Frequently Asked Questions
About DMSO: Natural Chemo
From the
Camelot
Cancer Care in Tulsa, Oklahoma
DMSO is an
alternative cancer treatment. Years of research studies have proven
it is safe and effective. It is legal. But because it has to be
prescribed “off label,” (the FDA approved it, but not as a cancer
treatment) patients’ insurance companies cannot be billed for it. It
is not available through most cancer treatment centers for this
reason.
1. What is
DMSO?
Short for
Dimethyl Sulfoxide, DMSO is a natural substance; a byproduct of the
lumber industry, which supplies it to the pharmaceutical industry
for veterinary and human use. In its crude form, this carrier
solvent is often used by veterinarians and athletic coaches in the
treatment of muscle sprains and various injuries. It promotes
healing by increasing the blood supply to the area of the injury.
The pure pharmaceutical grade is FDA approved for treatment of
interstitial cystitis (bladder inflammation.) DMSO is a gentle but
powerful healing substance.
2. Are there
any side effects associated with DMSO treatment?
A few patients
have reported a mild headache or a spell of chills. This is rare,
and disappears when the IV drip rate is slowed. DMSO has a slight
odor like garlic and oysters. This fades away within two days after
the final treatment. DMSO is gentle and non-toxic. It does not
ordinarily cause nausea and vomiting, nor does it routinely destroy
healthy tissue or blood cells, unlike standard chemo. It won’t cause
anemia, except in cases where disease progression has damaged the
pancreas or gallbladder, or in cases where prior standard
chemotherapy and/or disease progression has damaged the bone
marrow's ability to regenerate replacement red blood cells. When
this side effect arises in a patient receiving DMSO (anemia) it can
be offset with a blood transfusion, or the patient may be switched
over to another alternative treatment. Patients who are warned of
the risk of anemia are often willing to accept the trade-off and the
possibility of a transfusion becoming necessary, when weighing it
against the likelihood that the DMSO is also working to destroy
their tumors. Despite occasional anemia, DMSO has none of the
miserable side effects common to most standard chemotherapy agents.
Research indicates that it protects against common side effects of
standard chemo and radiation. It also protects against blood clot
formation; a serious complication risk of surgery.
3. Is DMSO
effective as a cancer treatment?
YES. In the
documented research literature and in actual cases we have witnessed
firsthand, evidence shows that it has brought about total remission
on many high grade, aggressive tumors which had progressed
(metastasized) to the lymph nodes and other areas of the body. Our
greatest success has been against the lymphomas, glioblastoma,
melanoma, prostate and colon cancer.
4. How does
DMSO work?
According to the
Encyclopedia of Medical Breakthroughs and Forbidden Treatments
(published by Medical Research Associates LLC) DMSO was known as a
medical wonder product, “the aspirin of the 21st century,” before
briefly falling out of favor with the FDA—which ultimately approved
it, but limited its treatment usage. DMSO has a molecular bond with
water that is 1.3 times stronger than water’s molecular bond with
itself. Because of it, this unique solvent substitutes for water as
it moves through the cell membranes; pulling substances through
cells that ordinarily would not penetrate them. Some believe its
basic therapeutic principle is its ability to alter and restore
damaged cells by hydrating them, changing their water structure, and
increasing cellular permeability—which allows cells to nourish
themselves and dispose of wastes more easily.
Although all of
the mechanisms of this substance are not fully understood (neither
was aspirin, until fairly recently), it is known that DMSO, acting
as a carrier solvent, mixes readily with dextrose, and acts as a
“Trojan Horse,” when pulled across the cell walls of tumors, which
feed upon the dextrose (Sugar.) The DMSO then destroys the cancer
cells without affecting normal tissue.
“Supporters
believe that DMSO can cut through a protein shell surrounding cancer
cells and so may assist medications and the immune system in
attacking cancer cells. It is also believed that DMSO can decrease
the energy level of cancer cells and cause them to become benign.”1
“DMSO stimulates
various parts of the immune system and scavenges hydroxyl radicals,
the most potent of free radicals. Since free radicals promote tumor
growth, this may be one of the mechanisms by which DMSO interferes
with the development of cancer. It may also explain why patients who
receive DMSO while undergoing either chemotherapy or radiation (both
of which generate free radicals in order to kill cancer cells) are
far less prone to such side effects as hair loss, nausea and dry
mouth.”2
“There is evidence that DMSO can also protect against radiation
damage.”3
1. Guide to
Unconventional Cancer Therapies 1st ed. Toronto: Ontario Breast
Cancer Information Project, 1994:271-274
2. Diamond WJ et
al. An Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide to Cancer. Tiburon:
Future Medicine Publishing Inc, 1997: 111,866-67
3. Dunlop M.
Understanding Cancer: An Invaluable Book for Patients and Their
Families. Toronto: Irwin 1985: 108-110
Further
extensive research and evidence is in the book “DMSO: Nature’s
Healer,” by Morton Walker, M.D.
