Postby rp1954 » Tue Dec 12, 2017 9:47 pm
This is a common "standard answer" based on a particular group's experience base, technology level, assumptions and viewpoints, about likelihood of success or futility with average talents and standard answers. These answers are typically considered "current" but are often obsolete when viewed from a more advanced state of the art somewhere else, or a higher service level. You can be turned down many times, but one good "yes", with a good plan, is enough.
The standard answers can change slightly between guilds e.g. average oncologists vs average oncological surgeons vs more specialized surgeons vs interventional radiologists. A tour through 1-2 of each is the usual starting point for the diligent patient; we added alternative therapeutic nutritional points of view. Calling around for different opinions, surfing/researching, looking for better options, perhaps globally, means climbing the pyramids of medicine at major cancer centers looking for the right heavy hitter(s), or doing things somewhat alternative or experimental.
The most likely pathways of success in these refusal cases are typically with multimodal treatments, some combination of surgery(s) and (immuno)chemistry(s), some steps recognized, others perhaps less so. A great preplanned package is seldom offered in a single place, start to NED. You, your friends, family, and caregvers' capability, insights and effort can make a big difference.
In our case, several major treatment steps with 2 surgeries were glued together with alternative chemistries to overcome the typical showstoppers that reflect the 6 inches of chain between some providers' ears. We had many opinions, mostly conventional medicine and some alternative MDs; each consultation is a learning experience. These peritoneal mets were the first to go, presumably because of the fortuitous timing with respect to diagnosis, available immune response, experimental/CAM neoadjuvant treatments duration (2-4 weeks before surgery), and degree of alt-experimental chemistry targeted, more than commonly tried.
watchful, active researcher and caregiver for stage IVb/c CC. surgeries 4/10 sigmoid etc & 5/11 para-aortic LN cluster; 8 yrs immuno-Chemo for mCRC; now no chemo
most of 2010 Life Extension recommendations and possibilities + more, some (much) higher, peaking ~2011-12, taper chemo to almost nothing mid 2018, IV C-->2021. Now supplements