Posted on 07/26/2009 4:19:57 PM PDT by MyTwoCopperCoins
MUMBAI: For 15 years, Rakesh Singh (name changed) went about his high-pressure job as a senior engineer in a central government firm with a transplanted kidney.
Daily, he would pop immuno-suppressant pills to prevent his body from rejecting the donated organ. Then, about 18 months ago, he was struck by an "explosive" form of cancer called multiple myeloma — big cysts erupted across and within his body, impairing his ability to sign and speak.
Singh's disease put doctors in the city's Jaslok Hospital in a bind about what line of treatment to follow: reducing the immuno-suppressants to let his body fight the cancer cells could have led to a possible rejection of the kidney.
It was then decided to give him a second transplant — of the bone marrow this time — with his own stem cells. Today, Singh is cancer-free and a medical marvel of sorts.
It has been a month since the 49-year-old underwent a PET (positron emission tomography) scan that categorically showed that he had no more cancer cells in his body. He has been breathing easy since then, but the doctors who treated him over 18 months have got a tad busier: they have a big announcement to make to the world.
Papers are being written, archives are being rechecked and old-timers being consulted before the doctors submit their claim to Nephrology Dialysis Transplant, a European journal.
"Singh is the first kidney transplant patient in the world to undergo a stem cell transplant to beat multiple myeloma (a cancer of the plasma cell) after ablative chemotherapy," say nephrologist Dr Madan Bahadur, hematologist Dr Sameer Shah and oncologist Dr Ganpati Bhat.
KEM Hospital's head of nephrology department, Dr V Hase, says, "The Jaslok patient’s case is of great academic interest. Firstly, it is rare for a kidney transplant patient to develop multiple myeloma. Secondly, no transplant patient in India has undergone a stem cell transplant as a rescue mission against cancer.’’
Dr Hase adds that renal failure is a known complication of multiple myeloma. ‘‘So, in the western world, multiple myeloma patients would undergo stem cell transplant first and a renal transplant later,’’ he says. ‘‘But in the Mumbai case, the opposite has happened.’’
As for the man who underwent the Rs 19-lakh (US$ 38,000 approx.) rescue, ‘‘life in the last 18 months has been a struggle for survival’’. He smiles as he recalls the difficulty he had in signing papers.
Ping for later read.
No babies were harmed in the curing of this person...
Absolutely. Smart money is on adult stem cell research.
I have MGUS and feel somewhat lucky to have it (1% chance per year of getting Myeloma) instead of the nastier version.
I’m feel that M.M. will be quite treatable (if not curable) in my lifetime.
I sure hope so. It’s my understanding that thalidomide is the only effective treatment for multiple myeloma now.
Adult stem cell rapid advances are irrelevant to the purposes of those who demand embryonic and foetal stem cell research, especially if government supported. The principle those people would establish is the destruction and use of some human beings for the benefit of other human beings with the government ultimately determining the favored classes and the fodder classes.
Obamacare says “let him die.”
Bttt !
thanks, bfl
My husbands boss underwent a stem cell treatment for MM. It worked and he was cancer free, but just to make sure they did the chemo/radiation bit. Russ died of liver failure. Due to chemo/radiation. And he was cancer free due to his own stem cells. It’s been 4 years and we still just shake our heads.
plasma cell a round cell with an off-center nucleus containing coarsely clumped chromatin and deep blue cytoplasm with a clear zone adjacent to the nucleus; these cells are involved in synthesis, storage, and release of immunoglobulins. Pathological plasma cells are seen in multiple myeloma and Waldenström macroglobulinemia. Called also plasmacyte.
Immunoglobulins is another name for antibodies. More links are at the source. It's a good medical dictionary.
BUMP for adult stem cells.
Please FreepMail me if you want on or off my Pro-Life Ping List.
LIBERALISM IS THE WORST TYPE OF CANCER.
Background:
I am a 55 year old woman who was diagnosed with kidney failure in February of 2008 and after numerous tests, multiple myeloma in April of 2008. A bone marrow biopsy taken in March showed 26% penetration of cancer cells but x-rays showed no bone involvement. The oncologist said I wouldn’t live five years. He pushed very hard for chemotherapy, which I initially resisted. I finally relented and went on Velcade in May of 2008, and continued this treatment through the rest of the year. I understand that Velcade only blocks the further effects of the bad protein; it doesn’t specifically target cancer cells because it can’t penetrate the blood/brain barrier.
