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thanks01
USA
170 Posts |
 Posted - 01/18/2008 : 20:15:28
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Thanks to Topical Info website:
In my recent experience with Basal Cell Cancer, the website Topical Info has been a great help. In the “background” areas I have found both the scientific information and nutritional approach convincing. In the discussion forum, where I have read almost every thread, including those abandoned and those about animal treatments, I have found the experiences posted useful in their experiments, helpful in their detailed descriptions of progress with specific treatments, and comforting in their relation of personal experiences and support for members of the group.
After “lurking” as a visitor for many months while taking action on my own and awaiting the solution provided by conventional medicine, I am writing now to share my experience as a way to say “thank you” to all the Topical Info staff and contributors.
My BCC – the beginning:
I am a woman of sixty-nine, in good health overall and fairly well-exercised. In the fall of 2007 my eye doctor told me that he saw a spot suspicious for cancer, close to my right eye, about where the rim of the eyeglasses comes close to touching the top of the cheekbone, and close in towards the nose.
I responded to him that I thought the spot was a continual irritation from eczema. The spot had “started” while I was wearing my first-ever pair of glasses, which were rimless. I thought then that perhaps I was reacting to some vapors from the plastic lenses. The spot had become more irritated with my second pair of eyeglasses, which I wore for over a year, because I had made a mistake and ordered and kept that pair with metal rims. We were in the process of fitting me for a new, rimless pair.
My mother had severe eczema caused by any non-precious metal, and I seemed to follow in her footsteps by not being able to tolerate even the backing of a pierced earring if not silver or gold. So, I had not been surprised when the “eczema” became worse near the metal eyeglass rim. During that past summer I had been trying various diet eliminations aimed towards reducing eczema, with some success noticeable in the spot on my cheek.
I’ll skip some steps here, but after trying a salve for eczema, I was sent for biopsy and it came back positive for Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC). I was told that because it was so close to my eye, it would require Mohs surgery by a doctor specializing in this, followed by repair by a cosmetic surgeon. The size of the lesion was less than a dime.
Even though some weeks went by during the experiment with the eczema salve and the biopsy, I was sort of coasting along, not really imagining that I would have skin cancer. Among the reasons was that, as a computer worker for many years, my time in the sun has been very limited, although in my earlier years I had done a lot of outdoor work. Even though I am fair-skinned and freckle easily, and even though I have had severe sunburns long ago, the location of the spot for being cancer did not make much sense to me, and my history with eczema and some similar rashes seemed more likely.
After the diagnosis my first reaction was to search the Internet for more information on quite a few related topics (such as the effects from the computer monitors I have used). It didn’t take long to discover the Topical Info website and that became my place to visit daily. I immediately began taking steps attempting to cure the cancer spot.
Starting out – Reasons and Reflections:
I was working under a deadline because I decided to keep the appointments scheduled for me by the conventional doctors. This means that I had from early November until early January of 2008. I felt that my husband would be unhappy and worried if I did not follow conventional medicine. Rather than being forced by fear of the cancer into having the operation, I knew that, left on my own, I ran the possibly greater danger of looking only at the “natural” approach. Without some outside discipline, I might be willing to take forever trying alternative methods, which might not be wise. Finally, there still remained some question about the depth and extent of the cancer and its extension near the eye.
Friends have pointed out to me that I could have postponed the appointments, but I decided to keep them and do my best in the meanwhile. My dream was to arrive in the Mohs doctor’s office and be told that nothing would be necessary, or at most just a little “nip” requiring a couple of stitches afterwards.
Interestingly, since the “spot” was now going to be cured one way or another, I found some of my greatest enlightenment from the Topical Info discussion forum came in the area of taking action for the future. I hadn’t foreseen a “future,” once the biopsied area was gone. From reading on the website I came now to realize that even though BCC is a “non-melanoma” cancer and unlikely to metastasize, the appearance of one spot is more an indication of a “condition” than a single incident. I feel that prevention has now become part of my future course. I am, in fact, so determined about this that I actually may never have another BCC, and then how will we know that I was right?
