James Rhio OConnor was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in 2001.

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothelium, a protective membrane surrounding

the internal organs. It is primarily caused by exposure to asbestos, class of naturally
occurring minerals characterized by their heat resistance, insulating properties, and
tensile strength. For these reasons, asbestos was widely utilized in many industries
until its carcinogenic properties were discovered. Manifestation of the disease often
occurs decades after exposure, as is the case with James OConnor. Surgical
intervention was not possible as the tumor was located near his spine and
chemotherapy would most likely result in a diminished quality of life with little to no
improvement in his life expectancy. His prognosis was very poor, with doctors giving
him less than a year to live, but James OConnor rejected his prognosis and began
to intensely research his cancer. With the assistance of numerous doctors and
researchers he developed an intensive clinical regimen that helped him to outlive
his diagnosis by over six years.
Cancer patients, like James OConnor, should exercise informed consent and
be involved in the creation of their own therapeutic protocol alongside doctors that
takes into account their lifestyle, the type and severity of the cancer, and any
aggravating factors. To this extent cancer patients and doctors should be able to
use whatever treatments they like as long as they are appropriate for the type and
severity of the cancer and the treatments do not interfere with each other and do
not violate a patients bodily integrity. For advanced stage cancers and cancers with
poor prognoses such as mesothelioma, aggressive treatments such as radical
surgeries and chemotherapy can reduce patients quality of life. It is important to
find a balance that treats if not effectively manages a patients cancer. Careful
consideration should be given to all available treatment options to develop the most
effective treatment regimen because treating cancer requires a multifaceted
approach that takes into account the person being affected and not just their
cancer.
Examples of alternative therapies are dietary changes or regimens,
acupuncture, and exercise. These therapies provide palliative care, that is, they help
manage the symptoms associated with cancer and its treatments such as pain,
anxiety, nausea and stress. Therapies combining standard medical care with
complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) can also improve prognoses and
quality of life in patients affected by cancer. These therapies have been vetted with
the same research processes that standard cancer treatments receive, including
clinical trials. Like standard medical treatments, many alternative therapies have
been found to be safe and effective when implemented properly. Some of these
treatments modulate the ways that traditional therapies interact, boosting their
effectiveness or minimizing some of their side effects. Cancer patients may
implement them as part of an integrative medicine approach that takes a holistic
approach to treatment.

Yes, both medicinal medicine and folk medicine have relevancy in treating
disease. Some folk medicines have even shown promise in treating diseases. For
example researchers at University of Nottingham when testing a medieval remedy
for infected eyelash follicles and found it to show comparable effectiveness to
Vancomycin, an antibiotic of last resort that is used to treat Methicillin-ResistantStaphylococcus Aureus infections. Similarly the antimalarial drug artemisinin was
discovered through studying historical Chinese medical text. The drug isolated from
a traditional Chinese medicinal herb has even demonstrated anticancer properties
and is currently undergoing testing to further evaluate these properties. The
negative aspects must also be considered with looking at the relevancy of a
treatment. Antioxidants normally prevent free radical formation that causes damage
to cells. The ingestion of these substances is thought to reduce a persons likelihood
of developing cancer. Research has however demonstrated that the ingestion of
large amounts of antioxidants may make already developed cancer worse by
assisting proliferation and metastasis. It is thought that these compounds
ameliorate the oxidative stresses that free-floating cancer cells encounter and as a
result make metastasis more likely (Piskounova et al., 2015).
Drug development is a complex field and developing a new drug is no small
endeavor and the cost of developing a drug is a statement to this. The developer
must perform laboratory and animal tests to discover the drugs mode of action and
its breakdown pathways and to determine whether it's likely to be safe and work
well in humans. If well tolerated in animal studies, then a drug can progress to
human clinical trials. Phase one trials test the drug on a small set of people to
evaluate its safety, dosage range and identify potential side effects. Phase two trials
increase the number of participants. Phase three trials expand the treatment to a
larger group to confirm its effectiveness and observe for side effects as well as
collect usage information. These trials are conducted to evaluate the whether the
drug is safe when used to treat a disease and whether it provides a real health
benefit. Numerous variables must be controlled if these studies are to have clinical
relevance, and this can be difficult to do if active ingredients or modes of action are
not known. With alternative therapies it can be difficult to identify these compounds
or pathways which could obscure any positive results that are generated.
Components may also have synergistic influences that can be difficult to quantify.
The current focus of the American healthcare system is treating diseases
after they occur. In many cases this is extremely costly, less effective than
preventing a disease state from developing. Many of the leading causes of death in
the US can be greatly reduced through preventative measures such as maintenance
of proper weight, healthy eating habits and regular exercise and other lifestyle
changes. To this end, a shift towards prophylactic measures will be required if the
instances of diseases such cancer are to be reduced. A combination of genetic,
environmental, and lifestyle factors contribute to a persons probability of
developing cancer during their lifetime. It is possible to reduce the probability of but

not completely eliminate the chances of a person developing cancer throughout

their lifetime. Implantation of early detection methods and regular screenings can
identify cancer before they become difficult to treat. Screening for genetic
predispositions to cancer can help individuals evaluate their risks for developing a
cancer and help decide the best strategies for preventing cancer from developing or
minimizing its severity. As a biological engineer student I seek to provide solutions
to problems related to the ways diseases are detected and treated and cancer is of
special interest to me. Much of the research I have conducted has been focused on
devising more accurate cancer detection methods and is work I seek to continue in
my graduate studies.