Bill's Bile Duct Cancer

July 2011 Update:

I received a letter from Bill and Shirley. Quote: "... My health is the best it has been in years. I've regained my weight, my blood tests are totally normal and I feel great. Nothing shows up on CT so my oncologist doesn't want to see me any more- he actually said "the DCA must have worked on me because he can't find any record of anyone in the world having survived my cancer when it reoccured"..."

June 2008 update: Bill sent two more doctor's reports to us, pasted below. The cancer continues to be in remission!

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27 March 2008 Update

We received a fax from Bill regarding his bile duct cancer, or Cholangiocarcinoma. The news was tremendous. A note and Image Consultation Report follow.

"Hi Jim,

All my liver enzymes are back to normal (1st time in 3 years) and the tumor is so small 15x8 mm that it is probably only scar tissue left. I've decided to stop all chemo and continue on DCA for another 3 months until my next CT. Will let you know the results of that when done. Thank you....."
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Since Bill has had no other chemo in the last three months and the tumor continued to shrink, his oncologist now believes DCA is the reason for this great response. Bill has been very open with his oncologist about his personal use of DCA. Bill says the oncologist wants to follow his case in order to continue cataloging his progress.

Here is the March 19, 2008 report.

Bill is a green tea drinker and was one of the people we called after suspecting a possible caffeine and DCA link.

If you wish to speak to Bill, email him.

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Here is the previous scan result and history:

September 5, 2007

Here is an "Imaging Consultation Report" showing a 50 percent reduction in a bile duct cancer. This report was faxed to us. We have re-typed the smudged portions below. Date is September 5, 2007.

This patient had been told to go home and settle his affairs!

Findings:
Comparison with May 4 previous.

Again noted is evidence of Whipple's procedure. The local recurrent mass noted on previous lying between IVC and portal vein demonstrates interval decease in size, it now measuring approximate 3 cm transverse x 1.4 cm AP dimension, decreased from approximate 4.4 x 3.7 cm on previous.

No other local masses evident and hepatic metastases evident. Remaining pancreas unremarkable. Spleen, kidneys, adrenals unremarkable. Noted is IVC filter. Mesenteric lymph nodes, the largest wile 2 cm length, is only 6 mm short axis with it unchanged from previous.

IMPRESSION:
PATIENT'S LOCALLY RECURRENT TUMOR MASS DEMONSTRATES MARKED DECREASE IN SIZE SINCE MAY 4 PREVIOUS.

May 2005- Sx for bile duct cancer (chloangiocarcinoma) as chemo/ radiation does not cure it.
4/7 lymph nodes taken with Sx have metastatic lesions in them.

June 2005- Oncologist #1 recommends no chemo post op as research stats show no improved survival rate with/ without chemo.

June 2005- Started on high dose antioxidants as prescribed by the Center for Integrated Medicine (alternative med. Vancouver BC)

Aug 2006- CT scan = cholangiocarcinoma? Can't biopsy due to location. (see image report #1)

Sept 2006- Oncologist #2 says get my affairs in order- 6 months to live. He recommends trying Gemcidobine. May stabilize or slow tumor growth temporarily. "It will not cure or significantly shrink the tumor". I declined Tx.

Sept 2006- Started taking Essiac 2oz 3 times daily.

Oct 2006- Oncologist #1 recommends Gemcidobine. No cure but might improve quality of life for a while if it slows the tumor growth. Minimal shrinkage expected. Declined.

Oct 2006- CT scan, tumor unchanged. (I'm still on Essiac) (see image report #2)

Dec 2006- Decreased Essiac to 2oz twice daily as GI side effects too abundant.

Feb 2007- CT scan - tumor essentially unchanged. (still on Essiac 2 times daily) (see image report #3)

May 2007- CT scan - tumor enlarged. I stopped Essiac at this time. (see image report #4)

June 2007- Hospitalized with small intestine bleeding and pulmonary embolism. Causes vessels to invade (?) the intestine. Radiation was recommended for 5 days to try to kill the new vessels. Radiologist and Oncologist #1 confirmed the radiation would not shrink the tumor, but might kill the vessels and stop the bleeding in 2-3 weeks. I started taking DCA (15 mg/kg) 2 days before the first radiation Tx. I stopped the DCA after the first day of radiation at the request of Oncologist #1 (he was worried about possible unknown combined effects). The bleeding stopped on the third day of radiation.

11 July 2007- Resumed DCA @ 12mg/kg/ day

16 July 2007- Oncologist #3 recommends Gemcidobine and confirms the most to expect is stabilization of tumor in 10-15% of the cases and no cure or significant shrinkage expected.
I started the first of 6 Gemcidobine Tx's at once weekly intervals.
I continued to take DCA 12mg/kg/day 5days/ week
No DCA on chemo day or the day after.

15 Aug 2007- Mild edema of my lower legs at night- gone by morning. This is present still.

5 Sept 2007- CT scan - tumor has shrunk by 50% (see image report #5)
Oncologist #3 and Radiologist surprised!

"This info comes from my recordings in a daily desk calendar. "

Here are the reports from June 2008. The bile duct cancer remains in remission.

Update, 22 November 2008:

I received some doctor's reports and emailed "Bill" and his wife. The response:

"Yes Jim it definitely is good news , Since "Bill" went back onto dca 5 days a week instead of just two, the lymph nodes which had increased in size on less frequency have started to decrease in size again. Also the intrahepatic biliary congestion has improved."