Getting acquainted with the Topical Info website:
I think one of the encouragements for me on the Topical Info website was reading the Home Page with all the background information about overall health concerns and diet, as related to skin cancer. I found there what reading in books had earlier told me about the body creating cancer cells as part of the normal course of events, although these are “mistakes,” with the disease of cancer developing from failure to dispose of these enemies. I also refreshed myself on the concept s of “apoptosis,” the natural death which cancer cells have learned to avoid, and the “anaerobic” nature of their new life. A third theme of interest was the importance of alkaline body pH, both for general health and specifically for cancer.
I still plan to re-read all the material, but I could tell that it fit into my interests and reading I had done up until this time. I next proceeded to the Discussion Forum, with the various threads on possible treatments and the contributors’ detailed descriptions of what was going on in their own cases. I found both very helpful as I started learning and planned what to do.
Going deeper – Diet and Nutrition:
As well as searching on the Internet I had pulled out my old health and diet books. I found helpful information in two of my favorite Zone Diet books, by Barry Sears, The Omega RX Zone and The Anti-Aging Zone. The first of these has the weakness of “pushing” the special type of omega fish oil that he sells privately. But the information that he gives about the essential fatty acids promoting good health and curing cancer and other diseases is interesting.
The second Sears book mentioned here, written earlier, contains pretty “heavy” reading, where he discusses nearly all the hormones produced by the body and the need for them to be in proper balance, with less emphasis on diseased conditions.
In this book he also outlines material from earlier books on the two “trios” of the Zone approach. The first trio is the macro-nutrient balance of 30-40-30 (carbohydrate, protein, fat), leaning on the “crunchy” rather than whole-grained carbohydrates. The second is the “pyramid” of health, with three tiers: nutrition, exercise, and peace of mind (through prayer and meditation). He also has a good chapter on the skin, noting that “the skin is the largest organ in your body,” telling about its growth, care and nutrition.
Re-reading the Zone material and remembering some recently-read “hunter-gatherer” nutrition books brought me back to a personal dictum that I had been letting slip over the months in the summer. It goes “What you put into the body is not as important as what you leave out.” To make sense of this almost-riddle, consider Barry Sears’ idea (my own words) that the effects from the balance of “macro-nutrients” over the control of your health hormones is more important than any “micro-nutrient,” such as food supplements, that you can add in, even though these play their part.
To put it another way, my opinion is that Americans are all too ready to add to their diet the latest berry or anti-oxidant juice (which may actually be very helpful) as a substitute for reducing the actually harmful eating habits which are causing the unhealthful conditions. So, first of all fix the “big picture” of eating, and then make sure that you have all the little things, like vitamins and all the latest natural herbs and supplements, any of which may be very helpful.
Controlling Hormone Balance:
I need to add here another strong statement on controlling body hormone balance. NO SUGAR! No refined carbohydrates, or very few, treating them “like condiments,” as Barry Sears would say. (Please forgive me for writing this in January 2008 even as we celebrate my successful cancer outcome with a pizza! Humans are all too “human.” But – no sweet desserts since November, 2007.)
A good, simple book on this theme of controlling hormones and blood sugar and fats in the bloodstream is the popular Sugar Busters. I have read a large number of books and articles and am convinced that the nutritional approach to several chronic major health problems will surely win out medically some day. What flabbergasts me is that, in the meantime, scientific trials take into consideration all kinds of “factors,” such as types of fats eaten and yet almost never consider sugar intake. I am not saying that there is a medical-industrial conspiracy, just a large BLIND SPOT.
My personal history consists of always falling back onto the “sugar track,” with many attempts at quitting. The road back for me is paved either by fruits, like a wonderful peach or melon season, or baking some “treat” for my husband or others and having no resistance. But as Dr. Mercola says on his website, “Sugar feeds cancer” and also, “Laboratory studies have shown that rats become more addicted to sugar than to cocaine.”
I was aware that in the last few months I had again been “falling back into sugar.” With the cancer news I stopped cold, the coldest ever so far. I have done well through Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have learned to make some homemade oat crackers, sometimes with cinnamon, with only whole grains and shortening, that see me through, sort of like dog biscuits. But I see NO MORE SUGAR as part of my cancer-preventing future.
