cancertreatment Archives - Hope Never Dies

Which Chemotherapy Drugs Are Best?

February 4, 2021 by Rick Shapiro Leave a Comment

You’ve been diagnosed with cancer. It can be a daunting challenge, but you’re poised to fight for your life. If you are embarking on a cancer-fighting protocol which includes chemotherapy, your objective is to use drugs that are effective in killing cancer cells, thus eradicating the cancer – or stopping or slowing its progress.

But the decision process regarding which chemo drugs are best, is a complex one. There are more than 100 chemotherapy drugs and drug combinations that are used in the oncology world. How do you know the best course, specifically, for you?

What is the Difference Between Conventional, Integrative, and Alternative Cancer Care?

March 20, 2017 by Rick Shapiro Leave a Comment

In today’s world, the standard of care is generally defined as: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.

CONVENTIONAL

Most conventional cancer therapies, which are prescribed and directed by mainstream doctors, are comprised of what is known as the “standard of care.” In today’s world, the standard of care is generally defined as: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. These are the primary modalities used in conventional cancer therapy, however, there are others, including hormonal and, more recently, novel immunotherapies. We are at the dawn of the immunotherapeutic age and this is not a perfected therapy, but there appears to be new hope and progress in this treatment realm. In fact, there is “no perfect therapy” for all cancers and cancer patients. But, there are many therapeutic paths that can provide great benefit, and that includes therapies that “are not” strictly standard of care therapies.

Proof of Evidence-Based Cancer Treatments and Drugs: The FDA “Gold Standard”—versus—Evidence for Integrative and Alternative Therapies

March 17, 2017 by Rick Shapiro Leave a Comment

Cancer may respond to integrative and/or alternative therapies (and healing agents) that are not formally "evidence-based".

Evidence-based cancer treatments, integrative and/or alternative therapies, and healing agents may be considered.

Evidence-based cancer care is a scientific discussion.

In the conventional cancer world, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) testing procedure generally known as – “the gold standard” – prevails as the barometer to prove the safety and effectiveness of drugs, treatments, and therapies. In brief, this standard revolves around: large, randomized, placebo-based, double-blind, evidence-based research studies. They often take 10-15 years to complete, from start to finish. They assess and evaluate drugs and therapies beginning with the evaluation of cancer cell lines, then proceeding to preclinical studies (animal studies, frequently mice). Animal studies are followed by phase 1 trials consisting of small groups of people (approximately, 20 to 80), then phase 2 (approximately, several dozens to 300), followed by phase 3 trials which are comprised of even larger groups of people (approximately several hundred to 3,000). Each succeeding phase continues, subject to safe and effective results being demonstrated in the preceding phase.