how to treat an ulcerated (breast) tumor

Thanks for that candid explanation exbrxgrl. I have sympathy for you too (not related to BC)

yes Kayb, sorry, he did finally have the whipple procedure before he died, but the point I was making is that he survived for 8 years following diagnosis despite his unconventional choices early on, when the doctors gave him only months to live, not years. 

The serious point to come out of this is - if you refuse surgery, the outcome is never going to be good. How could anyone who has operable cancer deny themselves  a chance by refusing surgery.

No I'm not saying cnn is lying. The quote you use about 3-6 months was what he was told before pathology. Neuro endocrine tumors are extremely rare so it makes sense they assumed he had adenocarcinoma which does have a life expectancy of only a few months. You should've read the rest of the article you quoted (below). He had surgery to remove the tumor (standard of care) only 9 months after diagnosis. He had a liver transplant years later and that's the surgery you keep referring to - and it was not at all standard of care. 

In a rare moment of openness about his condition, Jobs revealed a few details of his diagnosis in a 2005 speech at Stanford University's commencement ceremony.

Jobs recalled having a scan one morning in 2003 that showed a tumor in his pancreas and doctors telling him "this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months."

"Later that evening, I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope, the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery, and I'm fine now."

But the timing wasn't that clear-cut. In between diagnosis and surgery, he pursued an alternative therapy approach for nine months, hoping a special diet would allow him to avoid surgery, according to a 2008 Fortune magazine article.

On July 31, 2004, at the Stanford University Medical Clinic in Palo Alto, California, Jobs underwent surgery to remove his tumor.

Surgery and Chemo saved my DH with Stage IV lung cancer which came from the bowel - that was 7 years ago!! If they hadn't been able to operate he would have been gone ages ago. So Stage IV can be cured but it always depends on the circumstances.

Momine - I wasn't referring to your post - just pointing out that it can happen and that surgery is a must.

Yes, certain metastatic cancers can go into remission and remain that way indefinitely. Lance Armstrong is an example of someone who has metastatic testicular cancer, including lung and brain mets, and went into remission with conventional treatments (including chemo) and there is no evidence of disease many years later without further treatment. A good friend of my sister also was diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer at only 21 or 22...it was through his abdomen including stomach and colon. Surgery and chemo put him into NED, and he remains that way several years later without any other treatment.

However, less than 1% of metastatic breast cancers go into this "permanent remission" after treatment, and no one really knows why at this point. The goal of chemo, radiation, surgery, and other treatments including surgery for metastatic breast cancer is to stall progression for a while, maybe shrink or remove certain mets, reduce pain, and if one is fortunate maybe they can even be NED for a while, but it is definitely known not to be a "cure" at that point. It is palliative. Depending on the mets, like bone, some can still get many years, but eventually there is more progression (in 99% of cases) and eventually treatments no longer work. So chemo is considered "palliative" in metastatic breast cancer, but that does not mean "it does not work" because it is not used to be curative at that point. "Palliative" care for my mother who metastatic breast cancer (bone mets at this point) hopefully gives her a few more quality years.

Abigail,

Mea culpa. You have been on this forum for several years now and I apologize if my memory is imperfect. I simply don't remember when you decided you didn't have IBC.

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Abigail, you have no way of knowing what a doctor might want to do or not do, unless you talk to one. Also, just because a doctor wants to draw blood or do a mammo or whatever, you always have the absolutely right to refuse or simply not show up for the test in question.

Abigail: the reason doctors might want to draw blood and/or do a biopsy is because it is the standard of care.  They are very worried that their regulating bodies, and even the patient (or family) might charge them with negligence.  I know that is not something you would do.  But that is the reality of many of their concerns.  

There are, at least in my community, women's health clinics or maybe in your case, Planned Parenthood clinics, which are staffed by intelligent compassionate nurse practitioners and physicians who are mandated, and very used to, working with women who have a history of physical, emotional, and/ or sexual abuse at the hands of intimate partners, random attackers, or even by other health care providers. You  might want to consider making an appointment to talk with one of these people. After discussing your situation with her  you may feel comfortable letting her have a "look see", no touching.  This might go a long way towards seeing if your breast issue is something that might be dealt with with non invasive methods.  You might take several visits to feel comfortable, but these front line health care providers (hcp) have helped women who have had past histories like yours.  I (from my previous experience as a midwife) know that there are many hcps who can and do provide compassionate care which is tuned to the woman's individual life circumstances and who do not adhere to diagnostic and treatment algorithms.  

I also know that "out there" is a hcp who would relish the opportunity to work with you, what ever the work is that you would find acceptable, because you are intelligent, protective of your autonomy, and pretty damned feisty.  And I do mean that in a good way.

The thing is experimenting on yourself  with various treatments in the absence of knowing what it is you are treating can cause serious harm to you and seriously damage your quality of life

All the best, Kay

Abigail, I've found a lot of information about Artemisia absinthium (Wormwood or Mugwort) which shows it is good as a topical painkiller and anti-viral, possibly anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.  I am well past my bedtime so will search more tomorrow.  Meanwhile I found a research paper showing it is at least as good as morphine when used as a topical painkiller in mice.  Of course there are no human studies as this was just published 2 months ago and human trials will take time.  

The only way to know if it works for you is to try it as it's safety is well established.  In case of any ill effects it is always best to try a small test area first. If it works for you then whether it is eventually proven to be clinically effective or not is irrelevant. 

Of course this is not meant to treat any underlying condition, just used as a topical treatment for pain and infection control.

There are a significant number of people with fungating wounds, especially the skin cancers, as they don't respond to chemo and cannot be surgically removed in many cases. They are treated palliatively.  A close relative dresses them for patients in their home as she's a community nurse.  They just need very good hygiene as I'm sure you are well aware, but for the sake of other readers I mention the obvious.

I'll send any relevant links in a PM tomorrow my time, that's tonight where you live.  Here's the morphine comparison in PDF format.  Sorry if it's too technical, the conclusions are the main point, and you can only use yourself as a one person trial in the circumstances.  

http://www.academicjournals.org/article/article140...

Thank you for your wonderful patience and tolerance as shown above. You are a great inspiration.

Your old friend, Joy

Thank you for your latest, Lightandwind. Of course, I understand.

Abigail, I have to say I very much appreciate your term, "breast trouble."  So wholistic!  I also admire your study and knowledge of herbs and poultices, but, I must say, often wonder if you have time for anything other than breast care and support.  I know you mentioned somewhere a concern about invasive diagnostic tests, but now that your lesion has discharge, perhaps they could simply test a bit of that fluid?  Whether you then choose to use traditional, or alternative, or a combo, it probably would be beneficial to have more information about the trouble you are treating.  It might not be easy to find a truly hands-off practitioner, but if you can, I think you'll enjoy the in-person support system.