How can I treat cancer without chemotherapy?

Hello- I think there can be other options especially in the immunotherapy area. I think one can benefit from exploring integrative realms because I know chemo is not for everyone.

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@nooraalhamade , I'm not a doctor or medical professional, so it's not totally clear to me what "fourth-degree tumor" means. (And my main experience is as a pancreatic cancer patient.)

Did they completely remove a tumor on the prostate, or completely remove the prostate itself? If the latter, where exactly is the fourth-degree tumor, and do they have any evidence of metastasis?

(Stage IV is the generic reference for cancer that has metastasized to locations distant from the original tumor, and from what I can Google, it looks like individual prostate tumors are scored on a Group Grade and a Gleason Score: https://civatechoncology.com/ )

I ask because numerous metastases often drive surgeons to declare the cancer "inoperable, and too many mets can be too many targets for radiation therapy, leaving a "systemic" therapy (delivered throughout the bloodstream) as the only practical option.

While "cytotoxic" (chemicals that kill fast-growing cells) are what people think of in general, that is the older, traditional "chemotherapy" administered by IV, chest port, oral tablets, etc. Other therapies with the similar delivery routes include "immunotherapy" and "targeted therapy." The first paragraph of this article gives an overview of the differences: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3967236/
The key point is that some of these options are much less toxic and much better tolerated than traditional, cytotoxic chemotherapy.

Depending on the type, locations, and spread of the cancer, there are surgical options like HIPEC and HITHOC that attempt to remove all tumors that can be found, followed by "washing" the area directly with cytotoxic chemicals. This applies the chemo drug directly to areas where obvious tumors were removed and aims to kill any malignant cells that were missed by direct contact. It's an aggressive surgery (CytoReductive Surgery) with significant recovery required, but it avoids the generalized toxicity of injecting chemo directly into the blood stream.

Radiation is always a consideration, and may be possible if there aren't too many locations to hit and if sensitive organs are not involved.

There is a category of brachytherapy or internal radiotherapy where radioactive pellets / seeds can be implanted directly into a tumor, providing better targeting and less radiation exposure to other organs. I've heard of this being used before on prostate cancer, and stumbled on a new variant of this called the CivaSheet and CivaString: https://civatechoncology.com/ as long as there aren't too many tumors to attack.

There are a lot of options, and a lot of doctors might not be aware of the latest. If your oncology team doesn't offer any better options, please seek a second opinion from a major center with expertise in this type of cancer. And remember that even the major centers might only be aware of (or refer you to) clinical trials at their own center. Be as proactive as you can about seeking out clinical trials at other locations. Organizations like CancerCommons might be able to help. Check out https://cancercommons.org/news/prostate-cancer/

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Hello- I think there can be other options especially in the immunotherapy area. I think one can benefit from exploring integrative realms because I know chemo is not for everyone.

Jump to this post

@nooraalhamade , I'm not a doctor or medical professional, so it's not totally clear to me what "fourth-degree tumor" means. (And my main experience is as a pancreatic cancer patient.)

Did they completely remove a tumor on the prostate, or completely remove the prostate itself? If the latter, where exactly is the fourth-degree tumor, and do they have any evidence of metastasis?

(Stage IV is the generic reference for cancer that has metastasized to locations distant from the original tumor, and from what I can Google, it looks like individual prostate tumors are scored on a Group Grade and a Gleason Score: https://civatechoncology.com/ )

I ask because numerous metastases often drive surgeons to declare the cancer "inoperable, and too many mets can be too many targets for radiation therapy, leaving a "systemic" therapy (delivered throughout the bloodstream) as the only practical option.

While "cytotoxic" (chemicals that kill fast-growing cells) are what people think of in general, that is the older, traditional "chemotherapy" administered by IV, chest port, oral tablets, etc. Other therapies with the similar delivery routes include "immunotherapy" and "targeted therapy." The first paragraph of this article gives an overview of the differences: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3967236/
The key point is that some of these options are much less toxic and much better tolerated than traditional, cytotoxic chemotherapy.

Depending on the type, locations, and spread of the cancer, there are surgical options like HIPEC and HITHOC that attempt to remove all tumors that can be found, followed by "washing" the area directly with cytotoxic chemicals. This applies the chemo drug directly to areas where obvious tumors were removed and aims to kill any malignant cells that were missed by direct contact. It's an aggressive surgery (CytoReductive Surgery) with significant recovery required, but it avoids the generalized toxicity of injecting chemo directly into the blood stream.

Radiation is always a consideration, and may be possible if there aren't too many locations to hit and if sensitive organs are not involved.

There is a category of brachytherapy or internal radiotherapy where radioactive pellets / seeds can be implanted directly into a tumor, providing better targeting and less radiation exposure to other organs. I've heard of this being used before on prostate cancer, and stumbled on a new variant of this called the CivaSheet and CivaString: https://civatechoncology.com/ as long as there aren't too many tumors to attack.

There are a lot of options, and a lot of doctors might not be aware of the latest. If your oncology team doesn't offer any better options, please seek a second opinion from a major center with expertise in this type of cancer. And remember that even the major centers might only be aware of (or refer you to) clinical trials at their own center. Be as proactive as you can about seeking out clinical trials at other locations. Organizations like CancerCommons might be able to help. Check out https://cancercommons.org/news/prostate-cancer/

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He was diagnosed with a malignant tumor in the bladder with blood
coming out during his urine. Two weeks ago, he felt a little tired. He
had a chest x-ray and said that the tumor had spread to the liver and
lungs, but I do not trust the Yemeni doctors and I am afraid at the
same time.

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@nooraalhamade, I'm sorry that you do not have trust in the doctors who are treating your father. That must be difficult. I know that you are afraid. You love your father and want the best for him.

However, do not let your fear of chemotherapy stand in your way. Keep asking questions until you are comfortable that the treatment options are the best for your father. It is unclear to me whether the symptoms your father is experiencing are related to metastatic prostate cancer or possibly a new cancer of the bladder. These are questions you can and should ask his care team.

- Is treatment for prostate cancer or bladder cancer?
- Is the malignant tumor in the bladder metastatic prostate cancer or a new cancer?
- What treatment options are available?
- What are the side effects, risks and benefits for each option?
- What other considerations, like my father's health status or preferences, should be considered?

Getting as much knowledge as you can may help reduce your fear. I'm sending you courage.

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Hello- I think there can be other options especially in the immunotherapy area. I think one can benefit from exploring integrative realms because I know chemo is not for everyone.

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May I ask? What do you mean by integrative realms (for treatments)? Thanks!

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