Ted Kennedy's Brain Cancer Can Be Fought
The senator, like the author, was struck by a sudden seizure. She has outlasted a grim prognosis
I have been praying for Sen. Ted Kennedy since Saturday, when he was rushed to the hospital because of an out-of-the-blue seizure. I knew all too well that the most likely diagnosis, considering his presentation and age, was a brain tumor. Today we hear it's a malignant glioma in the left parietal lobe of his brain, a dominant area that controls, among other functions, the ability to comprehend and express words. As he and his family are trying hard, no doubt, to digest this shocking news, they must also face the dark stories that are being blasted all over the airways about his illness—almost as if he were no longer with us. It brings chills to me, not just as a doctor who has cared for many with serious illness but also as a patient who, like the senator, once had a sudden seizure that led to the detection of a malignant glioma. Mine, too, was in the left parietal lobe.
As I commented in my book Living Time and in an excerpt in U.S.News last year about my own battle with brain cancer, gliomas are rare and often forgotten tumors that strike fear into anyone's heart—in part because we have known so little about them. Though the senator's doctors have not yet shared details of his exact tumor type, those particulars will be crucial, because all malignant gliomas are not created equal. In the coming days we will learn more about his outlook. But it is worth remembering that prognoses are estimates—and can be misleading. When I was diagnosed, it looked like I would not see my 12-year-old daughter complete middle school. This past weekend, she graduated from college.
To a large degree, the prognosis in brain cancer depends on a given tumor's characteristics—how it looks under the microscope, its genetic profile (which increasingly guides newer and better therapies), and, importantly, how it responds to treatment. In other words, Senator Kennedy's outlook depends on the traits of his particular tumor—as well as the patient himself. And if there is one thing we know about this patient, it's that he's a determined fighter.
Reader Comments
Treatment of Cancer
This is for Dr. Healy and Senator Kennedy:
With respect to treatment of (brain) cancer, I would strongly suggest the following reading:
1) "Anticancer: A New Way of Life" (Paperback)
by David Servan-Schreiber, M.D., Ph.D.
2) "Definitive Guide to Cancer" by Burton Goldberg
3) "Cancer Therapy: The Independent Consumer's Guide" by Ralph Moss, Ph.D.
4) "Beating Cancer with Nutrition" by Patrick Quillin.
From available evidence, cancer seems to be the disease of the breakdown of the body's immune system. Thusly, a treatment for cancer should include the strengthening of the immune system.
This can be done through nutritional approaches.
My knowledge of cancer and its treatment is a result of personal experience with the disease and significant research in the area. One of the results of this research has been an assessment paper, written with my wife:
"The United States Cancer Program: 1975-2003: A Dismal Failure" by Anthony D. Apostolides and Ipatia K. Apostolides; the paper can be found on the following website:
www.pattyapostolides.com/CancerImpactPaper3.pdf
Canadian girl suggesting a cure for mr. Ted Kennedy
dear ted kennedy,
there is one treatment for cancer that i heard of that very few people have tried. it may depend on what type of cancer you have i'm not sure but, it worked for a co-worker of mine. he ingests 7 drops of 30% food grade hydrogine peroxide (h2o2o) per day. it is said to increase the amount of oxygen in your system which kills cancer cells. you can search for it on the internet, some medical professionals say it doesn't work but others have proof that it does. this is just a suggestion.
i hope to hear better news about your health in the future.
Finding a Cure
Dear Ted Kennedy,
In her Book Science and Health with key to the scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy was the founder and discoverer of Christian Science, the Truth that heals. Her system has not been found wanting. The Main Church of Christian Science is located right in Boston, Mass. In the Chapter on Fruitage, there are many testimonys of healings. I also have been in Christian Science since 1975 and have been healed of many things over the years including heart problems. This is a system different from all others that you will ever read about. I have faith that you will be completely healed. I can also recommend a wonderful healer to you.
Frances Graff-Welch
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