The "cure" for cancer (treatment, therapy, remedies, disease)

[Charley]

I've read a lot about "cures" for cancer. I've read a number of different remedies, and that the government already has it, and that the Cancer Society already has it, and that it will never be released because of all the research dollars, and I wanted to address this because it's all nonsense.

There is no "cure" for cancer because every cancer is different. Here's an example of what I mean.

I have Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL). My "cure" is IV chemo consisting of Rutaxin, Cytoxin, Adriamycin, Vincristine and Decadron (with a number of other meds taken to go along with this treatment), Spinal-chemo consisting of the drug Methotrexate injected into my spinal cord, and 15-18 doses of radiation therapy. That's the standard of care, and "cure" for my kind of cancer.

Had my DLBCL shown up in a different part of the body, the treatment would have been different. The spinal chemo is specifically because of where my cancer was found.

If my cancer was Follicular Lymphoma (also a Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, but different from my DLBCL), the treatment would be very different.

So when you hear talk about a "cure", there is no one cure. It's not sitting in some government vault or a file cabinet at the American Cancer Society. Each cancer requires a different kind of a treatment that will hopefully lead to a cure. There is no magic bullet and anyone who claims differently is full of ... well, you know!

[rjl78]

Excellent point! I would say most cancer patients (as a patient, I know I do) would take issue with these whack job theories that there is some sort of conspiracy.
You are correct. Caner is a complex disease. Cancer cells might be in one region of the body, but no idea where it will show up next.

[DrJoey]

Charley,
I wish you all the best in your treatment regimen. As a cancer researcher I have to agree with you what you've said. The more that we are discovering about the disease the better we are able to treat it, but we are also coming to understand that treatment needs to be more personalized. There is no snake oil "cure all" that is being covered up. The conspiracy theories do nothing but hurt the attempts at public outreach and research. I truly believe that we can overcome the disease and we work as hard as we can for you and everyone out there to do what we can to help you. Stay strong, godspeed, and god bless.

[Apples&Oranges]

Originally Posted by Charley

I've read a lot about "cures" for cancer. I've read a number of different remedies, and that the government already has it, and that the Cancer Society already has it, and that it will never be released because of all the research dollars, and I wanted to address this because it's all nonsense.

There is no "cure" for cancer because every cancer is different. Here's an example of what I mean.

I have Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL). My "cure" is IV chemo consisting of Rutaxin, Cytoxin, Adriamycin, Vincristine and Decadron (with a number of other meds taken to go along with this treatment), Spinal-chemo consisting of the drug Methotrexate injected into my spinal cord, and 15-18 doses of radiation therapy. That's the standard of care, and "cure" for my kind of cancer.

Had my DLBCL shown up in a different part of the body, the treatment would have been different. The spinal chemo is specifically because of where my cancer was found.

If my cancer was Follicular Lymphoma (also a Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, but different from my DLBCL), the treatment would be very different.

So when you hear talk about a "cure", there is no one cure. It's not sitting in some government vault or a file cabinet at the American Cancer Society. Each cancer requires a different kind of a treatment that will hopefully lead to a cure. There is no magic bullet and anyone who claims differently is full of ... well, you know!

But don't all those treatments involve chemotherapy and/or radiation?

[Charley]

Originally Posted by Apples&Oranges

But don't all those treatments involve chemotherapy and/or radiation?

Yes. What I described is the cure for my particular type and location of cancer. My point was, and still is, there is not now nor will there ever be a generic "cure for cancer".