Alternative treatment for Her2+ and Estrogen+ cancer?

Anneelise · February 2016

My precious mom, 86 years young, recently had a lumpectomy and the tests revealed she has 2 "horns" on her tumor: estrogen positive and Her2+. The doctor suggested these possible treatments: three months of Herceptin (every three weeks), radiation, and the five-year "pill" (for the estrogen dominance). The doctor got all of the cancer out of her with the lumpectomy, but as they explained it, there could be cancer cells in her bloodstream, and they want to rid her of these. She is an energetic lady and would like to live!

Mom already has weak bones and does not want to get on a bone-building pill (forgot the name of that), and she is wary of the radiation and Herceptin.

She is a great believer in natural remedies, and so we are looking for suggestions that might help both aspects of her cancer. Problem is, things that seem to work for the Her2+ cancer may be detrimental for the estrogen positive cancer (like Evening Primrose Oil, or flaxseed).

Do any of you have any suggestions?

Thank you so much.

Moderators · February 2016

Dear Anneelise, Welcome to the community. We are sorry to hear of your mom's diagnosis but glad that you reached out for her and yourself. If you are interested in posing some of her concerns about the other proposed treatments you might also want to post on some of the other forearms that address those with Her2+ and or radiation. We wish her well and hope you will stay connected here. The Mods

abigail48 · February 2016

the astrologer richard koepsel has had no reoccurance in 32 years after surgery for lung cancer with the gerson therapy. he doesn't do the liver part though as he's vegan, not even sure if he does the other gerson stuff any longer

ChiSandy · February 2016

The Gerson diet has been around since the 1940s (read John Gunther’s “Death Be Not Proud” about his son’s losing battle with GBM brain cancer, and the Janis Babson Story (about a little Canadian girl with leukemia). Both patients faithfully followed the diet and it didn’t arrest the progress of their cancers and they lived only about 3 years. If it did work, then there’d have been independent extensive research validating it by now. Things we know now about lowering the risk for getting breast cancer--such as weight management (which in some but not all or even most folks can be improved by fat restriction) and eating fresh produce--do show up in Gerson’s diet, but these things can’t reverse cancer. And his total elimination of fat and sodium, plus extreme potassium supplementation can lead to serious electrolyte disturbances and wreak havoc on the body’s ability to process sugar. Then there are those coffee enemas. Of course, he managed to get himself stripped of his hospital privileges and booted out of the NY Medical Society. Speaks volumes that the Gerson Institute is located in Tijuana--home of Laetrile and the late Stanislaw Byrzinski’s “antineoplastons” therapy. If you have to go to Tijuana to get the treatments, that’s a huge red flag (an apt metaphor for bullfighting).

Meow13 · February 2016

How did she do with lumpectomy? If she did well she might think about a mastectomy and forgo radiation.

I hate the hormone therapy it gives me a lot of side effects. I suppose she can try it and stop if she doesn't tolerate it well.

If I were her I think I would not do radiation and maybe try the meds. But if the meds made me feel lousy I would stop.

May she enjoy many more years.

ElaineTherese · February 2016

It sounds like your Mom's tumor was pretty small if her doctors are only recommending three months of Herceptin, every three weeks. HER2+ cancer is very aggressive cancer because it features an over-expression of HER2+, which tells the cancer cells to keep replicating. Before Herceptin, women with HER2+ cancer often had poor outcomes. Oncologists typically recommend chemo to patients with HER2+ cancer if the lump is of a certain size. If I were your Mom, I would think about the Herceptin. Still, your Mom has had surgery, and that is the one treatment option that will reduce her risk of recurrence the most. She's also 86, and can decide to do whatever she pleases. Best wishes to you both!

leggo · February 2016

Hi Anneelise. So sorry about your mom. If her doctor is willing, perhaps instead of conventional therapy, she can give a metformin/statin combo a try along with any alternative things she finds acceptable (if she's NOT diabetic and DOESN'T have high cholesterol). They too have side effects but I find them a lot easier to deal with. Lots of research that the two work synergistically with that pathology. Not everyone's cup of tea though. I know statins scare a lot of people. Also, if you page through some of the alternative treatment pages, you can look for things others are doing that have your mom's same pathology (sometimes diagnosis is in the signature line). Good luck with whatever she chooses. It is a very tough decision.

ChiSandy, "Sandy, an attorney from Chicago". You were on Jeopardy in the mid 90's, right? Too funny...small world.

janabell · March 2016

To ChiSandy--Have you tried any alternative therapies? If not, then why are you on these boards? I do not mean any harm, I just noticed a good bit of comments from you that were against, and wondered why??

abigail48 · March 2016

my dear friend richard 33 years ago, a bit more, contracted lung cancer. he knew about the gerson therapy and began using it. he'd been a vegetarian for many years but did use a lot of sugar. used reverse osmosis filter for his bad wisconsin water (bad because of fertilizer runoff from agriculture). eventually he had surgery on the affected lung. today at age 79 he;s doing well. don't know if he still uses the therapy

muska · March 2016

Janabell, 'trying' alternative therapies is a pretty risky proposition when it comes to invasive breast cancer. What would you consider success criteria?

Alternative treatment for Her2+ and Estrogen+ cancer?

Comments

Categories