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mandyyy
12 Posts |
 Posted - 09/09/2014 : 15:08:33
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Hi gibonstown - stitches didn't hurt coming out at all, but take some pain management before you go if you are worried. I got some codeine prescribed to me for pain management after my op, so i took one of those. I am like a baby when it comes to needles/stitches so I prefer to be prepared.
best wishes for a speedy recovery :) |
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gibsontown
27 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2014 : 10:03:06
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Thanks! I just returned (took Ibu) and it was fine. A bit of pinching but nothing like I feared. I'll be taped up for another week though.
Thanks for the encouragement :)quote:
Originally posted by mandyyy
Hi gibonstown - stitches didn't hurt coming out at all, but take some pain management before you go if you are worried. I got some codeine prescribed to me for pain management after my op, so i took one of those. I am like a baby when it comes to needles/stitches so I prefer to be prepared.
best wishes for a speedy recovery :)
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anivoc
668 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2014 : 18:00:35
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Howard you already know I don't own this site and you know I am an admin here. I help Dan "the owner" with spam, advertising and crude or rude post or comments.. I have and do delete post that fall into that category and call out people who have come here posing as Topical info members with skin cancer to promote their wares..People that sell Curaderm ( and never had skin cancer themselves) have come here touting and recommending the product without revealing they actually sell it.
I have yet to delete any of your post but you have made some comments to people that shared their bad experiences with Curaderm that bordered on rude and obnoxious. I've warned you in the past and thus the reminder to keep it civil recently.
You play this off like I am picking on you and that I don't like that you had success. That is nonsense. All one has to do is look back at your post to see exactly how sweet, understanding and innocent you are towards those that don't think Curaderm is the be all end all best option.
It's great that Curaderm worked for you...unfortunately it hasn't for many here. I and others here believe there are more effective less expensive choices. To each his own, we all have our own personal "skin in the game"
You accused Mandy "and others" of trying to have the last word. It wasn't as rude as some of your other previous rants but then you finished off in your typical pleasant styling with " if others don't like it TS...
Thus my reply reminding you the pendulum swings both ways...
keep it civil, keep it honest and accept the fact that many of us here aren't Curaderm fans for very valid, painful and expensive reasons.
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anivoc
668 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2014 : 18:08:56
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BTW To be clear though early on I also suspected Howard possibly had some interest in the Curaderm business, He made it clear he didn't and I believe him.
He's just a passionate happy customer who really believes in the product. |
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howardz43
19 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2014 : 14:45:09
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Please note, anivoc, that mandyyy was the one who accused me of 'trying to have the last word,' when she was plainly the one who was trying very hard to have the last word in her sarcastic, 'attitude' laden comment addressing me. I don't like people accusing me of doing what they are doing themselves first. That's why I spoke ‘expressively’ to her as I did.
Now here is something else that I think you should consider. If this part of the web site you administrate is only for those who, have had bad experiences with Curaderm, and they need a place for posting their stories, always agree and commensurate with each other, complain about Curaderm, tout other preparations having no better overall public or medical reputations etc., and people such as myself who are having an extensive good experience by learning how to interpret and apply the Curaderm instructions relative to their various complex skin cancer situations are not welcome to share their experience because their doing so would contradict the stories of the bad experiences, then I think you should say that at the top of the page where people can read it when they click on the link "Curaderm." Then people such as I will know to stay away. I would have known from the ‘git go’ that, telling my relatively good experience using Curaderm is not welcome by the administrator, and the people for whom this part of the web site was created. Really, you should just come right out and say it plainly. I think you really should seriously consider having a site link that is specifically for people who want to tout and praise the various ‘wonders’ of bloodroot paste, amazon black salve, various mixtures, other concoctions et al, and share their experiences etc.
quote:
Originally posted by anivoc
Howard you already know I don't own this site and you know I am an admin here. I help Dan "the owner" with spam, advertising and crude or rude post or comments.. I have and do delete post that fall into that category and call out people who have come here posing as Topical info members with skin cancer to promote their wares..People that sell Curaderm ( and never had skin cancer themselves) have come here touting and recommending the product without revealing they actually sell it.
I have yet to delete any of your post but you have made some comments to people that shared their bad experiences with Curaderm that bordered on rude and obnoxious. I've warned you in the past and thus the reminder to keep it civil recently.
You play this off like I am picking on you and that I don't like that you had success. That is nonsense. All one has to do is look back at your post to see exactly how sweet, understanding and innocent you are towards those that don't think Curaderm is the be all end all best option.
It's great that Curaderm worked for you...unfortunately it hasn't for many here. I and others here believe there are more effective less expensive choices. To each his own, we all have our own personal "skin in the game"
You accused Mandy "and others" of trying to have the last word. It wasn't as rude as some of your other previous rants but then you finished off in your typical pleasant styling with " if others don't like it TS...
Thus my reply reminding you the pendulum swings both ways...
keep it civil, keep it honest and accept the fact that many of us here aren't Curaderm fans for very valid, painful and expensive reasons.
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Edited by - howardz43 on 09/17/2014 14:55:19 |
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mandyyy
12 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2014 : 23:57:51
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Of course this forum is for people who have had bad experiences with curaderm - it's not currently approved or endorsed by the medical professional AT ALL! People want to know if it's a scam, so they do their amateur research on forums like these hoping to find the truth of the products success. There is enough damming reports on this forum for people to decide for themselves. And Dr Cham.. is making a lot of money out of his product with a lot of false claims. I ask everyone to read this: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/dr-oz-revisited/ (scroll to eggplant cure for cancer)
If you want to have a forum for "good experiences of curaderm" then please get Dr. Cham to keep improving curaderm and get it approved for sale (properly- outside of vanuatu!). Then we wouldn't need this discussion at all - because if it really worked, we would all know about it and sing its praises. I would LOVE for a cream to be successful in removing cancer - i do hope one day there is a breakthrough and we all get to do a happy dance. We are all batting for the same team Howardz43 - we want a non surgical cure skin cancer that has the same (medically proven) success rate as MOHS surgery of 98%. Until then I would never endorse a cream that had such a high rate of failure and causing people so much hurt and upset, even if I believed it had worked for me. I care about people - not curaderm.
On a separate note, do you know if Dr Cham is doing ongoing research for his cream? or has he stopped? |
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howardz43
19 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2014 : 00:56:08
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An interview with Dr. Bill E. Cham, PhD on the development of BEC5 Cream for the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer (www.bec5creamdirect.com History):
Dr. Cham, you have developed a cream called BEC5 Cream as an alternative treatment for skin cancer. Can you just start out by telling us what it is that you have accomplished?
What we have accomplished after over 25 years of preclinical and clinical work are:
1) A very effective safe treatment for malignant and non malignant skin cancers using naturally occurring glycoalkaloids extracted from the Devil”s Apple fruit and the eggplant fruit. When using these extracts in BEC5 Cream the results are superior to other cancer treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
2) A promising treatment for terminal internal cancers using the BEC glycoalkaloids. Clinical studies are current for this type of treatment.
What originally prompted you to look at Eggplant for an alternative treatment for cancer?
In the late 1970s in Brisbane Australia, I was introduced to a plant known locally as the Devil’s Apple plant. A veterinarian Merv Gilliver explained to me that farmers were using the juices of the fruit of Devil’s Apple plant to treat cancers that were growing in the eyes of Hereford Cattle.
On the world map, Brisbane in Queensland, Australia is positioned where the radiation of UV light is highest. It is for this reason, amongst others, that Queensland has the highest incidences of skin cancer in the world. It is for the same reason that Hereford Cattle who have white around their eyes get cancer known as ocular squamous cell carcinoma.
Although skeptical about Merv’s observations I decided to explore the Devil’s Apple. I asked myself. Where do you start with such a project? There are many hundreds of substances in plant material. Was there one or more substances within these hundreds that had anticancer properties, and if so, which one(s)?
At the time I knew that vincristine and vinblastine were showed to have anticancer properties. These two substances identified as alkaloids are extracted from the periwinkle plant.
If there was any substance in this project the following preliminary questions had to be addressed:
Is there an anticancer ingredient in the Devil’s Apple?
If so, what is the ingredient? Is it alkaloidal?
Is the ingredient toxic, or is it safe enough to use?
How does this ingredient work?
What cancers if any does this ingredient work on?
Each of the above questions on their own may take many years to find the answers and the financial requirements are enormous.
As a matter of fact, an extremely small percentage of research and development (R&D) on a substance for medical treatment reach the stage of clinical application. The time required to achieve such an outcome takes between 15 and 20 years. The required funding exceeds $100 million. With these daunting prospects ahead, one would think it is madness to even consider to get involved, especially if lack of time (I was completing my Ph.D. thesis on cardiovascular disease part-time and was employed at the Department of Medicine full time) and virtually no funding was available. But what the heck, I had convinced myself that I was a reasonable scientist and that anything was possible if you believed strongly in it and you applied yourself.
Thank goodness I had the full support of my wife Anita and my son Karim who was just completing his high school. Anita was engaged in her hobby breeding and training German Shepherd dogs quite successfully.
