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HOLISTIC Definitions of Resources for the
Anti-Neoplastons Phase II Research Modern Cancer Treatment Options Organizations for whole person treatment of cancer Orthomolecular medicine and cancer Samuel Epstein questions chemo The Good Doctor for cancer information Thomas Navarro battles the FDA for complementary treatment of cancer
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Adjunctive, Integrative Medicine Cancer TreatmentsSince 1971, the official government and private sector "War on Cancer" has been responsible for spending over $1.5 trillion on conventional cancer research and treatment in the United States. The results, according to John Bailar, III, MD, writing in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1986, were "a qualified failure." In 1997, Bailar and co-author Heather L. Gornick updated the 1986 review and wrote, "with 12 more years of data and experience, we see little reason to change that [earlier] conclusion." Articles on this page:
Meditation and Cancer "Miracles" do occur and have to be called "miracles" untill our logical cerebral hemisphere does not give itself some explanation to the so called miracle. A similar phenomenon has been happening in the field of reversal of cancer by meditation. There are several papers published in allopathic medical journals. One case comes to my mind. She successfully recovered from her full blown (stage 4 ) cancer. But her "Dr.", who was teaching her meditation, went overseas and in his absence she started preaching the meditation herself. She became the darling of press and started appearing in newspapers, magazines, radio and TV. During the process of becoming "famous", she gradually diverted from the main technique as the "Dr." (whom I will call Master) had taught her. And she RELAPSED. She again had cancer. When the Master returned, he found a letter on his desk written by the patient's allopathic physician: "She will need another miracle". The Master again taught her the right technique. She again learnt it and AGAIN the cancer regressed. The "MIRACLE" happened again ! This case, like some others, have been reported in allopathic medical journals, although not exactly in those words that I have used above. Ratan Singh, MD Prayer There are different ways of praying. Some prayers are out of selfishness, asking for His favors, even promising him to bribe, and some prayers are out of fear of His punishment and having to live in Hell. These are not the prayers that bring peace of mind or stillness. It is in deep stillness that cancer has been reversed. There exist many papers scattered in allopathic medical journals on complete reversal of confirmed terminal and metastasized stage cancer achieved by means of meditation. Ratan Singh, MD Testimony to the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight by James S. Gordon, MD Director, Center for Mind-Body Medicine The Center for Mind-Body Medicine, with the collaboration of the NIH's Office of Alternative Medicine and the University of Texas Health Sciences Center, held the first annual conference on Comprehensive Cancer Care: Integrating Complementary and Alternative Therapies. This conference brought together for the first time those who are doing the most interesting research and clinical work with complementary and alternative therapies with leaders of the American cancer establishment, including David Rosenthal, MD, President of the American Society, Robert Wittes, MD, Deputy Director of the National Cancer Institute, and Robert Temple, MD, Deputy Director of the Food and Drug Administration. 115 clinicians, researchers, and patient advocates from around the world presented their work, and more than 1000 people attended. The conference grew out of obvious and pressing needs that many of us have recognized and that I have experienced in several of my professional roles – as Director of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, an organization that provides support groups and referrals for hundreds of people with cancer each month; as the first Chair of the Program Advisory Council for NIH's Office of Alternative Medicine; and as a clinician in private practice, who receives calls every day from people with cancer and their families. While we have made some advances in the treatment of some cancers, it is painfully clear that conventional therapy does not have all of the answers. It has also been clear that conventional oncologists and cancer centers are, at present, ill-equipped to help patients make wise choices among complementary and alternative therapies (more than 50% are already using these therapies), or to guide them in the integration of these with conventional cancer care. This conference was designed to answer some of these patient needs, as well as to provide guidance for future directions in research, clinical practice, and the dissemination of information. It was a vehicle for providing and critically evaluating information about complementary and alternative therapies that seem promising and how they can be integrated into a truly comprehensive program. The mood of the conference was remarkably harmonious. There was a sense that people from all parts of the cancer care spectrum – NCI and FDA administrators and scientists, as well as complementary and alternative researchers and clinicians – were reaching out to one another, making the effort to move beyond past grievances and misunderstandings to work