Eating to control alkaline balance, pH:
Another point about sugar and refined carbs is that overdoing these two categories also affects the body’s pH balance, an area of advice on the Topical Info website. I have been independently interested in the pH balance, pursuing this topic in conjunction with my other diet concerns. What strikes me here is the importance of a good pH balance in the body rejecting “foreign” life forms, be they organisms or cancer. It is important to have a body environment that such creatures do not wish to inhabit. And from the Topical Info discussion threads that I have read, I think this may be a fundamental health concern needing attention by many contributors. A year ago at Thanksgiving I was talking with an acquaintance who is famous for “never, never” eating a vegetable, who told me that the bandages all over his hands and arms came from constantly recurring warts. Talk about pH balance and organisms!
Eating to control Candida:
Now we come to a point which is personal to me, and may not be true for every reader, which is, body-wide Candida yeast infection. Some recent discussion threads have included remarks on how each individual may have different physiological needs and I think this is true. So I am not preaching a “one for all” concept here, but just something that perhaps all contributors may wish to look at while considering their own needs.
On the Topical Info website at first the discussion about Candida infection seemed to just slip into some of the other topic threads, but now it has its own place in the forum. As soon as I saw mention of Candida as a cause of the “pre-cursor” spots which kept cropping up for certain people, I was sure I had “come home.” I have struggled with total-body Candida invasion for years, and that is why I was so interested in pH balance. I wanted to create an environment where the little yeasties would just be too unhappy and go away, rather than to take some drug that would damage my liver. Over the years I have followed anti-Candida diets and natural cure approaches, such as garlic, but after a time I always seemed to slip back in two areas and I knew that I had done so in the previous six months.
One area of slippage is the sugar and carbs area just mentioned. The other area is alcohol, as in “wine.” I have colonies either caused by or consisting of Candida infection appearing as nail infections in one toenail and one thumbnail, and who knows where else. These have been around for MANY years, despite continued attempts at topical applications and also diet changes à la the Zone and probiotics.
However, since trying a more strict Zone approach (more like hunter-gatherer) using “crunchy vegetables” as the main source of any carbs, for over a year, with the goal of improving my pH balance, it had seemed to me that, slowly, I was making more progress than ever before. I had become convinced that even without topical applications my nails are going to become perfect.
As had happened in past years and attempts, I kept falling off the Candida bandwagon, slowly going back to more sweets and an occasional couple of glasses of wine. Either one caused more activity in the Candida-invaded spots, but more telling was the wine. If I would have two glasses, in the middle of the night I would awaken with that toenail and that fingernail actually tingling, as though the living creatures there were just slurping it in! The anaerobic beasts just love sugar and alcohol. Remember that cancer cells are normal aerobic cells that have turned anaerobic like the yeasts. Their nutritional needs have changed to resemble those of Candida, and the same “sins” must be their delights!
Once the Topical Info discussion threads clued me in to the idea that Candida may help in preparing pre-cursor spots for the next skin cancer invasion, the answer for my particular physiology was clear. No more SUGAR and no more ALCOHOL. Strict Candida diet and back to probiotics and supplements and pills to attack the Candida. The Topical Info forum clued me into a new natural anti-Candida supplement, which seems effective to me, Yeast-Cleanse by Solaray (http://www.smartbomb.com/ ).
Instead of a glass of wine, I now have an occasional “thimbleful” (literally, less than 1 oz.) to taste and “keep company.” For some reason, with the threat of possible future skin cancer over my head, I don’t think this will be hard to keep up. My father quit smoking at mid-life, using simple determination.
Since “the skin is the largest organ in the body” and since it is one continuous organ, I not only changed my diet for Candida, but I also started taking “anti-Candida” baths at least once a week, soaping and rinsing first and then taking a small tub with the powder from a Solaray capsule and some Tea Tree oil, or maybe adding some Pau D’arco powder (which is also in the Solaray). My skin in general seemed to feel much better, working on the Candida from both the digestive tract and the baths.
After making the anti-Candida changes, WITHIN ONE WEEK I not only felt better, but some other questionable skin patches, such as one on my ear near where the eyeglasses touched, became much better or disappeared.
