1) Why this page?

This site has its origins in the experiences of the following three people. Antoon (see medical report Antoon), Shifra and her parents ( see medical report Shifra), and Kees (see medical report Kees). We are, however, convinced that there are many other people with similar stories and experiences. Some may be more spectacular than others, but we think that such stories provide good support for anyone searching for answers in his or her own situation. We are aware of the fact that there are many such stories in circulation (see also page other alternatives) which tell of spectacular cures. Some such stories tell of “seeing the light” others of a special type of tea, etc. They could be true, why not. Nevertheless we have decided to publish only those stories where some sort of medical confirmation is available – blood test results, scans, tumormarkers, x-rays before and after the treatment, etc. Our criterion is the presence of medical proof. 

All the stories we publish on this page will involve consultation and contact with the person who contributed the story. In this way your story can be told and we will be aware of the factual basis for your story. If you have such a story which you would like to have published in this way contact mail to our webmaster.  

Here is Marjan's story. She is a woman who was diagnosed in 1998 as having cancer of the ovaries and uterus. Her cancer specialist told her that although she could be treated with chemotherapy and undergo an operation this would probably only help her temporarily and not result in a final cure. And sure enough, in 2001 Marjan had a relapse. Chemotherapy was again prescribed, but Marjan refused and decided to follow her own program which involved diet, a less stressed lifestyle, and nutritional supplements. On the 5th of March 2002 medical examinations indicated that her CA125 tumormarker had reached the low value of 6 and her metastasis was minimal and stable, perhaps even somewhat reduced in size. 
Questions or remarks you may have about the information on this page can be e-mailed to us. They will be forwarded to Marjan. We are happy to be able to give you this further information, but nevertheless our disclaimer applies to all information on this page. Many thanks to Marjan for her cooperation and willingness to share her story with us. Additional stories from persons with special experiences or choices are to be found on page remarkable stories and even more stories in Dutch at uw verhaal.  Here is the story of Marjan.

2) Marjan overcomes a relapse of her ovariancancer after she refused chemo and started a vegetarian diet and certain supplements and changed her lifestyle
6th of February 2004: We thank Dave Odegard for this translation. Here is Marjan's story. She is a woman who was diagnosed in 1998 as having cancer of the ovaries and uterus. Her cancer specialist told her that although she could be treated with chemotherapy and undergo an operation this would probably only help her temporarily and not result in a final cure. And sure enough, in 2001 Marjan had a relapse. Chemotherapy was again prescribed, but Marjan refused and decided to follow her own program which involved diet, a less stressed lifestyle, and nutritional supplements. On the 5th of March 2002 medical examinations indicated that her CA125 tumormarker had reached the low value of 6 and her metastasis was minimal and stable, perhaps even somewhat reduced in size. In December 2003 a total medical examination, including scans, confirmed again that there are no signs of cancer any longer and her tumormarkers remain normal. Complaints, diagnosis, and initial treatment In 1996, Marjan underwent a routine periodic Pap smear test. The results were good and she appeared to be in good health. In the fall of 1998 at the age of 49, she noticed some loss of blood during sexual intercourse. Further symptoms included some stomach aches and an overgrowth of yeast in the bowels. She was not very distressed by these symptoms, but mentioned them to her new doctor ( an anthroposophist) during her first consultation. (Her former physician had just recently died.). Her new doctor examined her, knowing that such a loss of blood is not normal. They decided together to repeat the Pap smear test. Two days later, the shocking news arrived. Pap 5 indicated that she had cancer of the womb. Further intensive examinations were undertaken at the local hospital where the following final and distressing diagnosis was given: primary cancer of the ovaries with metastasis in the lymph glands and abdominal wall and cancer of the womb in an initial stage. The cancer was so far advanced that further research had to take place in the Anthony van Leeuwenhoek Hospital in Amsterdam. At that location a CA 125 ( a tumour marker often used to diagnose cancer of the uterus) value above 160 was measured. The cancer was so far advanced that radiation treatment was not considered. The tumours were 10- to 13 centimetres in diameter. A second opinion in the VU-medical center in Amsterdam by professor Pinedo confirmed the initial prescribed treatment: three chemo treatments, an operation, and then three more chemo treatments. According to professor Pinedo, this treatment would only give some temporary relief and not a definite cure. Marjan was quite disturbed, but soon began to take the initiative in making her own decisions. Being the owner of a health food store, she was pretty well informed on the subject of supplemental and alternative cancer treatment. She