Realizing that virtually all plants have different alkaloids I decided to identify and characterize the alkaloids from the fruit of the Devil’s Apple plant. Using appropriate scientific instrumentation I was able to determine that the alkaloid in the plant material was solasodine, moreover I found that of only a small quantity of solasodine was present in the free form but most of solasodine was bound (attached) to sugars.
I decided to study the effects of the Devil’s Apple extract on a mouse model that contained the deadly cancer known as Sarcoma 180. The reported studies with the periwinkle extracts vincristine and vinblastine were done whilst these alkaloids were in the free, unbound forms. I therefore decided to study the anticancer properties of solasodine also a free, unbound alkaloid.
The results were very disappointing and I could not find any anticancer effects whatsoever. I also treated the cancer in the mice with the crude extract that was purportedly used in the eyes of cattle with cancer. Again the results were negative. I realized that the project was not looking too promising. I deliberated over my approach before giving up and decided to examine this project objectively. I firmly believe that nature is in unquestionable balance. Whereas, in a particular natural condition, cancer can be conceived, I believe, in another particular natural condition cancer can be eliminated. In that vein, with my previous experiments I did not truly study the naturally occurring glycoalkaloids, only the hydrolysed alkaloid solasodine product. Sets of new experiments were conducted. I now injected BEC, which was the purified mixture of glycoalkaloids as they occurred naturally in the Devil’s Apple, into mice with the deadly Sarcoma 80 cancers. In this case the results were very different.
The BEC was very effective in treating the deadly cancer. Not only did the BEC prolong the life of the cancer containing mice. The BEC actually treated the mice from the deadly cancer. The mice that originally had the cancer when treated with the appropriate dose of BEC were cancer symptom-free and they had a normal life span when compared with normal untreated mice.
I finally had some evidence that BEC had promising anticancer properties. The next step was to embark on the toxicity of BEC.
These studies showed that at the concentrations of BEC used to eliminate cancer, BEC was safe. Subsequently a whole battery of studies were done to show that in cell culture BEC would kill a wide variety of cancer cells without harming normal cells. Patents were then applied for to cover our observations and claims. We started to publish our research work in peer reviewed medical scientific journals. We also showed that BEC was not mutagenic and did not cause cancer. This is important because a substance although curing one type of cancer could also cause a different cancer.
At this stage I was guardedly very optimistic with the BEC research. I was also aware that studies in whole animals did not always translate to the same results when applied to human beings, although the human cancer cell culture work was excellent.
I now wanted to extend the anticancer observations to humans. The model was staring me directly in my face: Skin Cancer. The state I was living in was the capital of skin cancer.
What a good model to study. I could apply BEC in certain formulations and clinically observe the effects of BEC on two types of malignant cancers BCC and SCC. Other premalignant tumors such as keratoses could also be investigated. Importantly, biopsies of the skin cancers, before, during and after BEC treatment could be studied under a microscope.
The end result of the skin cancer trials was that BEC in a formulation now known as BEC5 Cream was an excellent treatment for skin cancers.
Is the effectiveness of BEC5 Cream scientifically proven?
We have published over 20 articles on this subject in scientific journals. Our observations have been confirmed and extended by a plethora of independent scientists worldwide who have recognized and cited our work in their scientific publications. To date there have been no publications refuting our published articles, they had all been supportive.
Why hasn’t everybody heard of it then? Why is it not prescribed by every dermatologist in America?
Scientists throughout the world have read about it and have published many papers citing us as the original inventors. Initially BEC5 Cream was available over the counter in Australia. Over 50,000 patients had used BEC5 Cream. The dermatologists in Australia lobbied against its use and forced the government to put it on prescription.
In Australia if a product is on prescription it is not allowed to be advertised and so the public was unaware of its existence.
We understand that BEC5 Cream made it through the Australian approval process. What happened then?
After it was put on prescription its availability reduced dramatically. We have only recently obtained approval from the Health Department in Vanuatu to classify BEC5 Cream as an over the counter preparation for the treatment of non- melanoma skin cancers. This then allows the product BEC5 Cream to be available worldwide without prescription with the proviso that the product must be shipped to the end user who is allowed to have a 3 months supply. So it is only recently that this excellent product is now available worldwide for the treatment of skin cancer.
Why do you choose to live in Vanuatu and operate your manufacturing there?
I live in Vanuatu, first of all because it is a beautiful country and I have good support from the government, which is essential for manufacturing purposes.
What is it like living there? Do you have family? What do you do for fun?
Compared to the rest of the world it is relatively untouched, relatively underdeveloped with beautiful tropical rain forests and the locals are very friendly. Last year Vanuatu was voted internationally as the happiest country in the world.
I do have a family, my son is in Australia and my grandchildren are in New Zealand and in Australia for their education.
I enjoy farming and have a property where I grow fruit trees, have livestock and I am about to start an aquaculture project.
I have a very supportive family who have endured some challenging times from unexpected fronts such as Health Departments, dermatologists etc. My wife Anita breeds German Shepherd dogs for showing, corrective services and general police work. My son Karim is in the heavy equipment industry. I have three grandchildren Kai is attending the university, Aruba is finishing off high school and hopes to attend university next year and finally, Lane who is at primary school. My family is a most important part of my life.
Do you use nutritional supplements? Have you found any to be especially useful for good health?
Being involved with so many projects and perhaps not always sticking to an appropriate dietary regime, I think it is important to supplement the body with substances that the body cannot make.
Therefore I supplement my body with the essentials such as multivitamins. I have now reached the stage in which vain kicks in and I am now interested in what is known as age-breakers. This nutritional supplement breaks crosslinks that form between proteins.
Crosslinks between sugar and proteins appear to accumulate as we get older and this contributes to the aging process. Thus, by breaking these crosslinks the aging process is demised and reportedly may be reversed. Time will tell whether this is effective or not and this stage I am prepared to check it out at the concentrations of the age breaker that have proven to be safe.
What inspired your interest in medicine?
I really started off studying and majoring in Chemistry. Subsequently I got interested in Biology and also majored in Biochemistry. I did all my studies part-time. I obtained a post at the Medicine Department and that’s how my interest in Medicine started. I subsequently did my Ph.D. in Medicine.
As you will see with my C.V., I have been fortunate to have published over 100 scientific articles. My background in Chemistry, Biochemistry and Medicine has contributed to me having an open, wide approach in science.
Can you talk a little about why the issue of skin cancer has become so important to you?
My ultimate goal at the time was to investigate BEC for the possible treatment of terminal internal cancers, and the results obtained so far are very promising. In order to reach to that end point I studied the effects of BEC on skin cancers to prove the safety and efficacy of BEC.. The results on skin cancers have been so outstanding, that as a matter of fact, BEC therapy for a wide range of skin cancers is more effective than other skin cancer treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
One very good direct comparison between surgery and BEC therapy can be seen in figures 5-12 and 5-15 and Table 5-1 in my book The Eggplant Cancer Cure. A treatment for Skin Cancer and New Hope for Other Cancers from Nature’s Pharmacy.
It would be irresponsible of me if I did not pursue the skin cancer project to the end to establish its role for humanity. This I have done for over a quarter of a century and I do not regret doing so because this BEC therapy has saved lives and body parts such as eyes, noses, ears etc.
In your Eggplant Cancer Cure book you say sunlight causes skin cancer. Is it just all about sunlight, and if that’s true, what do you recommend to people to help them prevent skin cancer?
I am glad you have posed this question.
There is convincing evidence that sunlight causes skin cancer and it is the UV light of the sun radiation that is cancer inducing.
There are 5 main factors that influence the risk of skin cancer:
skin pigment and ability to tan
heredity
exposure to chemicals
amount of exposure to sunlight, and
people who have had organ transplants and are on immuno-suppressive drugs are prone to developing squamous cell carcinoma
Much emphasis has been put on the amount of exposure to sunlight and indeed this is very important.
Sun exposure can be reduced by changing patterns of outdoor activities to reduce time of exposure to high-intensity UV radiation (the sun is strongest from 11am to 3pm), wearing protective clothing (such as long sleeves and hats) when exposed to sunlight, and by using adequate amounts of sufficiently ‘appropriate’ protective sunscreen.
Sunscreen is not a substitute for avoidance of sun exposure and indeed most if not all sunscreens contain either an organic chemical compound (such as oxybenzone and others) that absorbs UV light or an opaque material (such as Titanium dioxide or Zinc oxide) in micronized forms that reflect light, or a combination of both.
Ironically both organic chemical blocks and the mineral physical blocks have been shown to cause cancer. These compounds when activated by UV light produce free radicals that lead to cancer. It has been shown that these compounds do penetrate the skin. Thus these sunscreens could, while preventing sunburn, contribute to sun related cancers. Unfortunately there are no safe sun blocks available.
It is for these reasons we have developed a sunscreen, Curasol BEC, that in addition to the questionable sun blocks also contains BEC the same anticancer ingredient found in BEC5 Cream the treatment of skin cancers.
The concentration of BEC in the sunscreen Curasol BEC is much lower than is present in the cancer treatment cream BEC5 Cream. Curasol BEC is for the prevention of skin cancer and BEC5 Cream is for treatment of skin cancer. Each have a separate role and must be used for that role only. The amount of BEC glycoalkaloids in Curasol BEC is too low to eradicate already formed larger skin cancers, but is high enough to kill skin cancer cells very early in their development.