Most likely you can get skin cancer without having a Candida problem, but I feel certain that, rather than being caused by the sunlight hitting my body all over thirty years ago, the current cancer spot all alone on my cheek started with eczema due to the eyeglasses (or possibly exposure to cleaning and painting chemicals), was aggravated by the Candida inhabiting the same area, and then finally became cancer. I also feel strongly that all those Topical Info forum readers who are experiencing multiple spots, or spots recurring over the years should at least eliminate the questions of Candida infection and pH balance in their general health, even as they apply topical ointments and salves.
Eating Anti-Cancer Foods:
I have discussed at some length WHAT FOODS TO AVOID in view of my personal beliefs and needs. Here I wish to indicate FOODS TO ADD that went immediately into our daily diet, anti-cancer foods discussed on the Topical Info forum. I intend to continue following forum discussions on this subject, remaining interested in contributions regarding foods which help with cancer.
One addition that interested me but did not work was pancreatin, in the form of digestive enzyme pills. I had tried these enzymes in the past for digestive problems and found them too harsh for my stomach, although my husband takes them regularly and seems to get help. I also tried applying some externally to the BCC, as a paste, but again found this too harsh. Nonetheless, I found the recommendation by the Topical Info Home Page of increasing the body’s pancreatin as a natural killer of cancer cells to be convincing. Unable to add pancreatin directly, I took note of the Topical Info’s suggestion about the effects of a good night’s sleep and eating times on boosting pancreatin, and decided to pursue this approach. (As is well known, cutting down on alcohol consumption in the evening helps in sleeping through the night, and this was confirmed for me.)
The dietary additions to cause cancer cell apoptosis which became fairly frequent for us are the following. In the veggie area we added broccoli, beets, eggplant, garlic, coconut milk, turmeric. Having read about ellagic acid, I added red and black raspberry powders, freeze-dried fruit (obtained from http://www.nutrifruit.com/ ), in a glass of juice both morning and evening. I made tea from cranberries with no sugar and now sometimes add frozen blueberries as a slight sweetener. I also make a tea from rosehips which I collect in the summer mixed with green tea and fennel seed. Many of these foods we were eating anyway, but now I made a point of it.
By the way, an excellent three-way combo is a curry made to your taste with the basics of: onion, garlic, turmeric, other spices like cumin, a little hot pepper if desired, and plenty of eggplant cubes, the gravy finished off with coconut milk.
Using externals to attack “the spot”:
I did not take the “kitchen sink” approach, although there were many topical applications recommended on the website that interested me. I had already tried a paste of pancreatin and found it so disruptive that I could not tell what was happening. At the time I started using the website in November there was quite a lot of discussion on using eggplant and vinegar. I read whatever I could find on the anti-cancer, apoptosis-causing properties of eggplant, and found the story about the “Devil’s Apple” in Australia and all the material about Curaderm convincing. Rather than pay for Curaderm right away, I decided on the homemade mixture and found it tolerable when applied.
Also, having never paid any attention to the idea of skin cancer before, I found that on my wrist there was a “freckle” which seemed to have elevated itself about 1/32nd of an inch and then caught on a sleeve, causing bleeding. I didn’t like the looks of that, so I put some of the eggplant mixture there with a bandage. This tiny spot seemed to be improving within days and finally became only the slightest freckle. Because of this and my reading and also because of the discussion on the forum, I decided to use the eggplant mixture and stick with that, rather than mixing a whole lot of things together or switching constantly.
Observing the Eggplant-Vinegar Mixture:
I made the eggplant-vinegar mixture pretty much as indicated on the website. I did use apple cider vinegar but I did not use organic eggplant. I puréed it the best that I could, although the seeds remained. Later on I strained the purée, which is quite timestaking with the raw eggplant, but gives a much more manageable mixture. I kept the mixture in the refrigerator most of the time, but not always. Neither leaving it out for a few days nor letting it get fairly old seem to hurt it.
I started by applying the eggplant with a bandage over the spot, ordinary easy-pull-off bandages (not the stick-tight variety), or the micropore tape, sometimes even masking tape. This worked fine on my wrist, but I found that when the bandage held the mixture near my eye either the fumes or the liquid spreading on my skin or my eyelashes spreading it caused irritation inside my eye. This was tolerable but did not seem to be a good idea.
