Farrah Fawcett, died at age 62 of anal cancer
This content has not been examined in the last year and may not represent WebMD most updated information.
To find the latest information, please enter your topic of interest in our research area.
May 15, 2009 - Actress Farrah Fawcett fight against anal cancer treatments included in Germany who aren t approved in the US triggered debate on patients with cancer of options when they want more than what's approved by the FDA.
Fawcett, 62, was diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006.
Fawcett is doing very well right now, Fawcett's doctor, Lawrence Piro, MD, told the Today show NBC She's obviously having a lot of side effects that come with cancer and come with cancer chemotherapy and s low and she's spending a lot of time in bed and rest But overall, she's in good spirits and certainly she still has his sense of humor characteristic that helps move all this, says Piro, who is the CEO of the clinic Angeles and research Institute in Los Angeles.
Apart from its U S treatment, Fawcett traveled to Germany six times seeking cancer treatment actor Ryan O Neal - Fawcett's partner and father of her son, Redmond - recently told People.
Ursula Jacob of Germany Alpenpark Clinic has treated Fawcett In an interview with Access Hollywood Jacob said that in Germany, Fawcett received natural supplements and also immune treatments that were adapted to his particular case.
These treatments have improved the quality of Fawcett's life and the tumor decreased in size and also the mass of the tumor decreased, Jacob said for a long time, two and a half years, she was in very good shape.
Jacob recently flew to California to see Fawcett, but says she can t give Fawcett the care she has in Germany while Fawcett in the US because these treatments aren t FDA approved treatments , Jacob didn t describe in detail, are normal in Europe, says Jacob.
Fawcett's friend Alana Stewart, told the reporter Access Hollywood that Jacob was there more to be a friend and support to that Farrah t o give treatments It's under treatment by his American doctors.
Laurence R Sands, MD, is associate professor of surgery and chief of colorectal surgery at the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center It treats many patients with anal cancer, but is not one of Fawcett's doctors.
Sands said that some of his patients with anal cancer have expressed interest to go to Europe to get the mistletoe and other treatments using plants touted as boosting the immune system.
The theory says Sands, is if you strengthen the immune system and make it dynamic, you can kill cancer cells, but Sands said that didnt approach the solid scientific evidence is really based mostly in theory more than in science .
Sands said he tells his patients that such treatment does use shouldn instead of standard medical treatments - in the case of anal cancer is chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery if chemotherapy and aren radiotherapy t enough.
Sands said he is not against other treatments used in addition to standard medical treatment, and urges patients to talk to their traditional doctors.
Some of his patients have shown the herbal treatments they have been given to see if there might be a conflict with their standard treatment Sands said he hasn t seen generally troublesome ingredients, but said some ingredients could bleed more likely, and discourage the use of these ingredients.
Overall, Sands said it was her products t haven patients should be particularly harmful; I do not know how all this is really useful.
Michael Fisch, MD, MPH, directs the general oncology program at the University of Texas Anderson Cancer Center M D It is not one of Fawcett's doctors, but he sees many patients with advanced cancer.
Here are suggestions for patients with advanced cancer Fisch who are disappointed with their treatment options.
Define and prioritize your objectives What you really want Fisch request, noting that many patients have more than one goal - like having the hope of a new treatment, with less pain and a better quality of life and not clearing his family's financial resources if they just choose a goal and go after, they might find that the other objectives that weren t explicit get lost along the way.
Discuss your goals with your doctor It doesn t mean that you should ask your doctor for permission to go to another country, Fisch says, but listen to their views, ask what you need to consider, and if you go to the front, you'll need a copy of your health records.
Don t take care of oneself The health care system in the United States has a lot of security controls in place for patients, and all countries are what we are not the only country that did research and can make good patient care is not an arrogant statement, says Fisch It's just that you have to ask, what are the ingredients that make this go well and the ingredients are there in the foreign operation you are thinking of is more than the doctor or the drug, Fisch says that his bunch of other things that make excellent care and care of hope for the kind of goals that you may have.
Consider your own backyard Fisch points out that MD Anderson Cancer Center and other academic centers in the United States to conduct clinical trials of new drugs and mind-body and other programs from far away and try something unproven is not the only angle to a result hope, says Fisch.
Recognize your vulnerability If you have advanced cancer, and people do not think they can reduce or cure with existing treatments, you are vulnerable to possible exploitation, Fisch says that doesn t mean that every potential treatment is wrong Your hope a miracle or hope for a cure could get people to ask you to take treatments that are expensive or highly impractical or have a chance very, very unlikely to help in his opinion Share your opinions with other people, including health professionals, who can help you weigh your choices.
Each country sets its own standards for medical care in the U S FDA is the authority that approves drugs and other medical treatments.
The experimental drug clinical trials can be another option for cancer patients in the National Cancer Institute has a database of over 8,000 clinical trials.
Many cancer patients are also interested in complementary or alternative treatments Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine; alternative medicine is used instead of conventional medicine, according to the National Center for Complementary and alternative medicine NCCAM.
Complementary and alternative treatments come in many forms, including food supplements based on acupuncture plant products and special diets.
NCCAM recommends that anyone considering complementary or alternative medicine should first talk with their doctors and carefully study the therapy and its practitioners include resources.
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD May 15, 2009.
WebMD Health News Farrah Fawcett fight against cancer.
Laurence Sands, MD, chief of colorectal surgery and associate professor of surgery, University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Michael Fisch, MD, MPH, director of general oncology program, Medical Director, Program Research Base Community Clinical Oncology, University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center.
Farrah Fawcett Anal Cancer Treatment in Germany, Farrah Fawcett, anal.