I want to extend a warm welcome to you as a potential client of
The Moss Report on Lymphoma. For over 35 years, it has been my mission to
educate and empower patients, including many with lymphoma. I would be honored
to be part of your healing journey.
There
are several kinds of lymphoma. The two main types are Hodgkin’s and
non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The latter represents about 80 percent of all cases.
This report includes a discussion of the main varieties, as classified by the
World Health Organization (WHO) and other agencies (Working Formulation, REAL,
etc.). These are generally classified by (a) cellular origin and (b) how those
cells behave—ranging from the least aggressive to the most malignant. They
include various mature B cell neoplasms, mature T cell and natural killer (NK)
neoplasms, Hodgkin lymphoma (formerly called Hodgkin’s disease), and
immunodeficiency associated lymphoproliferative disorders.
Many
tumor types are assigned a grade ranging from least malignant to most
malignant. The classification and grade of a tumor may be used to predict its
likely behavior. In lymphoma, this is based on the microscopic appearance of
the tumor tissue as derived from a blood sample or biopsy.
Over the years, my thinking about the overall category of lymphoma
has evolved considerably. I would like to share with you some of the core
beliefs I have developed about this type of cancer and the recovery process.
In the Moss
Report on Lymphoma we fully deal with the conventional treatments of this
disease category, including both the small- and non-small cell varieties. What
are these? They mainly consist of various types of radiation (including
external beam, brachytherapy or radioactive seeds, and proton beam therapy), as
well as various types of chemotherapy and ‘targeted’ agents. We also discuss the issue of “watchful
waiting” in lymphoma. When, if ever, might this be appropriate as an option?
We are not allied with any doctor, hospital or agency that
administers such treatments. This gives us the unusual ability to assess the
effectiveness of these treatments without any prejudice created by how we earn
our living. We combine this with a detailed knowledge of how these treatments
are actually administered and what they are likely to deliver.
While
conventional lymphoma treatments definitely have their place, and have often
been instrumental in a cure, I also believe that there are new treatments that
offer hope to lymphoma patients, such as those involved in secondary
prevention.
There also are scientifically valid treatments that come from
outside conventional Western medicine. These treatments offer hope of real and
substantial benefit to lymphoma patients, even those with advanced disease. In
this Moss Report I will discuss the ones that I believe are most promising and
relevant. Some of the most promising involve the medical use of heat and
electricity, immunology and virology.
Keep in mind that some of what are called “alternative treatments”
in the United States are accepted and used in other countries. Some lymphoma
treatments are so embroiled in controversy that it is difficult to arrive at
objective information about their effectiveness. I have done my best to reach a
realistic judgment on many of these. Yet other treatments and approaches appear
worthless or even dangerous.
My goal is to
provide you with information as well as to convey a way of looking at these
questions that you can apply to other treatments. I hope to give you a compass
with which to evaluate the many conflicting treatment claims in the lymphoma
field and to help you formulate a winning plan for yourself. Let my knowledge,
objectivity, and experience help guide your journey!
I believe that overcoming lymphoma and remaining well is more than
just a physical process. Of course, medical treatments, such as radiation and
chemotherapy, as well as more natural therapies, have their place in the
treatment of this disease, and you need scientific information to make rational
decisions about them all. But there is another dimension to the cancer problem.
As one long-term survivor put it, “Returning to a state of health is not just
about having treatment; it means dealing with the mental, emotional and the
spiritual issues that tend to manifest physically. It means asking, ‘Am I on
the path that I want to be on?’
This Moss Report on Lymphoma is dedicated to helping you to repair
the breach that lymphoma has created in your life. To do so, you need to seek
emotional healing as well. The attention you give these less tangible areas can
speed healing and enhance the effectiveness of your physical treatments. But it
can also serve as a profound source of strength, peace, and inspiration for
you. What we call body, mind, and spirit are interwoven strands that form the
whole person.