together to help shape an agenda which would enable us to better prevent and treat cancer. The last session of the conference was a panel discussion on "Where do we go from here?" The members of that panel enthusiastically agreed to help plan next year's meeting. These included Dr. Rosenthal; Wayne Jonas, MD, Director of the Office of Alternative Medicine; William Fair, MD, Professor Urologic Oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering; Ernst Wynder, MD, who has been active for 40 years in exploring causes and treatments of cancer; Mary Ann Richardson, DrPH, who heads the Center for Alternative Cancer Research at the University of Texas; Clem Bezold, PhD, a futurist and advisor to the ACS; and Ralph Moss, PhD, a leading figure in providing accurate information about alternative therapies to the medical community and the public. Dr. Wittes, who was unable to be part of the panel, has also indicated his interest in working with us on planning next year's conference. We look forward to creating a yearly event that will continue to provide state-of-the-art information on integrative cancer care and research on complementary and alternative therapies to all those who are providing care to cancer patients, doing or fostering cancer research and offering information to the public. My experience with this conference and over the years has led me to suggest the following steps that would help establish a common base of knowledge, facilitate information sharing and dialogue about difference, and foster creative collaboration. The timely creation of a Cancer Advisory Panel, an advisory board to the Office of Alternative Medicine and the National Cancer Institute which will include leaders in conventional oncology, as well as in complementary and alternative treatments. This panel, which has been discussed and agreed upon in principle by the OAM and the NCI, will address all issues related to alternative cancer treatment – therapies to be tested, the way trials should be done, how information will be disseminated, etc. It will also serve as an ombudsman to mediate any differences that may arise in the conduct of trials, dissemination of information, or any other area. Inclusion at every level of government involvement of men and women who are committed to the thoughtful integration of complementary and alternative therapies into cancer treatment. This would include the appointment of one or more such people to be members of the National Cancer Advisory Board. Participation of the NCI in co-sponsoring as well as planning and next year's Comprehensive Cancer Care conference. Establishment of a lecture series at the NCI, at which leaders among those who are studying and using complementary and alternative therapies would present their perspectives and their work to, and receive feedback from, NCI scientists. The Center for Mind-Body Medicine would be happy to work with the NCI to develop such a series. Creation of a regular column in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute on news related to complementary and alternative therapies. The column would present fair and objective evaluations of the work being done and help make discussion about this work more a part of the ongoing NCI dialogue. Establishment of an ongoing discussion of NCI funding priorities. Only a small portion of the NCI's budget goes to prevention and to clinical trials. Research on complementary and alternative therapies, most of which cannot be patented, may well not be undertaken by pharmaceutical houses because it cannot be expected to yield large profits. Therefore, there needs to be specific attention paid, and adequate public funding set aside, for clinical research on complementary and alternative therapies for cancer. Development of mechanisms and resources by which NCI and OAM can assist researchers and clinicians to organize their data, present their findings, and do research on complementary, alternative and integrative approaches to cancer. This is the kind of work the Center at the University of Texas is already doing and there needs to be a far greater commitment to it. Transformation of the Office of Alternative Medicine into a National Center for Integrative Medicine with a significant increase in its budget. Even with the best will and re-evaluation of its priorities, it cannot be expected that the National Cancer Institute will be able to meet all the needs for clinical and basic research in complementary and alternative therapies for cancer. A National Center for Integrative Medicine would have the authority and the flexibility to do field investigations of new therapies, establish granting mechanisms and review committees with the appropriate degree of expertise, and to gather, evaluate and disseminate information about the utility of complementary and alternative therapies. It is my hope that this committee will consider and further these initiatives, and that those of us outside and inside the National Cancer Institute can continue to work together to devise the most comprehensive, effective, and respectful strategies for the prevention and treatment of cancer. |
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Disclaimer: Information is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended as diagnosis or recommendation for treatment of disease.Please consult your physician for medical advice. No claim is made to the therapeutic benefits of any product or service listed on the HEALL web site. Copyright 2006