Dr. Chang / GI, Pancreas, hepatobiliary cancers
Posted by: meridianmedical on: October 12, 2008
7 Responses to "Dr. Chang / GI, Pancreas, hepatobiliary cancers"
Posts: 1
Old post 05/24/07 at 10:30 PM Reply #1
I was diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer a little over a month ago. At the time of diagnosis, I was advised someone with my condition would have 6-9 months to live and the standard form of treatment would be chemotherapy since my condition is non-operable. I was referred to Dr. Chang by three different individuals who all highly spoke of him. In the month in which Dr. Chang has followed my case, he has provided treatment options well beyond the standard chemotherapy protocol. He also has provided insightful answers to the questions addressed to him. Additionally, we find him to be an extremely experienced oncologist, possessing extensive knowledge of alternatives for treatment extending beyond US borders, compassionate in empathizing with the patient and most importantly, providing us reasonable HOPE by offering treatments which cannot be obtained otherwise.
We feel very fortunate to have been referred to Dr. Chang and strongly recommend him to prospective patients.
Sincerely,
Weiji
At 30, I was diagnosed with a rare, stage 4, “terminal” liver cancer … hepatacellular carcinoma, fibrolamellar variant. With 3 chidlren under five years of age, I had no choice but to fight. Other doctors used all the artillery in their arsenal, undoubtedly giving me time I would not have had otherwise. However, after 5 years of harsh chemotherapy and multiple surgeries, my doctors had few viable treatment options and the cancer was progressing.
Dr. Chang not only offered promising treatments, but he offered treatments that had minimal side effects. Recently, I was excited to learn that my scan showed encouraging results! A few of the larger tumors shrank! My husband and I are hopeful and very grateful for Dr. Chang’s expertise.
In September 1998 I was diagnosed with stage three pancreatic cancer and was told I had six months to live and to get my affairs in order. I was 44 and this made absolutely no sense to me and as scared and weak as I was there was no way I was going to believe that to be my fate. I sought out a surgeon to perform the whipple operation I had heard about from John Hopkins survivors. I found a surgeon at Mt. Sinai, Dr. Brower who had performed 50 whipples with survivors and we decided I had a chance to survive the operation and continue the fight. Then I was introduced to Dr. Gattani who told me that even with the surgery it would be a difficult fight and she put me through a very intense 6 month chemo cocktail and radiation regiment. But she also introduced me to Dr. Raymond Chang and he worked with me with those very “delicious” teas and vitamine supplements. After the first round of treatments I had another 6 months of Gemzar chemo. I kept working throught this second round and slowly I got my strength back and now almost 9 years later I am cancer free!!!!
I would be very glad to talk to anyone dealing with fighting this disease. I believe with all my heart I am alive today because I was supported by smart people like Dr. Chang who believed the disease was beatable. It was both the traditional and supplementary care that was instrumental and I believe that it was also important to continue my work with young people so my life was still about who I was as a person alive in the world, not letting the disease be what defined me.
It was certainly scary and every day I count my blessings and I honor each moment and am so grateful to the doctors and friends and family that worked with me.
I am glad to share more with anyone who might find it helpful (Call Dr. Chang’s office for my contact) . Strength and Courage to all.. Peace.
Laura N. Vural
Hello,
After a diagnosis of Stage IIIA Rectal Cancer (2000), after conventional protocol of chemotherapy and radiation, I felt strangely cleansed; toxins and tumor removed, life ahead of me. Why not? I was relatively young (48), a vegetarian, an “anomaly,” as my oncologist stated.
Although I possessed a rudimentary knowledge and overwhelming interest in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, I did not know where to go for sensible, intelligent medicine and wellness. My rather enlightened oncologist, Dr. Stuart Leitner at St. Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, NJ, suggested that I consult Dr. Raymond Chang.
I was so impressed with Dr. Chang’s calm, rational attitude, his precision and his ability to tell so much about my psyche-soma (mind-body-spirit) condition. The rigorous physical examination was not necessary. Yes, there were the blood tests and the book that has become my medical records. And there was also an instant bonding, a respect for the other, and I was quite willing to begin my path to remaining free of the symptoms of cancer and to achieve overall wellness.
