BOB CHARLES - Broadcaster from Pyramid One Radio Network has found something Posted by a Previous Guest of his from Australia.
HEY, "IT IS TIME"
“Cancer is a Gift”
By Steven Strong
I have heard this glib phrase many times before, and it always
sounded just a touch trite and even more disrespectful. Any cancer is
unpleasant, and when the words terminal and palliative are attachment to
the prognosis, there seems to be no joy whatsoever. Even more so when
my wife was told she had a very advanced primary liver cancer and there
was no possible way for her to recover, and a stay of six months at most
was all the medical experts could guarantee. Of all the primary cancer
locations there seems to be none worse than the liver, the research is
unequivocal in affording “a dismal prognosis” simply because ”no
consistent survival benefits for anticancer agents in hepatocellular
cancer have been recorded in approximately 100 randomized studies
reported during the past 30 years.”
With all the medical facts collated and the white-fella
medicine-chest empty outside pointing the bone, my wife was told there
was no hope of survival because there wasn’t any drug on this planet
that could help. With a blood cancer count of nearly 664,000 the primary
tumour (hepatocellular carcinoma) in the liver measuring 15.5 cms x 12
cms (187.5 square cms), another large cancerous growth in the spleen and
talk of four smaller lesions, the task at hand was beyond the ability
of oncologist or surgeon. What they offered was a drug made of many
chemicals difficult to pronounce, spell or swallow, that if taken at
full dose and prepared to endure all manner of adverse reactions, could
extend her life by up to two months. From this point until death there
will be no idle talk of recovery, it was a downhill slope with one
possible minor deviation.
At the time when the medical experts were passing verdict, within a
second of hearing an opinion as to what could be the end-result, one ray
of hope sprung to mind: Medicinal Cannabis Oil. My wife was in hospital
for over a week and so grave was her condition the nurses suggested I
sleep beside her. So debilitated was her general health and body, the
charts recorded that she exhibited all the symptons of anorexia, and
even after releasing her it was two weeks before the doctors felt
confident enough to prescribe half dosage of this new drug that just
might provide a brief stay of execution.
In the meantime an alternative natural regime of the highest calibre
was being established in preparation for the first dose of the chemical
poison with a ‘truck-load’ of side effects. Above and beyond this
pressing need to defend the body there was an even higher priority,
attack and neutralise the cancerous cells found in no less than six
separate positions. We made no secret of our intention to combine three
treatments, the illegal Cannabis Oil, Zeolite (to be discussed in the
next article) and the mainstream manufactured drug Nexavar, and nor did
the oncologist given my wife’s case make no secret of her disdain for
our choice, adamant that the cannabis can “not kill one cancer cell.”
Three Months Later
My wife’s cancer count at her last blood sampling is 1,460, her main
cancer has “decreased markedly” to a size of 30 square cms, the cancer
in the spleen is “much smaller” and all other smaller cancers have been
destroyed. The experts are stumbling in the dark deposited well outside
their comfort zone and the professional assisting us is still in a state
of denial. Without going into all the many components that lead to
recovery, as this is meant to be an introduction, we are rapidly
reaching the stage of full recovery and the potential of creating some
sort of preventative dose to strengthen this remission.
Obviously the Medicinal Cannabis Oil and Zeolite will continue but at
a lower dosage, the manufactured product has to go asap, as it creates
too many unpleasant side-effects and that can only get worse. Will it be
phased out quickly, gradually or completely discarded? The pace of
exclusion really is the only question remaining.
To assist in deciding future directions, my wife’s oncologist sent us
a copy of the research and science that led to this drug’s approval,
and it is from this point her tale of an inconvenient medical success
begins. This account is somewhat back the front in that we are using the
present situation to provide a background setting, then we shall step
back in time in detailing what happened after the bone was pointed and
death-sentence proclaimed. We felt the reply I sent to the doctor who
has been advising us highlights all the relevant science and provides
not only proof that Cannabis Oil can kill liver cancer cells under the
right conditions, but explains how this can come about. Until we can
present the science and data retrieved, the officially sanctioned
impossibility of recovery still remains as the major obstacle. Science
insists these positive results cannot come about, so what comes next is a
copy of my reply upon reading the official paper that led to this drug
being approved for public use.
“Sorafenib in Advanced Heptocellular Carcinoma” (The New England Journal of Medicine, July 24, 2008)*:
My Response:
NB. This is a direct copy of my response to the supervising
oncologist, the only alteration was the changing of names so as to
ensure the focus is only on the events and science, not people and
places.
“Hi Arnold,
Thanks so much for sending the science and I have had a close look and I
now understand why what is happening is difficult for you (and us) to
absorb. I see the paper as purely positive.
