Cancer Treatment Side Effects--The Gift That Keeps on Giving

Jim was diagnosed in 2002 with lung cancer. In 2008, he had a recurrence outside the lung which was treated with radiation. In 2009 he had another recurrence, this time to the bone. For that metastasis , in addition to four therapeutic chemo agents, he took Zometa, a bisphosphonate (like the drugs given for osteoporosis) used to build the bone in cancer patients.

In 2010, after nine months of treatment, which thankfully eradicated the metastasis, Jim developed osteonecrosis of the jaw—one of the less frequent and more unpleasant side effects of Zometa. We had excellent oncologists—none of whom had seen osteonecrosis resulting from Zometa treatment. While uncommon, it does happen. It was I who suggested to them the possibility of a connection.

Unlike menopausal women who have the option of taking bisphophonates to prevent osteoporosis, cancer patients don’t have much of a choice. They have to weigh benefits verses risks and if you have bone cancer the scale tips in favor of the benefits.

Osteonecrosis is painful (Amen) and difficult to treat (Amen again).

In Jim’s case, exposed bone around the back molars led to painful infection resulting in loosening of the teeth and necessitating a root canal. The oral surgeon and other experts whom we consulted predicted the eventual loss of the treated tooth and possibly surrounding teeth. Because healing problems would likely occur with the cancer-compromised immune system, the doctors decided against extraction of any teeth but warned us they would probably fall out on their own eventually.

Unfortunately the soothsayers were right. Three years forward and the prophecy has come to pass. Jim can’t chew on the affected side where one molar is giving up the valiant fight to retain its rightful place. Saturday night, he was awake for hours with an excruciating tooth/jaw/ear ache. We applied hot compresses, gave him oxycodone and finally dilaudid before he got any relief.

If you are taking Zometa:
1. Visit your dentist or prosthodontist on a regular basis.
2. Your cancer center may employ a dentist who specializes in treating cancer patients. Make an appointment.
3. If you have any pain in the jaw, face or teeth inform your oncologist immediately.

Anti Cancer Diet

After ten years of research, personal experience, and interviews with cancer patients I have concluded that cancer cannot be prevented or cured through diet alone. I have read or “heard tell” of some cures but personally am aware of only two such cases.

Gail had done three rounds chemo—none of which succeeded—for non Hodgkin’s lymphoma. They were trying unsuccessfully to harvest her stem cells for a transplant when Gail decided she’d had enough of conventional treatment and sought alternatives. She settled on a Qi Gong, a probiotic diet, and other lifestyle changes. She rallied and has been cancer free for eight years.

Jess Ainscough, The Wellness Warrior, http://www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au/about/ was diagnosed at twenty-two with epithelioid sarcoma, a rare cancer that attacked her arm and shoulder. The only cure offered by her doctors was amputation. Instead she chose the Gerson Therapy which she followed rigorously for two years. Today she is healthy.

You may disagree with the opinions in this blog entry.You may know of more success stories from people who chose alternative healing methods.I am not here to debate or argue or dissuade you from the path you have chosen. My only purpose is to share ideas which worked for us.

There is no doubt in my mind that changes in lifestyle help—both in prevention of cancer and survival. And better all round health makes your survival more enjoyable. As Mickey Mantle said, “If I knew I was going to live this long I’d have taken better care of myself.”

If you are taking care of a cancer patient now isn’t the time to try some radical diet like Paleo or Gluten free whose benefits are debatable. Instead modify your diet gradually in ways that may not “cure” cancer but will be a step in the right direction.

Of course, you will try to increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables, fish, whole grains. Everyone knows that. But here are some more specific, nearly painless changes you can make in your diet to start you on your way to better helath.

1. Switch to whole grain bread and cereals.
2. Buy organic milk.
3. Use real butter—no butter substitutes.
4. Switch to steel cut oatmeal. If, like Jim, you hate oatmeal, at least go with a less processed, low sugar cereal (Cheerios or Rice Krispies).
5. Use olive oil.
6. Cut back on sugar laden foods.
7. Make your own desserts, cookies, snacks and eat them with a meal—not alone.
8. Buy organic when possible especially for the Dirty Dozen. http://www.organic.org/articles/showarticle/article-214
9. Limit restaurant and fast food eating to once a week for each.
10. Avoid processed foods—which unfortunately for the time challenged caregiver are also the convenience foods.

Cancer Fighting Foods

One of the most difficult parts of caregiving is planning and preparing nutritional meals. After Jim’s first surgery in 2002 I was diligent about preparing fresh vegetable juice for him three times a day. He drank twenty-four ounces of organic carrot juice daily for three months to appease me but balked when I added greens or beets. I was hopeful that the nutrients would prepare him for the brutal chemotherapy he was to begin when he healed from the surgery. I don’t know whether the juicing helped but the chemo was successful and Jim tolerated it--the chemo not the juicing :)-- better than expected.

