PN Treament Affected by Chemo?
 

For the last 6 months on a regimen of supplements honed from these very threads to treat my well-earned Alcohol induced PN, I've been making very gradual, but measurable forward progress--in the sense that every so often when successful at some attempt or another I'll ask myself: could I do this 6 months ago?

Now to add to the predicament, I have recently been diagnosed with Stage 3 Squamous Cell Carcinoma that, at this point seems by the results of the C/T and PET Scans, confined to my throat area. However I will require substantial Radiation and Chemotherapy treatments--the amounts and durations of each to be determined in the next week.

Unfortunately the mainline medical community, due to to the venues from which they glean the "latest" PN diagnostic and treatment protocols, (JAMA and the pharmaceutical community) haven't a clue as to any form of supplement treatment regimens, and thus is why these forums are so vital.

Am in a complete quandary as to what the interactions might be between the supplements and the cancer treatment. Will they aid? Will they have a negative influence? Should I cease all OTC intake while on Chemo? or continue and just deal with symptomatic reactions as/if they occur? I can't help but suppose any answer I receive to such queries from one of my specialists would be more than akin to putting on a blindfold, spinning around 3 times, and throwing a dart at an imaginary target.

I obviously would greatly appreciate any and all input, whether it be from similar experience, or any source or resource that jogs even a tidbit from one of my fellow members' recent or even remote memories.

Happy Thanksgiving to all,

Sarge

This is a difficult question.

I think you have to defer to your doctors. Some nutrients are very dubious with cancer. This is because cancer cells need to divide rapidly and so they use nutrients to accomplish this.

Folate is one that has been documented being connected to various cancer growths. (colon cancers)

You will have to seek out dieticians and or an integrative doctor to see what you can and cannot do. You will need the names of the chemo drugs, and research them as well.

Most chemo drugs do cause neuropathies as well.

This poster has posted many links over the past months about chemo treatments and supplements:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/member.php?u=65304
I'd suggest you read some of those posts.

You are in a tough spot. I am sure all here will agree with me in wishing you a safe journey thru this serious development in your health.

Thanks
 

Thanks much for the input and particularly the kind wishes.

Sarge

Humira and Remicade
 

Joint damage and Scoriatic Arthritis med that takes immune system down. I know that this probably doesn't apply to you but these "biologics" actually gave my wife breast cancer w/remicade and lung nodules w/Humira. She went through the Chemo and Radiation on no supplements and was RXd Tomoxifen afterwards to prevent re-occurence. Dr gave her cool-packs for skin burn that were not refrigerated. Good Luck, Ken in Texas.

I’m really sorry to hear what you are going through.

I was diagnosed with Lymphoma, after many years of dealing with a chronic illness without a definite diagnosis. It was encouraging that at least with the cancer there was a definite diagnosis and a clear treatment protocol. And although the treatments aren’t easy they are time limited and it is possible to recover.
I highly recommend the book: Anticancer by David Servan Schreiber
http://www.anticancerbook.com/

I agree with the recommendations of mrsD.
When I started the chemotherapy my hemato-oncologist and the doctor who manage the integrative clinic at the hospital recommended to stop all the supplements I was taking. I don’t know if this recommendation is relevant to the specific supplements and treatment you are about to get.

Good luck !

Idiot! Idiot!
 

Not you........ME!

When I read MrsD's response post I immediately had one of those--smack myself in the forehead, Why had this not occurred to me?-- moments.

Around 1-1/2 to 2 months after beginning the massive supplement doses for my Alky induced PN, some patches on my face and scalp became noticeably active. A subsequent biopsy showed them positive for Squamous Cell Carcinoma (In Situ). The surgery to remove them was deemed 100% successful.

At about the same time this annoying growth appeared in my throat which my GP said looked like a badly infected tonsil. When informed I had them removed some 60 years ago, he sent me immediately to the best ENT he was familiar with, whose samples of the tissue biopsied also positive for Squamous Cell Carcinoma--the extent of spread to be determined by C/T and PET Scans. My first thoughts ran to metastasis from the Dermal, to which my ENT who now has become my Primary in this, assured that such was an "impossibility," and merely coincidence.

Maybe not. The two cancers though not causal to each other brought me right to my "smack on the forehead moment" induced by MrsD's reminder that due to C cells need for nutrition to support their rapid growth. Was my rich supplement regimen enabling them, as much, if not more, than aiding my PN healing process?

I immediately ceased all supplements save a Senior Multi and Jarrows B-Right. Will rely on them, diet, and whatever is RX'd by my Radiologist and Hemato-Oncologist who we first meet with tomorrow to set and proceed with a treatment protocol. At such point further treatments are deemed not required, and I am officially "cleared," will get back to dealing with my existing PN, as well as any new "gifts" that may be brought on by upcoming treatments.

Will post progress in the hope info may prove helpful to others in future.

Thanks to all for sharing their experiences and kind wishes.

Sarge

I don’t know which supp you were taking, but I doubt that 1.5-2 months could have caused your cancer.
My doctors told me to stop supp during chemotherapy because it might reduce its effectiveness and not because these supp caused cancer. When the chemotherapy was over they recommended many antioxidants (some of them helps me today with the SFN) to reduce the risks from the chemotherapy and the risks for the cancer recurrence.
I don’t know whether these recommendations are relevant to the specific supp you were taking and cancer.

How was the appointment with your Radiologist and Hemato-Oncologist ?

Everything I read about cancer says it needs sugar (carbohydrates) to survive. I believe I'd eliminate sugar for sure from my diet and also increase eating the cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, etc. Also asperagus.) I don't know if your doctor will restrict you from eating sugar or not, and he probably won't advise you to eat those vegetables either, but that's what I would do.

In case you just can't bring yourself to eat those veggies, you can take Indole-3-Carbinol which is made from the cruciferous vegetables. I do hope you can turn this around quickly.