Thus if the UV activated organic chemical blocks and/or the mineral physical blocks transform normal cells into cancer cells it is expected, as shown by cell culture studies, that the BEC glycoalkaloids will eliminate these early cancer cells.
When did you start using BEC5 Cream with patients?
Together with other medical doctors we started using BEC5 Cream in the early 1980s. We published our findings for the 1st time in 1987. Many other publications for BEC and skin cancers followed after that.
What has been your success rate with BEC5 Cream?
Our published work show that twice daily application of BEC5 Cream to skin lesions under occlusive dressing resulted in:
78% success rate for 8 weeks treatment
100% success rate for 12 weeks treatment
Have you found that government regulations useful or big obstructions with your research for skin cancer?
Initially the government health regulators were helpful. They had approved to register BEC5 Cream as an over the counter item which meant no prescription was required. However after a television program on BEC5 Cream with very satisfied skin cancer patients who had used BEC5 Cream for their treatment of serious skin cancers’ the dermatologists suddenly lost their patients who elected to use BEC5 Cream instead of surgery.
These dermatologists put pressure on the government health regulators who then decided to then put BEC5 Cream as a prescription only drug. Because of this no public awareness of BEC5 Cream was allowed and of course these dermatologists did not support BEC5 Cream. Of course, I attempted to reason with the Health Authorities that BEC5 Cream should be widely available to the public. This fell on deaf ears. The health regulators reasoning was the glycoalkaloids BEC were toxic because they were extracted from the Devil’s Apple plant.
I then examined a whole host of solanum plant species and found that the exact replica of BEC was present in the eggplant. Most importantly the amount of BEC in one tube of BEC5 Cream is the equivalent to approximately 5g of eggplant (approximately 1 table spoon). So how can the BEC in BEC5 Cream be considered toxic, especially after we had done full toxicological studies with the BEC where it was shown that it was completely safe at the concentrations found in BEC5 Cream. With this new information in hand I again approached the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to have BEC5 Cream back as an OTC (over the counter) item. The TGA said they would get back to me. I have been waiting for over 8 years but they have not responded to my request. I finally gave up on them and sought and obtained registration of BEC5 Cream as an OTC in the Republic of Vanuatu. The support by the Health Authorities in Vanuatu has been excellent.
Would you believe that the Health Authorities in Australia instructed their Health care worker from Australia to do a raid at the premises of a distributor in Vanuatu and threatened prosecution?
The Health Authorities in Vanuatu did not stand for this and because it is now registered in Vanuatu for non melanoma skin cancers it is allowed to be sold directly to the end-user with a three month supply world-wide.
Are there plans to seek US FDA approval for BEC5 Cream. If not, why?
Although I have had bad experience in Australia I would welcome the opportunity if in the US the FDA could consider approval of this much needed product, and I would welcome the right body to assist in achieving this.
What is the most difficult challenge to having more people use BEC5 Cream to treat skin cancer?
Although BEC5 Cream is very effective and safe we must not forget that we are dealing with cancer. The difficult challenge is to get the message across to health professionals to supervise the treatment with the patients.
To that end we have published a substantial number of scientific papers on BEC. Moreover, many other scientists have confirmed and extended our observations. Independent clinical trials at 10 hospitals/universities in the UK have confirmed the efficacy of BEC in clinical settings with outpatient subjects.
As a scientist I have done my part, now it is up to others to ensure more people have free informed access to BEC5 Cream.
What are you currently working on?
There are three main medical projects that I am involved in:
1. Continuation of BEC clinical trials for terminal internal cancers. The results so far are very, very promising.
2. Cardiovascular Disease treatment. My Ph.D. thesis surrounds a delipidation procedure which has been shown to cause regression of atherosclerosis in animals. This technology has been licensed out to a public listed company in the US who has recently completed a phase I trial in humans at the Washington Hospital. The studies show that the procedure is safe and regression of atherosclerosis is obtained. We have published many scientific articles on this subject.
3. We have applied the same delipidation procedure to lipid enveloped viruses and in animals we have shown that we can inactivate potent viruses such as SIV (related to HIV in humans), hepatitis and other lipid associated viruses. The delipidation procedure may be applicable for treating and preventing (by vaccination) infections diseases such as HIV. This technology has also been licensed out and we have published many articles on this subject. I have great expectations with this project.
Is there anything I haven’t asked about that you would like to add?
I would like to thank all of the scientists and public who have contributed so much to these projects and last but definitely not least Tania my confidante who has stood by me throughout all experiences.
Clinical Studies (www.bec5creamdirect.com Clinical Studies)
The active ingredient in BEC5 Cream (solasodine glycosides) has been shown to be highly effective for non-melanoma skin lesions.
For more than 25 years, pre-clinical and clinical research has shown the efficacy of BEC5 Cream on non-melanoma skin lesions. In these research studies, relatively small basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas disappeared within 8 to 16 weeks and large, neglected lesions as large as 2 inches by 3 inches healed within a few months. In all the clinical studies, biopsies were taken before and after treatment with BEC5 Cream to ensure both clinically and histologically (microscopically) the type of skin lesion and the effectiveness of BEC5 Cream after the completion.
The results of the clinical trials determined that BEC5 Cream had a success rate of 78% when it was applied twice daily under an occlusive dressing for 8 weeks and was virtually 100% successful when the treatment regime was extended to 12 weeks. Success was defined as zero presence of non-melanoma skin lesions after histological examination of samples extracted from the lesion site by punch biopsy.
BEC5 Cream has met all the requirements regarding research, pre-clinical, and clinical studies to enable its acceptance by health professionals and the public for use on non-melanoma skin lesions.
Below are several published studies that have proven the effectiveness of BEC5 Cream:
A study published in 1991 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1913614 showed that a cream formulation containing high concentrations (10%) of a standard mixture of solasodine glycosides was shown to be effective in the treatment of both malignant and benign human skin tumors. In this study, a preparation (BEC5) containing very low concentrations of BEC (0.005%) was shown to be effective in the treatment of basal cell carcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas, and keratosis. In this open study, clinical and histological observations indicated that all lesions (39 basal cell carcinomas, 29 squamous cell carcinomas, and 56 keratoses) treated with BEC5 Cream had regressed. A placebo formulation had no effect on a smaller number of treated lesions. Further, BEC5 Cream had no adverse effect on the liver, kidneys or haematopoietic system. (Topical treatment of malignant and premalignant skin lesions by very low concentrations of a standard mixture (BEC) of solasodine glycosides; Cancer Lett. 1991 Sep; 59(3): 183-92.)
A double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled study published in 2008 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18173610 concluded that BEC5 Cream is a safe therapy for basal cell carcinoma, with a cure rate of 66% at 8 weeks and 78% at 1-year follow-up. (Solasodine glycoalkaloids: a novel topical therapy for basal cell carcinoma. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel group, multicenter study; International Journal of Dermatology 2008, 47, 78-82.)
A study published in 2011 http://file.scirp.org/Html/20-2100171_7563.htm showed that the topical application of BEC5 Cream is amazingly effective for treating large non-melanoma skin cancers, which were considered difficult to treat with conventional modalities, and produced incredible cosmetic results. (Topical Solasodine Rhamnosyl Glycosides Derived From the Eggplant Treats Large Skin Cancers: Two Case Reports; International Journal of Clinical Medicine 2011; Vol. 2 No. 4; pp. 473-477.)
A study published in 2012 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22460423 showed that the active ingredients in BEC5 Cream (solasodine glycosides) “have been proved to be very important anti-cancer agents.” (Synthesis of solasodine glycoside derivatives and evaluation of their cytotoxic effects on human cancer cells; Drug Discov Ther. 2012 Feb; 6(1): 9-17.)
BEC5 Cream was also the subject of a book by Dr. Bill E. Cham, Ph.D. http://www.bec5creamdirect.com/pages/History.html?CaseStudies-DrBillCham called The Eggplant Cancer Cure. A Treatment for Skin Cancer and New Hope for Other Cancers from Nature’s Pharmacy (©2007, published in the United States of America, Library of Congress Control Number 2007933714).
Here is a video of one case study https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAdNVj6jy5E. This man was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma on his forehead, which he left untreated for a couple of years. He was told he needed to undergo fairly extensive surgery to remove the carcinoma, but he opted to try BEC5 Cream first. In this 4-minute time-lapsed video, he documents his experience using BEC5 Cream.
quote:
Originally posted by mandyyy
Of course this forum is for people who have had bad experiences with curaderm - it's not currently approved or endorsed by the medical professional AT ALL! People want to know if it's a scam, so they do their amateur research on forums like these hoping to find the truth of the products success. There is enough damming reports on this forum for people to decide for themselves. And Dr Cham.. is making a lot of money out of his product with a lot of false claims. I ask everyone to read this: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/dr-oz-revisited/ (scroll to eggplant cure for cancer)
If you want to have a forum for "good experiences of curaderm" then please get Dr. Cham to keep improving curaderm and get it approved for sale (properly- outside of vanuatu!). Then we wouldn't need this discussion at all - because if it really worked, we would all know about it and sing its praises. I would LOVE for a cream to be successful in removing cancer - i do hope one day there is a breakthrough and we all get to do a happy dance. We are all batting for the same team Howardz43 - we want a non surgical cure skin cancer that has the same (medically proven) success rate as MOHS surgery of 98%. Until then I would never endorse a cream that had such a high rate of failure and causing people so much hurt and upset, even if I believed it had worked for me. I care about people - not curaderm.
