Surveillance Alternatives

[JonnyBakes]

After looking at these Boards for awhile and thinking about my TC problems and problems that plague many of us, I am wondering if there is any information or studies going on regarding chemoprevention in TC. By this I mean putting someone on a therapeutic meant to prevent progression of the disease (or eliminate occult disease). I know that researchers in many cancer fields are looking at various compounds to prevent relapse or recurrence and there are on going clinical trials in these areas.

The problem in my mind is that while I/O surgery cures a large percentage of TCs there is a large number who still develop disease. RPLND and chemo can cure many of those who still have disease which is awesome, but these treatments are fairly intense - maybe one-day there will be a better way.

In other cancers, such as colorectal cancer and prostate cancer, some compounds may have a "chemopreventative effect". There is also evidence that some natural products have chemopreventative effects, in some cancer models. Does anybody here know anything about this? I'd be interested in hearing more.

Also, does anybody have any info on TC pharmacogenomics?

[Martin]

This may not be on target with your post, but I feel it is interesting nevertheless:

I read an interesting article in 'Yankee'-magazine just the other day, about a guy in his late teens who ran away during chemo-treatment because he was feeling so ill he rather die than continue. He returned after a year and after his parents promised they would not make him go through chemo again.
Long story short, they found two homeopathic components, a tea and something else that needs to be injected directly in the lymphnodes, that cured the guy within several month. That result has been reproduced with other people since then, even though they may have been suffering from different cancers.

Dana-Farber Insititute, who initially handled his chemo treatment before he disappeared, did a research on it and, thinking this is something worth investigating even closer, passed the case on to the National Cancer Insititute. To everyones disapopintment, NCI declined a major study due to 'insufficient data'.

The 'boy' is in his mid to late 20s now and has become somewhat of a celebrity (he lives in Massachusetts - the herbal medication comes from Canada). He admits that it doesn't work for everyone and that the people who come to him have tried everything else already, so it is kind of their last chance.

I, myself, have always believed strongly that there is a place for homeopathic medicine - especially since it cured my brother from asthma when conventional medicine couldn't. However, cancer is so serious that I would not dare go with alternative medicine unless I had no other choice or chance.

I am not aware of any prevention methods.

- Martin