During chemotherapy we gave up juicing; I was happy for him to eat anything—nutritious or not—when he felt so miserable. When chemo and radiation were completed, we gave up juicing but did make other dietary changes I believed beneficial—reduced sugar, increased fruits and vegetables, and eliminated processed foods. I admit I did this in periodic bursts of good intentions interrupted by four recurrences of lung cancer and a bout with prostate cancer.

Maintaining changes in diet are difficult—especially when living with cancer. Food shopping and preparation takes a big chunk out of my already busy schedule.
Last week we got the news that Jim has a fifth cancer recurrence in the T3 rib area. We are not sure what or when the therapy will be but in the mean time, I am once again attempting to clean up our diet.

Changes to be made:
1. Less eating out
2. Less processed food
3. Fewer desserts (only made at home)
4. Smoothies (Jim has lost weight and has muscle wasting.)
5. More water

I’m not sure how long this effort will last. We’re at day three and I’m finding it taxing. I spent three hours yesterday planning menus, shopping at two grocery stores, and putting groceries away. A smoothie for breakfast today, a quinoa dish for dinner tonight, and sandwiches for lunch took a chunk out of my day. In between I did washing, some yard work, took care of my ailing cat, and went for a short walk with Jim to get him back into some form of exercise.

Going out for Mexican or a hamburger, as we usually do on a Saturday night, would have been much easier—and more fun. Hope I can stay motivated to see this through—at least until he starts treatment again.

I am posting one of the recipes I used today. Surprisingly, this dish appealed to Jim during chemo. The quinoa, a mild tasting grain-like seed, is high in protein as are the beans. We eat this as main dish with a whole wheat cheese quesadilla. Bon Appétit.

Black Bean-Quinoa Salad

15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
1 1/2 T. red wine vinegar
1/4 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. cracked pepper
3/4 C. quinoa
1 1/2 C. water
1 large red pepper, roasted, seeded, & diced
1 small red onion diced (2/3 C)
2 T. pickled jalapeno chilies, diced
1/2 C fresh cilantro, chopped

Dressing
4 1/2 T. fresh lime juice
1/4 t. kosher salt
3/4 t. ground cumin
1/3 C. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

Toss drained beans w/ vinegar, salt & pepper. Let stand for 30 min.
In another bowl wash quinoa in cold water, drain into a coffee filter or fine sieve.
Bring 1 1/2 C water to boil. Add quinoa. Lower heat and cover; cook 15 min. Set pot off heat and let stand for 20 min to finish absorbing water.

Transfer to large plate or bowl and allow to cool. When the quinoa is room temperature, put in large bowl and add the drained beans, red bell pepper, red onions, jalapenos, and cilantro. Toss gently.
In small bowl whisk the lime juice, salt, and cumin. Add oil in a stream whisking continuously. Add dressing to bean mixture.

Makes 6 servings, 1 C each.
260 cal.

Caring for a loved One with Cancer

Thanks to guest blogger Faith Franz with the Mesothelioma Center for today's post.


Caring for a Loved One with Cancer


When a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, life changes. It’s a given.

It’s not just the patient, though, who has to adjust. Friends and family members often take on various caregiving responsibilities, and the patient’s health and wellbeing becomes a primary concern. For some caregivers, it becomes the primary interest – which can quickly take a toll on their own health and wellbeing.

It’s normal to want to do everything in your power to help your loved one. The average caregiver spends 20.4 hours per week providing care – roughly the same as a part-time job.

But providing medical care (i.e. transportation to doctor appointments and pharmacies), physical care and emotional support can become all-consuming. Roughly 70 percent of working caregivers say they’ve struggle in the office because of their caregiving duties, and 17 percent say their role has caused their own health to deteriorate.

On the flip side, one in 12 caregivers says their health is improved by caring for a loved one. And in caregivers who have sought support for their new role, their perception of their role is even more positive.

Emotional Support for Caregivers

Caregivers can find emotional support from a number of different avenues. Hospice programs and cancer centers often extend their counseling services to caregivers, while cancer support groups often welcome caregivers as members. Internet-based email groups and chat forums offer a virtual way to connect with others who understand what you’re going through.


Support systems address a wide range of topics. They often focus on caregivers’ primary concerns, like:

• Keeping their loved ones safe
• Managing stress
• Coming up with easy activities to do with their loved one
• Finding time for themselves


These groups serve as an invaluable source of mental and emotional support. They teach caregivers how to balance their own needs with the patient’s – which ultimately puts them in the position to provide higher quality care.


Author bio: Faith Franz has spent nearly two years researching and writing for The Mesothelioma Center. As an advocate for alternative medicine, she encourages patients to explore all of the treatment options that could potentially save their life.

