Twelve years ago, when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, my family and I started searching for alternative cancer treatment clinics. We were on a mission to find the best alternative clinic in the world. We were willing to go wherever necessary to find a treatment plan and cure her cancer.
Alternative cancer treatments abroad, specifically in Tijuana – Mexico, kept coming up. We were surprised. One of the first things that come to mind when thinking about Mexico is a beach vacation with Tequila, not cutting-edge medicine.
After extensive research, we have learned about the unique characteristics of cancer treatments in Mexico and why it’s is one of the densest places in the world for alternative cancer treatments.
Here are a few reasons why:
- Mexican physicians are free to use breakthrough therapeutic cancer treatments as soon as they are available. In the US, alternative medicine is under extremely heavy regulation, and doctors who practice certain alternative cancer treatment plans while treating cancer can lose their practice, even if they are noninvasive.
- Alternative and integrative doctors treat the person with a holistic approach. Addressing not just cancer, but the root issue which has allowed cancer to develop.
- Alternative and natural cancer treatments in Mexico are more affordable in comparison to many other places in the world.
- Most of the alternative cancer clinics are located in Tijuana and are very close to the US border, making it fairly easy to travel to for a cancer patient.
- Cancer treatments in Mexico are done by doctors and staff who speak English.
- Today, Tijuana is home to the largest concentration of complementary and alternative cancer treatment centers offering a wide variety of therapies.
Below, we are sharing excerpts from the book Hoping for a Cure: Alternative Cancer Treatment in Mexico, by Kate Hansen R.N., Included here with permission.
All rights reserved and may not be reproduced without the author’s permission.
1. Choosing Alternative Cancer Treatments in Mexico– To beat the odds
Bailey O’Brien, Stage 4 inoperable melanoma, beat the odds
The five-year survival rate for most advanced cancer patients has barely budged since “The War on Cancer” was declared by the Nixon administration over forty years ago. The five-year survival rate for advanced liver cancer patients is only 2.8%, for advanced colorectal cancer, about 14%, and for advanced breast cancer, 25%.
Considering these grim statistics, it is no surprise that many people with advanced cancer consider taking a chance on holistic cancer treatments in mexico. Many of them feel that they have little to lose by refusing chemotherapy. They believe that chemotherapy diminishes the quality of life, can make cancer more aggressive, and in many cases, is merely palliative rather than curative.
Over recent years there has been some progress in conventional cancer treatments with the development of newer therapies such as targeted therapies and immunotherapy. Despite this, the majority of treatment for most late-stage metastasized cancers still relies on chemotherapy and radiation with the goal of controlling symptoms rather than being curative.
2. Choosing Cancer Treatments in Mexico to find Breakthrough Treatments
The Mexican government oversees the medical training and licensing of physicians and health care facilities in Mexico. However, it does not attempt to influence and control the clinical judgment of physicians to the degree the U.S. does. Deviating from conventional standards of care is not a crime. Mexican physicians are free to use new cancer treatments from around the world, which means they are free to use therapeutic breakthroughs as soon as they are available.
In the U.S. and in many other countries, physicians are limited to practicing medicine within standard protocols referred to as “The Standard of Care.”
“In essence, from a legal standpoint, the standard of care is not necessarily the best, most expensive or technologically advanced care available, but one that is considered acceptable and adequate under similar circumstances.”
Although there are dedicated physicians and naturopaths treating cancer in the United States with an alternative/integrative approach, they are limited in the therapies they can provide to stay above the law. Especially when comparing it to the best cancer treatments in Mexico.
3. Mexican Clinics Use Holistic Approach to Treating the Body
Alternative and integrative practitioners worldwide will question why a person got cancer.
Inherited genetic mutations play a role in only 5%–10% of those diagnosed. Alternative and integrative doctors know that for most cancer patients, there is a reason why the immune system allows cancer to grow, and to discover the root of the problem, they investigate a person’s total lifestyle, history, and micronutrient and metabolic status.
