Studying Supplements to Treat Pancreatic Cancer?

[Guest guest]

Studying Supplements to Treat Pancreatic Cancer?

 

What vitamins or herbs do you suggest taking for cancer of the pancreas?

 

-- Gerry Ruby

 

 

Answer (Published 06/05/2003)

 

Cancer of the pancreas is very hard to treat with any type of therapy because it

usually isn’t diagnosed until it is advanced. However, a clinical trial in

progress is evaluating a nutritional treatment for pancreatic cancer developed

by Nicholas Gonzalez, MD, a New York physician.

 

The Gonzalez Protocol Trial is a five-year study funded by the National Center

for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), an arm of the National

Institutes of Health. It is accepting patients between the ages of 18 and 65

with stage II, III and IV pancreatic cancers who have had no previous

chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

 

Dr. Gonzalez’ approach involves administration of pancreatic enzymes orally

every four hours and at mealtime for 16 days. Patients also must take up to 150

pills a day including such dietary supplements as magnesium citrate, papaya

plus, vitamins, minerals, trace elements and animal glandular products. They

also must have daily coffee enemas. The diet Dr. Gonzalez recommends emphasizes

fresh raw fruits, raw and lightly steamed vegetables and vegetable juice daily.

 

In earlier studies, patients on the Gonzalez regimen lived an average of 17.5

months, which advertisement

 

is nearly three times the survival period for those with advanced pancreatic

cancer. According to the pilot study using Dr. Gonzalez’ protocol, nine out of

11 people have survived one year; five have lived for two years; and four

patients are still alive after four years. There is even one 75 year old man who

has been following the regimen for more than 10 years and is apparently healthy

and without any evidence of disease.

 

Fortunately, cancer of the pancreas is relatively rare. It accounts for only two

percent of all newly diagnosed cancers in the United States each year although

it causes five percent of all cancer deaths. The one-year survival rate for

patients treated with conventional therapy is only 19 percent, while the five

year survival rate goes down to only four percent. The disease is more common

among men than women and develops more often among African Americans than among

any other group.

 

Risk factors include cigarette smoking, being overweight or obese and having

diabetes. Exposures to certain chemicals in the workplace may also increase the

risk.

 

Dr. Andrew Weil

www.drweil.com

_________________

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjoguest

DietaryTipsForHBP

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Genes

 

 

 

 

 

AIM Barleygreen

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

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