consulted an orthomolecular doctor (doctor Moolenburg) and began with the regular treatment and at the same time a number of alternative treatments. The alternative treatments were a. The Houtsmuller diet with special food supplements b. pancreas enzyme (see doctor Gonzalez) c. periodic coffee enemas as prescribed by Dr. Gerson. On top of all this, she often went for a walk outside in order to relax. At the suggestion of doctor Moolenburg she also began to do therapeutic painting, which she found to be very pleasant and inspiring. Professor Pinedo requested that she not use food supplements during her chemotherapy as he thought that it would have an adverse effect. Marjan followed his advice during her chemotherapy but did take food supplements between the periods of chemotherapy and afterwards. Doctor Ten Bokkel Huinink (from the Anthonie van Leeuwenhoek hospital) was rather annoyed with Marjan for having requested a second opinion in the VU in Amsterdam before he finished drawing up a plan for treatment. Marjan didn't want to waste any time and was able to make appointments quickly in both hospitals. She was not pleased with Doctor Ten Bokkel Huinink's reaction to these developments. (An editorial comment: We have heard about this doctor before. We have, for example, correspondence between him and one of his patients which confirms Marjan's story. Normally I wouldn't mention names, but this doctor is a very fervent advocate of chemotherapy and tries in an apparently rather unpleasant way to discourage patients who would like to try alternative or supplementary methods. This doctor is also closely allied with the Society for the Prevention of Quack Medicine and often appears in public on its behalf. These facts should also be known.) By the way, these two hospitals suggested almost identical treatments. The only difference was that the Anthony van Leeuwenhoek hospital suggested carboplatin in combination with taxol and the V.U. hospital prescribed cisplatin in combination with taxol. Marjan was very sick from the first chemotherapy and her CA125 rose to the level of 340. As a result, it was decided after the first chemotherapy treatment to stop with chemotherapy and operate immediately. Marjan underwent an operation on December 18, 1998. They removed as much as possible. This was followed by chemotherapy treatment until June 1999. This was administered intravenously in the hospital for several days at a stretch followed by a three-week rest period in which to recuperate. Marjan did not use supplements during the days in which she received the chemotherapy but did use them during the periods of rest. Marjan used food supplements, enemas, pancreas enzymes, and THE HOUTSMULLERDIET with a lot of extra lemon juice. A scan taken in July of 1999 indicated that her cancer had disappeared. This was quite a surprise for the cancer specialist, and she was told that she was certain to have a relapse. Marjan began to wonder if this sort of blunt honesty was doing her any good. They could have said it in a nicer way, for example " It's great to see that your cancer is gone and we will be checking you regularly now. Unfortunately relapses often occur with cancer of the ovaries. If this should happen we hope to be able to detect it in an early stage." However, she was confronted with the "honest" truth - you will have a relapse and you will never fully recover. Unfortunately the cancer specialist was right. The relapse in May of 2001 and why an alternative treatment was chosen In May of 2001 during a routine check-up two tumours / metastases (1.5 cm by 1 cm and 1 cm by 2 cm in size) were found. It is uncertain whether there is further metastasis in her abdominal region and her CA 125 had again reached a level of 82. This tumour marker indicated renewed tumour activity and this was confirmed by a scan. Marjan told me that she had been very busy at that time in her store and had not gotten enough rest. She was also quite nervous about the possibility of a relapse. Professor Pinedo wanted to start again with chemotherapy. Marjan inquired as to whether this could result in a permanent cure. Professor Pinedo replied that she could not be permanently cured and that the chemotherapy could only buy her some more time, hopefully as much as a few years. There was a discussion about the possibility of a treatment making use of angiogeneseblockers such as endostatin and angiostatine, but professor Pinedo emphatically stated that these medicines could slow down the growth of the tumour, but could not cure her. Marjan, with the support of her husband and children, decided not to have the chemotherapy, and to hope that her diet and life style would keep her alive longer than the chemotherapy. In comparison with other similar cases, it had taken more than the average time for her relapse to occur. Marjan mentioned that Professor Pinedo's assistant was very helpful to her in the process of coming to her decision. Professor Pinedo was very surprised that she did not want chemotherapy. He was quite insistent, and even a bit irritated when he heard that she had gone to see an orthomolecular doctor. Marjan told me, and had also told Dr. Pinedo that when she had chemotherapy she felt as though she were a war casualty, and that this was an experience she didn't want to repeat. Quality of life was also important, perhaps the most important of all, and a final cure was not possible anyway according to Dr. Pinedo. Marjan visited another orthomolecular doctor, Dr./biologist Drs E. Valstar