In addition to restoring the optimum functioning of all body systems, holistic cancer treatments in Mexico focus on eliminating cancer through the use of natural therapies that weaken or kill cancer cells and result in tumor reduction. Even better, these therapies have minimal to no toxicity and no serious side effects. Unlike chemotherapy and radiation, alternative treatment does not make cancer more aggressive and often improves immune function and overall health and well-being.
In contrast, mainstream standard cancer treatment and research focus on tumor shrinkage, using the “accepted” protocols for each type of cancer. Typically, there is no explanation as to why a person got cancer to begin with, and a common answer to this question is “bad luck.” The unique characteristics, lifestyle, and overall health of the person who has the tumor are of little concern.
The success of the treatment is measured by the degree of tumor shrinkage, despite the fact that tumor response does not correlate with the prolongation of life or the potential for metastasis. A person is determined to be free of active disease if no tumor can be detected on scans after treatment.
Although patients may be counseled about the risk of recurrence after treatment, rarely are they told about the almost inevitable survival of at least some cancer cells. In particular, cancer stem cells.
4. Nourishing and Strengthening the Body
Most clinics in Mexico provide their patients with an individualized nutrition and lifestyle modification program and supplementation based on focused lab testing and the type of cancer being treated.
Nutritional interventions are known and proven by research to improve health and in some cases, target cancer. However, these are not a part of standard conventional treatments. Most cancer patients are told to eat whatever they like so long as they get enough calories.
Most conventional oncologists do not make any recommendations for supplements, foods, and lifestyle changes that could lessen the side effects caused by treatments.
While it is unfair to expect oncologists to be experts in the benefits of nutrition, supplements, and lifestyle modification, I believe they should be sufficiently aware of these benefits to provide resources or refer patients to practitioners. Professionals should know better how to minimize side effects, recover from harsh cancer treatments, and prevent a recurrence. A few cancer centers and oncologists have begun this practice, but these are unfortunately still rare, and most insurance policies will not cover the service.
5. Jumpstart the Journey in Mexico
I view the three or four weeks of treatment at most of the Tijuana clinics as just one piece of an overall treatment and recovery plan. I believe that this treatment could be very helpful to jumpstart the journey to remission for many people. It is unrealistic to expect that a few weeks of treatment will result in a long-term remission if the person is unwilling to do the necessary work on their own when they return home. This may involve following their aftercare plan, monitoring their progress with an integrative health care practitioner, and making permanent lifestyle changes to the body, mind, and spirit.
6. Alternative Cancer Treatments in Mexico – May Benefit Early Through Advanced Stages of Cancer
For those who have less advanced cancer and received successful conventional treatment, a few weeks at a clinic could be very helpful in restoring health and immune function. It may also minimize the chance of recurrence of secondary cancers that are sometimes caused by chemotherapy and radiation.
When even a low-grade, localized tumor is diagnosed, cancer cells circulate in the bloodstream. It is an unfortunate fallacy of tumor-focused medicine to think that the surgery “got it all”. We know that the chemo or radiation (often advised following surgery) is unlikely to eliminate rogue cancer stem cells and can possibly make cancer more aggressive and resistant to further treatment with chemo.
For those with advanced Stage III and Stage IV cancers who have been told that their condition is terminal, please believe that it is possible to survive and thrive long term. Don’t give up hope. With the exception of a very few types of cancer, conventional treatments are not helpful for metastasized cancer, and many people suffer—and some die—from the treatments rather than cancer.
So many people with advanced cancers have defied their doctor’s prognosis, and their stories are inspirational and often miraculous. There are also many people who have achieved remission without spending tens of thousands of dollars at alternative/integrative clinics, but most have worked with local practitioners, made major shifts in all areas of their life, and have been very disciplined about following their recovery plan.
I sincerely wish that anyone with cancer who reads this will soon hear what many others have heard from their oncologist: “I can’t explain how your cancer has disappeared, but keep doing what you’re doing.”
Click here to buy the book at Amazon and get more detailed information about the clinics:
Hoping for a Cure: Alternative Cancer Treatment in Mexico, by Katey Hansen R.N.,
All rights reserved and may not be reproduced without the author’s permission.