Source:
Family Caregiver Alliance. FCA: Selected Caregiver Statistics. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=439

Radiation--Curse or Cure?

Jim’s physicians have chosen Tomo Therapy to treat his latest (fourth) recurrence of lung cancer. What is it and how does it work?

Radiation for cancer therapy utilizes ions that pass through tissue causing the death of the cells in their path in two ways: 1. apoptosis(cell death within a few hours of radiation) 2. radiation-induced failure of cell division which in turn leads to eventual cell death.

In 2003 following surgery and chemotherapy, Jim took 30 treatments of conventional radiation to eliminate the lesion that penetrated the lining of the lung. The procedure required multiple applications because the total amount of radiation had to be divided into small doses to minimize damage to surrounding healthy tissue. At that time the doctor told us Jim would not be able to take any more radiation to the thoracic area because he had received the maximum lifetime amount.

Thankfully, by 2008, when the cancer metastasized to a spot near the spine, doctors were using IMRT, or targeted radiation making it possible to hone in on specific areas. IMRT, intensity-modulated radiation therapy, is an advanced mode of high-precision radiotherapy that uses computer controlled linear accelerators to deliver precise radation doses to a malignant tumor. Treatment is carefully planned using CT images in conjunction with computerized dose calculations—all to conform with the tumor shape.

Simply, IMRT is a custom tailored radiation dose that maximizes tumor dose and minimizes the dose to adjacent tissues. Because of this innovation, Jim was a candidate for more radiotherapy which successfully obliterated that initial metastasis.

Tomo Therapy is an even more advanced type of IMRT. The patented machine divides the radiation beam into tens of thousands of beamlets delivered so that the intensity can be controlled throughout the tumor and delivered from all angles with great precision. (Conventional radiation allows penetration from only a few directions.)
”Tomotherapy is a quick and painless process, with daily treatments that usually take about 20 minutes. The machine is shaped like a large ring, with a bench — sometimes known as a couch — that slides through the ring’s opening. The radiation therapist positions you on the couch, usually on your back. Once treatment starts, you move slowly through the center of the ring while lying on the couch.”
Bottom line: The patient can take higher doses of radiation in fewer treatments with less damage to surrounding tissue.

Tomorrow jim will take the last of the 5 prescribed treatments. We are meeting with the oncologist to discuss whether he will want to follow up with adjuvant chemotherapy . Jim is praying that it won’t be necessary but we trust Dr. Rios to make the right call. He hasn’t steered us wrong yet. Pray for wisdom as he makes this decision.

Poor Pitiful Pearl's Post

After a three hour wait for the verdict, we learned that Jim didn’t pass the test. Another recurrence. More cancer. Additional radiation.

Pollyanna says, “At least it is treatable. We know what we are dealing with. He has always responded to treatment.”

Poor Pitiful Pearl says, “What next? When will the chemo stop working? How much more can he take? Woe is me."

In January of 2012 when Jim was told, after his third recurrence of lung cancer, that he was cancer free, I tried to believe that we were done, that the beast was conquered. Over the next eight months we basked in the glorious sunshine of remission unhampered by cancer’s dark cloud. I dared to hope that cancer was gone forever.

It was not to be. While we were enjoying the respite, the cancer cells were regrouping for another silent attack. Now I wonder if I was right when I wrote in Cancer Journey: “Once cancer is outside the organ of origin, a cure is not possible.” And if the doctors were right when they said in 2002: “This cancer is unpredictable and incurable. ”

I hesitate to express my doubts and fears because I don’t want to bring the wrath of God down upon me for failing to appreciate all He has done for us.

But here is the ugly truth: I am afraid; I am weary; I am discouraged.

Test Anxiety

November will mark ten years since we had the first of what would become a long string of anxiety provoking diagnostic tests. You might think that by now I am an expert in managing the stress surrounding these scans. You think wrong.

I have always been plagued by test anxiety, but careful preparation kept the nerves in check. Even now, with my school days long past, I awaken in a sweat from nightmares in which I neglected to study for some big exam—a scenario that never happened in real life. I was far too motivated by fear of failure to let that happen.

Now ACTs and SATs have been replaced by CATs and PETs. Unfortunately, studying does nothing to alleviate the anxiety preceding these tests. There is no way to prepare for this kind of test—and there is a lot more riding on the results.

Tomorrow we will walk the four blocks to the oncologist’s office for our two o’clock appointment. If we are lucky, the nurse will call us back to the inner sanctum by three. I’ll work on my crossword puzzle or read a book while listening for the doctor to approach the room. More than likely he will not yet have looked at the scans. I may hear him on the phone discussing results with the radiologist—usually bad news if it requires discussion. Finally, he enters the room. After two hours, or more accurately, two days of waiting, my stomach is upset. What will the verdict be? New Growth. It's back. We see something suspicious. Or those most welcome of words: All clear.

Will we pass the test? God only knows.