On a separate note, do you know if Dr Cham is doing ongoing research for his cream? or has he stopped?
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Edited by - howardz43 on 09/19/2014 01:41:59 |
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gibsontown
27 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2014 : 05:19:19
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Mandy, you are right. After a year of trying to remove a SMALL bcc on the side of my nose, I've decided that the problem with Dr. Cham is he absolutely refuses to accept that his product is not 100% effective on all basal cell cancers.
When I began to decide that after 2 treatments (12, then 22 weeks)(the cancer was CLEARLY still there and growing much more aggressive, Dr. Cham refused to agree. He insisted I get a biopsy to 'prove' the cancer was not healed, though the area was open, bleeding and weeping pus. I provided him the orig. biopsy and photos, and he still insisted the cancer was gone!
Both times he pronounced me cured and cancer-free, and it looked so for a short while, but both times the cancer returned even more aggressively).
I totally regret spending so much time with Curaderm.
Curaderm very well MAY work on many skin cancers - but I knew mine was deep (the pathology described it), and he insisted that '15,000 infiltrative BCCs just like yours have been successfully treated with Curaderm.'
The tumor removed from me just weeks after the 2nd insistence of being cured, was far larger than the small lesion that Curaderm opened up, and had a root larger (deeper) than a grain of rice. There is no way Curaderm reached that deep - I would have observed the lesion if it had.
I'm so grateful for those it has helped. Until Dr. Cham ACCEPTS the failure reports like mine, which I sent him asking him to apply to his research for the benefits of others making medical decisions about his product, he will only have a bunch of false claims.
It's unfortunate he isn't more honest about his research, because used on appropriate cancers, it sounds like a great treatment. Too many like myself wasted valuable time and ended up with more invasive surgeries than had we not tried a product that obviously can not address very deep infiltrative basal cell cancers. |
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howardz43
19 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2014 : 12:40:30
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It's really sad for me that I am so 'lucky,' I guess. My long, slow, whole body treatment using Curaderm, lasting about four years and involving MANY very deep, horrible-looking lesions, having 'sub-lesions,' and nearby lesions that gradually emerged later in the process, which I did not foresee coming, is nearing what appears to be successful completion. Although I think Dr. Cham should write more on the various aspects and challenges of undergoing and sticking to the treatment process in complex cases (I certainly could, but only from a lay person's non-medical perspective), I am grateful to him for developing his BEC5 cream. I’m even starting to get compliments from strangers on how good my skin looks relative to my chronological age. Poor me!
quote:
Originally posted by gibsontown
Mandy, you are right. After a year of trying to remove a SMALL bcc on the side of my nose, I've decided that the problem with Dr. Cham is he absolutely refuses to accept that his product is not 100% effective on all basal cell cancers.
When I began to decide that after 2 treatments (12, then 22 weeks)(the cancer was CLEARLY still there and growing much more aggressive, Dr. Cham refused to agree. He insisted I get a biopsy to 'prove' the cancer was not healed, though the area was open, bleeding and weeping pus. I provided him the orig. biopsy and photos, and he still insisted the cancer was gone!
Both times he pronounced me cured and cancer-free, and it looked so for a short while, but both times the cancer returned even more aggressively).
I totally regret spending so much time with Curaderm.
Curaderm very well MAY work on many skin cancers - but I knew mine was deep (the pathology described it), and he insisted that '15,000 infiltrative BCCs just like yours have been successfully treated with Curaderm.'
The tumor removed from me just weeks after the 2nd insistence of being cured, was far larger than the small lesion that Curaderm opened up, and had a root larger (deeper) than a grain of rice. There is no way Curaderm reached that deep - I would have observed the lesion if it had.
I'm so grateful for those it has helped. Until Dr. Cham ACCEPTS the failure reports like mine, which I sent him asking him to apply to his research for the benefits of others making medical decisions about his product, he will only have a bunch of false claims.
It's unfortunate he isn't more honest about his research, because used on appropriate cancers, it sounds like a great treatment. Too many like myself wasted valuable time and ended up with more invasive surgeries than had we not tried a product that obviously can not address very deep infiltrative basal cell cancers.
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anivoc
668 Posts |
Posted - 09/20/2014 : 09:23:19
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Howard this thread is the main Curaderm thread... it is for Topical info visitors to come and express their experiences and opinions on using it...good or bad. It also ends up being a source for vistors seeking to make an informed decision about Curaderm on whether to use it or not
The fact that more people posting here are con rather than pro is just the way this thread has evolved. There is no conspiracy, there is no monetary stimulus other than when a few Curaderm sellers came here posing as members for a while.
I and others here have all said it is great that it worked for you. It didn't for us.
Just like you want people to know it works, we want to make sure people know how Curaderm is marketed is not really factual or honest.
One would think after reading the testimonies on the sites that sell the stuff...wow I am going to buy a few tubes of this stuff and my troubles are gone. Your four year journey of painful, expensive self treatment and STILL not being at the end of your journey is testimony to the reality of what one might expect using Curaderm as a treatment.
If they posted that kind of information on their site I can assure you their sales would easily drop in half immediately.
Imagine them posting a disclaimer something to the effect of this:
Buyers beware, though some people have complete success using just one tube, it is impossible to know exactly the extent of ones skin cancer or cancers, though Curaderm is very powerful and effective, it may take several years and thousands of dollars worth of the cream to eradicate all of your skin cancers dependent on the extent of skin damage you have.
That disclaimer is factual and the truth...and if that had been posted on their site I would have NEVER considered wasting over $500 on the stuff..there are way too many other faster, less expensive alternative treatments.
You're happy with it...cudos to you...you're a trooper.
Those of us that have tried other approaches either before or after trying Curaderm see it as a very over priced, very slow and painful less effective path of treatment that is sold deceptively.
When one feels they have been ripped off they can tend to be a bit more passionate as illustrated in this thread.
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gibsontown
27 Posts |
Posted - 09/20/2014 : 10:27:05
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4 years? this product claims 'nearly 100% with 12 week treatment.'
The honest way to market the product is to say to biopsy after a 12 week course.
It is unreal how long people are encouraged to stay the course with this product. Irresponsible. |
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gibsontown
27 Posts |
Posted - 09/20/2014 : 10:30:12
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I am sure the testimonies on the website are from those who just finished treatment, and have yet to wait 6 months to see if a lesion will open up again.
I myself provided a testimony, that after 9 months Curaderm did not work, and which type of BCC I was treating, and asked 3 times that my testimony ALSO be published, so buyers would have a more accurate view of the product. They have yet to acknowledge the request. I did get my free bottle of oil, as promised, for the negative report though.
At one point when I called, I asked if Curaderm ever failed to work for customers who called. I was told, 'yes, but usually only rarely if someone is allergic and cannot tolerate the treatment.' And of course, was encouraged to buy more, and keep going.... |
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howardz43
19 Posts |
Posted - 09/21/2014 : 08:09:18
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Read my previous posts. I don't have just one or two little spots, I'm doing my WHOLE BODY.
quote:
Originally posted by gibsontown
4 years? this product claims 'nearly 100% with 12 week treatment.'
The honest way to market the product is to say to biopsy after a 12 week course.
It is unreal how long people are encouraged to stay the course with this product. Irresponsible.
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Edited by - howardz43 on 01/25/2015 01:40:57 |
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howardz43
19 Posts |
Posted - 09/21/2014 : 08:33:20
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Sometimes it takes a while for the cream to work its way into all of the cancer in an area. I've had that happen many times. It will produce a lesion or a complex of lesions that almost heal if one keeps on with the treatment, and then right nearby or beneath the lesion that I've been working on, another deeper lesion may open up. 'No big deal,' is what learned from experience. Apply the cream to the next lesion that opens up. Because I kept on doing that, I've eradicated ALL of the cancer in big areas all over my body. Things sure are looking that way. The cream will do that if BCC and/or SCC is what it was to begin with. I have plenty of areas that I've thoroughly treated and now, even several years later, no more cancer is emerging. I'm almost finished. My lower legs were especially a mess from wearing shorts most of my life. Now all of that has yielded to the power of the cream. The lesions are almost gone, and no more new ones are opening up. So for me the end of wrapping them with tape like barber poles to cover the cream applications, is clearly in sight.
quote:
Originally posted by gibsontown
I am sure the testimonies on the website are from those who just finished treatment, and have yet to wait 6 months to see if a lesion will open up again.
I myself provided a testimony, that after 9 months Curaderm did not work, and which type of BCC I was treating, and asked 3 times that my testimony ALSO be published, so buyers would have a more accurate view of the product. They have yet to acknowledge the request. I did get my free bottle of oil, as promised, for the negative report though.
