# Atlernative, non-allopathic medicine in Greece?



## Thrasymachus (Nov 19, 2015)

Hi, 

I am not an expat but going to visit Greece soon as my father who lives in a village outside of Patras has stage IV colorectal cancer. He was being treated conventionally with chemo and I confronted his oncologist with research on just how ineffective it is for his type of cancer and she responded by simply ceasing email contact.* As things turned out, he has was forced to stop chemotherapy over a week ago, because the side effects and toxicity became too great for him to continue which is common. 

I would like to find a more open minded doctor who would be willing to try more effective treatments. Unfortunately because chemotherapy can lead to $100,000 per patient there is not really much incentive to research alternatives because of the way research is funded. I have discovered that drugs like low dose naltrexone, the off patent statin lovastin, and also Lodine XL(arthritis drug) are promising but again not enough research is being done on them because there is much less money in such treatment. The effectiveness of those drugs in clinical practice was established after doctors noted that patients taking them had less cancer incidence or improvement in their condition if they had cancer. 

I have some knowledge of Greek and can read it, but I am not up to the task of discussing complex medical issues or navigating the Greek medical system. Does anyone know about navigating the Greek medical system and how to find more open minded less dogmatic doctors who would be willing to try those much more low-cost, less toxic treatments? Would I have to see a naturopath? 

*Since I know there are so many self proclaimed skeptics and quackbusters, who really instead watch too much tv, will likely try to make fun of me, here are the peer review articles I emailed his oncologist establishing how ineffective his treatment was: 
[1]]Pubmed: The contribution of cytotoxic chemotherapy to 5-year survival in adult malignancies.
Summary: Chemotherapy, is only effective in less than 3% of cases
[2] Springer: Effects of adjuvant chemotherapy on recurrence, survival, and quality of life in stage II colon cancer patients: a 24-month follow-up
"stage II colon cancer patients who received chemotherapy treatment were more likely to have poor [quality of life], recurrence, and all-cause mortality after 24 months compared to
those who did not receive chemotherapy."
[3] Jama Oncology: Chemotherapy Use, Performance Status, and Quality of Life at the End of Life
"The [quality of life near death] in patients with end-stage cancer is not improved, and can be harmed, by chemotherapy use near death, even in patients with good performance status."


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## concertina (Oct 18, 2012)

Hello,I would like to post a few of my thoughts on this subject that you raise in concern for your father which i am sorry to hear.As a person who has always been in favor of anything alternative I have tried to study up over the years and take note of useful information on health and general living guides."Annals of Oncology"use of complimentary and alternative medicine in cancer patients;a European study and Cancer Compass-High dose vitamin C injections as a prostate cancer treatment(for other cancers as well) look at these on line,very interesting but I remember reading the story and seeing a short video on Utube of a very incredible woman who found a cure for cancers by the name of RENE CAISSE and her herbal recipe she herself named as ESSIAC,she said she had cured many people,thousands even.They brought court cases against her of course,the big guys,we know who they are. They stopped her for a while but she continued,found a way to, without being shot in the head. You will see the recipe on line and the plants she uses are fairly easy to come by.Why not try?And I want to remind you of the man from Ikaria who is now famous worldwide because he was sent home from Athens some years back now with terminal cancer,he decided to return to live out his remaining time on his Island and because he thought it would be a cheaper funeral there,well it seems he is still alive today and has been back to show himself to his doctors, some of whom have died in that time.Now we ask what was his cure,what happened?Ikaria has always been and more so in the past a very laid back no stress place,the shops open when the owner decides to leisurely get up,they eat real food,live off the land and very importantly help each other,no lonely unwanted,unhappy,unloved older people which is the case mostly across our world I think in these times.But lets look at the physics of what might have gone on with this man,RADIATION-not normally so good for us they say but on Ikaria there seems to be an abundance of it naturally occurring perhaps because of volcanic eruptions in its history.The natural running waters and possibly what they are drinking and natural pools for swimming in with the councils having made enclosed natural spa pools for people has allowed this radiation to enter the body.I read a report from a scientist who believed that the radiation enters the body and is expelled via the lungs and so it does not hang around too long in the system but what it has time to do is kill off any rogue cells like cancer.Is this why this man didnt die?is it a combination of factors which got put together?The people live very long lives on Ikaria but most importantly in a very good state,condition.It is one of the BLUE ZONES on the planet.For the vitamin C,Im confused because I know that only a certain amount can be used every day by the body and any excess is washed out in the urine but a scientific person would tell us the logic behind high doses of vit c as a cure.Im convinced that plants offer us a chance for cures,animals, especially horses will eat specific plants when they are unwell and they will seek them out.So why not try a combination of therapies for your father,do be careful of being encouraged to drop huge amounts of money to alternative therapy clinics because the most I think want to bleed people dry like the big drug companies and its difficult or nigh impossible to know where to turn our heads for fear of extortion in our times of desperate need.


