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CANCER - What Now?

Almost every day I receive e-mails from cancer patients or their loved ones seeking information on how to manage their cancer.

There is no way I can answer such queries by writing e-mails. I need to write a book! So here it is Cancer – What Now? After you read this book, probably you want to know more! I have written another book earlier, Cancer – Is There Another Option? In these two books, I have tried to answer in detail most of the questions that cancer patients are looking for – What to do after being diagnosed with cancer? or What do I do now that the treatments I have opted for failed? By writing these two books I have spent much time trying to address all your major concerns. It is now your turn to do something for yourself. Read and understand what I have written, that is if you want to know my views about cancer. With this background knowledge, I hope it will help you plot the next stage of your cancer journey.

I am aware that there are already many books written about cancer. You might have probably read some of them or none at all. I am also aware that you have no time to read because you are made busy having to run around undergoing and coping with your treatments. I am also aware that after being diagnosed with cancer you are overwhelmed with all kinds of expert advices given by well-meaning friends and relatives. Perhaps you have come to a stage where you are now confused or fed-up with what they tell you and therefore you do not have any more appetite for more information. I remember the wife of a lawyer who came to seek my help. When I asked her to read some of my books, she answered: I have read many books already and I know enough! I am also aware that some people don’t like to read books! Such people prefer that the experts lead them by the nose.

For whatever reasons you might have for not wanting to know, it is your prerogative! After all you are the one with cancer – and if you have to suffer or die, you are the one who is going to suffer the consequences of your decision – ALONE – no one else is going to follow you to your grave when you go.

You will soon discover from this book that ignorance-is-bliss attitude is not going to do you much good! Health is your responsibility. You must take full charge of your health and well-being. Don’t relegate that responsibility to others. The sooner you know this, the better you will be!

So knowing that you don’t have the luxury of time, plus perhaps rather frustrated or impatient sometimes, I shall be brief, straight-to-the point and sometimes blunt in my writing. I shall call a spade a spade. I ask you to evaluate what I say and make your own decision to agree or disagree with me. This is your cancer journey. And you have to travel this journey alone – others can only cheer you on.

Present Day Cancer Treatment

Once a cancer diagnosis is confirmed, the dreaded wheel of cancer treatment starts to turn. You may end up going to the hospital week after week until you develop a phobia for the visit, as many patients told me.

Without doubt, your doctor would offer you this standard package: surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. They are the sacred cows of the Cancer Establishment. If these are not indicated you are offered oral chemotherapy-drugs such as the smart bombs or targeted therapy agents and hormonal therapy.

Currently patients who know, often shun chemotherapy and radiotherapy because of their adverse side effects. Perhaps the more readily acceptable or less scary option is to take oral drugs – even though their sides effects are just as devastating.

Less dreadful-sounding treatments are now offered in China. Many patients go there for treatment.  In China you can undergo cryoablation, radioactive iodine seed implantation, immunotherapy, dendritic cell therapy, photo dynamic therapy, stem cell therapy, etc. These are experimental procedures and their names do not appear intimidating as chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

There is no need for me to write about all these medical therapies. When you consult your doctors, they would be able to tell you all the goodness of what they are offering you. But I am not sure that with 10 to 15 minutes of consultation, how much they can say! However, most probably they would NOT tell you the negative aspects of the therapy.  That is to be expected. And I hope you do realize that!

Facts That Doctors Don’t Talk About

In this book, let me tell you things that you may not hear from your doctors or oncologists. In this way, I hope you will get a balanced view of what present day cancer treatment is all about. However, let me first clarify that I am not anti-doctor, or anti-chemotherapy, etc. When I first started to help cancer patients, I always asked patients to follow doctors’ advice – Go for chemotherapy, Go for radiation. But now, I am sorry I have changed that stance after having seen the adverse effects of the treatment. True – many patients die because of the treatment and not of their cancer!

Then I started to read books after books written by medical doctors themselves! They are telling us the same story – the present day cancer treatment is crude and barbaric. Therefore with time and knowledge my worldview about cancer treatment changed.

Contents                    

Preface

Chapter 1:   Your Life, Your Choice  1

Chapter 2:   Facing Cancer: It Is About You  12

Chapter 3:   Five Types of Patients   41

Chapter 4:    No Cure for Cancer   85

Chapter 5:   Empty Promise   115

Chapter 6:  Virtue of Doing Nothing  129  

Chapter 7:   What to Do If You Have Cancer  162

Chapter 8:   An Afternoon With Chris Teo  195

After reading CANCER What Now?  You may wish to read CANCER – Is There Another Option?