Fwd: [discusschineseherbs] Prostate Cancer and PC-SPES

[Guest guest]

Thanks to Colleen for permission to forward this over.

 

Victoria

 

>Colleen DeLaney <herbdocs

>discusschineseherbs

>discusschineseherbs

>[discusschineseherbs] Prostate Cancer and PC-SPES

>Fri, 16 Jun 2000 10:23:47 -0700

>

>Dear group--

>

>There is some information I wanted to share that might not make it into

>the next newsletter, so I'll put the beginnings of it here and expand on

>it, hopefully at length, in another newsletter.

>

>For various reasons I've been doing a lot of research on prostate cancer

>recently. The PC-SPES formula by Dr. Sophie Chen (Chinese herbs plus

>saw palmetto)is undergoing clinical trials at UCSF, and I had heard

>preliminary reports that virtually 100% of men in the study were getting

>positive results, and I wanted to know more.

>

>Statisitically, 100% of men in the study HAVE so far had lowered PSA

>readings. (Prostate Specific Antigen-- a cancer marker-- normally runs

>from 0-4 and rises with severity of disease.)

>

>I've joined an on-line discussion group on PC-SPES which includes men

>both from the study and men taking the PC-SPES on their own.

>

>Two days ago, through a weird quirk, I found out that a man I'd known in

>town for several years is part of the UCSF study. I called him and he

>was willing to talk to me about his experiences. Oddly enough, when he

>was first diagnosed a year and a half ago, a female friend of his asked

>me if I knew anything about PCa (prostate cancer). I referred her to a

>website and he found out about the PC-SPES from there-- at that point in

>time, I'd not heard anything about it myself. Just two days ago he

>mentioned my name to her, wondering why I was trying to get a hold of

>him, and she said, " That's who referred you to the study! "

>

>Synchonicity abounds. Now he is able to help ME!

>

>At any rate, he gave me permission to tell his story (name withheld, of

>course) and I'd like to share it with you.

>

>Joe was a 52 year old African American when diagnosed. Black men have

>disproportionately higher rates of prostate cancer. He was having no

>symptoms at the time, just some back pain that felt normal and

>explainable to him. His mother called him and told him that a cousin

>was having surgery for prostate cancer and suggested he get checked.

>Without giving it much thought, he did.

>

>His practitioner palpated an almond-sized lump on his prostate and

>tested his PSA, which was 75. He then had a biopsy and his Gleason

>score (this measures the severity of cancer cells on biopsy and runs

>from 0-10) was a 9.5. A bone scan showed metastases to his spine,

>explaining his back pain. At this time he was not having any urinary or

>sexual dysfunctions. That screening exam probably saved his life.

>

>He went to a couple of local oncologists. Because of the metastases to

>his spine, surgery was not considered viable. Both oncologists suggested

>hormone shots. Joe didn't like the idea of the side effects and the

>odds, and he kept looking. He was told that without any treatment he

>would likely be dead within two years. When he asked what he could do

>on his own, he was told that his attitude would be extremely important.

>Given that he's a positive guy in general, he took heart from that and

>decided there was no reason why HE couldn't be one of the survivors.

>Around this time he found out about the clinical trials at UCSF and went

>there.

>

>The doctor he met with at first told him he was a candidate for the

>study-- to take part of that clinical trial, you MUST NOT have had any

>other medical interventions such as surgery, hormone therapy, etc. But

>then Joe was told that sorry, the study is closed, there's no room for

>you in it.

>

>Joe is a very outgoing, humorous person who lets very few things upset

>him. He wouldn't take no for an answer-- and he got himself into the

>study.

>

>The protocol started out at one capsule 3 times per day. After two

>weeks it was increased. Over a period of a few months, the dosage was

>gradually increased to 3 capsules 3 times a day. Joe's PSA dropped to

>40, then to 10, and then to its current level of .9-- quite normal. The

>palpable nodule on his prostate disappeared. After two months, the bone

>scan of his spine was clear-- no metastases. His back pain cleared up,

>and he hadn't realized how much it actually was bothering him until it

>was gone.

>

>He has not met other people in the study but his doctors have told him

>that so far, everyone is the study is improving. (Published statistics

>are available to back this up.)

>

>The formula is NOT without side effects, some very serious. Some side

>effects are almost universal. The formula appears to have strongly

>estrogenic activity. Joe experienced severe leg cramps which were

>helped by supplements of calcium, magnesium, and zinc. If he drinks any

>wine at all the cramps become severe again-- no more wine!

>

>The other almost universal side effect is breast swelling and nipple

>tenderness. Joe laughs that if he didn't work out, he would almost

>certainly have to be wearing a bra. At times the nipple soreness is so

>intense that he can't stand to even have an undershirt touching him.

>

>Another universal side effect is nearly total loss of libido. While

>many men on PC-SPES also experience impotence, that hasn't happened to

>Joe. He is physically capable of having sex, and has erections, but

>mentally and emotionally he really couldn't care less, which is a very

>odd sensation for him. He will occasionally make the effort for his

>wife's sake, but he could take it or leave it.

>

>The most dangerous side effect that has happened to a small percentage

>of men in the study is pulmonary embolism. This happens when a blood

>clot in the legs breaks loose and travels through the blood stream where

>it lodges in the lungs. It can be fatal. Cancer patients in general

>tend to be more prone to thrombosis, so it's hard to say what other

>precipitating factors might be involved. Many doctors who give PC-SPES

>also give it with a blood thinner.

>

>After Joe's PSA levels had stayed stable for a year, they began to very

>gradually reduce his dosage. He topped out at 3 capsules 3 times a day

>and is now taking 2 capsules 3 times a day. So long as his PSA and

>scans remain clean, they will continue gradually decreasing the

>dosasage. No one knows yet if a manintenance dose will be required for

>life or if men will be able to stop the herbs and get their libidos

>back. The study is till too young for any long-term conclusions.

>

>Joe's comment was that the side effects of PSA were absolutely nothing

>compared to the side effects of other therapies.

>

>If you know of someone with prostate cancer, it is worth passing this

>information along. There is a web site devoted to PC-SPES at

>http://pc-spes.com/ where you can contact the on line discussion group

>and find a group of doctors who are knowledgable about the protocols and

>precautions of using this formula.

>

>For a more detailed article on the PC-SPES pharmacology, go to

>http://www.lef.org/protocols/prtcls-txt/t-prtcl35.html

>

>I frequently have to deall with the criticism that Chinese medicine is

>unscientific and unproven. To be able to point to a reputable clinical

>trial like this one with outstanding results is, I believe, just the

>beginning of what modern science will be able toprove Chinese medicine

>capable of.

>--

>------>Colleen

>

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