I could list my medicines, herbs, vitamins, minerals, however; I will not, unless requested. I just want to let you know that Dr. Chang is so aware of what will be coming later as far as research, and integrative treatment. After these six years! of visits, adjustments in medicines taken, attention to particular concerns (my copper level, DHEA level and more), I am cancer free with a minimal chance of recurrence–quite the antithesis of the often quoted 65 % plus chance for cancers that present similar to mine.
Working with Dr. Chang prompted me to continue study of integrative medical practices and in 2005 I earned my Master’s degree in holistic health studies from Georgian Court University and continued study with the Center for Mind Body Medicine’s Cancer Guide program. It is my goal, now, to teach, to show others that this cancer can be beaten, that healing is quite possible and that life can open in so many ways, unknown before that dance with mortality.
Dr. Chang and staff were with me through these six years, through concurrent intense life events and remain colleagues in wellness. And I am most appreciative!
In Healing,
Deborah [Original post Jan 2007, remain well disease free Summer 2008]
One quiet day in early September of 2004, my life changed in the split of a second. Just one week earlier, I had gone for surgery to remove what two doctors from two separate hospitals had confirmed as a hepatic hemangioma (a non-cancerous, blood vessel tumor in the liver). Unfortunately, both of these physicians had been mistaken. So, at 39 years of age in a happy marriage, with a five year old daughter; and a great career, I was now diagnosed with Stage IV cholangiocarcinoma (cancer of the bile ducts) which had spread to other areas of my abdomen and thoracic area. Fortunately, the surgeons were successful at removing all of the cancer with the exception of one lymph node.
So, I did what most people do in a panic: “freak out” and listen to others who say “you must go to Sloan Kettering – they’re the best!” So off I went, to one of the most horrible experiences of my life. I happened to get the physician who was the coldest and least compassionate; who provided little hope, and told me my prognosis was “grim.” My family and I left, distraught beyond imagination.
However, two positive things had occurred that day while sitting four hours in the waiting room. One, the nasty doctor and his colleagues did hit on the right selection and course of chemotherapy; and a woman in the waiting room (I never did get her name) provided my husband with the name of a doctor who practiced both Eastern and Western medicine. His name was Dr. Chang, and his office was right here in New York City.
So, determined to live, to beat all odds and make sure to prove the Sloan Kettering doctor and his statistics wrong; my husband set up an appointment with
Dr. Chang. I must admit, I did not know what to expect. At the first meeting, even amidst our panic and despair Dr. Chang made my husband and I feel very comfortable as we asked our numerous questions. Dr Chang actually answered all these questions and provided hope for what an hour earlier seemed like a hopeless situation.
Dr. Chang and his staff provided a very different approach from the one we derived from our Sloan Kettering experience. Although he was supportive of the chemotherapy, radiation and surgery options available locally, Dr. Chang was also extremely knowledgeable of research and treatment that was available WORLDWIDE! I immediately felt Dr. Chang could help me!!! HERE WAS OUR FIRST EXPERIENCE OF SOMEONE PROVIDING ENCOURAGEMENT AND HOPE!
Since I lived in New Jersey, Dr. Chang asked if I was near St. Barnabas Hospital (in Livingston, New Jersey) and highly recommended a physician named Dr. Stuart Leitner. Respecting his opinion, I then became one of Dr. Leitner’s patients. After having “fired” many physicians who did not provide hope and openness to holistic treatment methods, I had FINALLY found the PHYSICIAN TEAM for me!!!!
Since 2004, I have undergone chemotherapy for one year (at St. Barnabas), and ongoing alternative and complementary treatments (with Dr. Chang). The cancer went away for one and a half years! Then, it returned for another round of the same treatment as the first time – and the cancer went away again. In the beginning of 2008, the cancer returned again.
