If we are going to start a thread on all the things that are not perfect about how conventional medicine, even away from cancer, is screwed up in the US, this forum will move away from what it was designed for. There are tons of forums/discussion boards on the web that love to talk about this stuff, let's leave that to them. No one is against COMPLIMENTARY OR ADJUNCTIVE actions by patients, when those actions are supported by evidence based information. Just because a person is an MD, or Phd. doesn't mean that they have clinical proof (which is reviewed by peers who agree that this is factual), or that it is a widely accepted idea. Even things that at a simple glance - like proper nutrition (there have to be hundreds of definitions of that term, not all valid) can be highly controversial. Some of what seems like a good idea such as supplementation with certain free radical scavengers for instance (available at any health food store) will diminish the effectiveness of treatments if they are used at the same time. So we locked the original thread because everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but they are not entitled to their own facts. If this forum wanders off into that territory, we will drift away from our purpose of supporting patients with scientifically documentable evidence based help. So please, let's let this not become another unending thread on the boards that will contain more half truths than facts, quoted from sources that may or may not be reliable.

This weeks postings have contained valuable info on PEGs, treatments, side effects, emotional issues and more. THAT is what the forum is designed to do, and that alone. It is not a platform for everyones ideas on whether a particular herb, vitamin, eating regime or what ever was a great idea or not. It is also not a forum for ideas that MIGHT prevent people from getting cancer in the first place, which is more of a genetic issue than a diet one. This is a forum for people with oral cancers, their caregivers, and the doctors that are treating them. Period.

Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.