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## Thrasymachus (Nov 19, 2015)

It seems it is too late to edit my post but what I want to find really is a integrated oncologist(some searching and I found that integrated oncology is ενοποιημένης ογκολογίας) or a complimentary oncologist, if I eventually go the chemo-sensitivity testing route with my father. 

@concertina:
I know about alot of the stuff you talked about. But Vitamin C has poor bio-availability even if you get it intravenously. Essiac tea is not really proven by peer review. I actually purchased some Essiac pills and it was overpriced at like $30+, I am going to return it and get more effective supplements. 

Here is one peer review article showing it ineffective: 


Zick SM said:


> Trial of Essiac to ascertain its effect in women with breast cancer (TEA-BC).
> CONCLUSIONS:
> Essiac does not appear to improve HR-QOL or mood states. Future studies are needed to determine whether other clinical outcomes, such as cancer reoccurrence, are affected by Essiac.


I also long ago read the NY Times article you referenced: 


Dan Buettner said:


> The Island Where People Forget to Die
> OCT. 24, 2012
> 
> One day in 1976, Moraitis felt short of breath. Climbing stairs was a chore; he had to quit working midday. After X-rays, his doctor concluded that Moraitis had lung cancer. As he recalls, nine other doctors confirmed the diagnosis. They gave him nine months to live. He was in his mid-60s.
> ...


That article does not really have much of a blueprint to follow. A researcher named Kelly Turner has a book called Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds. I have listened to over half a dozen podcasts she appeared on to promote her book and I will try to implement alot of the suggestions she gives from interviewing cancer survivors.


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## concertina (Oct 18, 2012)

If you go to..sott.net cancer is not unique-its the end stage of oxidative stress and inflammation by Captain Randall,Green Med info Mon 02 Nov 2015,..a very interesting article along with others by Green Med info,I remember my gastro doctor telling me that if the diverticulas I had were to keep being inflamed then its possible that they may turn cancerous.


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## concertina (Oct 18, 2012)

Just to add a bit more about the vitamin C,my brother found out at about the age of 50 that he had Hepatitis C which he must have caught when he was young in his twenties from sharing needles and he had no idea that he had it,it was obviously in his system for a long time and he had some routine tests done and they told him that he had Hep C which of course he was shocked by.He had felt poorly for some time and had lost weight,however the fact that he was a very careful eater and not over weight,fit, kept the illness fairly at bay.He followed a therapy privately which he paid for himself,very expensive,it didnt work and he was bitterly disappointed,his health continued to suffer,he was then offered through the public sector a therapy which was Antiferon(a cancer drug I think) combined with high doses of vit C,he had monthly injections which made him feel fairly awful but he got through it and would you believe his test results after showed that the Hep C had completely gone from his system and he remains clear.He had to pay half the costs.So Vit C does obviously has its place.For him a miracle happened and he could get on with his life without that cloud hanging over his happiness.


