake of dried fruit and Alliums among 18,888 women in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort, of whom 5% (950) underwent spontaneous PTD (preterm delivery).

The study authors concluded "Intake of food with antimicrobial and prebiotic compounds may be of importance to reduce the risk of spontaneous PTD. In particular, garlic was associated with overall lower risk of spontaneous PTD."

The common cold
Julia Fashner, MD; Kevin Ericson, MD; and Sarah Werner, DO, at St. Joseph Family Medicine Residency, Mishawaka, Indiana, carried out a study titled "Treatment of the Common Cold in Children and Adults", published in American Family Physician9.

They reported that "Prophylactic use of garlic may decrease the frequency of colds in adults, but has no effect on duration of symptoms." Prophylactic use means using it with the intention of preventing disease.

Now do you think a doctor is allowed to prescribe garlic to anyone? Nope, how are the big pill boys going to make money off of that? Disgusting.

[harvgar]

Having lost 3 very close people to cancer in the last 13 months, two to lymphoma and one to brain cancer... I'm so fricken angry. One lesson learned... It is very different finding out about a friend has died from it, to watching them take their last breath. Watching the pain and suffering in the person with cancer and watching the pain and suffering of the family whose hearts are breaking.... It angers me to see how the massive money making business grows on the agony of the people it claims to be helping. There are alternatives. Controversy be damned. Seeing how even a small amout of a natural product, like a pure hemp oil (Yes, from a liscensed facility...) helped ease the pain and increase the appetite and just give a more even sense of well being. When you find out that less than 22% goes to research and then you see professional athlete's wearing pink, sport socks, gloves, hoodies and you wonder... "Is that where the money I donated, hoping to help some one, going to make a bunch of people, who probably couldn't care less, look like heros?" What about some of that money going to a girl for her grad gown because Mom isn't there to help her get one, or to the young Dad who just lost his wife and needs help with day care until he can get back on his feet? Sorry.... Just sayin'.....

[Steve-O]

Where did you get the 22% goes to research number? I know the BC Cancer Foundation is quite close to 90%. The Cancer Society is not far behind. I also know there have been some amazing advances made here in Kelowna alone in regards to cancer treatment. All that being said, I do understand your frustration in particular the pro sport comment, the pink thing does seem to be over done.

[harvgar]

Steve-O Those numbers were quoted on a local radio staion (SILK) and in one of the local papers not long after, around a year ago. Some what reliable sources. I will try to find actual stats. It is just when you see the millions being raised and still so many people suffering, you have to question "What are they doing with this money"? You see them taking money for such an emotionally charged disease... But you see very little support for the families after the person passes away. There is really no support for families after the cancer person dies. My neighbour (his wife- breast cancer) My nephew (his wife lymphoma... they have a young son) My very good friend (lymphoma... I was in the room with his wife and Mom when he left us) a friend of my son's whose girl friend died (brain cancer). The pharmacy's will offer "another pill", a sedative, anti-depressant's, etc. But where is the help with a child? Where is the home support for the husband who is trying to keep his wife home as long as possible..... Just sayin' again....

[Bsuds]

I know the BC Cancer Foundation is quite close to 90%. The Cancer Society is not far behind.

Doesn't look like they are even close to 90%.

http://list.moneysense.ca/rankings/char ... d1=a&sc1=0

[Steve-O]

No it doesn't does it. It was some time ago that I was told this information but an organization wouldn't lose 20 - 30% efficiency in a few years. I was wrong. Thanks for pointing that out Bsuds. They did scoop out a little extra grey matter when they removed my tumor, can I blame it on that?

[harvgar]

Thanks B-suds for the stats... And Steve-O, not wanting to argue.... Just frustrated when I go for groceries and am asked to donate and I say "No" and short of being a "soap box preacher" just get angry when I've seen what I've seen... Thanks! Just wish there was a way for hurting people to get help and not knowing how to help. Wishing for better accountability on the people who "demand" that I give them money because of a devastating disease that affects so many people and see them not getting the support they so need. Sigh....

[Bsuds]

Maybe that's why so many that are left behind take up the cause and help raise more money.
It's therapeutic for them. They feel like they are doing some good.

[harvgar]

Steve-O!! Thanks for being brave and sharing that people do triumph and overcome the "C" word!!! Some of us need to hear that!!! 2 Thumbs up!!! =D