Tuesday, February 9, 2021

VIDEO: "PATH TO RECOVERY STARTS WITH A SECOND OPINION" by: James Hunt

 

STEPPING UP MY OWN RESEARCH
by: James Hunt (originally published March, 18, 2018)

I want to tell my story so that I can help others diagnosed with prostate cancer. This all started with a routine physical with blood work. My primary care physician called to say everything looks good except a slightly elevated PSA and suggested I make an appointment to see a urologist. After spending months on antibiotics to treat a possible infection of the prostate due to bike riding, my urologist suggested a biopsy. The biopsy was one of the worst things I’ve ever experienced in my life. The biopsy results showed a Gleason 6 cancer in one of the 12 tissue samples taken from me.

The urologist suggested active surveillance where we would monitor the cancer with blood tests, MRI’s and biopsies. He mentioned that I would eventually need surgery- probably within a year or two. I reached out to one of my chiropractor friends for some advice (Dr. Mark Jones of Wading River) who is quite knowledgeable in Holistic medicine and he suggested; Pomi-T a dietary supplement that was used in a study (in prison) that was proven to slow the growth of prostate cancer. He also told me about Chaga Tea - brewed from the Chaga mushroom that grows on birch trees in Canada. I connected with Debbie Falborn from Chaga Island who told me "we will beat this". They helped me put together a plan that consisted of drinking 24oz of chaga tea a day along with daily supplements of Glutathione, Vitamin B complex and Magnesium powder (Calm).

I also spoke to another friend, Dr. Keith Gutzmann whose practice,
"...to everyone battling cancer --
stay smart, realistic... do
your own research and follow your
gut for what makes the most sense."
The Howard Beach Comprehensive Health Care Center
is tailored towards Holistic Health and Wellness.  Dr. Gutzmann suggested a number of nutritional supplements. Curcumin, Boswellia (Indian Frankincense), Ginger, Fish Oil, and Vitamin D3 for their anti-inflammatory effects.  Indole-3-carbinol, Vitex, and Saw Palmetto for their hormone modulating effects. There were a number of other supplements he suggested that I found to be echoed later by other sources as I continued my research. Dr. Gutzmann then strongly suggested a Ketogenic dietary strategy (low carbohydrates and sugar) with concomitant periods of Intermittent fasting. Lastly, he suggested I look into getting a DVD of a film by Peter Starr called "Surviving Prostate Cancer Without Surgery, Drugs or Radiation". I found this on Dr. Mercola’s website. One Friday night at 8pm my urologist called me to tell me that a second part of my biopsy reveled a more aggressive cancer and that I really need to consider surgery sooner rather than later. I had just started to feel right mentally and now this. My surviving prostate cancer DVD came and I watched it. The first thing Peter Starr said is that "you have time... you are not going to die tomorrow". He also explained how these doctors will attempt to scare you into doing some sort of treatment right away.

I learned from the video a few other key supplements that are proven to slow the growth of cancer Vitamin k2, Vitamin D3, pumpkin seed oil, Vitamin C, Flax Seed Oil, Coenzyme Q10, Neprinal AFD and Lycopene. I also learned about gut health and the need to take Probiotics (Syntol AMD). The film taught me a lot how sugar feeds cancer. I also learned of an ultrasound machine called a 3D color Doppler which Peter Starr explained is a noninvasive way of checking cancer growth without having to go through biopsy and long MRI’s.

I went online to try to find this machine and all I could come up with was the prostate cancer research institute in California. I felt that wasn’t an option for me at the time and took another suggestion of Peter Starr’s and to get a second opinion. I made an appointment with another urologist that came highly recommended. He read my reports and test results and was surprised that the first urologist was pushing for surgery. He said we will do active surveillance with blood work, MRI’s and biopsy’s. Here I was again hearing the word "biopsy". I had done plenty of research on the internet and all I kept reading is that there is a chance of spreading the cancer with biopsy’s. The second urologist said I’ll see you in six months your prostate needs to heal from the biopsy before we can do the MRI.

In the six months I completely changed my diet starting with giving up all processed foods. I started a meal plan that consisted of wild caught fish, chicken and bison that were antibiotic and hormone free, organic vegetables and foods containing healthy fats avocado, cashews and macadamia nuts. I cut all sugars from my diet including those from fruits. My fruit intake was limited to berries occasionally. Getting close to my MRI appointment and thinking this was going to be my only option.