Next I tried “swiping” the mixture over the main spot as often during the day as I could remember to do it. I think this is when I made the least progress, probably because the quantity was just too thin. Later I went back to applying a good-size “gob” of the stuff over the spot and letting it just dry in place and stay there without a bandage. As one poster to the website mentioned, it seemed that each time the dried-up remainder of the gob was removed some skin peeled off and there were signs of improvement.
Regarding the changes in the spot, as one poster said (FForest, I think), almost as soon as I started with the mixture there was increased definition in the area. My BCC (size of a dime) had at that time left the “crater” stage and gone to a “pearls” stage. After applying the eggplant mixture, these pearls became more visible and seemed to separate from the spot. Over the weeks that I continued, I would say that the “pearls” slowly shriveled, disintegrated, and peeled off, although not completely.
In the middle of the treatment I had to return to the cosmetic surgeon for some questions about the biopsy. I quit using the mixture a couple of days before so that my face would look a bit more normal. And I think it was when I resumed that I started the “gob” application. It seemed that the quantity of mixture now at times was almost too irritating. The entire area of the actual spot and perhaps some places nearby were getting quite sore and red. This is probably desirable, but it leads me to suggest what I next tried with the break for the doctor visit, namely, “taking a vacation” once in a while and letting the surrounding skin kind of catch up and be more generally healthy.
My experience overall favors the “long and slow” approach, if and when I ever have another spot like this to deal with. I understand the concern about penetrating the depth of the spot, which is not named “basal” for nothing – it comes from the base of the skin. But a gradual exfoliation, worked on constantly, with “vacations,” seems constructive to me. Someone might reply that the reason I ultimately required the operation at the end of two months is that I had not reached the depth of the cancer. And I would say yes, that is why more time would be needed, but to have gone “faster” and more destructively did not seem to be a good idea. I think that I got better progress the other way.
For several days before the scheduled day of the Mohs surgery I once again “took a vacation,” to reduce surrounding inflammation and present a good appearance. I hoped to win the doctor over to let me continue as I had with the natural treatments. My personal observation was that the “pearls” had been reduced to very small pinpoint scabs, truly smaller than before, and almost peeled off entirely. Behind the “pearls” there still seemed to be a darkly red color to the original spot which looked different from normal, even reddened, skin.
Requiring surgery, after all:
I kept to the original schedule, but I did at least ask the Mohs surgeon whether she really needed to do the operation, and whether it might be so slight that she herself could stitch it instead of my needing the cosmetic operation the next day. She kindly replied that she did indeed see improvement in the spot, but that she still felt it needed the operation. I trusted her enough to believe her, and put my incomplete success down to lack of time.
During the operation she did a “first pass” and found “firm perimeters,” which was encouraging. She told me that she needed to take a “second pass” for depth (meaning mere fractions of an inch). She also said that the area worked on required that I have the repair done by the cosmetic surgeon the next day. So I complied with both scheduled operations. I feel the surgeons did their respective jobs very well. Since I am still healing, the final result is not clear, but the cosmetic surgeon worked very delicately. All people involved were very kind and skilled and I do trust them. I am sure that these well-trained scientists are needed in some cases, especially where the cancer has been allowed to make too much progress.
Avoiding surgery in the future:
Without saying that anyone, including myself, made mistakes, I would hope in any similar situation to allow more time and do more with the natural approach. People who have seen me find the “solution” through doctors and surgery might not be aware of how effective I found the natural approach to be and might not believe in this for themselves. My “case” was brought to an early termination due to my adherence to the schedule for surgery. So I am unable to give any “final proof.” But I am convinced enough by my results that I would definitely give a good try with similar attempts before signing up again for surgery. I was just too lacking in knowledge to bypass surgery when the news arrived on my doorstep. Having learned more now, I would have the confidence to at least try more alternatives, before resorting to surgery.
Avoiding “the Future”:
We shall see. I will be obedient and make an appointment with a conventional dermatologist for future review. I said earlier that I am so determined to take care of myself that I hope there will be no future skin cancer and I will just become a “non-statistic.” However, now that I have crossed the threshold of the cancer universe, I will keep my eyes open by following the Topical Info website and its forums. I am especially interested in all the foods and topical treatments coming from plants, since Mother Nature has provided many mysterious alkaloids whose properties are even now being discovered.
