* The average cancer patient generates $500,000 worth of revenue for cancer treatment "system" before they die. This is invisible to most cancer patients because it is covered by private insurance or Medicare/Medicaid. Over 1.2 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer each year. Over 570,000 Americans die of their cancer every year -- 1,500 every day. Cancer treatment is REALLY big busines.

* According to Forbes magazine, AstraZeneca made $630 million in 2001 on one breast cancer drug. Thay call it Nolvadex (commonly known as Tamoxifen). Why has name been changed? Because original patent for this drug was issued in 1972. It has been extended, as is typical for expensive prescription drugs, by manipulation of filler and packaging and other trivial changes made by AstraZeneca to extend life of patent and avoid cheaper generic forms of this drug.

* Have you ever wondered why a drug company would spend $200-500 million testing a new drug? Tamoxifen aka Nolvadex alone has made AstraZeneca and its predecessor companies over $18 billion in last 32 years. Forbes estimated that AstraZeneca would make $2.6 billion in 2002 on cancer drugs alone.

* Because of politics, our government's Medicare system encourages fraud and abuse that is rampant among oncologists. For example, chemotherapy drug Etoposide is sold wholesale to oncologists for them to administer it to cancer patients in their office. The cost to oncologist is $7.50 for a 100mg dose. The allowable Medicare reimbursement, however, is $129.24 for that same 100mg dose. The consumer (you and I) pay a co-payment of $25.87 for this dose -- almost three and a half times doctor's cost! Medicare pays rest from our tax dollars.

* According to Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), average oncologist makes $253,000 a year. Of this, 75% is profit on chemotherapy drugs administered in his or her office. All of these drugs, like Tamoxifen and Etoposide, treat symptoms of cancer, not its causes.

* A recent survey of 64 oncologists on staff at McGill Cancer Therapy Center in Montreal found that 58 of them (91%) said they would not take chemotherapy or allow their family members to take it for cancer treatment. Why not? Too toxic and not effective. Today, 75% of cancer patients are administered chemotherapy. Go figure!

* Very few oncologists advise their patients that there are dozens of substances available which are inexpensive and effectively offset side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Why? They just don't know about them. They're too busy to study what my readers and I study -- or too close-minded -- or both.

* The long-term survival rate of cancer patients with metastasized cancer treated with chemotherapy is 3%. Most of "alternative" substances I discuss have long-term survival rates of 50-70% when used alone (few of them are used alone). Combinations of different and compatible "alternative" substances boost survival rates to 90% or more.

* A recent survey by Life Extension Foundation found that 80% of cancer patients take some "alternative" substances for their cancer. Half of them do not tell their cancer doctor what they are taking. Obviously, this is a sad testimony to "ignorance and arrogance" of cancer treatment "system."

Enough? Do you see why you must be aware of cancer treatment environment before you "submit" to treatment? Our medical system has been completely corrupted by drug company money. You and I are not going to be able to change this in our lifetimes. What we can do, and what I'm dedicated to helping you do, is survive chronic, degenerative diseases like cancer by being aware of this and taking charge of your own health care.

Knowledge is power. More on how to do this soon. Stay tuned. By way, I'm just a "reporter," not a medical professional. I'm not selling anything except my books, which you'll find at my web site.

Julian Whitaker, M.D.

4. An interesting quote from a drug company executive.

"...90% of prescription drugs only work 30% to 50% of time."

Allen Roses, M.D., Senior Vice President, GlaxoSmithKline, at a London Conference in December, 2003.

5. From a professor at University of California.

"My studies have proved conclusively that untreated cancer victims live up to four times longer than treated individuals. If one has cancer and opts to do nothing at all, he will live longer and feel better than if he undergoes radiation, chemotherapy or surgery."

Professor Hardin B. Jones, Ph.D. See also: http://www.sickofdoctors.addr.com/articles/medicalignorance.htm

6. And from only two-time Nobel Laureate.

"Everyone should know that "war on cancer" is largely a fraud, and that National Cancer Institute and American Cancer Society are derelict in their duties to people who support them."

Linus Pauling, Ph.D.

7. Finally, from doctor with second most popular medical website on Internet.

"There is no way to be nice about this. There is no point in raising false hopes. There is no treatment or vaccine in sight. There is no miracle breakthrough on horizon.

Medicine, as we know it, is dying. It is entering a terminal phase.

What began as an acute illness reached chronic stage about a decade ago and progression towards death has been remarkably swift and well beyond anything one could have predicted.

The disease is caused by conflict of interest, tainted research, greed for big bucks, pretentious doctors and scientists, lying, cheating, invasion by morally bankrupt marketing automatons of drug industry, derelict politicians and federal and state regulators - all seasoned with huge doses of self-importance and foul odor."

Joseph Mercola, D.C. and Nicholas Regush, journalist. More at: http://www.mercola.com/2002/feb/27/death_of_medicine.htm

I am a "reporter," not a medical professional. I will follow this up with another article, offering you some specific ideas which my readers have found useful for dealing with cancer.