5. Why isn’t
DMSO available through most cancer treatment centers?
Two reasons:
Medical bureaucracy and economics. They fear that offering it could
make them vulnerable to attack (AMA, FDA) also, institutions cannot
bill patients’ insurance companies for DMSO treatments. The claims
would only be denied, because, even with the evidence that DMSO is
an effective cancer treatment, the FDA never approved it for that
purpose. It must be prescribed “off label.” The information on
effective, natural, non-toxic alternative cancer treatments is “out
there,” but it is not widely available. Other alternative cancer
treatments (besides DMSO)—available by doctors order through
Camelot
Cancer Care in Tulsa, Oklahoma—can be read about on the following
internet web sites: www.cancerdecisions.com,
www.cancer-coverup.com
and www.fact55.com. (“Foundation for Alternative Cancer Therapies.”)
There are others, which keep such a low profile they declined a
link. This confidential information is made available to our
patients on an as-needed basis.
Your oncologist
(perhaps fearful of political repercussions) may not feel
comfortable endorsing DMSO, but will generally respect your decision
to receive it. This treatment choice is ultimately the patient’s
decision.
No one has the
right to discourage a patient from an alternative treatment choice
that could save his life. But many doctors are either uninformed or
misinformed about DMSO—or they are quick to emphasize its only
drawback. It does have a slight odor, like garlic and oysters, or
clams. There is no denying the fact that DMSO DOES make the patient
smell slightly like “the beach at low tide.” Most, who are educated,
regard it as the smell of life. (Which sure beats the smell of
death.) The odor from DMSO is temporary. It passes within two to
three days at most after the intravenous treatments are completed.
Most patients agree that the odor is a small price to pay for an
effective, non-toxic cancer treatment which does not cause nausea
and vomiting and only rarely causes anemia.
6. Will DMSO
conflict with my standard chemotherapy?
No, not if it is
scheduled properly. DMSO, being a carrier solvent and also a
chelating agent, (helping cells to rid themselves of waste, by
making the cell membrane more porous) increases the effectiveness of
whatever else is given in combination with it—but can also “chelate
OUT” and diminish the effectiveness (or damage!) from standard
chemo. To avoid any conflict between the two, it is best not to
receive a DMSO infusion in the same day as standard chemo. We
recommend a 48-72 hour safety margin for patients who have opted to
receive both.
7. What is
meant by the medication must be prescribed “off label?”
The FDA approved
DMSO for another medical purpose; treatment of Bladder inflammation,
but not as a cancer treatment—even with all the research evidence
proving its safety and effectiveness.
8. Is it
legal for a doctor to prescribe a drug off label?
YES, it is done
all the time. Once a drug is FDA approved for any purpose, It may
then be written off label for any condition. For example, hormone
replacement therapy was originally developed for contraception. But
it has long been prescribed to regulate menstrual periods and to
control excessive monthly bleeding. That is just one example of many
drugs which have beneficial off label uses. The point being that a
patient does not need to be suffering from a bladder inflammation in
order to legally receive DMSO, which may put his cancer into
remission (But no medical facility can bill a patient’s insurance
company for a drug treatment which has been administered off label.)
9. Why hasn’t
the FDA approved DMSO for cancer treatment?
It would take
pages to try to speculate why the FDA does what it does, and
neglects to do what it arguably should have done. One possible
reason is because DMSO is a natural substance, not patentable by big
pharmaceutical interests, which would not gain huge profits by its
approval as a cancer treatment. To quote Dr. Stanley Jacob, the
foremost researcher and authority on DMSO, “There is no placebo
effect in dogs or horses!” There is undeniable evidence that DMSO is
a powerful, effective tool against cancer in both animals and
humans.
10. Are there
any other DMSO clinics in the United States?
Only one. The
most well known operates at the University of Oregon Health Sciences
Center. That’s where we found Dr. Stanley Jacob, Professor Emeritus
and co-discover of DMSO. He dictated the treatment protocols. That
clinic declines to treat cancer patients. Camelot Cancer Care LLP is
the only dedicated DMSO clinic in the country which accepts cancer
patients, as far as we know.
The full story of
DMSO and Dr Jacob's research can be found here:
DMSO: Many Uses, Much Controversy
11. How do I
make arrangements to receive DMSO treatments?