At one point when I called, I asked if Curaderm ever failed to work for customers who called. I was told, 'yes, but usually only rarely if someone is allergic and cannot tolerate the treatment.' And of course, was encouraged to buy more, and keep going....
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Edited by - howardz43 on 09/21/2014 08:41:44 |
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gibsontown
27 Posts |
Posted - 09/21/2014 : 11:43:18
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Howard, I am glad it works for you. But in my case, twice the area looked totally healed, I thought it was, I was instructed to STOP Curaderm and apply oil once a day and the cancer was gone. But it wasn't. To check, the first time, I did apply Curaderm realizing it would react if still cancerous. And it opened right up again. The second time (22 weeks), I was again told the cancer was completely gone, and I should stop.
But 8 weeks after I thought I was all set, suddenly a lesion opened up again, and became very aggressive (weepy, *****, bleeding.) This is my face. I'm not really willing to go year after year with blind hope that maybe someday, Curaderm would get it all.
Clearly, after a year on Curaderm, the cancer was much, much larger than before I began treatment. It did nothing but irritate it a little, and allow new skin to grow over, for a while.
There is absolutely no reason I should think that going 'even longer' would somehow produce better results than the past year has revealed. I'd be a fool to keep doing what I was doing to produce more and more aggressive cancer.
Glad I am over the surgery and hope to never deal with BCC again. As I said, I'm sure it does work for many - but it would be wise to have a specific time frame, and to consider another options after, say 12 weeks (since Cham himself claims 'virtually 100% cure rate' if done for 12 weeks.) |
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SueZeQ
13 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2014 : 06:45:36
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This uncertainty is why I am glad I used the Amazon Topical Black Salve. Since you only apply it twice... you cannot over treat or under treat.
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April
9 Posts |
Posted - 12/02/2014 : 09:17:27
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| Am so glad I found this forum. Was just ready to click the purchase button on Curaderm before I started reading all these post. Now really giving it a second/third thought. |
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evoc
10 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2015 : 08:03:20
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quote:
Originally posted by miller
I started using curaderm 4 days ago, with much trepidation, I might add. I decided not to cover my basal cancer but applied the cream up to 10 times a day. Within 3 days my cancer had reduced by 2/3rd and today, 5 days later, the skin is flat with a crust. The crust comes off when I shower.
Even though I am entitled to surgery without cost because I live in the UK, I decided to go with curaderm. For the moment, that seems like a sensible decision.
It doesn't sound right, not typical that your basal cell carcinoma reduced by 2/3rd in three days, and five days later the skin was flat with a crust.
Typically Curaderm leaves a crater that grows with each application and fills with pus. It's a messy, painful, lengthy process.
Eventually the crater peaks in size then begins to grow smaller. That process can take a month at best to two months, and often more than that. When the crater closes there is pink/red skin where the smallest form of the crater was. At that point there is no pus being produced.
When the application of Curaderm stops burning the pink/red spot that is considered 'healed'.
I strongly advise you to go to your physician and have that checked. To me, and I am not a physician, it does not sound as if your issue is gone. Please be pro-active and have a little skepticism with this product.
I regret having used it and wasting hundreds of dollars. In my case numerous spots near the original spot I treated appeared. I treated them all. More spots kept appearing and it seemed endless.
I finally saw my physician who biopsied one of the many spots that appeared and the biopsy was negative for cancer.
He told me I had severe dermatitis and prescribed a strong prescription steroid cream, which made everything fade within three weeks. I was told to then use a good moisturizer (I tried a couple and found Nivea for dry to very dry skin was the one to finish the job). That took a few more weeks before the skin looked more normal.
I had been treating spots that were not cancer, yet they did form the crater and have pus, which the Curaderm company says won't happen to regular skin.
They are wrong, and they know it.
I hope you will seek your doctor's professional opinion and not rely on the lies and sales pitches of a company making a fortune from those of us who would rather treat ourselves and bypass medical intervention.
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evoc
10 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2015 : 08:45:43
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quote:
Originally posted by gibsontown
Howard, I am glad it works for you. But in my case, twice the area looked totally healed, I thought it was, I was instructed to STOP Curaderm and apply oil once a day and the cancer was gone. But it wasn't. To check, the first time, I did apply Curaderm realizing it would react if still cancerous. And it opened right up again. The second time (22 weeks), I was again told the cancer was completely gone, and I should stop.
But 8 weeks after I thought I was all set, suddenly a lesion opened up again, and became very aggressive (weepy, *****, bleeding.) This is my face. I'm not really willing to go year after year with blind hope that maybe someday, Curaderm would get it all.
Clearly, after a year on Curaderm, the cancer was much, much larger than before I began treatment. It did nothing but irritate it a little, and allow new skin to grow over, for a while.
There is absolutely no reason I should think that going 'even longer' would somehow produce better results than the past year has revealed. I'd be a fool to keep doing what I was doing to produce more and more aggressive cancer.
Glad I am over the surgery and hope to never deal with BCC again. As I said, I'm sure it does work for many - but it would be wise to have a specific time frame, and to consider another options after, say 12 weeks (since Cham himself claims 'virtually 100% cure rate' if done for 12 weeks.)
Cham is not a reputable man.
When I finally stopped using Curaderm the five spots I was treating had grown small and seemed as if the pink healthy skin would show in a day or two.
That went on for two more months.
Just after four months of treatment I found that the spots were not closing.
They would appear to close and a small pink scab covered them but would pull off with the tape leaving a larger cratered area. Sometimes they would have a little pus again so I thought Curaderm was getting it all, even deeper in the skin.
I made the decision to stop the Curaderm and used Neosporin, which healed those spots within days.
There were other areas on my arms and body that developed red itchy bumps and flat, circular areas. That finally drove me to my physician, who looked at me with some disgust for what I had done to my skin. Steroid cream and strong moisturizer turned out to be the things that cleared the mass outcropping from using Curaderm.
Ironically I bought the Curaderm to use on a little Actinic Keratosis on my face. I wanted to try it on a place that didn't show, so I used it on some old 'sun spots'.
Due to the entire experience I never did use it for the original purpose.
Curaderm must work for some people or no one would buy it.
In my case it did considerable harm to my skin.
I suggest no one use Curaderm and race to their physician. If the physician thinks Curaderm is safe to use, use it with his overseeing the entire process. |
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anivoc
668 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2015 : 10:03:48
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Miller
Need to be clear here. If you went through this thread you will see there are many of us who have used Curaderm with horrible, frustrating, painful results. Curaderm is IMO way overpriced and produces poor results.
Please understand that we have had problems with people who sell Curaderm coming here posing as someone with skin cancer / users endorsing Curaderm, defending and promoting Curaderm.
That is not what this site is intended for and not acceptable.
Your post is your first and only post here at topical and endorses Curaderm pretty much saying it shrunk down a skin cancer to flat and crusty in 5 days. From those of us who have failed with Curaderm after MONTHS of applications and hundreds of dollars and pain wasted, it definitely creates suspicion.
You made this post without mention of what kind of skin cancer you had, if it was biopsied and provide no before and after pictures.
You may be totally legitimate and just new here, not realizing that anecdotal reports of any alternative treatment are really of not much help without scientific data and visual documentation (pictures). Been there, done that, gone down that rabbit hole ( i.e. eggplant / vinegar combo) and it's not one I want to go down again.
Do not want to insult you or scare you off if you are legitimate but this is a sore (no pun intended) subject for those of us who feel we were misled by Curaderm and their deceptive, misleading ways. |
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no1artist
18 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2015 : 10:32:01
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I have to chime in. I used Curaderm as well for a lengthy period of time with lots of expense and high hopes. What a disaster. I have to wonderful if I had not used it if I would have this large wound on the side of my face I don't know what to do with.
I am open to suggestions but it is just so frustrating there is not a honest reputable topical cure for Basal Cell. |
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Dave2001
23 Posts |
Posted - 01/12/2015 : 06:33:38
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Reporting almost a year and half after my Curaderm self care on BCC.
Scar is almost invisible now, given that it was like crater immediatelly after treatment reached peak of healing (around 3-5 weeks after beginning).
No reoccurence happen during 16 months after treatment completed.
No traces o redness or itchiness.
Clearly it looks fine now.
To remind, it was biopsied BCC with direct path to MOHS surgeon.
I don't have financial problem to pay for that, also not scared of surgery.
I decided to take a chance and to testify honestly.
In my particular case Curaderm worked nicely and as described.
This doesn't mean that everyones experience should be same, it just testify, with full confidence and honesty, that at least some clearly diagnosed BCCs (mine was at least several years old) can be efectively treated with Curaderm without negative effects and with excellent results.
Doctor confirmed that cured part of skin now looks entirely healed and that it may be considered healthy.
I wish all strong health and less of troubles in New Year ! |
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April
9 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2015 : 17:54:54
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Thanks for your update. If I am not mistaken there are three different types of Basal Cell. Since you had a biopsy - which type of Basal Cell did you have. Also how long was your "sore" open before it closed up and where was it located, on face where, arm, back, etc?
Thanks for Reply,
April
quote:
Originally posted by Dave2001
Reporting almost a year and half after my Curaderm self care on BCC.
