Most people are aware that Chemotherapy, due to its tough side effects, is a difficult treatment to get through. What most people are not told is that our main cancer defence, the precious immune system, is destroyed along with the cancer cells. Chemotherapy drugs mostly work on interference with cell duplication and cause cell death. However, the theory is that fast multiplying cells such as cancer cells, absorb the toxic effects more than healthy cells. Unfortunately, there are many important bodily cells that also duplicate quickly, one of which are certain cells of our immune system - essential cells that protect us from infections and cancer.

Every patient undergoing chemotherapy has to sign a consent form. Within the list of side effects most state “an increased risk of further cancers” along with may other side effects, too many to list here.

As the cancer cells are indeed inhibited and reduced by this treatment, at the same time the immune system is destroyed. Unfortunately, drug resistance eventually develops, and new drugs are needed to counteract this. Plus due to the high toxicity, chemotherapy can only be given over set periods of time, and is limited to a number of treatments. So, what happens when a) a limit has been given, and b) damage to the immune system has now occurred and c) drug resistancy has now built up? Simple, the cancer has now become dominant over the bodily systems. It is unfortunately at this time that people turn to alternative medicine as their only remaining option.

People may say: yes, but the cancer was present before the treatment started! Very true, but the reason for this is mostly the failure of the immune system in the beginning (see how cancer starts). So doesn't it make sense to reinforce the immune system back to its powerful self that protected us from cancer for so many previous years? Sadly, chemotherapy has the opposite effect, and leaves our body vulnerable to further cancers.

Due to research and development there are now newer drugs with lesser side effects. However, the standard and highly toxic chemotherapy drugs are still being prescribed when there are much safer drugs available for patients.

Sadly, the reason for this is because N.I.C.E. (National Institue for Health and Clinical Excellence) dictate drug availability to the HNS. The NHS receive financial reduction in the cost for certain drugs from the large pharmaceutical companies. The newer, more safer drugs are much more expensive and NICE are not prepared to fund such drugs. This is the reason for the latest dispute over the unavailability of the breast cancer drug “Herceptin“. Fortunately for the government, this was just one that was found out, amongst many we are still unaware of. There are many drugs that we are not told about. Do the research, find the facts! Don’t only ask your oncologist, do the research yourself elsewhere, then take the facts to your Oncologist. Sadly, even under these life threatening circumstances - if you don’t ask, you don’t get.