I note the biggest hurdle is that primary liver cancer carries with
it a “dismal prognosis” and there has been “no consistent survival
techniques” available after over “100 trials over 30 years.” Therefore,
what Del has is a death sentence, if relying solely on what is available
in the ‘mainstream’ medicine-chest.
The trial was predicated upon no chance of defeating the cancer, and
as such it is to be expected that “no patients had a complete response.”
I noted that they included a “one sided false positive,” just in case
through some miracle this mortality rate of 100% is upset-but that did
not happen.
That being the case, the markers are actually “measured stages of
regression,” and all that has to be done is measure the time occupied at
each descending rung. They are actually factoring in as ‘gospel’ the
“date of randomization until the date of death.” So there is no need to
measure or expect a decrease in cancer blood count or tumour size,
simply because the drug acts as an “inhibitor” and its assigned role is
to “delay disease progression,” so death is inevitable and any other
measurements serve no purpose.
The selected patients could only qualify for treatment if they had
“well-preserved liver function.” As my wife almost died in hospital and
with a cancer count of 664,000 she would have been rejected as a
candidate. As for those whose livers met with the researcher’s approval,
of the 299 who volunteered to take this experimental drug, no doubt
with the hope of an improved condition or lengthier stay, “80% had
adverse reactions,” 70% were so badly affected they either had a “dose
reduction” or “interruption.” If only 71 remained and “468 had
discontinued treatment,” the side effects are severe and this negative
result seems to be downplayed through emphasising the extra time gained.
But if miserable and unwell, what has been gained bar a proportional
increase in illness and suffering? Living extra days yet feeling unwell
and drained of energy is hardly an enticing bonus, and that view seems
to be held by most who withdrew.
We suspect that a huge majority of those sampled are not from Grade 3
or 4, which is my wife’s category, but mainly contains patients from
the less severe Grades 2 and 1, and from that group many had previous
operations which failed to stem the flow, but their liver was still
functioning. What still puzzles me is a selective and subjective claim
that “five year survival rates of up to 60-70% can be achieved in
well-selected patients.” “Up to” is not specific, and one can only
assume the cream of the crop were chosen to highlight the positive
aspects. But what is a “well-selected” client and how are such
individuals recognised? Are we seeking the least damage to boost the
averages, those with a positive outlook, someone just diagnosed in an
early stage, or perhaps friends and relations of the main researchers?
Not knowing the condition of the liver, cancer count or what Grade the
“well-selected” patients brought to this equation, such poor science
does raise concerns.
All we do now as a certainty is that if any operation was attempted,
irrespective of the size and level ascribed, if just one cancer cell
remains in the liver, it does return with accelerated vigour and no
manufactured drug can stop its progress until death.
Now the pressing question relates to where do Del’s results fit into
this paper and the answer is it does not, and the reason for this, in
what seems a touch ironic, is clearly stated in the paper. The
researchers, to their credit, were very candid in conceding their drug
is lacking in a colleague and limited in its applications. They state
that “Sorafenib is likely to delay progression,” which means it cannot
reverse, only stem the flow. But there amongst the despair and
limitations is one carrot.
“Future studies should assess the benefits of combined molecular therapy, as compared with Sorafenib alone.”
Absolutely, spot on, but they have no idea what other test tube
conceived drug could effectively combine, just that there is a vacancy
unfilled and is needed in attendance. The real pity is that they needed
to look outside the laboratory and into the earth.
Amy, as you no doubt know, the drug you prescribed works through
“apoptosis,” what you are having some difficulty accepting is that
apoptosis is the same ‘game plan’ employed by Medicinal Cannabis Oil.
“Unlike chemotherapy … cannabis has the ability to seek out the affected
cells and destroy them through apoptosis, reducing the size of the
tumour. In other words, it actually possesses cancer-preventing
properties.”
Before cringing in cynicism let me share with you three of the
sources who support our belief Cannabis Medicinal Oil is the perfect
leading partner: the Australian Federal Government, the Head Professor
of Medicine from Harvard University and a team of eminent academics from
Sydney University.
At Norfolk Island broad acre full strength THC sativa cannabis
strands are being grown solely to make Medicinal Cannabis Oil to be
exported and sold to Canada as a medicine to combat a huge array of
disorders including cancer. As it is an illegal substance, and Norfolk
Island is undeniably part of Australia, it can only be sold as a
medicine if gaining approval by Government scientists-that is the law.
An article in the SMH carried an interview with the company spokesperson
who explained why their product was sold intact with the THC. He spoke
of the way the THC literally escorts the 9 identified “key cannabinoids”
to the each cancer cell.
