Cancer: A Controversial Subject
How do the
detractors portray complementary medicine & CCRG?
Does CCRG Just Give False Hope?
The vast majority of cancer patients that visit the CCRG facilities have
very late stage cancers. For the most part they have undertaken
conventional cancer treatment and there is little else that conventional
medical modalities have to offer them. Their doctors have left them with
little or no hope and they have often been sent off to “get their
affairs in order”.
Historically, most patients are introduced to CCRG services by past or
current patients of CCRG, who have benefited from Aminomics/immune
system management. There is normally few other medical options for our
patients so, when a friend/associate suggests that CCRG may be able to
help strengthen the body’s immune system and internal disease fighting
mechanisms, the patient naturally gets a bit of hope, often the first
and only hope they have had in months.
Does CCRG encourage the individual to have a positive mindset about
complementary immune system based cancer support? Absolutely! Many
studies indicate that emotions alter immune function and adversely
affect cancer survival rates. (O’Leary, 1990) Investigators have
reported that psychological intervention and/or stress reduction may
increase the median patient survival-time by as much as double that of
national averages (Simonton et al, 1980). Stress has been demonstrated
to facilitate carcinogenesis by adversely affecting DNA repair (Takabe
et al, 1983; Kiecolt-Glaser at al, 1985). Even the anticipation of a
stressful event, such as chemotherapy treatment, may initiate immune
suppression and other reactions as indicated by evidence of anticipatory
immune nausea, vomiting and reduced monocyte and NK cell activity. (Bovbjerg
et al, 1990; Fredrikson et al, 1993)
CCRG will discuss with patients the research data undertaken that
outlines, on a cumulative basis, the success that other patients have
experienced. This is done on the basis of reporting results of
case
series research. These discussions are based upon actual, documented
experience with managing the immune system of a wide range of cancer and
other illnesses from almost a decade of working with hundreds and
hundreds of individuals that have cancer. CCRG stands firmly behind the
research results that are conveyed (further on the CCRG research below).
Does CCRG in anyway “guarantee a cure”?. Absolutely not!
Is this false hope? Absolutely not! It is real hope that is founded in
valid clinical and laboratory research and conferred by thousands of
documented peer-reviewed research studies on the impact of nutraceutical
support of immune system dysfunctions.
Today, the limitations of cytotoxic chemotherapy and the relatively
stagnant and low effectiveness of radiotherapy are not disputed by most
oncologists. “The limits of the <cancer killing> model seem to have been
reached”. “Killing strategies may be counterproductive because they
impair host response and drive the already defective regulatory process
of the cancer cell toward further aberrancy” (Schipper, 1995, Journal of
Clinical Oncology). Despite spending $14 billion annually on cancer
research, the percentage of patients dying from cancer is still what it
was in 1970… and in 1950. (Leaf, 2004) Therefore, one could easily and
equally argue that all of “modern” medicine is conveying “false hope” to
their patients!
Bottom Line: No conventional or complementary/alternative practitioner
can definitively claim 100% success with any cancer therapeutic. The
question is…. Are CCRG clients receiving any clinical benefit? CCRG
maintains that improved quality of life, improved support of the
individual to the after-effects of conventional therapy and extension of
life demonstrated through CCRG protocols are very significant benefits.
With respect to the concept of financially preying upon the
desperate:
The cost of CCRG services (about $6K for 6 months program) are extremely
reasonable, especially in comparison to the average cost of cytotoxic
chemotherapeutic drugs which range from $20K to $75K per treatment
(Globe, Feb 2, 2006). Many of CCRG’s patients have paid $50K-$100K for
private treatment out of country. CCRG services include the cost of
patient dialogue, several HPLC laboratory analysis, data interpretation,
high-quality, custom compound formulation in an ISO 9000 compounding
facility using premium, pharmaceutical grade, pathogen free, highly
bio-available compounds and ongoing patient
management/re-testing/re-compounding. Further, CCRG has worked with
hundreds of patients at no charge that did not have the financial
ability to pay. Over the years CCRG worked with many children at no
charge. Virtually all profits from CCRG operations over the past 10
years have been rolled back into R&D.
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Does CCRG convey unbelievable statistics as a “sales tool”?
There is no question, one must be wary of unsubstantiated health claims.
However, the fact is that CCRG’s approach to immune system management
has achieved remarkable success and has been validated through direct
experience with hundreds of patients over many years.
The benefits of immune system management as indicated in research done
for CCRG is based on solid
case
series research. See below for further
verification of research data.
Are the CCRG patient observations “incredible”? Yes! CCRG has realized
some amazing successes with the Aminomics protocol. CCRG’s long list of
healthy patients are a testament to this.
See Factual information regarding CCRG patient success.
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Do people die as a result of CCRG immune system management
techniques?
CCRG has had patients die. These are patients that have run the gamut of
conventional medical options, have late stage, metastatic cancers and
despite the best, combined efforts of their MDs and the CCRG clinic,
they pass away. In this situation, it is typical that CCRG has not had
significant enough time with the patient to administer several rounds of
custom nutraceutical compounds. But, this group represents a very small
minority of CCRG patients. Detractors of CCRG and complementary medicine
don’t care to highlight that the vast majority of CCRG patients have:
- experienced extended life beyond
their and their doctor’s expectations
- improved their quality of life
- are alive and well today, having
“beaten” their cancer into submission, sometimes even remission.
The CCRG clinic employs licensed MDs,
pharmacists and nurses. (Note that we do not employ an oncologist. The
oncologist’s role in cancer treatment is to specifically provide
radiation and chemotherapy interventions to cancer.) Our medical staff
has had extensive experience dealing with cancer patients at a medical,
psychological and social level. Patient health and comfort are
paramount. It is a fundamental rule of the doctor’s oath to “Do no
harm”.
The CCRG approach is founded upon thousands of peer-reviewed scientific
and medical research studies that prove the safety and efficacy of
nutraceutical intervention in cancer and other immune system disorders.
Our own case
series research demonstrates substantial success.
Yes, people do die from cancer. Cancer is the cause of significant
morbidity and one in 2.5 of us will have to face this disease at some
point in our lives. In fact, the annual incidence of cancer is 40%
greater today than it was 40 years ago. The Canadian Cancer Society
estimates that this year alone over 65,000 Canadians will die from
cancer (over 600,000 in the USA: American Cancer Society).
Each year in North America over 1.5 million people are newly diagnosed
with cancer. Approximately ½ of these people receive surgery,
radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy and are cured of the symptoms of their
disease (Miller et al, 1992). The other half of the population is not so
fortunate: even with conventional therapies, they will die within 5
years. Treatment itself can be the cause of further morbidity. Intensive
chemo- or radio- therapy is commonly associated with a range of adverse
side effects from malnutrition to bone marrow failure, further declines
in quality of life and development of secondary cancers as much as 1,000
times greater than normal. (Calabresi and Schein, 1993)
One can only wonder that if, as a society, we were just a bit more
proactive preventatively, rather than reactive to healthcare, how many
thousands of cancer patients could be saved through integrated medical
and complementary approaches such as is advocated by CCRG. Of course, it
is well recognized that our healthcare system (both at a government and
an institutional level) is VERY resistant to change.
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