A total thyroidectomy was performed in 1997, and the doctor declared the patient to be cancer-free. Subsequently, there were 2 recurrences of cancer. The most recent one was in November 2006. The endocrinologist was unable to account for the recurrence of cancer and did not appear to have full knowledge of thyroid cancer. As a result, the patient lost her confidence in the conventional treatment and has now turned to alternative treatment - taking health supplements.

To many of us, it may not be the wiser choice of healing but it is the patient's choice. Patients reserve the right to decide what is best for them.

The word, 'cancer-free' could have misled patients that they are cured. In reality, cancer can reappear even after years have passed. Hence I would advise cancer survivors to get follow-up care for the rest of his or her life.

Consult a thyroidologist (who is an endocrinologist specializes only in treating thyroid disease) if such a person is available to you.

When a long-time(24 years) thyroid cancer survivor, Dr M. Sara Rosenthal wrote a book, 'The Thyroid Cancer Book', no publisher was keen to print it as the 'market is small'. Finally, Sara set up her own publishing company to publish the book in 2002. The section on Amazing Grapes may shine a little hope on the fate of thyroid cancer patients.

"A March 2002 study, published by researchers at the Clinical Research Institute at Albany Medical College, tested cell lines for papillary thyroid carcinoma and follicular thyroid carcinoma, and determined that treatment with resveratrol activated the cells' "self-destruct" properties, helping to kill them. Resveratrol is an antioxidant found primarily in the skin of red grapes that is known to affect the stickiness of blood platelets and reduce inflammation. This research was performed in cell cultures and may have dietary implications if verified in future clinical trials, but still has not been tested in animals or humans. At any rate, a glass of red wine is harmless at best when you are not hypothyroid."

A friend told me that a cancer patient's caregiver lodged a complaint with CASE when his products failed to save the life of the patient. I sympathized with him as he has spent many years trying to help cancer patients who were already given the 'death' sentence by their doctors. Over-enthusiasm will 'kill' him - trying to play the role of GOD to save lives as he has so much confidence in Dr Kelley's treatment protocol that claimed to have saved the lives of some cancer patients in the United States. I salute him for his undying passion in curing the incurable.

Why some survive and others don't? I reckon the patient's body constitution, will-power and self-discipline to follow the strict metabolic diet, will determine the success of any dietary programs.

The story that Norman Cousins tells in his bestselling book, 'Anatomy Of An Illness', is a wonderful example of healing. The fact that he was able, in the course of a serious illness, to achieve a state of positive thinking and relaxation, is most likely the main factor in his recovery along with a strong constitution.

You can read about Dr Kelley's cancer treatment in his book - 'Cancer : Curing the Incurable' that was published in 2005.

Updated on 23 Sep 2007

It was reported in Lianhe Zaobao (6 Sep 2007 ) that a Taiwanese 'detoxification guru' was sentenced to seven years' jail after being sued by a breast-cancer patient in Taiwan. Please click here to read my letter published in ST Forum Online.

The haematologists grappled with the results of numerous blood and bone marrow tests for many weeks before they declared it was 4th stage lymphoma cancer to a friend of mine.

Immediately, my friend consulted an alternative medicine practitioner who claimed to be treating the wives of some ministers. He bought expensive health supplements from him.

Very often, cancer entrepreneurs(including oncologists and TCM practitioners) piggy-back on celebrities and dignitaries to gain the appearance of credibility, in order to entice their patients.

Currently, he is receiving chemotherapy treatment and consumes Chinese medicine to boost his immune system.

Once I was told by a doctor that a local dignitary sought chelation treatment in his clinic in Malacca. I met this dignitary at a seminar and took the opportunity to verify the claim. Indeed, he went for the chelation treatment but was unlikely to seek further treatment. Hence it was only a one-off experience. Anyway, chelation treatment is also available in some local private clinic but at a higher price.

I would advise cancer patients to seek affordable complementary treatment alongside conventional treatment, and not to follow the crowd blindly. Knowledge is Power - pick up a good book and surf the internet for reliable and useful information.

I would recommend patients and caregivers to read the book, 'Living with Lymphoma' written by a long-time(10 years) lymphoma cancer survivor, Elizabeth M. Adler (a neurobiologist). I gave away my copy to the wife of a **lymphoma cancer patient.

**Update : Sadly, he succumbed to cancer in April 2008.

A cancer patient (third stage lung cancer diagnosed in January 2007) became upset when the cancerous cells spread to her liver after 4 months of chemotherapy. Alongside chemotherapy, she took 12 boxes of agaricus (bought from a MLM company) and another 12 boxes of a multi-mushroom formula (bought from a local manufacturer under their membership programme) to protect her liver. I encouraged her to share her experience with her health supplements' companies but she commented that they are only salesmen. Apparently, the chemotherapy drugs did not work as well.

In my opinion, medicinal mushrooms should be taken to boost immune system, and alleviate side-effects from chemotherapy. It will be a bonus if they can slow down the growth rate of cancer cells. Hence I advise her to review her choice of healing - look for a cheaper mean to boost her immune system such as TCM treatments offered by charitable medical institutions.

In her book, 'Rethinking Cancer', Ruth Sackman, co-founder and president of the Foundation for Advancement in Cancer Therapy (FACT) in US, made the following remark :

"From my personal experience with patients (30 years) that should convince one to exercise caution and preferably consult with a competent guide before instituting a special dietary regimen. I would caution even those people who have degrees in nutrition that their training does not automatically provide the expertise needed to advise the cancer patient during periods of toxicity. Anyone who presumes to give advice on nutrition to cancer patients should have excellent training and experience.

No book can provide a plan or blueprint for personal nutrition - nor should it even attempt to do so."

Dr Blaylock's advice : "One should not combine the various immune stimulators that contain beta-glucans because an excess of the beta-glucans can lead to immune suppression. Likewise, one must also use a carefully designed combination of the immune-stimulating supplements, and be careful not to exceed the recommended doses because, for some of the immune stimulators, an excessive dose will lead to immune suppression."

If you are keen to boost your natural cancer-fighting ability, I would recommend you to read the book on Natural Strategies for Cancer Patients by Russell L. Blaylock, a doctor and clinical assistant professor of neurosurgery. He has been treating cancer patients with nutritional supplementation for the past 30 years and has never seen a single case of tumour-growth acceleration or interference with conventional treatments.