The process
begins with signing and faxing an Informed Consent Waiver/Records
Release to us at
Camelot Cancer Care. Our fax number is
918-493-2216. The form may be found by going back to our home page
and clicking on “Getting Started.” When we receive your faxed form,
we will send for a copy of your medical records and schedule an
appointment for you with our supervising physician. As soon as he
reviews your case history and sees you, your treatment can be
authorized and we can then proceed.
12. Can you
guarantee a cure?
NO, that would
be irresponsible. Many patients have experienced tumor regression
and even remission after receiving the series of 20 intravenous
treatments, but each case is different, depending on staging or
progression of the disease and many other factors. Cancer is not
just one disease, it is many, and DMSO may not be effective against
all forms of it. The medical research evidence indicates it is most
effective against hard tumors and lymphomas. We have also had great
success against glioblastoma, melanoma, prostate cancer and colon
cancer.
We do our best
to ensure that the patient has the best chance for survival, but we
cannot guarantee a cure. No reputable doctor or clinic can. There
are charlatan cancer clinics out there, which are really in the
business of offering cruel false hope to desperate people. We
welcome questions and can show the medical evidence that DMSO is an
effective cancer treatment. Our patients are monitored by an
excellent supervising physician, overseeing their progress. He is
readily accessible to respond to any crisis. Our patients receive
complete and comprehensive care, including periodic lab work and
diagnostic imaging scans to gauge their response to treatment.
Camelot Cancer
Care offers DMSO as a complementary, off label treatment. Although
it is a powerful weapon, it shouldn’t be regarded as a sole
substitute for the arsenal of cancer weapons. Some conventional
treatments have merit and should be continued. We also offer
bio-oxidative therapy, given alternately with DMSO. Cancer cannot
survive in an oxygen rich environment. We hope to offer patients “an
edge;” an extra treatment that may help make the difference in their
survival. But we make no claims that DMSO or intravenous oxygenation
therapy are cancer “cures.” They are effective treatments, known to
bring about remission in many, but not all cases.
13. When I
tried to research DMSO on the Internet, I found some bad information
claiming it to be harmful How do you explain this?
You can “google”
any treatment on the Internet: either orthodox or alternative
medicine, and find posted entries both pro and con. The simple truth
is that anyone, however unqualified or mistaken, can post without
proving accuracy of his source. A lot of disreputable critics post
false or misleading information—sometimes out of spiteful or
political motives. Scientists who know better can sometimes
challenge and rebut to clarify and set the record straight, but egos
get involved, and no one has the authority to delete the false
postings.
One such entry
cites that DMSO causes hemolysis—breakdown of red blood cells, also
liver damage. Etc., according to “the Donnsbach booklet.” We
contacted the medical researcher who had been hired to write that
booklet (FOR Donnsbach), and the author himself (Dr. Morton Walker)
said that the cite simply doesn’t exist—someone made it up. Yet the
bogus cite remains posted online, causing needless worry and
discouraging patients who could benefit from DMSO, despite the risk
of anemia--which is easily manageable, if it happens.
One oncologist,
newly hired at a well known Tulsa cancer treatment facility,
actually told a patient the preposterous falsehood that DMSO would
indeed dissolve his tumor—but would then spread it to other parts of
his body! That doctor may be sincere in her erroneous belief. (Who
knows where she read such a wild, scary claim, and chose to believe
it.) We have put that doctor on notice that if she can prove that
charge to be true, we will absolutely cease our operations
immediately. (So far, there has been only silence in response,
leading us to conclude that “the evidence” does not exist.)
Many proactive
patients, distrustful of mainstream medicine, have ordered the book
by Kevin Trudeau: Natural Cures “they” Don’t Want You to Know About.
Here is a direct quote from page 407, what Mr. Trudeau has to say
about our treatment:
“I encourage you
to go to the Internet and type in DMSO and start reading about its
powerful effects. Also type in hydrogen peroxide and start reading
about how it is used to cure and prevent all types of diseases.
Please know that most of the information is being suppressed, and
the pharmaceutical industry has set up a host of front web sites
talking negatively about these two products. I can assure you that
all of the negative discussion is misleading and untrue. These are
miracle products. They can help you cure and prevent cancer and
virtually all types of medical diseases. They must be used
correctly, and I advise you to use them under the supervision of a
licensed alternative health care practitioner. … They are also very
effective in helping to get rid of candida throughout your entire
body, as well as detox your body from toxins. These are miracle
products. Let me say it again, these are miracle products. Proper
use can change your life.”
14. Are you
available for patient consultation?
