How should I put this....my tumors are growing and the cancer is spreading. I have resorted to Houston, Tx. home of the Burzynski Cancer Clinic. Burzynski discovered in the seventies that pregnant women are missing certain peptides in their blood and urine. These peptides would tell the body to destroy the baby. He reasoned that cancer victims would also be without these peptides because their bodies were not destroying their tumors. He became famous for this breakthrough, despite being thrown in jail by the FDA. His patients and supporters rallied around him and raised money to free him. My dad followed this story and even contributed money to his cause.
Today he is pioneering what is called targeted gene therapy. As I understand it he prescribes drugs according to the genetic activity level in your cells. There are 4 known genes that tend to be overactive during cancer growth. His aim is to target the ones that are overactive and shut it down at a DNA level. He found two on me that his treatment could target.
I'm taking four drugs. Two are pills and two are given as infusion. The infusions are twice a month and last 90 minutes. Once they are done with me here in Houston, then I continue with a doctor in Utah, if I can find one willing to do it. The drugs are outrageously expensive. They are FDA approved but not for my type of cancer so they are being used "off label". One drug is 18 grand alone and I have to have it twice a month. The solution is to apply for free drugs from the company directly. If I can't get that, then I apply for a pill version of the drug which doesn't work as fast as the infusion does and is less expensive. I should qualify for free or discounted drugs since I work for myself and don't have insurance. The drugs are non-toxic and the side effects are promised to be minimal.
I started pill 1 today and I start pill 2 tomorrow. Next week I'll have two infusion and then I should be cleared to go home and continue from there. If all goes well I'll keep on this medication for a couple months and then receive a checkup scan to monitor progress. If it is working I will continue indefinitely until the cancer is gone. They have never treated anyone with my type of cancer but their therapy is not focused on the type of cancer you have but rather the type of gene activity you have.
1 comment:
My husband and I have just returned from the Burzynski Clinic seeking treatment for my husband who has been diagnosed with Pancreatic/Liver Cancer. It was quite the experience. We went prepared to pay 18,000.... which is what we were told for the first visit...... that was blown out of the water in the first week,... it seemed every time we walked into the clinic..... after seeing the doctor... we were herded to the "Insurance Person" who would explain that to "continue treatment" we would need to "come up with more money for additional medications prescribed". After leaving... we added up all the costs per month for all the medications prescribed,... and discovered that it is going to cost us 28,000. to 30,000. a MONTH!!!!! AND the orders for a drug to be given through IV at our local oncologist office were useless. Visited today and the oncologist says there is NO WAY she can give us that drug and stated that no other doctor would either!
SO.... this is our story,... as small part of it,.. and opinions are a dime a dozen... but we are out a lot of money... and at the end of our finances..... we were told to expect 4-6 thousand,... and that grew to 28-30 thousand.... there is no way we can afford to continue treatment. AND INSURANCE WILL NOT HELP.... don't let them tell you,... as they did us, that is will. PLUS,... one medication they charged us 2300. for.... we found out our local pharmacy sells for 170. That was the only one our pharmacy could get..... the rest they couldn't even get.
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