The PC Spes story - in the beginning. Part II

I was diagnosed in 1997 and was through treatment by the end of the same year. At this point I had heard of PC-Spes but could find little solid information - only the miracle stories of how it reduced the PSA and cured prostate cancer. I attended a Prostate Cancer Conference which I think was in early 1998. I remember seeing a booth for information about PC-Spes. I picked up some information and begin to ask questions. I found out at this booth that one does not ask questions of the PC-Spes followers that might show a shadow over its use. It was very evident that they would not answer challenging questions and furthermore really did not even want to speak to you. This is where the gauntlet was laid down in my subsequent investigation of PC-Spes.

Dr. Stephen Strum had started a study of the product and had to stop the study due to the fact that a number of the patients were suffering DVT's (Deep Vein Thrombosis) - a number far greater than the normal population. He gave no explanation as to why this might happen but at that time I thought of DES because DES went out of style as a prostate cancer treatment mainly because of the DVT's in the patients. This was well known and accepted as a dangerous side effect of DES. Dr. Strum continued to support PC-Spes even past the point that lab reports had shown it contained DES - he stayed loyal to the product to the end.

Shortly after this almost every patient taking PC-Spes had their PSA spike upwards. The only way this could happen had to be a change in the ingredients in the drug. I inquired and had an answer, said to be from Sophie Chen, that they had changed the makeup of the drug to see if they could stop the DVT's. Soon. however the PSA's started going down again. At this point I believe that they dropped the dose of DES in the product but when the PSA's went up they knew they had to do something or loose sales. I figured they increased the dose to what it had been and had added something that would decrease the danger of DVT's. That product would most likely be Warfarin.

Not one person that I knew in the PC-Spes movement (including the doctors involved) would agree with me as to what had happened. The fight begins!!! I quickly became the most hated person in the prostate cancer community of those who had formed their own cult of PC-Spes worshipers.

I that point I knew I had a tiger by the tail and that I was hanging on for the ride as I searched for the truth and hoped that the truth would force the scam off the market. It was a long ride but it was finally forced off the market. I am proud of what I accomplished and believe my early voice was the beginning of the end for PC-Spes.

Stay tuned for the my additional experiences along the way.