2 Responses to "Dr. Chang / Breast Cancer"
“Extremely Happy” [ Excerpted from Annie Appleseed Project site ]
I have relied on Raymond Chang for “out of the box” thinking about my breast cancer treatment since I was diagnosed early in 2004.
My experience with him could not be more different than that of “J,” who wrote you in June 2004.
More than any other practitioner I’ve worked with, he allows my agenda–my concerns, my inquiries–to drive the office visit. Most visits last 30 minutes, but several have extended to almost an hour. At no time have I felt rushed or intimidated.
Dr. Chang does access the Internet a great deal during my sessions with him–because he is printing out the studies that influence his recommendations. He is always concerned that I have sufficient information to make up my own mind. I find that very respectful.
In regard to the supplements he makes available, I am very grateful to easily access formulations that are customized for breast cancer patients–for example, multi-vitamins without copper and selenium. His prices on his PSK formulation (tricolor mushroom extract) are lower than Wilners by a great deal, which is almost unheard of.
(If you live in New York City and have anything to do with alternative or complementary medicine, you know that no one beats Wilners on price and selection.)
I am extremely happy with the care I’ve received from Dr. Chang.
1 | Slonaker
October 12, 2008 at 11:21 pm
I was diagnosed with primary bi-lateral breast cancer in November 1996. I was node negative, and had a bi-lateral mastectomy followed by 8 cycles of CMF. I relapsed in the spring of 1999. Since then I have lived with metastatic breast cancer in my bones. A few scans have indicated minor irregularities in liver or lungs, but it appears those are not neoplastic. I have lesions in multiple ribs and vertebrae, as well as sternum, clavicle, pelvis, etc. In spite of this, I have an excellent quality of life with no pain, no fractures, and no restrictions on activity. Shortly after I learned I was metastatic, I sank into a clinical depression, and was treated by Dr. Roger Granet, a psychiatrist who specializes in cancer patients. It was he who referred me to Dr. Chang when I told him I wanted to pursue every available treatment to control my cancer. My philosophy has been to treat my cancer as a chronic condition, as I know it is incurable. Thanks to Dr. Lowenthal, my “regular” oncologist in New Jersey, to Dr. Chang, and to the dendritic vaccine from Germany, I have done very well.
I feel it essential for cancer patients to be pro-active and to avail themselves of all treatment modalities including radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted biological therapies, “nutraceuticals”, and off label use of drugs if relevant to their type of cancer. My current regimen of treatments is long so I will not list it, but I am on low-dose Xeloda, i.v. Zometa every 3 months, and several FDA approved drugs used off label for their possible efficacy in controlling my type of breast cancer. I also take many vitamins and food supplements.
This cocktail approach has been successful. As Dr. Lowenthal says to me, “Helen, if you did not know you had cancer, you would not know you had cancer.” My eight years of clinically asymptomatic, yet incurable cancer is proof to my husband and myself that the multi-pronged treatment approach can work to maintain stability for long periods.
I am posting my history so that others who are just starting on this journey will know what is possible if one attacks cancer on many fronts. I wish I could reach Elizabeth Edwards and tell her my story. It is quite possible Elizabeth will not only live long enough to see her young children graduate from college, but she may outlive her husband. None of us knows what will happen tomorrow, but all of us with metastatic cancer need to do everything we can today to control our disease.
I want to wish all who read this the best success in their personal war against cancer, and feel free to email me directly [call or email Dr. Chang's office for my contact info] or to post any questions you have in this forum.
Helen Slonaker