Re: Need advice on clinical trials

J,
Thank you for the information. Peter may also appreciate it, since
he had asked me for that type of info. He might want the link to it.

Peter,
Please stop taking personal issue with what I say. I promise I'm
not out to insult you, only defend my point of view from your
viewpoint.

Artemisinin is not simply an alternative herb. Not if the Gates
Foundation is applying it to many patients for malaria. Interestingly
enough, if you have a medical background you'll appreciate that the
scientists and doctors that have commented on the Artemisinin studies
say that it kills cancer in the same way it kills the malaria parasite.
It apparently is drawn to the iron-rich cancer (or malaria host) cells
and kills the cells (apoptosis?) when in the presence of an
overabundant amount of iron. It seems to leave the normal cells alone.
You can see where this method would be more able to kill cancer in the
fine interstices of the body that surgery or maybe directed radiation
might miss. Happily, because of the Gates Foundation, we know the
compound is safe for humans, and painless.

Again, I suggest to all seekers here to research 'Artemisinin' and
the 2 doctors that have been studying it; Drs. Henry Lai and Narendra
Singh at the University of Washington. This compound can be taken at
the same time as many other treatments and not get in the way. I think
there is only a problem with radiation therapy where you have to wait a
while. Have a look at the compound and make your decisions.

Chris
J wrote:
PM wrote:

PM wrote:
IIRC their work was entirely in the test tube, and under very
artificial conditions at that (heavy iron loading of the cells that is
probably impractical in vivo). I am also unaware of any evidence that
Artemisin has yet shown any clinical effectiveness, i.e. effects on
cancer in humans, although I understand it is under study in some
places. Do you have any better evidence to present?

<snipped some>

This is a bit unfair. I actually checked Medline to see if there were
any recent
publications of clinical results from Artemisinin before I posted my
comments. . I even asked you politely if you had any clinical
evidence. I am trying to keep up to date on this kind of thing all
the time.

There's one case report, 6 years ago here
<http://www.onk.ns.ac.yu/archive/Vol10/PDFVol10/V10n4p279.pdf>
A seventy-two year old vegetarian male with a long history of tobacco chewing
and smoking was admitted to Vivekanand Hospital (Meerut, India) on December 15,
2000.

stage II cancer of the larynx (T2 N1 M0). A diagnosis of differentiated
squamous cell carcinoma was established after histopathological examination of
a biopsy from the growth. The patient complained of plained of progressive
hoarseness, and loss of appetite and weight for the last eight months. Physical
examination revealed enlarged cervical lymph nodes on the right side of the
neck

Laryngoscopic examination showed a growth on the right side of the larynx.. The
growth was covering the right vocal cord, right pyriform fossa, ventral aspect
of epiglottis, and adjacent area of the lateral pharyngeal wall. The surface of
the growth was irregular, nodular, ulcerated and bled on touch.
Its size was approximately 3 cm x 2.5 cm x 3 cm=22.5 cm

[He'd had intermittent pain and swallowing difficulties for the previous 6
months. - me summarizing]

artesunate treatment was started on 01/22/2001. On day one of treatment, a
capsule containing ferrous sulfate (150 mg) and folic acid (0.5 mg) was given
orally at 2:00 PM after a meal. Injections of artesunate (60 mg I.M. per day;
were given from day one (01/22/2001) to day 15 (02/05/2001) at 10:00 PM of each
day.
The patient had a fever (100-101°F) from day four to day seven of the
treatment.
Within two weeks of the treatment, his voice became clear. The patient was able
to take solid foods quite comfortably. He regained a good appetite. Clinical
examination revealed cervical lymph nodes were reduced in size.
Without treatment, laryngeal cancer patients die within an average of 12 months
(1).
The patient lived for nearly one year and eight months (until his death on
1/11/02 due to pneumonia) after the appearance of symptoms, although treatment
was discontinued after nine months.

In an unrelated note, the patients had extensive patches of leukoderma around
his mouth, on fingers of both hands, which responded well to artesunate
treatment over the nine months of observation.

Since this case, several patients with different types of cancers have begun
treatment with artemisinin and its analogs with promising results.

Narendra P. SINGH
Krishna B. VERMA
Archive of Oncology 2002;10(4):279-80.
The authors are grateful to Miss Himani Singh for her help in preparation of
the manuscript."

No idea what happened to the other patients mentioned.
I think it says the author (Singh) can be contacted.
J

It is also insulting to assume that I ever dismiss alternative claims
without looking closely at the evidence. My web site shows the lengths
to which I have been prepared to go in that regard. I am certainly
uncompromising in expecting the highest standard of case reports or
other evidence in support of such important claims as to be able to
cure cancer. I think that puts me firmly on the side of the cancer
patient.

I have also not objected to cancer patients working from lower levels
of evidence if they wish. The rest of us, however, should be working
to make sure that those selling or promoting such treatments are giving
cancer patients accurate information. They rarely ever do, and that
is what I am about.

Peter Moran

www.cancerwatcher.com

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Need advice on clinical trials
    ... Foundation is applying it to many patients for malaria. ... Malaria is not cancer, so quit trying to squeeze more out of this fact ... Do you have any better evidence to present? ... artesunate treatment was started on 01/22/2001. ...
    (sci.med.diseases.cancer)
  • Re: Yet more cancer disucssion
    ... absolute proof that they are excellent cancer treatments and doctors ... after the extravagant claims and treating thousands of patients.. ... from bleeding. ... who used the treatment had zero incidents of 7th day bleeding. ...
    (misc.health.alternative)
  • Re: Yet more cancer disucssion
    ... absolute proof that they are excellent cancer treatments and doctors ... after the extravagant claims and treating thousands of patients.. ... from bleeding. ... who used the treatment had zero incidents of 7th day bleeding. ...
    (misc.health.alternative)
  • Re: Need advice on clinical trials
    ... it's easy enough to search on 'Artemisinin' and convince ... treatment that is safe, painless and cheap, since the average person ... For anecdotal evidence, for those that find that useful, just add ... the phrase 'my cancer' to a google search on Artemisinin. ...
    (sci.med.diseases.cancer)
  • Re: Yet more cancer disucssion
    ... absolute proof that they are excellent cancer treatments and doctors are ... after the extravagant claims and treating thousands of patients.. ... who used the treatment had zero incidents of 7th day bleeding. ... By looking at the photos you will see a tumor going away. ...
    (misc.health.alternative)