Scar is almost invisible now, given that it was like crater immediatelly after treatment reached peak of healing (around 3-5 weeks after beginning).
No reoccurence happen during 16 months after treatment completed.
No traces o redness or itchiness.
Clearly it looks fine now.
To remind, it was biopsied BCC with direct path to MOHS surgeon.
I don't have financial problem to pay for that, also not scared of surgery.
I decided to take a chance and to testify honestly.
In my particular case Curaderm worked nicely and as described.
This doesn't mean that everyones experience should be same, it just testify, with full confidence and honesty, that at least some clearly diagnosed BCCs (mine was at least several years old) can be efectively treated with Curaderm without negative effects and with excellent results.
Doctor confirmed that cured part of skin now looks entirely healed and that it may be considered healthy.
I wish all strong health and less of troubles in New Year !
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gibsontown
27 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2015 : 05:23:31
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Dave, this sounds like great news. If your BCC was small, and not infiltrative, I would guess it was a success.
It's worth a biopsy in my opinion (after a year long back and forth experience.) Twice I was called 'cured' by Dr Cham via photos, and twice the BCC returned within a few weeks.
I had a Dr. willing to tolerate me using Curaderm (I found him towards the end, determined to be sure the cancer was truly gone.)
He didn't need a biopsy, and neither did I. It returned the 2nd time within 2 weeks bigger and more aggressive than ever. He found a very large tumor that went quite deep (about a 2/5 of an inch)
He told me the problem he sees with Curaderm is that it can trim and heal over the top, leaving the very deep part of the cancer to continue to grow deeper. Esp. around the nose and eyes.
Anywhere else, I think I would be comfortable just watching it.
Posting for readers' benefit.
quote:
Originally posted by Dave2001
Reporting almost a year and half after my Curaderm self care on BCC.
Scar is almost invisible now, given that it was like crater immediatelly after treatment reached peak of healing (around 3-5 weeks after beginning).
No reoccurence happen during 16 months after treatment completed.
No traces o redness or itchiness.
Clearly it looks fine now.
To remind, it was biopsied BCC with direct path to MOHS surgeon.
I don't have financial problem to pay for that, also not scared of surgery.
I decided to take a chance and to testify honestly.
In my particular case Curaderm worked nicely and as described.
This doesn't mean that everyones experience should be same, it just testify, with full confidence and honesty, that at least some clearly diagnosed BCCs (mine was at least several years old) can be efectively treated with Curaderm without negative effects and with excellent results.
Doctor confirmed that cured part of skin now looks entirely healed and that it may be considered healthy.
I wish all strong health and less of troubles in New Year !
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anivoc
668 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2015 : 07:24:58
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Dave
Did you take pictures? It really helps establish validity / credibility to your claims / results.
Another good point that April brought up is that there are several types and subtypes of Basal Cell Carcinoma...It frustrates me that the Derms don't let you know what type it is...
Perhaps Curaderm works on one type and not another...Like the derms Curaderm just says it will eradicate BCC's...We as a group know for a fact that it doesn't carte blance.
I've posted this before but just for reiteration here is a link http://www.dermnetnz.org/lesions/basal-cell-carcinoma.html to see pictures of "some" of the most common types of BCC |
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Dave2001
23 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2015 : 13:44:58
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Sorry, no pics made (frankly it was freakin' horrible in the very beginning) and I didn't get any advices from manufacturer. My derm was not overly enthusiastic (he never heard about it) and he said that relevant result will not be visible immediatelly, as recurring may happen easily within few months.
Also, derm decided that no new biopsy is necessary now, as during healing process there were no suspicious signs on cured spot. Also, I have no idea what kind of BCC it was, although I was aware of it for at least 3-4 years (occuring and disappearing several times per year without obvious connection to anything like season, temperatue, food or immune status).
A conclusion is not that Curaderm is better or worse than anything else, just, that it works in case like mine and I should point out that I was extremelly disciplined during 6 weeks of applying it. It became clear that Curaderm works differently during let say the first week, than next 2-3 weeks (lot of white-yellowish pus forming), than pus disappeared and Curaderm virtually didn't do anything with open wound (that was somehow scary to see). For sure I could stop after 4 weeks (when pus stopped, as suggested), but decided to go few steps further.
It was like enlightenment to realize that clean wound doesn't react to Curaderm anymore, no burns, no going deeper or wider, no pus, blood, just clean, open wound.
When stoped, I continued to keep wound humid and warm, with few natural creams applied to help skin repair itself (to say simply).
I had clear feeling that Curaderm just did the job as described by manufacturer, with way less harm to tissues around and no real scar. Of course I felt deep gratitude to people who produce it.
Now, bad stories may be result of many factors, probably some cancers are simply non-destructable, as something in the body went horribly wrong. Who knows if MOHS or anything else would help in those cases.
Overly simplified approach that Curaderm is absolute cure or total scam on the other hand is wrong in each case.
It is one of options, with many practical users and results that confirm both as equaly true.For sure, that the majority of healed patients simply forget to report and for sure that negative experience very often pushes people to share it.
Good idea is to be reasonably cautious and make well informed decision with readiness to stop or change therapy, if something went wrong.
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Edited by - Dave2001 on 01/14/2015 13:49:22 |
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gibsontown
27 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2015 : 14:44:14
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Anivoc, if you have a biopsy (pathology) report, it will note the type of BCC on there.
quote:
Originally posted by anivoc
Dave
Did you take pictures? It really helps establish validity / credibility to your claims / results.
Another good point that April brought up is that there are several types and subtypes of Basal Cell Carcinoma...It frustrates me that the Derms don't let you know what type it is...
Perhaps Curaderm works on one type and not another...Like the derms Curaderm just says it will eradicate BCC's...We as a group know for a fact that it doesn't carte blance.
I've posted this before but just for reiteration here is a link http://www.dermnetnz.org/lesions/basal-cell-carcinoma.html to see pictures of "some" of the most common types of BCC
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Dave2001
23 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2015 : 15:59:00
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quote:
Originally posted by gibsontown
if you have a biopsy (pathology) report, it will note the type of BCC on there.
[/quote]
I may ask for it when next time with doc, as I wasn't aware that different BCC types might require different approaches.
Didn't pick the paper, as I didn't wish to continue with doctor's suggested MOHS treatment. Verbal confirmation was enough to start Curaderm therapy straightaway into the biopsy punction hole, as I evaluated various approaches for months before that.
There are numerous video materials. photos and blogs made by ordinary guys with whom one may talk and discuss various issues.
It is very convincing that Curaderm gives very good chances in some cases that look rather similar.
For example, I followed one patient's blog with very similar symptoms (size, colour, general feel of problem etc.). Not nice scenes, but it was true to bits, he offered to talk via Skype and even meet. Very generous person and gentle soul.
It took some time for me to become comfortable with idea of alternative approach, I am quite sceptical by nature.
No reason to persuade anyone to follow my advice what to use, do own homework, find people who went through it, talk with them, compare symptoms, think again. I was quite assured that it will work, before I even started.
Still, everyone is different, so our words should just serve as elements of various options on the path of finding solution that suits individual needs.
This forum helped me to rule out a lot of other therapies, although, for sure, some of them helped other people.
Also, I find very positive that opposite opinions exist strongly here and that advocates against each alternative treatment are as loud as proponents who find them useful.
There is no definitive and only one way in dealing with cancers and hopefully, sharing experiences will make people more comfortable while knowing that they are not alone in their suffering. |
Edited by - Dave2001 on 01/14/2015 15:59:37 |
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gibsontown
27 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2015 : 16:05:09
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You can call and ask, or have them fax your pathology to you (you'll have to sign a HIPAA request and fax that over, first. It's your lab and you are entitled to your files! 
Very happy for your good results, Dave!
[/quote]
[/quote]
I may ask for it when next time with doc, as I wasn't aware that different BCC types might require different approaches.
Didn't pick the paper, as I didn't wish to continue with doctor's suggested MOHS treatment. Verbal confirmation was enough to start Curaderm therapy straightaway into the biopsy punction hole, as I evaluated various approaches for months before that.
There are numerous video materials. photos and blogs made by ordinary guys with whom one may talk and discuss various issues.
It is very convincing that Curaderm gives very good chances in some cases that look rather similar.
For example, I followed one patient's blog with very similar symptoms (size, colour, general feel of problem etc.). Not nice scenes, but it was true to bits, he offered to talk via Skype and even meet. Very generous person and gentle soul.
It took some time for me to become comfortable with idea of alternative approach, I am quite sceptical by nature.
No reason to persuade anyone to follow my advice what to use, do own homework, find people who went through it, talk with them, compare symptoms, think again. I was quite assured that it will work, before I even started.
Still, everyone is different, so our words should just serve as elements of various options on the path of finding solution that suits individual needs.
This forum helped me to rule out a lot of other therapies, although, for sure, some of them helped other people.
Also, I find very positive that opposite opinions exist strongly here and that advocates against each alternative treatment are as loud as proponents who find them useful.
There is no definitive and only one way in dealing with cancers and hopefully, sharing experiences will make people more comfortable while knowing that they are not alone in their suffering.