Three years ago on a Four Corners program there was an interview with
the Head Professor of Medicine at Harvard University, he said that, and
I can still remember every word of this sentence, “Cannabis Oil will be
the wonder drug of the 21st Century.”
It is one thing for a radical academic to spruke the oil’s
credentials, but for the Chief Administrator of Norfolk Island to wax
lyrically about the growing of full-strength cannabis as an approved
exported Australian product pushes the boundaries considerably. And that
is before the amazing announcement made by Sydney University in
relation to Cannabis Oil and a $33,700,000 grant they gratefully
received to examine to the countless benefits of this natural drug, many
of which they are openly extolling (more on that at the end of this
article).
On more than one occasion the researchers clearly held out hope for a
complimentary drug of unknown origin or make, they make it clear
“future studies are warranted to evaluate sorafenib as an adjuvant
therapy.” “Adjuvant“ means “serving to help or assist,” and by admitting
this drug is in need of a senior partner, all that is needed is to find
the principle ally in apoptosis. Alas, the problem is this paper was
written in 2008 and they are still hoping for the leader in this
confederation will be discovered inside a test tube.
So knowing Sorafenib is utterly incapable in being responsible in
killing >98% of the cancer count, then the Cannabis Oil and Zeolite
must be doing exactly what the doctors hoped for. They are working in
concert and as a unit, with the exotic chemical very much the junior
partner.
Amy you did say that the massive reduction in the cancer count could
be misleading and until a cat scan was taken nothing was certain. So we
reluctantly agreed to a third cat scan, knowing each treatment equates
to one hundred X-Rays, it was something that had to be done to confirm
what we knew to be true. The smaller cancers are gone and the larger two
are much smaller, there are no ‘delaying’ tactics by Sorafenib on
display in this exchange, here the cancer is being vigorously attacked
and neutralised by the oil and volcanic ash. We aren’t even convinced
that the drug is making any worthwhile contribution, once factoring all
the insidious side effects, but cannot be sure as it could act as a
catalyst or make a minor contribution.
Make no mistake we do appreciate your expertise, real concern and
suggestions, but as you know from the very beginning we have been on
different paths and to this stage ‘never the twain has met.’ I believe
you have to factor the Medicinal Cannabis Oil into her short and long
term recovery, but you are finding this request nigh on impossible. In
our last meeting you asked my wife whether she was using one of two
appetite inducing drugs that could only be prescribed by you, and thus
explain why she was eating so well. That was so disappointing, cannabis
has one effect everyone knows about, it is called the ‘munchies.’ In a
recent Big Bang Theory show three of the stars accidentally ate some
marijuana cookies and spent the rest of the show chasing up anything
resembling food to satisfy their insatiable cannabis inspired craving to
eat. Knowing from Day 1 we were using the oil and you clearly denied it
had any use, I was stunned when you asked this and make it very clear
the cannabis is not on your radar.
Medicinal Cannabis Oil is certainly on the radar of Sydney
University, big time! An amount of $33.7 million has been donated to
Sydney University to “research the medical applications of cannabis.” So
huge is the donation it is “the largest research donation in the
University’s history.” Professor Iain McGregor leads a very diverse team
and correctly observed when assessing the prospects of cannabis that it
has “incredible potential for the relief of human suffering … and to
repair damaged bodies and brains.” It is undeniably, as the Professor
claimed, “one of the most exciting questions in modern medicine.” The
Premier of NSW, Mike Baird, is also just as excited by this development
confident in his belief that “this is something that is going to
reverberate around the world.”
Along with a variety of cancers and brain disorders they believe will
be cured the researchers “argue cannabis is a potential treatment for
obesity, schizophrenia and drug addiction.” Without doubt this could end
up to be the most versatile and effective drug known to mankind, now I
am starting to sound like that loopy left-wing Harvard academic, and the
extremely conservative Australian Government, and the highly esteemed
academics at Sydney University, and so it continues and grows as each
day passes. You told me I was wrong to place such faith in cannabis and
you claimed you had science in your corner, I am sorry but the science
is on our side in this debate and you are wrong twice over.
And while we are on the topic of what constitutes good science, have a
closer look at the front and back page in the fine print, where
“potential conflicts of interest” are declared. Twenty one of those
working on this paper have been paid by Bayer, the two leading academics
are paid by Bayer, the “critical review of the manuscript” was
performed by an employee of Bayer and the article was “supported by
Bayer.” Equally, I also found puzzling and confusing the use of the two
major forms of measuring the regression in health that takes place
before death. Using the terms “survival” which really means how many
months left before you die, and the “progression” to a lower stage of
functioning has a ‘feel good’ approach masking a tragic conclusion. It
sounds more like a sales pitch focusing on semantics and glossing over
the flaws, than an impartial scientific investigation.
