To Do Or Not To Do Is The ?

Since my meeting with the oncologist in Singapore last Thursday, I am now face with the same question that I had 1 year ago, when the tumor was first detected. Should I remove the primary tumor site (i.e. kidney tumor)?

Pro Surgery Group
Both the oncologists (in Malaysia and Singapore) and the Singapore urologist said I should debulk. Debulking would ease must of the burden of the body and possibly allow me live a few months longer.

Others in this group include my brother, sister in law, her professors at the university and Dr. Rama (my homeopathy doctor from India).

Against Surgery Group
All my three Malaysian urologist said doing surgery does not help since the tumor has already spread extensively to the lungs. Furthermore, any lengthening in life would be offsetted by me having to spend a few months in bed recovering and I would not be so agile after the surgery. The quality of life would be bad.

Others in the group include my wife (not too keen) and local homeopathy practitioner.

My Take On This

Decision Taken During October 2009
The Malaysia urologist that is going to perform the surgery if I agreed (contrary to his recommendation) said most of his patients died within 6 months of surgery. I believe his patients are on normal diet. I had just started the Gerson Therapy and just within 3 weeks (before I started homeopathy therapy), another scan showed the tumor shrank a little bit, so I want to give the therapy a chance to work. So I did not go for the surgery.

Now (September 2010) With 1 Year Of Hindsight
CT Scans prior to 26 August 2010 showed that the tumors did not grow which was why I continued the therapies. However, the latest scan shows that the primary tumor site is slowly progressing and I am losing blood daily as my blood tests showed that RBC and iron count is below normal. There was also discovery of a new marble size lymph node on my left neck. Results of the lungs were more positive and showed some improvements, however within the groupings of smaller nodes, there are evidence that a few more nodes were growing bigger as compared with those that have shrunk in size.

Although I still feel good, the energy levels have gone down when compared to the earlier periods.

Possible Outcomes

• Do not debulk and continue current therapies. Chances are that the primary tumor will deteriorate not necessary the same rate experienced earlier. There would be more blood losss and will need radiation to control the bleeding and stop the pain.


• Do not debulk and continue with existing therapies plus the new Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) therapy. There is a possibility the situation may improve. If this option is taken, to monitor for say two months and then reaccess situation and go through this process again.


• Debulk as recommended. Worst case scenario as predicted by doctor, life is lost within 6 months of surgery.


• Debulk and continue with existing therapies. Since the therapy has shown some effectiveness on the lungs, debulking the primary site would increase the chances of recovery. This is on condition the body does not become too weak after surgery.


• Debulk and take therapies recommended by oncologist. Statistically the outcome is not good. Those patients are on normal diet. However, would taking the Gerson diet improve the situation?


• Others...

Other Factors
The oncologist has reminded me that every individual reacts different to the treatment even though on same condition. I believe this is so because there was also such cases of people in Gerson Therapy. My outcome would possibly be different from the others due to the following:

• The other patients were not on Gerson diet like me;


• Demonstrated 1 year of experience in controlling this diease and


• The determination and the positive attitude to fight this diease.

So far, the outcome does not take costs, post operation support requirements and what diet I should be on for about two to three weeks after the operation into consideration.

I have read a number of books that said medications and the doctors are there to facilitate the healing process. Ultimately it is the individual that heal themselves.

It is on this basis I am quite keen to explore further but reserve judgement until possibly in October 2010 as I am timing for it to happen sometime in November during the school holidays. Meanwhile, it allows me to ponder more about this question and at the same time allow me to see some of the results of the TCM therapy.