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

concertina said:


> Just to add a bit more about the vitamin C,my brother found out at about the age of 50 that he had Hepatitis C which he must have caught when he was young in his twenties from sharing needles and he had no idea that he had it,it was obviously in his system for a long time and he had some routine tests done and they told him that he had Hep C which of course he was shocked by.He had felt poorly for some time and had lost weight,however the fact that he was a very careful eater and not over weight,fit, kept the illness fairly at bay.He followed a therapy privately which he paid for himself,very expensive,it didnt work and he was bitterly disappointed,his health continued to suffer,he was then offered through the public sector a therapy which was Antiferon(a cancer drug I think) combined with high doses of vit C,he had monthly injections which made him feel fairly awful but he got through it and would you believe his test results after showed that the Hep C had completely gone from his system and he remains clear.He had to pay half the costs.So Vit C does obviously has its place.For him a miracle happened and he could get on with his life without that cloud hanging over his happiness.


Hi,
Your brother would have been treated with Interferon - this drug helps the body fight the virus that causes Hep C.
This is the "gold standard" for treating Hep C. and in all probability it will have been the Interferon that did the trick - not the vitamin C alone.
Of course, as a combination they may have complimented each other and helped your brother to combat the disease.
Cheers
Steve


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## concertina (Oct 18, 2012)

I have just seen this on the Daily Mail news today,a young teenager with cancer and the NHS having given up on him hopes to raise money to be treated in Germany at the Hallwang Oncology private clinic in Germany which uses an intergrative approach to cancer care,low dose chematherapy coupled with immunotherapy.Treatments such as hyperthermia,concentrated heat to the body which can damage and kill cancer cells without damaging normal cells.Sue de Cesare,executive director of Yes To Life which provides information and financial assistance to those with cancer who want a different approach than what the NHS has on offer.Of course money is required for this but perhaps financial help may be found.I did read once of someone with cancer getting a very high temperature and afterwards the cancer disappeared,heat in the body can kill it off.


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## aliland (Jul 19, 2013)

Hi Thrasymachus
Really sorry to here about all your trouble.
My Greek is probably like yours - perfectly OK for everyday, but just not up to dealing with stuff like this. 
My sister in law is a doctor working in an oncology hospital - her speciality is do to with homeopathy and stuff to do with pain eg, using acupuncture to alleviate side effects of chemo. She just got some PhD thing to do with researching alternative and old remedies with the latest chemicals. So I guess there are some Greeks in the medical profession who support this type of thing.
Before you get excited about a potential contact though, we live in Thessaloniki so thats to far. Also, she hasn't really been in the field for long, so while I will ask her if she can recommend help- she hasn't built up contacts yet. And she doesn't speak English.
Last week, we had an argument about this topic - my husband is quite well read on the subject, after watching his mother (ie, my sister in laws mother also) go through chemo and reading lots online.
I am a biology graduate so I can about medicine with more understanding than all those internet researchers. (Such as my husband -a lovely chap, but I don't think I know as much as him about the economy just because I watch the news and take an interest while he has a masters degree, but all my study is less significant than what he read online - sure the writer might actually have been an expert, but details must be omitted for anyone to understand studies). Unfortunately, my sister in law speaks almost no English, and while my husband is fluent he lacked the knowledge or patients to help me follow the discussion, huge shame as I'd love to have really understood what she was doing. I was at a party last weekend with a bunch of doctors, they were very negative about the modern trend of patients and their families emailing them articles - most found it irritating, some were insulted. An aunt, top of her field hart surgeon, now refuses any email contact with patients at all. Although, my mother has a slow cancer - if her doctor had not answered my questions, I would have defiantly looked for a new one.



Perhaps next time assume that if the doctor is any good, they should have read latest peer reviewed research. So tell them you have read the related articles, and would appreciate the chance to discuss how the treatment could benefit your father. 

I shall ask around to see if anyone can recommend a way forward.

Best of luck, I'll light you a candle if that's all I can do


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