The problem is the next time we meet the blood count will be lower
and the last two tumours smaller and some decisions need to be made. All
of the proponents of the Medicinal Cannabis Oil are urging us to dump
the chemo post haste and go clean and natural. You sit on the other
extreme and dismiss the natural agents and place all your ‘eggs in the
Sorafenib basket.’ We always wanted to walk the middle path, but have
no-one to accompany us. So we are forced to decide our next move without
anyone to seek counsel from.
I do hope this gives you a clearer understanding of our take on this.
Again this is not a critique, just a statement of our stance on the
causes and effects and the research done on Sorafenib. I don’t expect
you to agree or alter your poor opinion of Cannabis or Zeolite, but at
least you can see our take on this.
Cheers Steve
A Mid-Semester Report
We have measured the progress of this “gift” by the cancer count
collated by through blood samples and as we began it was thought of by
the thousands, anything just in the hundreds seemed so far off in the
distance. The cancer cell count in the blood is the first port of call
for the oncologist to discuss and gives the best general indicators as
to general health and often, the increasing rate of decline. Over the
last eleven weeks my wife’s count started to marginally decelerate
beginning at a slightly better, but still extremely grave count of
623,900. Four weeks further on the descent had accelerated markedly,
173,192 was close to half a million less and this certainly was more
than encouraging. But what if that was it, what if after an initial
surge the cancer cells take an initial hit and then re-establish their
tenure?
The next cancer count took place four weeks after and resolved one
issue, the cancer was still suffering heavy losses, 17,007 was just over
a tenfold decrease and maintained this rapid rate of attrition. There
was now a consistent pattern for the last ten weeks and as long as
everything stayed the same we saw no reason to doubt it would continue.
The past three weeks have seen another drop at an increasing pace
(1,160%), and the last count of 1,460 brings us very close to the
starting line. The fascinating consequence of this last number is that
over the last 21 days between blood samples the cancer cells have been
dying at an average of 720 per day. If, and that is an assumption only
and won’t be confirmed until the next blood test, it continued at that
pace, three days after her blood sample was taken the task was
completed.
Or could it be, and the odds are remote, that right at the finish
line the most resilient cells residing at the core of the growth rallied
and multiplied. Perhaps there is final step to be taken at this crucial
final moment that is yet unknown. But at the very least, if this is a
journey of a thousand steps, with a success rate of 98%, nine hundred
and eighty steps have been negotiated, and the path taken so far
deserves to be closely scrutinised.
The ever-present issue is simple, is the Medicinal Cannabis Oil
capable of killing the cells of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma? We
believe the answer is a resounding yes, with one caveat. If unable to
appreciate why my wife firmly believes this huge tumorous growth and the
five others in attendance are gifts that can be life-changing, then it
all goes back to no better than ‘a 50/50 chance.’
P.S. The result of the next blood test is in, sixteen days after the
reading of 1,460 the cancer count is now 345 and the oncologist told us
the large carcinomas have shrunk massively and the number of cancer
cells, as measured in mid-March, has now dropped by over 99.5%. We are
now instituting a plan of gradual reduction, as this manufactured
chemical is undeniably toxic. There is no more talk of combating the
cancers, but more of maintaining the present readings and recovery.
The problem we face is simple, as no-one has ever
survived there is no official routine or sanctioned guidelines to rely
upon. The path forward is full steam ahead while making it up as we go.
* Paper’s Full Reference Citation:-
Josep M. Llovet, M.D., Sergio Ricci, M.D., Vincenzo
Mazzaferro, M.D., Philip Hilgard, M.D., Edward Gane, M.D., Jean-Frédéric
Blanc, M.D., Andre Cosme de Oliveira, M.D., Armando Santoro, M.D.,
Jean-Luc Raoul, M.D., Alejandro Forner, M.D., Myron Schwartz, M.D.,
Camillo Porta, M.D., Stefan Zeuzem, M.D., Luigi Bolondi, M.D., Tim F.
Greten, M.D., Peter R. Galle, M.D., Jean-François Seitz, M.D., Ivan
Borbath, M.D., Dieter Häussinger, M.D., Tom Giannaris, B.Sc., Minghua
Shan, Ph.D., Marius Moscovici, M.D., Dimitris Voliotis, M.D., and Jordi
Bruix, M.D. for the SHARP Investigators Study Group, “Sorafenib in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma”, The New England Journal of Medicine, July 24, 2008, Vol. 359 No. 4 : 378-390.