After much research and a referral from my wife's fundraising circle, I came across Dr. Robert Bard a seasoned radiologist in midtown Manhattan that has written books on prostate cancer and has a 3D color Doppler! I made an appointment and went in for the ultrasound. My experience with Dr Bard was excellent the procedure took all of maybe ten minutes. After the procedure I sat with Dr. bard to go over the results, he found a small spot which he said did not look like active cancer cells maybe a scar left from the biopsy. Dr. Bard said we would do active surveillance and watch it that I had nothing to worry about. Dr. Bard has done extensive research on prostate cancer and has come up with his own supplements that he formulated for prostate cancer. A lot of the ingredients in his pills are what I’ve been taking. I’m starting his supplements right away and finishing up what I have. As of right now I have no active cancer and happy I got a second opinion.

My message to everyone battling cancer is to stay smart and realistic. Do your own research and listen to the right people and follow your gut for what makes the most sense.  The resources are all around us and thanks to the world wide web, we have some of the best information available to win this.  Perhaps it was the research that made me push for a second (and even a third) opinion and I'm glad I did- because if I would have caved to the panic-stricken voice of my first doctor, things may have turned out very differently- or worse.



HIFU: THE NEXT WAVE OF NON-INVASIVE CANCER TREATMENT 
By: Dr. Robert L. Bard 

Prostate cancer, certainly the most common cancer among men, might be considered a two-headed hydra. On the one hand, some of these tumors, especially among African-Americans are aggressive, resulting in premature death. On the other hand, many of these tumors are slow growing and for a significant subset of patients, watchful waiting is recommended. But it is difficult to watch and wait when you believe that a cancer is growing within.

The quest for minimally invasive treatments of prostate tumors has been ongoing since the 1990’s. There have been advocates of focal freezing as well as heating of prostate tissue that results in the destruction of prostate cancers. Focal cancers may be targeted by high intensity focused ultrasound beams (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound or HIFU) and have been in clinical practice for 25 years. Developed simultaneously in the US (Sonoablate 500) and France (Ablatherm) the technique is favored by men wishing to avoid possible complications or side effects of surgery or radiation therapy. 

Treatment is usually performed under anesthesia. Energy is delivered to malignant tissue using in this instance, high frequency ultrasound waves that heats the tissue above 40 degrees Centigrade destroying the tissue.  Tissue temperature is closely monitored by sophisticated electronics to minimize adjacent tissue damage which can result in narrowing of the urethrae and obstruction of the flow of urine. Additionally, nerves involved in sexual performance may be inadvertently heated resulting in some degree of sexual dysfunction. 

A recent study reported in the Journal of Urology looked at 52 patients treated with this technique. The results are mixed. Patients included all had localized biopsy proven prostate cancers. The study defined treatment failure as recurrence on follow up biopsy at 20 months showing recurrent or higher grade tumor, metastatic spread systemic therapy or cancer specific mortality. 

There were 13 minor complications of which urinary retention was the most common.  There were no deaths and no cases of rectal injury. Of the 60% of individuals undergoing repeat biopsy, 83% had no residual tumor This study was limited in two significant ways. First, nearly a quarter of the patients underwent simultaneous “debulking” of prostate tissue by conventional surgical means in order to treat pre-existing difficulties with urination. Second, if biopsy is to be considered the outcome of importance, then 40% of the patients did not complete the study.  It did not recognize that microscopic analysis of biopsies is limited by the posttreatment effect on the gland and the gold standard for pathology has been whole gland analysis after radical prostatectomy.

VIEWPOINTS

JOHN SAVARINO, DO - Medical Dir. (Apex Cen. for Regenerative Medicine)
"I find the advancements of ultrasound technologies remarkable. The innovation allows procedure-based doctors (like me) to do more with procedures, because now we can see deeper and smaller things.  The philosophy of INTEGRATING modalities is definitely the way that medicine is going... and obviously using the least amount of invasiveness possible so that people recover faster and they have less likelihood of getting things like infection and other types of complications."

ARA KARAMANIAN, MD - Medical Director (Prostate Laser Center)
"When a patient has an elevated PSA or positive digital rectal exam, most urologists will perform an untargeted biopsy.  This generally involves 6-12 core samples from around the prostate without screening for or targeting any specific lesion.  Some call this approach "Poke and hope" given that it only has a 60-70% sensitivity for clinically significant prostate cancer.  If instead, we start with an imaging study such as a high quality multiparametric MRI, followed by a targeted biopsy, we can increase the sensitivity for clinically significant prostate cancer to about 90-95%.  In addition, minimally invasive treatment, such as MRI guided laser ablation allows a more targeted treatment approach with a lower risk of side effects."