YES. Patients
are always welcome to call us and schedule a private appointment to
address their case or any concerns they may have about DMSO
treatment. We welcome visitors to our alternative medicine library,
where you will find such books as The Cancer Industry, Questioning Chemotherapy, and
Cancer Therapy by Dr. Ralph Moss,
to name but a few controversial and revealing books on cancer
treatment, or watch the videos Cancer Scandal and Why Cancer
Doesn’t Scare Me Anymore, by Dr. Lorraine Day. Many former patients
owe their survival to having searched out the truth.
15. What cost
is involved, and how many treatments will I need?
The program
enrollment cost is $8,500 for the initial series of 20 intravenous
treatments. If the patient does not already have intravenous access
(a port or a picc line) we have a skilled nurse who can place a picc
line (tiny catheter which goes into an arm vein) at an additional
cost of $1,100. Patients are given a paid invoice to submit to their
insurance company for reimbursement for their picc line costs. The
picc line allows patients to receive intravenous treatment in total
comfort, without any needle punctures. It also makes it possible for
the patient to return home after 20 days with supplies to continue
their treatments at home, if necessary.
Payment is due
when treatment begins. DMSO is administered daily, including
Sundays. After the treatments are concluded, a P.E.T. scan is
scheduled to evaluate the patient's response to treatment. The cost
is reduced to $100 per treatment (to cover reimbursement for
supplies) to accommodate any patients who may require additional
treatments.
16. Did you
say that my health insurance won't cover the cost of DMSO treatment?
That's true,
most health insurance won't. We agree it is a sad state of affairs
when insurance will cover the standard cancer treatments (which have
toxic side effects and are often ineffective), yet a natural chemo
alternative, which is far less costly by comparison, proven
effective as a cancer treatment--but not FDA approved for that
usage--can only be administered "off label" and is therefore not
covered by insurance.
Here is what
insurance will usually cover:
A. The initial
doctor's visit, which includes an exam and medical records review
B. Any checkups
needed with the doctor during the course of treatment
C. Lab fees, to
monitor the patients blood and urine during treatment
D. Placement of
a PICC line (needed for ease and comfort of IV treatments)
E. P.E.T. scan
following treatment to determine effectiveness of treatment.
F. Blood
transfusion and hospital stay, if needed.
Insurance
generally covers all of the above, roughly $20,000 total for these
incidental costs. It does not cover the $7,500 for the series of 20
intravenous treatments.
Unfortunately,
there is no getting around the fact that the primary alternative
chemotherapy agent we administer, DMSO, has to be given off label
and is not covered by insurance, so it is an out of pocket expense.
But many patients lose sight of the fact that standard mainstream
chemo, covered by insurance, is NOT FREE. First of all, the patients
insurance is billed many thousands of dollars for it - much greater
cost than the non-toxic alternative treatments. Secondly, regardless
of whether the patient himself pays the premiums for the insurance
coverage or his employer withholds it from earnings, he is not only
paying for his (often useless) insurance coverage, but by the time
the deductibles and copays are figured in along with those premiums,
he will have easily paid over the $8,500 cost of DMSO - which is
more effective than the toxic treatments covered by insurance, and
without any of the miserable side effects.
17. Do you
take credit cards? What about financing for this treatment?
No, sorry. Of
course, patients can always get a cash advance on their credit
cards. A cashiers check is preferred, but we also take personal
checks. Each family's situation is different, but we have noticed
that some patients take out a loan, just as you would when
purchasing a car. (Except that this treatment costs less than half
of what the average car costs.)
It has also been
brought to our attention that Capital One offers a financing plan
for patients needing dental procedures which cost more than DMSO
treatment ($8,500.) So we are looking into the possibility that they
may offer the same type of financing plan to our cancer patients in
the future. We cannot become involved in the finance business, or
anything which would take time away from patient care. But we will
do anything we can to help the patient get financing for his
treatment, such as verifying his cancer diagnosis and his need for
alternative chemotherapy treatment--which is what DMSO is. We are
also happy to provide receipts for tax purposes. DMSO treatment is,
of course, 100% tax deductible as a medical expense.
18. Do you
offer any other alternative or complementary cancer treatments
besides DMSO?
Yes, we do. We
always begin with DMSO. But we also help to formulate an
alternative/complementary treatment plan which is customized to the
individual patient, according to his diagnosis and staging (degree
of disease progression.)
19. What
about accommodations? Where will we stay while receiving treatment
in Tulsa?
Our patients are
able to lease large, comfortable apartments by the week for about
the same nightly cost they would ordinarily have to pay for a hotel
or motel room.
Please email
[email protected] for more
details.
Camelot
Cancer Care in Tulsa, Oklahoma
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