In 1922, a Canadian nurse Rene Caisse by chance came across an old Indian remedy that was reputed to cure cancer. She tested the herbal tea on her aunt who had cancer of the stomach and was given about six months to live. Her aunt lived for another 21 years, cancer free. Rene Caisse later gave the tea to her 72-year old mother who was diagnosed with inoperable cancer of the liver, with only days to live. Her mother recovered and lived without cancer for another 18 years.

In the ensuing years Nurse Caisse refined and perfected the original Indian formula. She tested it on laboratory mice and on human cancer patients. Essiac tea contains the following four herbs: Burdock Root, Sheep Sorrel, Slippery Elm and Turkey Rhubarb Root.

This formula was called Essiac (Rene Caisse’s surname spelled backwards).

Does anyone else have any views on the efficacy (or otherwise) of essiac?

Best regards

Robert WT

Dear Robert

We tried it for my husband in 2004, after his cancer of the tongue came back 6 weeks after finishing his post-surgery radiotherapy.

We heard about it, read up on it, and decided we had nothing to lose. He had it daily while having chemotherapy (Cisplatin & 5FU, then Docetaxol) with his oncologists blessing.

Sadly it didn't work. He passed away 5 months later, aged 34.

Looking back, did we honestly think it would work? Probably not, but we were willing to give anything a try and the evidence was that it wouldn't do any harm.

I would read as much as you can about it, there is lots on the internet, and make your own decision. Only you will know what is right for you.

Wishing you strength

Kezia

Hi Kezia good to see you online. Hope you are moving forward.

Despite the fact that it may not cure cancer it is a liquid which is very soothing on the throat. I used it after surgery for 2 months and found it helped comfort the soreness for an hour or two when I used it. Brewing it is a palaver though.

Kezia,

Although my husband is in remission (1 year)after base of tongue cancer, I worry constantly about recurrence. I was so sad to hear about your husband's experience and untimely death... so, so young. It's just wrong! It makes me angry... and very afraid. I hope you are okay, Kezia, and finding even small joys of life once again. My heart goes out to you in a big way!

I hope you don't mind my asking in what stage your husband's cancer was discovered? Also was his cancer at the tongue base (back where you cannot even see)... or on the area that is visible when looking into the mouth? I just cannot comprehend why the same treatment works in some people's cases... and sadly, not in others. Did anyone tell you why your husband's cancer might have returned so quickly after the initial diagnosis/treatment? One would naturally assume they didn't get it all the first time, I suppose. Had it spread elsewhere when the second cancer was discovered... or was it at the original site?

If you don't care to address these questions, I so totally understand. I just wish the best for you and hope that each day brings new things to enrich your life and heal your heart.

Sincerely,

Melanie

Hi Melanie

M husband's cancer was right at the back of his tongue, so not visible when looking into the mouth normally.

It was stage 4 when diagnosed, and after surgery to remove 1/3 of his tongue (including removal of lymph nodes as a precaution) & radiotherapy he was considered in remission.

Sadly it didn't last long. He had problems with the healing of the jaw where it had been cut and plated back together for the initial surgery, and he had further surgery planned to change the plates over to larger ones. But when his surgeon opened the wound up again, he didn't like what he saw, and took a biopsy for cancer, and it was. It had come back in his jaw.

He was booked in for surgery to remove the jaw bone and replace it with bone from his leg, but in the intervening 2 weeks, cancerous nodules appeared on his skin, indicating it had spread even further, so surger was no longer possible.

On to chemo, and the Cisplatin/5FU mix worked for about 2 months with the nodules drying up and the swelling in his jaw reducing, but after 4 months it was ineffective. Then we had 2 cycles of Docetaxol which didn't do much at all for him.

And as for why did it come back? No-one can say. All the margins were fine for the surgery, and the lymph nodes were only taken as a precaution. Even the radiotherapy was given as a precaution, as they were so confident they had got it all.

His surgeon (the best in the SW of England, we were told, and highly though of around the UK) said in 17 years of surgery he had never seen it recur in the jaw from an initial cancer of the tongue. And this is in all in a 33 yr old non smoker/moderate drinker.

I try not to think too much about why it happened. There are no answers. It happened. We did all we could. We prayed as hard as we could. We were unlucky.

And Pauline, I agree, the boiling up of the Essiac is a complete palava. Everything had to be sterilised, and then it had to simmer for 8 hours or something if I remember rightly. Getting the timings right so I wasn't seiving it at 3am was quit important!

I've not been 'on the board' much for a while, but I have been doing what I can for the MCF to raise funds and awareness. You can read all about it on the Paul Beament Mouth Cancer Appeal page if you follow the links from the MCF home page.

Summer (now it is finally here) means car boot sales so early starts on a Sunday. Today is a sunday off thankfully.

Kezia