[/quote] |
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Dave2001
23 Posts |
Posted - 01/18/2015 : 03:48:54
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Raised the question of particular BCC type with my derm who did the biopsy and very well remember whole case, as I rejected 'golden standard' treatment. It was superficial erythematous basal-cell ca., what was in derm's opinion very slow progressing (was already several years there), non-invasive sort of BCC. Doctor also said that kind is likelly to be the most frequent.
My conclusion is that this kind of BCC is a good candidate for Curaderm and that some other (I have no proofs or experence on that), might require something different.
The problem of more complex BCCs, as I could understand is that even surgical method alone doesn't guarrantee the outcome 100%, often it should be combined with chemotherapy (topical in most cases) in order to finish the job.
That may explain why some patients didn't have great success wuth their BCC treatments.
It is quite apparent that length of treatment is vastly individual and that particular pattern of how Curaderm works becomes well recognized by majority of patients who went through it. I dare to say that if within 10-15 days there are no clear signs of treatment progression (either going wider or deeper or reach phase of pus formation), that particular cancer doesn't respond properly and that much deeper sight into situation is necessary without waiting.
As seems that some other alternatives exist (which I didn't try, so can't testify) search should continue.
Nevertheless, I vouch strongly for Curaderm, if similar (surface, slow progressing etc.) BCC conditions need to be cured in rather natural way. I would to do it again myself. |
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howardz43
19 Posts |
Posted - 01/25/2015 : 02:17:29
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I've been reading your posts. Your results sound similar to mine and I agree with your overall conclusions. I was virtually covered with skin cancer. The cream is expensive if one has large areas of cancer to deal with, and want to get rid of it all. But it's hard to imagine buying enough tubes of the cream being more expensive than any of today's standard medical treatments by a dermatologist attempting to accomplish the same thing.
quote:
Originally posted by Dave2001
Raised the question of particular BCC type with my derm who did the biopsy and very well remember whole case, as I rejected 'golden standard' treatment. It was superficial erythematous basal-cell ca., what was in derm's opinion very slow progressing (was already several years there), non-invasive sort of BCC. Doctor also said that kind is likelly to be the most frequent.
My conclusion is that this kind of BCC is a good candidate for Curaderm and that some other (I have no proofs or experence on that), might require something different.
The problem of more complex BCCs, as I could understand is that even surgical method alone doesn't guarrantee the outcome 100%, often it should be combined with chemotherapy (topical in most cases) in order to finish the job.
That may explain why some patients didn't have great success wuth their BCC treatments.
It is quite apparent that length of treatment is vastly individual and that particular pattern of how Curaderm works becomes well recognized by majority of patients who went through it. I dare to say that if within 10-15 days there are no clear signs of treatment progression (either going wider or deeper or reach phase of pus formation), that particular cancer doesn't respond properly and that much deeper sight into situation is necessary without waiting.
As seems that some other alternatives exist (which I didn't try, so can't testify) search should continue.
Nevertheless, I vouch strongly for Curaderm, if similar (surface, slow progressing etc.) BCC conditions need to be cured in rather natural way. I would to do it again myself.
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anivoc
668 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2015 : 21:18:36
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Miller though there are dozens of people who have posted here including myself that have used Curaderm with miserable, painful results,there are some like Dave and Howard that have had success. Going along with what Dave said above, I have come to believe it works on some types and not on others... That is not how it is marketed and that does anger me as I feel I was misled / cheated by their marketing and business practices.. a lot of time, money and pain for something that was never going to work on my large nodular BCC's.
Glad it's working for you and hope you have success
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Edited by - anivoc on 01/28/2015 21:25:19 |
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anivoc
668 Posts |
Posted - 01/30/2015 : 17:46:28
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Sounds like you're a tad younger than most of us here.
It also seems like you're trying to tell me my skin cancer is my own fault and it's my own foolishnessfor being suckered in by Curaderm false claims
We of the baby boomer era had no idea that getting a sunburn was dangerous or could lead to skin cancer...
In fact having a tan was encouraged and considered looking healthy..all pale and white was considered sickly..
so...no I did not "knowingly do this to myself and there was no way of "knowing" when the damage was being done.
In regards to Curaderm false information...the devil is in the details and with them you have to dig deep to uncover the BS.
Sites like this one did not exist when I took the plunge..I wish they had as I would have never drank the Curaderm Kool Aid.
That is why I and other dissatisfied Curaderm users voice our distaste for the company and the product. So people can see past their false advertising and have realistic expectations of the possible outcome of their products and hype therein.
If I had had that chance, I'd of never purchased a single tube.
If someone like yourself chooses to support such a company and product after reading all the negative comments about it here, I wish you the best of luck. You're going to need it.
Don't forget to share your before and after pictures...POIDH
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anivoc
668 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2015 : 09:49:29
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No worries.
I understand that it is easy to get defensive when you're the one using / invested in a product, it seems to be getting good results and then see other people bashing it..... so I get it.
I do hope you have the type of skin cancers that the stuff works on and you have 100% success with it.
I am pasting a link below to a thread where Dan has posted a step by tutorial on how to post pictures in this forum. They have to be uploaded / hosted elsewhere. I usually just upload the pictures in my google docs or google plus page and then right click on the uploaded image, copy the url and then paste into image system here. There are 1000's of places you can host for free...I just know it's unlikely that google is shutting down anytime in the next 20 years ...so my post and the pictures therein will stay in the post for a long time.
Here's Dan's post on the subject...
http://topicalinfo.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=450&SearchTerms=posting,pictures
All the best! |
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Deeo
15 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2015 : 23:20:04
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| I'm posting to encourage others to persist with Curaderm as I found this forum particularly discouraging at the time I needed encouragement with so little information available. The trouble is, no dermatologist will support you and most have never even opened their minds up to this treatment. Also, those closest to you always try to push you to go for mainstream treatment so really you're on your own and riddled with doubt. I had a BCC below my knee which was finally healed over on day 64 of treatment, so mine was one of the 28% which took longer than 8 weeks. I nearly gave up at about 6-7 weeks as it didn't seem to be getting any better. Suddenly, at about 8 weeks, the red area faded and shrunk and after that it was obvious that healing was underway. Before I get interrogated about evidence etc, no I'm not getting a biopsy and I haven't taken photos. I'm just happy that it worked and want to encourage others and let them know of my positive experience. Now that it's worked once, I'm treating a keratosis on my face with didn't completely disappear after cryotherapy. It will be easier this time as it should be quicker and now I have the belief. |
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anivoc
668 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2015 : 16:48:43
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Thanks for being honest and circumventing the "interrogation process".
No pictures + No Biopsy = No factual evidence
You may be passionately happy with Curaderm. Unfortunately your conclusion as to its efficacy is anecdotal and based on unscientific, unreliable assumptions.
I and many others here have been down the Curaderm rabbit hole and disagree wholeheartedly with your conclusion that it works as it is advertised.
After much thought about it and some people like yourself claiming success, I've come to believe Curaderm may work on some types of skin cancer...certainly not on all BCC's and certainly not with the effectiveness one would take away from reading the information on their web sites. I know personally and very painfully so, that for sure it doesn't work on large nodular BCC's.
I also know there are plenty of other alternative treatments discussed here that "no dermatologist will support" that I and others here believe are more effective than Curaderm and far less expensive.
Curaderm is a far cry from a "be all, end all" alternative skin cancer treatment.
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Deeo
15 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2015 : 17:52:14
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"Curaderm is a far cry from a "be all, end all" alternative skin cancer treatment."
@ anivoc
If this thread is supposed to be for people to report their success or lack of it, I think they can read all the comments and come to their own conclusions. It seems though that the site "Nazis" have taken over and are trying to force their views on others. I don't suffer bullies gladly, but others on here might feel intimidated by your aggressive comments.
You demand evidence. Well I could likewise demand evidence that you followed the curaderm instructions and kept going with it.
I'm sorry that you didn't succeed with your treatment, but please don't squash the hopes of others and let them make their own assessments and choices.
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Deeo
15 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2015 : 18:00:36
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| Another interesting observation, for those who want to use Curaderm...At about week 5-6 I had to take a course of antibiotics for 2 weeks. (for another condition) Before that it was going well. During the antibiotic treatment, the red area got larger, very inflamed, swelled up and was very hot. I'm thinking that the antibiotics may have caused a setback as it interfered with the natural healing process. That was when I almost gave up. So glad I kept going past this obstacle. |
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anivoc
668 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2015 : 20:15:03
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You're out of line Deeo...Nazi's? That's rich......call em Nazi's their evil....How did I "squash the hopes of others" and how did I interfere in letting them "make their own assessments and choices"
By sharing mine and others here personal bad experiences with Curaderm and pointing out that there are othe roptions and your experience was anecdotal? Damn Nazi's
Sorry pal a spades a spade. IMO Curaderm is very misleading in their marketing, overpriced and a mediocre at best choice in alternative approaches to eradicating non melanoma skin cancers. I've used it and other treatments and TAKEN PICTURES and SHOWED THE RESULTS...
I've been participating here for a lot of years with 550 + post...you come post two post and with your plethora of skin cancer wisdom call imply I'm a Nazi... yep you're credible.