DAVID DACHINGER - Innovator (Loving Meditations: Bring Calm to Cancer)
 "
As a stage 4 head and neck cancer survivor, I can appreciate the challenges Jim Hunt highlights.  Upon hearing a cancer diagnosis, many patients (including me) experience a simultaneous rush of powerful emotions and mind-blowing numbness. There can be an overwhelming volume of medical information to absorb. It’s vitally important to slow down, take time to process the information, do research, and get second opinions. Having undergone painful invasive biopsies, I understand Jim's concern about infection and the potential for spreading cancer. I wish I had known there were non-invasive options like 4D Doppler imaging. I have undergone several PET, CT and MRI scans, involving IV contrasts, radioactive dyes and claustrophobic machines, all of which bring stress and “scanxiety” before, during and after the procedure.  Having the option of a non-invasive scan could save time, reduce worry and alleviate the stress while waiting for scan results (which typically take days to be interpreted by a radiologist)."

JESSICA GLYNN, LCSW, CPC, CEC - Psychotherapist (JAG Wellness, LLC)
"This literally just happened to my dad; the doc was 95% sure it was cancer, proceeded with surgery after catheters causing infections -- and NO cancer! Lots of crying and worries from all of us for NOTHING!  My thoughts on SCANXIETY... any time a threat to our physical health and wellbeing arises, our amygdala gets activated, driving an overwhelming flood of fear. Anxiety leads to negative and destructive reactions without any clear or immediate answers and often leads to a fear-heightened loop. Jim’s experience with cancer imaging provides immediate answers, easing these anxieties more quickly instead of going direct to a painful and risky biopsy- which also gives segmented "hurry up and wait" information.  A palliative care model could help us gain the knowledge and answers we need in as timely and cohesive way."

JOHN GRAZIANO - TriAthlete / Physical Trainer (Wildwood Warriors Tri Team)
"This video is actually very educational and eye opening.  We are trained to listen to conventional medicine. Sure, we also know we should always get a 2nd opinion. However, one would likely go straight to another conventional doctor.  Dr. Bard’s 3-D Ultrasound is such a benefit over the conventional methods.  Not only does it offer faster results, reducing the stressful waits, but it provides a much more reliable diagnosis.  I’ve often felt like too many doctors are “textbook diagnosers!”  I appreciate Jim for taking the time to share other alternatives. I believe these kinds of videos from real people who experience a successful alternative diagnosis provides hope for thinking out of the box and give us a fighting chance. " 


JENNIFER HUNT - Patient Advocate/ Fundraiser (Fight Cancer Like A Girl)
"I am Jim’s wife and I’m also a breast cancer survivor and what I hope people take away from the video is that you have to be your own advocate and research all options. I feel getting a second opinion is mandatory with a cancer diagnosis, different doctors have different opinions. This applied in my case as well I’m glad I got a second opinion. Do your research if they recommend invasive tests, we are grateful to have found Dr. Bard and his 3D imaging because especially with prostate cancer the other biopsies they recommended are very invasive, painful and can be harmful. The 3D imaging has made follow up check ups a breeze literally in minutes you get instant results. Also researching wholistic options has proved beneficial for Jim he found Chaga mushroom tea that he drinks daily along with taking supplements and his cancer is gone and has not returned." 

* Opinions expressed in this VIEWPOINTS section are supportive comments about the contents of this article and are solely those from the contributors credited.


Also published on: LINKEDIN NEWS and THE LONG ISLAND PATCH
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References & Available Links:
Dr. Mark Jones, Wading River, NY (chiropractor)
Dr. Keith Gutzmann, The Howard Beach Comprehensive Health Care Center- (www.holisticnyc.org)
Pomi-T (www.pomi-t.com)
Debbie Falborn / Chaga Island (www.chagaisland.com)
Peter Starr: "(www.survivingprostatecancer.org)
Dr. Joseph Mercola (www.mercola.com)
Dr. Robert L. Bard (www.bardcancerdiagnostics.com)

Special Thanks:
Jennifer Hunt & "Fight Cancer Like a Girl" Team
LI2Day Walk (www.li2daywalk.org)

Awareness for a Cure:
Co-Editor: Laurel Muckey / Integrative Medicine of NY
Production / Editor - IntermediaWorx inc.
Technical Advisor: Annie Brandt / Best Answer for Cancer (bestanswerforcancer.org)

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