Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist
December 23, 2019 [printfriendly]
I’m on top of my game! To my knowledge, I am the only one who has done what I have done in the way I have done it. My unconventional cancer journey – a journey I have personally researched to help my body’s healing potential – is unfolding in a positive way.
Below, I’ll update my journey and also explain how medical research is showing promise by conflating successful immunotherapy with a healthy gut. I’m confronting this cancer my way.
Update on My Cancer Journey
There was no “clinical trial” to test if my protocols would work together the way I have integrated them. In my real-life journey, there is no control group. I am the only one who makes up the “experimental group”.
Most of my followers know that my health challenge has been, and currently is, IgA Kappa Light Chain Multiple Myeloma with innumerable lytic skeleton lesions. The conventional medical prognosis presented to me in September 2018 suggested that I could be dead by the end of 2018. To the surprise of most, I am still alive. And my conventional oncologist is still scratching his head!
It hasn’t been easy for me. All my setbacks involved pathological bone fractures. “Pathological fractures” are caused by a disease, rather than by an injury. They were results of my weakened skeleton unable to support the weight and pressure from my body. An awkward “twist” here or an unexpected “bend” there could break a bone. As you might imagine, each fracture was accompanied by excruciating pain. Yet, I have recovered from them amazingly well.
My journey started when I was diagnosed in September 2018. Originally, I thought I was having soreness from over exercising when I went to my physician to be examined. Obviously, I got it all wrong.
An MRI revealed a 2-centimeter soft tissue mass adjacent to my spinal column in the area of T6, which was later determined to consist of malignant plasma cells. In addition, a CT scan showed compression fractures in two vertebrae (T4 and T5), traumatic fractures of two ribs, and a hairline fracture in my pelvis.
After being diagnosed with incurable bone marrow cancer, I researched and created an integrated number of protocols to help my body heal without chemotherapy. Since then, I’ve tweaked my protocols frequently. My chemistries stayed relatively stable with some fluctuations, but I never went into remission. Also, I never was able to get a handle on my vulnerable bone situation.
In March 2019, I experienced another vertebral compression fracture in L3. That was followed in August 2019 by a complete fracture in both my right femur and right humerus. My last pathological fracture was a break in the lesser trochanter of my left femur in October 2019.
Let me tell you, “I have had enough, thank you very much!” Too many times in the ER lying on a gurney. I’m over that.
Immunotherapy
As I discover more research that looks promising to me, I make changes in my Daily Cancer Protocols. Recently, I added two human-based monoclonal antibody immunotherapies to my unconventional protocols at the suggestion of my conventional oncologist:
- XGEVA is targeting a specific protein that is causing my bones to weaken. Its goal is to stop this protein’s action.
- Darzalex is targeting a specific protein on the surface of malignant plasma cells. Its goal is to cause the cancer cells to die.
Furthermore, I am encouraged by recent medical research that immunotherapies might be enhanced by a healthy gut microbiome.[1],[2],[3] Wouldn’t it be awesome if my Aggressive Cancer Protocol to Restore a Healthy Gut is exactly what XGEVA and Darzalex require to send me into remission? It is just my conjecture, but what if? (Send me an email, and I will send you the PDF of my Aggressive Cancer Protocol to Restore a Healthy Gut: Dr.Danenberg@iCloud.com)
So, now I am excitedly anticipating a potential “confirmation”. Current blood work is suggesting that my cancer may be going into remission! The next couple months should tell the tale.
My Goals
The day I learned of my diagnosis in 2018, my goals during my unconventional cancer journey have been primarily to maintain a quality of life and to allow my body to heal itself. All along, my quality of life has been uppermost on my agenda. Today, I’m adding another goal – to become the 72-year-old “Primal-Health Cancer-Survivor Poster Boy”.
As I’ve said, I am doing amazingly well.
Before my pathological fractures, I was doing most of the Paleo cooking in our home. While somewhat incapacitated after my fracture setbacks, I wasn’t the chief cook any longer. Now, I’m back to preparing my original favorite Paleo recipes for my wife and me. Yum!
Also, I have started walking about a half-mile outside a few days a week. I also do stretches in my home along with leg exercises, upper body exercises, and half-squats. Unfortunately for the foreseeable future, I will not be able to do my previous pullups, pushups, and planks because of my fragile skeleton. But that’s OK for now.
I can’t drive at this point, but I may be able to get back to driving after more physical therapy. Currently, I am an annoying backseat driver for my wife. She is ready to kick me out of the car the next time I say anything about her driving. I’ll keep my mouth shut.
Professionally, I have been, and continue to be, interviewed by some very prominent podcasters concerning my unconventional cancer journey and my research into gut dysbiosis and various chronic diseases, including dental diseases of course.
Also, the chapter I’ve been requested to write for an upcoming, peer-reviewed medical textbook has been accepted and will be published in late 2020 or early 2021. My chapter is titled,“The Etiology of Gut Dysbiosis and its Role in Chronic Disease”, which includes about 9,200 words with 205 cited peer-reviewed medical papers.
My Message to You
The reason I bare my personal trials, attitude, and accomplishments is to make you aware. I want to show you how I am taking a devastating diagnosis and prognosis and turning it into something through which I not only can live but from which I also might grow intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. I have a proactive attitude that is moving me forward with gratitude and anticipation. My challenge – beating this cancer – is one I am confronting my way.
While I am prepared to die if it is my time, I am empowering myself to live a quality life with meaning and relevance. You too can be proactive as I am if you are dealing with a life-threatening decision. Get all the facts from all possible sources to guide you in your journey, and always see the glass of life as half-full rather than half-empty. Confront your challenge with knowledge and conviction to succeed.
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6529202/
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6471869/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6580757/