Speaking of the “cancer universe” suggests another remark about the Candida yeast problem. Somewhere in the forum discussions it has been said that people with skin cancer tend to have less of the internal cancers. My opinion is that if you suffer from Candida there may be an exception, since the “good ol’ yeasties” may have ended up in various organs. If Candida has helped to cause cancer in one organ (your skin), you might be well off to take all the health precautions to protect the other organs as well.
Signing off – BCC “Case History, 2007”:
Thanks and best wishes to everyone connected with the Topical Info website!
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anivoc
668 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2008 : 11:46:42
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Fantastic compilation!
A very clear concise description of your journey and a lot of great thoughts and ideas compiled in one post.
Than you for your contribution and best of luck in controlling and eradicating any future skin cancers! |
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sebastian348
6 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2008 : 02:29:25
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| Thanks for sharing your story with us! |
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sam
5 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2008 : 23:11:46
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I have had many basel cell carcinoma's. I had one removed mohs method. One removed and stitched up. One biopsy then Dr. had me use Aldera, I believe because he could tell he had all of the margins.
I then had a biopsy on my nose that came back squamose cell carcinoma, I used Aldera and so far so good. I keep having Dr. look at spot. I had to stop the Aldera because it started attacking my eye. Cancer so far is gone and Dr. is happy.
I recently used Aldera on a spot on my chest. The lotion must have spread and is attacking alot of pre cancer on my chest. The Dr. said that I may as well continue and just put it all over my chest and get it over with. She said once a day. She said keep doing it for 6 wks then stop for 2 wks. and go back and see her. I have 9 days to go. I have tried to talk to the Dr. about how to properly heal this and am actually very disappointed that she really won't even talk to me about it. Doesn't seem to know. My chest looks like a cheese grater was usesd on it. I am ok with it if it is really doing the job and if I won't have scaring like I would if I was cut on. My concern is if I am doing it correctly. I, on my own am going to start doing it every couple days it is just so raw. Has anyone had this happen, if so how did they heal. I am sure hoping I am not going to be a scarred mess. My chest looks like the picture of the girl above her eye.Should I let it scab up or try to keep it from scabbing. Very tender and itchy. |
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thanks01
USA
170 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2008 : 18:20:50
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| Thanks for replying on my message thread. It is useful to hear about your experiences. I have been reading all the other threads as they are posted and I think you may find more information on your particular questions if you go to this message -- http://www.topicalinfo.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=187 -- This is the place where they have been discussing the use of Aldera. I have not used that, but I am reading about it, because probably sooner or later it will be recommended by the skin doctor for pre-cancerous spots that may develop. I hope that you achieve the healing that you need. |
Edited by - thanks01 on 05/22/2008 18:23:35 |
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thanks01
USA
170 Posts |
Posted - 09/06/2008 : 10:08:48
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THANK YOU, Dan - for the entry in thread: 1 month of cymilium
This explanation is of great interest to me, because it reflects the approach I'm taking currently for some suspicious "spots"on my legs. In my "history" entry about BCC I never followed up to say that when I went to a dermatologist he biopsied and surgically two more BCCs, one on my chest, which I had never noticed, and another "non-healing" spot on my leg, which I had seen for a long time.
Now I'm between inspections and see some other spots which he did not pay attention to and I'm trying to work on them before the next visit. In fact, I hope to postpone the next visit and give myself a little more time.
Part of my plan is to keep repeating the treatment over some months, to give the body a chance to clean up the spots with a little help from the "salve" below and, of course, diet changes, including the one you mentioned for alkalinity (eating lots of vegetables).
In addition to tackling the diet questions, I have been making homemade salves all of which include pancreatin as the main ingredient. I have tried hand lotion, but noticed that the pancreatin seemed to be digesting it (possibly the fat). I am now trying eggplant puree with pancreatin (not very easy to spread). I think I may now try adding a little ammonia.
But the pancreatin impressed me. While applying the salve daily I noticed a large improvement in some fingernails which have been suffering from fungus, probably part of my candida problem.
All of these conditions take a long time to improve significantly, so I feel premature in reporting all of this, but this interesting post on PANCREATIN has brought me to report in, possibly early.
The pancreatin that I use is from Swanson Health: http://www.swansonvitamins.com/SW287/ItemDetail |
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BCC “Case History, 2007”