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Deeo
15 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2015 : 23:52:16
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"I've been participating here for a lot of years with 550 + post...you come post two post and with your plethora of skin cancer wisdom call imply I'm a Nazi... yep you're credible."
That is precisely my point, Anivoc. Are you the boss of this site or self-appointed authority? Any new person coming to this site with good news gets immediately put in their place and you let them know quickly that you don't believe in it and that you're in charge. IMHO that is nazi-like behaviour.The original post by Barbara asked: "Has anyone had any success with Curaderm?" My posting was an answer to that question. I did not document it and take photos every day, as, like Barbara, I had my doubts. I wasn't looking for a massive photo opportunity or looking to advise others. I have simply reported my experience in answer to Barbara. You have now insinuated that my report is not "credible". Please yourself with what you believe as I know you will anyway! Obviously I'm unwelcome on this site and I was expecting the cold shoulder from the start as I had read your previous interactions with others. Hopefully people can see some success stories in amongst all your negativity. I won't be adding to this comment as this conversation is going nowhere.
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Deeo
15 Posts |
Posted - 03/20/2015 : 00:02:13
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By the way: Vocabulary.com meaning for 'nazi"
a derogatory term for a person who is fanatically dedicated to, or seeks to control some activity, practice etc.
That was my meaning, nothing to do with Hitler or Nazism. |
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anivoc
668 Posts |
Posted - 03/20/2015 : 05:52:50
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Deeo you're happy with your results and that's fine. You are welcome to come here and post as you wish..I will do the same. I have no power over you and you have none over me. We clearly disagree on Curaderm based on our own anecdotal experiences. This is a 7 year old thread so I think "Barbara" has figured out her course of action.
You want to bring comfort and encouragement to those that have chosen to use Curaderm.
I want to warn people that Curaderm is marketed in a very misleading way, is not near as effective as they promote and that there are other faster, more effective, less expensive alternative treatments. I went through over 100 days of suffering before I gave up. I did get one positive takeaway from the experience ...I learned about 3m micropore tape which has been a God send.
I have openly admitted it does seem to work on some people some of the time...
You can start a Curaderm users support thread where those of you that have chosen that route can cheer each other up.
I can start a Bad experience with Curaderm thread where we who clearly just didn't use it as instructed can speak the evils of it.
But in this thread I'm not going to let support of the product go by without scrutiny and pointing out to the visitors coming here for advice...Buyer beware there are other options you might want to consider.
Convenient choice of sources for your definition of Nazi ...you must have had to search a while for one that defended what you "meant" to say...Usually one goes to the dictionary for a definition...From dictionary.com
noun, plural Nazis.
1.
a member of the National Socialist German Workers' Party, which controlled Germany from 1933 to 1945 under Adolf Hitler and advocated totalitarian government, territorial expansion, anti-Semitism, and Aryan supremacy, all these leading directly to World War II and the Holocaust.
2.
(often lowercase) a person elsewhere who holds similar views.
3.
(often lowercase) Sometimes Offensive. a person who is fanatically dedicated to or seeks to regulate a specified activity, practice, etc.:
a jazz nazi who disdains other forms of music; health nazis trying to ban junk food. |
Edited by - anivoc on 03/20/2015 06:20:05 |
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john691
7 Posts |
Posted - 03/20/2015 : 13:13:01
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Deeo,
Thank you for sharing your experience. I am interested in hearing about your experience and I appreciate you taking the time to share. In general, I like details such as the size, location, and nature of the cancer, e.g., squamous cell, basal cell, morpheaform. There are other parameters of interest. Pictures are interesting but biopsies are useful data. Follow-up data is important such as recurrence at the same location or adjacent locations. Quantitative data is useful in helping to determine under what conditions the treatment is likely to work, which is why people are interested in this dialog. For example, avoid Curaderm for treating subcutaneous morpheaform basal cell on the face or neck because this form of cancer tends to dive deep and follow nerve pathways. Curaderm cannot penetrate more than 2 mm of skin before the tissue starts to heel. At least, this has been my experience. So far, there is no quantitative data that supports or refutes the use of Curaderm under specific conditions. Since it has not passed the FDA approval process, which is based on quantitative data, it cannot be recommended nor sold as a cure. I believe in this approval process. This site claims that it works for some unknown skin lesions under some conditions for some people. So, please keep sharing experiences and, if possible, include more quantitative data. |
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Deeo
15 Posts |
Posted - 03/20/2015 : 17:43:40
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Thanks, John.
@John & Anivoc
Firstly, I'm not extolling the virtues of Curaderm. I never was. I just wanted to share my news that it seems to be healed. That has me overjoyed as it was a hard road and so hard to believe. It's early days yet and the treatment has exposed several smaller areas nearby that may need treatment. I listened to Howard's advice that its best to keep putting the cream on for a while and not to treat those smaller ones until the larger lesion has faded a bit.
My BCC was about 4mm in diameter and had a red raised crater around it and a tiny, pin-prick hole in the centre . I'd first noticed it about a year ago, thinking it was a stubborn pimple or suchlike. It was only when it started to bleed for no reason, that I realised it was something more sinister. Thinking back, the whole area had been itchy for some time. At first I intended to get proper medical advice, but had a bad experience with them which led me to research alternative treatments on the net. The GP I saw, declared that it looked like a BCC but she'd like to do a biopsy later and also do one on my face and on the two spots on the sole of my foot. This would cost $40 a pop plus another $100 for the visit , plus the hundred I had just paid. (total $360) This would then lead to a referral to a specialist, expensive and lots of time wasted waiting. When I got home, licked my finger and washed the two spots off my foot, I just wasn't willing to put my life in this person's hands and simply ordered the Curaderm.
I have no idea at this stage if the treatment has succeeded long term. There is no point in taking a photo as it is still a dark pink/purplish colour (as scars are when healing). I hope the colour will fade in time. I will report back either way. |
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Deeo
15 Posts |
Posted - 03/20/2015 : 18:00:00
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I forgot to add that I decided to treat the one on my leg first and not risk it on my face as I'd seen a number of bad reports on here. Some time later, I referred myself to a skin specialist, (skipped the GP). She had all the proper equipment, cameras etc. She declared all the other spots as pre or non-cancerous and wanted to do a biopsy on the leg one. I told her I wanted to finish the treatment first(which at that stage seemed to be working). She had never heard of Curaderm, wasn't happy and told me that there was "no topical treatment for skin cancer that works." If the lesion opens up again, I may have to resort to surgery but I doubt that surgery would've discovered the little satellite ones around the main lesion.
anivoc, I agree that micropore tape is a great discovery. I reacted badly to every other type of bandaid or tape, but that one is good. |
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Bruce Albrecht
9 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2015 : 03:10:33
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| It has been over 2 years since I posted on this forum and since that time there seems to be the same pattern of Curaderm working for some and not for others. I have used Curaderm with success on small bcc cancers but have also been successful with Fluorouracil 5%. None of mine were advanced but one had a biopsy that confirmed the cancer before I experimented. There has been no reappearance of cancer in my three treated areas. I have had a few small possible new cancer areas that have all responded to the Fluorouacil. On my trip to Florida I visit a dermatologist to make sure. I found that the Fluoroucil worked with less drama compared to Curaderm. Have others used Fluorouracil? I know it needs a prescription in the USA but I am in Arabia where if you can say it, you can buy it. For background I am 65 and have spent most of my life without suncream in Florida, Bermuda or Arabia. Lately I have started wearing a cricket hat on the beach that shields the ears. Perhaps I have had success because I was so early in treatment. This forum is excellent in trading results but it is disappointing that the conclusions and results are so varied making it hard to reach a conclusion on the efficacy of treatments. |
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Deeo
15 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2015 : 15:56:26
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| Hi Bruce, thanks for your advice. I'll look into whether fluoracil is available here. I have no doubt that it will need at least a GP visit and prescription. Perhaps even a referral to Specialist appointment. (they have it all sown up!) Unfortunately our generation didn't know of the dangers of sun damage and sunscreen wasn't available when we were kids. The sun here in Australia is very harsh and most of my damage was done as a child. In my experience, its not until now that the skin cancers begin to show and all you can do is try to prevent further damage. It's been years since I've had sunburn as now I avoid being out in it when the risk is greatest. |
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Bruce Albrecht
9 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2015 : 22:01:06
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Thanks for the comments Deeo I grew up in Clearwater Florida with its long white beach. We would play in the sand and water without sun screen and no umbrella. Shirts were not worn even when playing at home outside. We all had a "healthy" deep tan. Research now shows that those with this type of sun experience are not as much at risk as the Northern pale faces that came to Florida for the annual tanning session that, of course, was really an annual deep burn session. Studies show that skin cancer odds increase dramatically by sun burns before you are 20. If you avoided burning by gently tanning the risk was less. Add this information to the statistics that show cancer rates in sunny areas are LOWER than more northern climates. Why? Because Vitamin D created in your own skin provides some protection from cancer developing. Mind you, this is not skin cancer, but other cancers. Looks like moderation was again the best strategy.
I have a tube of Fluorouracil in my bathroom medicine cabinet here. I will take it to a local pharmacy and see if they will sell me a new one on the spot. |
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Curaderm
