Oncology Nurse Patricia Peat answers your questions

Originally published in Issue 2 2005 icon

Cancer tips

Patricia Peat is a registered nurse. Following years of experience in oncology, combined with research into natural approaches to cancer she now runs Cancer Options.

Cancer Options is a specialised team of practitioners who provide individual consultancy and coaching into treatment and making decisions for all approaches to cancer.

Details of their services are available at www.canceroptions.co.uk or by calling 0845 009 2041.

Chris Woollams provides Personal Prescriptions in the same way. He can be contacted here.

My husband has been diagnosed with having mesethelioma in his lungs. We find this very hard to believe as he has never smoked, and cannot remember ever being exposed to asbestos. Do you think the doctors could have made a mistake, and what are the possibilities of successful treatment?

It is extremely unlikely that the doctors would be mistaken in their diagnosis. There has not been any links established between mesethelioma and other causes. Some of the cases that have come to light have shown that exposure is not always as obvious as knowingly working with asbestos; there was one case of a lady contracting it from the dust on her husbands clothes. So, it is reasonable to assume, that asbestos exposure is implicated at some point. It is predicted that there is likely to be a large increase in cases diagnosed over the coming years, as it can be dormant for many years before coming to light.

The treatment your husband will be offered will vary according ot the stage of the disease, usually involving surgery in the earlier stages of disease, and radiotherapy and chemotherapy for later stages. The vast majority of treatment is palliative rather than aimed at cure, and unfortunately the prognosis is not a particularly long one.

Since my friend has been diagnosed with cancer, I have begun looking on the internet at various things to help her. I am amazed at the variety of supplements and things that are advertised, and how good some of them claim to be. I would like to help her, but how on earth does someone like me work out what is genuine and what is not?

A good question, the access we now have to a wide range of information can be a double-edged sword, establishing what is genuine information can be difficult. The following guide may be helpful:

Be suspicious of products that claim to produce a cure, there is no one single component that can achieve that.

Also, products that claim to cure a wide range of unrelated diseases - particularly serious diseases. No product can treat every disease and condition, and for many serious diseases, there are no cures, only therapies to help manage them.

Personal testimonies can tip you off to health fraud because they are difficult to prove. Often testimonials are personal case histories that have been passed on from person to person. Or, the testimony can be completely made up.

Be wary of talk that suggests a product can bring quick relief or provide a quick cure. Even with elements that have proven themselves to be useful, few can bring about a rapid change in condition.

Don’t be fooled by the term "natural". It’s often used in health fraud as an attention-grabber; it suggests a product is safer than conventional treatments. The term has to be supported by specific back up - organically grown, no added ingredients etc.

If you are unsure, take professional advice on the confusion. And only buy from a trustworthy website.

I have been battling breast cancer for two years, and it now seems to be in remission. I have been following a Rainbow cancer diet and supplement regime, and now I would like to look a little further into correcting any outstanding imbalances in my body. Someone has told me hair analysis and checking for parasites is a good idea, could you tell me a little more about them?

It is good to hear you are doing so well with your cancer. Hair analysis is a measurement of minerals; it measures both the levels of both nutrient and toxic minerals in the hair shaft. Hair is thought to be an excellent medium to detect low-level toxicity from heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury leakage from amalgam fillings. It can also be a guide to nutritional status and indicate any imbalances you may wish to pay attention to.

Go to: All natural parasite killers and probiotics

Patricia Peat can be contacted by:
Tel: 01623 438 733
Website: www.canceroptions.co.uk