This time, Dr. Chang suggested Dendritic Cell Therapy in addition to similar alternative and complimentary medications, supplements, and chemotherapy. So off my family and I went to Duderstadt, Germany to provide my own white blood cells so that a cancer vaccination could be made specifically for me (this was the first step in Dendritic Cell Therapy). In Germany we meet Dr. NeBelhut and his colleagues. They were extremely knowledgeable and experienced in Dendritic Cell Therapy and very hopeful about its success in treating cholangiocarcinoma. (Not to mention that the trip to Germany was fantastic!) I then added Dr. NeBelhut to my physician team.
Currently, all my scans are showing that the cancer is slowly going away and I will be rescanned in the future. I am confident that I will beat this cancer again by doing all the suggested treatments by my three physicians.
If it weren’t for Dr. Chang, Dr. Leitner, and Dr. Nebelhut I am not sure I would be alive today to enjoy my family and friends and to watch my daughter grow up. I owe them my life! My team of doctors, my family, church, and friend support, hope, a positive attitude and a fight to survive are my strongest assets to beat this cancer once and for all!
Renee
A little side note: if there is anyone out there who also has cholangiocarcinoma, I would be very happy to talk to you. We are a rare breed in the U.S.A. and sometimes it is good to talk to someone going through similar experiences.
I was diagnosed with stage 4 rectal cancer in july 2000 with too many mets to my liver (10-20) to be operable (with one more met in my lung). I am alive today, without any evidence of disease for the past four years. My tumors were not removed by surgery; they slowly shrank such that there was no cancer left when they opened me up surgically in 2005. A combination of traditional chemo (5FU/xeloda) and Dr. Chang’s supplements rid my body of the cancer. I am a very unusual and lucky survivor, and am always aware that it could return.
Given the horrible prognosis I was given at the beginning, I was as leary as anyone that any therapy, traditional or not, would make a dent in my cancer. I assumed each CAT scan would bring me the fateful news that the tumors had grown; instead I kept hearing stable or slight decrease. After five years of this, I asked my oncologist at Memorial-Sloan for the millionth time whether they might have become operable and she finally said yes. They opened me up and the tumors were devoid of live cancer.
Given that I was given nothing more than the most elementary of traditional chemos, I have to believe that it was Dr. Chang’s supplements that saved my life, mostly by attacking the tumors, perhaps also by allowing my body to tolerate chemo for so long. Dr. Chang always took the time necessary to explain why he was suggesting the 15-20 different supplements he recommended during those years; I became a true expert at pill taking. Though I researched alot on my own, mostly in the more traditional approaches, I knew I could not become as proficient as he understanding the complexities of complementary medicine and followed his recommendations. He also provided more info on traditional approaches, especially those on the cutting edge, than my oncologist.
In short, he was great. What else can I say about someone who saved my life.
1 | Krista CR / Gastric Cancer
October 12, 2008 at 11:27 pm
My father, Nick, has Gastric Cancer. In short, he had his entire stomach removed by surgery and was told that, with the surgery plus a highly toxic protocol of chemo and radiation, he faced a 7% chance of survival. He is Stage IV.
We did not settle for this answer! Intensive online research revealed that Japan had much better success rates with this cancer than the US did, so we sought to learn what treatments they were using. Then…we set out to find a doctor in the US who knew of Eastern medicine, and who would help my father not just increase his chance of survival, but respect his wish for a good quality of life.
We found Meridian!
Dr. Chang blended Xeloda (a chemo used in Asia to treat gastric, but only approved here for breast) with some boosters (Lentinan, ECGC, et.al.). My father’s chance of survival went from 7% to, approximately 53%! Not only this, but my father is at home taking his chemo comfortably, and with very few side effects.
We are speechless in our gratitude. We are, in fact, doing a benefit to spread the word of my father’s case, to let others know about Meridian and that there is more out there for cancer treatments than what we are offered in the US, and to raise some funds to donate to Meridian.
To any lay people reading this — you can do it! Read and learn what you can. Find validated research. Don’t settle!! And, go to Meridian Medical. [Originally posted 3/07]