for further information about orthomolecular food supplements. It was not out of dissatisfaction with Dr. Moolenburg, a very kind and capable doctor, but he had advised her not to use soy bean products and she had read that soy beans and genisteine could have a very positive effect on her type of cancer. This was confirmed by Dr. Valstar. He prescribed for her, along with other food supplements, genisteine and a few other supplements such as Germanium, D-limoneen en melatonine. Marjan was also given Iscador injections in addition to all her supplements, her diet, and the pancreas enzymes. She also went once a week to Dr. Moolenburg for extra oxygen via an oxygen mask. The only negative physical change that she noticed during this time was a swelling of the lymph glands in her groin. But they were somewhat larger during the entire period and remained stable. They did not change in size and an examination indicated that there was nothing here to be concerned about. Professor Pinedo thinks that this could have been caused by the Iscador injections. All the other effects of this natural treatment were positive. Marjan feels a bit overwhelmed when she herself reads about all this, but she remains eager to do it all since it makes her look and feel better. The results of this natural treatment and the actual situation as of March 2002 Marjan underwent an examination and scan at the VU in November of 2001. This was after a half-year regimen of diet and food supplements prescribed by Dr. Valstar. To Dr. Pinedo's amazement, the CA125 level had dropped to 9, and the metastasis had not enlarged, but had remained stable. Dr. Pinedo had told her beforehand that he expected that the CA125 level would rise above 125 during this period and he was very surprised with the outcome. Dr. Valstar thinks that the high doses of genisteine/soya, D-limonene, melatonine and germanium caused these improvements. Dr. Pinedo thinks that the genisteine/soya is primarily responsible, but emphasizes that its effect is similar to that of angiogenese inhibitors, it slows down the process, but the cancer returns nevertheless. We have decided not to publish the list of food supplements that Dr. Valstar and Dr. Moolenburgh prescribed for Marjan. Every patient would have a different prescription, for which consultation with an orthomolecular doctor is an absolute necessity. See this page for the addresses of orthomolecular doctors in the Nehterlands. If your doctor would like to have Marjan's list of food supplements I would be willing to sent it to you, but only if your request is submitted via a physician and/or orthomolecular doctor. Otherwise, you would be better off consulting your own orthomolecular doctor. Marjan told me that she feels well, has more energy, is occasionally tired, but all things considered has a good quality of life and is working almost full-time. So the examination findings were not really a surprise to her, although she was of course very pleased with the results. Even more encouraging were the results of an examination several weeks ago on March 5, 2002. The CA125 marker had dropped to a level of 6 ( under 30 is "normal") and the metastases had not grown any larger and perhaps had even undergone a slight decrease in size. This was not so easy to judge from the scan. Professor Pinedo did not completely understand what was happening. This was not really possible. He had never seen such a development before with a patient suffering from cancer of the uterus. Valstar was not really so surprised by her improvement, since it was the third time he had seen this happen. Marjan feels that she is on the right path although she realizes that the battle is not yet won. Marjan told me that she was pleased that Dr. Pinedo showed an interest in the food supplements that she was using. He expressly inquired as to what they were, and he attributes the genisteine/soya with having in large part caused her condition to stabilize, a development which was thought never to occur with cancer of the uterus. 17th of january 2004: Marjan is still doing very well I just called Marjan and she told me she is doing very well. Medical examination, including CT-scans (December 2003) , showed again there was no progression or activity of her ovariancancer and this stable situation has now lasted for three years. (read Marjan's story). Marjan still adheres to the Houtsmullerdiet and tries to maintain a relaxed and not stressful lifestyle. She still uses nutrional supplements prescribed by orthomolecular doctor Valstar, who emphasises soja/genisteine and quercetine. Marjan told us that scans had shown that for the last three years some small tumours with a diametre of 1,5 x 2 cm. remained stable. It seems they are not active any longer for the last three years and probably have been incapsulated. Also her CA-125 markers have been stable for the last three years, having a value under 10 which is seen as normal. And finally a word from Marjan: " I am pleased with the chance that this sickness has given me to change my lifestyle. I have experienced the decrease of stress in my life as a very positive development. This has been for me a chance to grow and become more my own person. I now consciously enjoy every day and everything around me. This is a change from how things were in the past. " We will no doubt have further up-dates for you in the future, and hopefully the last metastases will also disappear. Anyone who wishes to respond to this story can send me an e-mail and I will forward it to Marjan.