What is Radiation Therapy and is Essiac Compatible with it?

What is Radiation Therapy? [1]

Radiation therapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses beams of intense energy to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy most often uses X-rays, but protons or other types of energy also can be used.

The term “radiation therapy” most often refers to external beam radiation therapy. During this type of radiation, the high-energy beams come from a machine outside of your body that aims the beams at a precise point on your body. During a different type of radiation treatment called brachytherapy (brak-e-THER-uh-pee), radiation is placed inside your body.

Radiation therapy damages cells by destroying the genetic material that controls how cells grow and divide. While both healthy and cancerous cells are damaged by radiation therapy, the goal of radiation therapy is to destroy as few normal, healthy cells as possible. Normal cells can often repair much of the damage caused by radiation.

Why is Radiation Done? [1]

Doctors use radiation therapy to treat just about every type of cancer. Radiation therapy is also useful in treating some noncancerous (benign) tumors. Your doctor may suggest radiation therapy as an option at different times during your cancer treatment and for different reasons, including:

As the only (primary) treatment for cancer
Before surgery, to shrink a cancerous tumor (neoadjuvant therapy)
After surgery, to stop the growth of any remaining cancer cells (adjuvant therapy)
In combination with other treatments, such as chemotherapy, to destroy cancer cells
In advanced cancer to alleviate symptoms caused by the cancer

Risks of Radiation Therapy: [1]

Radiation therapy side effects depend on which part of your body is being exposed to radiation and how much radiation is used. You may experience no side effects, or you may experience several. Most side effects are temporary, can be controlled and generally disappear over time once treatment has ended.Common side effects

Any part: Hair loss at treatment site (sometimes permanent), skin irritation at treatment site, fatigue
Head and neck: Dry mouth, thickened saliva, difficulty swallowing, sore throat, changes in the way food tastes, nausea, mouth sores, tooth decay
Chest: Difficulty swallowing, cough, shortness of breath
Abdomen: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Pelvis: Diarrhea, bladder irritation, frequent urination, sexual dysfunction

Some side effects may develop later. For example, in rare circumstances a new cancer (second primary cancer) that’s different from the first one treated with radiation may develop years later. Ask your doctor about potential side effects, both short and long term, that may occur after your treatment.

Radiation Therapy and Essiac:

“RADIOTHERAPY: This is generally well tolerated when the patient is taking Essiac, and energy levels are usually very well maintained. Some patients from the Bracebridge Clinic who made a full recovery from their cancer had been treated with radium.” [THE SECRETS OF RENE CAISSE’S HERBAL PHARMACY, p. 88]‘

this (Essiac) is an excellent blood cleanser and can help tremendously if someone is toxic either from chemotherapy or radiation.” statement by Dr. Jesse Stoff [THE SECRETS OF RENE CAISSE’S HERBAL PHARMACY, p. 88]

“Those taking Essiac have frequently reported well-maintained energy and immune system levels, both during and after courses of radio-therapy treatment.” [ESSIAC ESSENTIALS, p. 58]

Written by an oncology nurse, Brenda Paige: “Hi everyone!! I just thought I should clarify about my opinion & experience on the use of Essiac tea during chemo. Essiac IS an immune builder. I swear by it. However, taking it ALONE during chemo has shown no contraindications that I have ever found in research & by talking to patients over many years. It is actually beneficial. It lessens side effects of nausea, fatigue, some have actually reported less pain, less hair loss?? & it stimulates your appetite, which can be a real challenge during certain chemos due to the metal taste in your mouth.

I worked for 3 female oncologists & when I mentioned Essiac tea to them, Dr.#1 said “what?” E-ZY tea? what is that!?” #2 said “never heard of it” & was done. #3 said “never heard of it but if it’s an herb, then I am against it” These were smart women, great doctors, just all conventional & only knew what they were taught. Sad to say, that is usually the case.

If you are fortunate to find an integrative oncologist, or a holistic doctor or a naturopathic doctor, they may have heard of it & give their blessing. And then there were the patients who took what they wanted during chemo & did not tell their doctors. It is a personal choice & a hotly debated one. I am writing this because I normally DO recommend Essiac with most chemo drugs.

Just know that if you are taking multiple immune builders, you are working against chemo drugs, which are immune destroyers. If you are going to put your body though chemo, which is not easy, then I advise letting it do its intended job without interference. We always have a choice, all conventional, all natural or integrative, a combination of the two. Blessings to all of us going through this nightmare they call cancer. Keep a positive attitude; that is 90% of the battle!”

Resources:

[1] Mayo Clinic: Radiation Therapy- https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/radiation-therapy/about/pac-20385162

[2] Understanding Chemotherapy – https://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/how-cancer-treated/chemotherapy/understanding-chemotherapy#:~:text=It%20usually%20works%20by%20keeping,cause%20damage%20to%20healthy%20cells.“

The Secrets of Rene Caisse’s Herbal Pharmacy”, Sheila Snow and Mali Klein – https://isbnsearch.org/search?s=ESSIAC%2C+THE+SECRETS+OF+RENE+CAISSE%27S+HERBAL+PHARMACY

“Essiac Essentials”, by Sheila Snow – https://isbnsearch.org/search?s=essiac+essentials

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