I had already started on a vegetarian regimen to save stress on my kidneys. We decided to intensify the vegetarian effort and convert to almost 100% vegan (difficult for a dialysis patient, because the dialysis process removes the good albumen (protein) while leaving the bad, and your kidneys no longer regulate electrolytes, which are plentiful in raw fruits and vegetables). I am on dialysis two days per week (the frequency was just lowered).
Anyway, I started following a regimen called the Budwig Protocol. You can read more about it here:
http://www.cancertutor.com/Cancer/Budwig.html
That page has been expanded since I was doing the program, it seems like there is a lot of good information there.
There is also a Budwig support group on Yahoo! Groups:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/FlaxSeedOil2/files/
Just apply to join and they will approve you.
I also took homemade apricot pit capsules, homemade turmeric capsules, drank green tea and kombucha tea, and ate a ton of raw vegetables and fruit. You can read more about kombucha here:
We bought a Jack LaLanne juicer at Macy’s (not online, we wanted to have a retail outlet to back us up) and my husband made fresh green juice for me just about every day. I think Costco sells them too. The Gerson protocol is also based on fresh juices but their cancer health program is pretty expensive ($3k). Charlotte Gerson is in San Diego and operates a clinic in Tijuana, Mexico.
After a while, I developed a gall bladder problem. For a couple of days, all I ate was raw shredded beets with lemon juice and flaxseed oil! But the gall bladder attack subsided, thank the Lord! If you ever have this problem, here is a terrific resource:
Many people prayed for me, and my work, family and friends could not have been more supportive. Especially my husband! Thank God for him!
As fall came along, I was getting tired of salads and looked up a doctor here in California who knew something about both nephrology (kidney problems) and nutrition. He was very impressed with the lab results and said to keep doing what we were doing. He told me I needed more vitamin D (good for any cancer patient, by the way), and sold us a supplement for protein enhancement and some fish oil. I take those every day (or when I remember, LOL). They give me vitamin D at dialysis, but I also take 5,000IU daily. My naturopath’s website is here:
http://www.iprogressivemed.com/index.html
We recently joined a raw foods group in Fresno to support and get support from other people interested in raw foods.
Results:
The second biopsy (November 2008) showed 0 cancer cells. That was in the space of about 7 months. I was very happy, as you can imagine.
The entire time I was on chemotherapy, the cancer doctor’s appointment papers said, “Multiple myeloma without mention of remission.” My dialysis time is down to 3:00 hours per session, two sessions per week, and I have also lost 50 pounds. I feel terrific!
My oncologist advised me to contact the City of Hope to discuss a bone marrow transplant. I went, and they referred me to Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, but I am not going to have the procedure done. I want to rebuild my immune system now that the MM is in remission. From what I’ve read, I didn’t think chemotherapy could penetrate the blood/brain barrier, hence the need for bone marrow transplant to attack the cancer cells inside the bone.
Heh, when the biopsy came back negative, the doctor never asked me about my diet - I’m sure he thinks it’s irrelevant. But according to the DVD Healing Cancer From Inside Out, that would have been between 8 and 16 billion cancer cells that got killed in 7 months. What killed them? What can cross the blood/brain barrier? Not chemotherapy.
http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Cancer-Inside-Mike-Anderson/dp/B00132XZFQ
You can watch a preview here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xkyMAYmrQY
I hope this helps anyone who reads my story. Please start reading everything you can about alternative treatments. I’m not saying don’t take chemotherapy, but I am saying you don’t have to just sit back and let the doctor and his medicine do all the work. You can be a partner in your therapy!
As mentioned in the post above, I am in remission from Multiple Myeloma. I intend to stay on my weird diet because I feel so healthy!
ESC research is not necessary!!
Please see my post above about recovering from MM. They gave me Velcade which blocked the effects of the Bence-Jones Kappa Light Chain proteins. The oncologist mentioned thalidomide but didn’t bring it up again. Oh well, I’m better now, so perhaps it’s moot.
That’s awesome news, Tenth!
“ESC research is not necessary!!”
Yep. It has resulted in NO good treatment only problems. Adult has had dozens of great successes and will only get better.
Do No Harm The Coalition of Americans for Research Ethics http://www.stemcellresearch.org/
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