Guest guest Posted June 16, 2000 Report Share Posted June 16, 2000 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 > >^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* >To Subscribe to Our Free Newsletter, Herbs & Things, the ezine >for both professional and " budding " herbalists, >or to learn about our course, Learn Chinese Herbs, >visit our website at http://www.herbdocs.com >to join our on-line discussion group, send a blank e-mail to: >discusschineseherbs- >^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* > > > >To Post a message, send it to: discusschineseherbs (AT) eGroups (DOT) com > >To Un, send a blank message to: >discusschineseherbs- (AT) eGroups (DOT) com > ______________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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