Amy one take Turmeric

DivineMrsM

Make no mistake, I had all the conventional treatments, diagnosed stage iv from the start and still take Arimidex daily. The tumeric with curcumin that I take is not some type of alternative route; I began taking it a number of months after I completed chemo, rads and had a lumpectomy. I consider it complimentary to tradtional treatment.

The way I understand it, supplements are not ruled and regulated by the FDA the way medicine is. There are not tried and true statistics to be found of studies conducted to determine whether they work, what doses they work at, how long they work for. With the herbal supplement websites making vague references to "all types" of cancer, it says to me they do not have scientific data to back up their claims.

I cannot say why I have had a long stretch of stability since treatment for stage iv, but I would most certainly not be here without modern medicine. The supplements I take have not been a detriment to my stabilty, but are they the reason for it? I would not make that claim. Why do I take them? I guess it is my way of feeling like I have some kind of control over this disease.

Most Oncologists are trained only in the ways of traditional medicine. Have you read the Anti Cancer book? It is several years old now, but a doctor diagnosed with a brain tumor goes into great detail about complimentary treatment for cancer. His tumor grew back and after 17 years dealing with cancer, he passed. But he felt he benefited by adopting a holistic approach to his treatment, that it added longevity to his years.

LindaE54

I would not claim either that curcumin is the reason of my stability over 3 years. I take letrozole and rely on that as systemic tx until the next tx/progression. I started using curcumin after dx for joint pain caused by AIs. If there is an added benefit, well all the better.

amylsp

@ Houston, where did you read turmeric was contraindicated for hormone positive cancer? I've never read that.

I trust the Memorial Sloan Kettering Site. They are usually very good about listing if there are any contraindications at all, even small ones. The only contraindications I've ever read for turmeric with BC is that it might interfere with certain Chemotherapy drugs.

Husband11

The closest I've heard of any problem with curcumin and ER positive breast cancer is the fear that pathways used to metabolize anti hormonals (and other drugs for that matter) might be interfered with in some cases by the same pathways used to metabolize curcumin. Ultimately there is no clear cut answer proving curcumin is safe, but there is evidence that where it uses common pathways, it does not appear to hijack or monopolize those pathways, and thus have a negative impact. (that was the conclusion of Constantine K.) If that is the case, you can have your cake and eat it too, so to speak. So, there is a risk of it interfering with some drugs, but no proof that it actually does. You have to do what you feel comfortable with when there is no definitive proof.

chrissyb

I am ER+ stage IV and have been on an AI for over seven years and Femara in particular for over five years while taking Curcumin.........I am NED and have been for five of those seven and a half years, If Curcumin interferes with the way the AI's are processed then I should not be NED. I was told to take it by my doc mainly to help with the side effects of the AI's but I feel it has also had a helping hand in getting me to and keeping me at the place I am right now. Nothing but good to say about Curcumin and recommend it to many.

Anonymous

Merry Christmas to All!

Lovinggrouches

Merry Christmas to all!!!!!

gardengypsy

amylsp~

A Dana Farber pharmacist told me that Tumeric interacted with Tamoxifen pathways.