The wife of a friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer nine years ago. She underwent mastectomy, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. She was well after that. She was a pride of the medical establishment and was invited to the “Celebration of Life” party. But it was not to be. Soon after receiving the invitation she did not feel well. Her arm swelled and the doctor said this could be due to the effect of radiotherapy done NINE years ago. In November 2002, she was hospitalised and diagnosed as having metastasis of the brain. She underwent radiotherapy. After the tenth treatment she developed severe lung infection and her white blood counts dropped drastically. Further radiation treatments (twenty more sessions) were abandoned. She remained immobilised in the hospital for more than two months. After that, she developed bladder infections. She was discharged from the hospital at the end of January 2003. In mid-March 2003, she passed out stools with blood and her blood pressure dropped (internal bleeding?). On 17 March 2003, my friend called to say that his wife had died that afternoon.

My experience in cancer work has shown that death and suffering do not come suddenly following the appearance of a small lump in the brain. Then, what about the blood in the stools? Could this be another of the effects of radiation? I have once said: “In serious cancer cases, even doing nothing could be better than taking the so-called scientific, proven heroic path.”

Stories from England

The Daily Mail of 31 March 1995 carried an article entitled: “Cancer Deception” by Paul Eastham. Four angry members of RAGE (Radiotherapy Action Group Exposure) told the Members of Parliament’s Health Select Committee that “thousands of breast cancer victims were ‘fooled’ into having needless radiation which left them crippled and in agony.” They said doctors had assured them that radiotherapy was needed only as a precautionary measure after “their breast surgery and did not warn that their bones could crumble and they could lose the use of limbs.”

RAGE was founded by Lady Ironside who suffered paralysis of the arm after having undergone surgery and radiotherapy because of breast cancer. Her bone became brittle after radiotherapy and she suffered repeated fractures to her injured arm, collar bone and four ribs.

Lady Ironside said: “The radiographers weren’t frank with me. All of us in RAGE were told that there would be no profound side effects. We would suffer perhaps temporary nausea and exhaustion but no permanent injury ... Perhaps I was trusting and foolish. Now I suffer severe pains and paralysis. If I had been properly informed about the dangers, I would have walked away and said, “No, thank you”, and taken my chances.”

Later, Lady Ironside discovered that nearly one in five breast cancer patients irradiated at one London hospital suffered severe injuries which would steadily get worse.

The suffering of Lady Ironside is not an isolated case of radiation side effects. Many others have also suffered like her. RAGE represents 1,000 breast cancer radiation victims and is in touch with 2,000 more.

Former art historian Lorna Patch, 72, was forced to stop working after her right arm was paralysed following radiotherapy. She said: “I was never warned about the risks. I am in constant pain. The condition is quite irreversible and progressive.”

Jan Millinglon is a 55-year-old headmistress. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1982. She had a lump removed and then underwent radiotherapy. Jan Millinglon claims that the hospital distributed leaflets at the time of her treatment declaring that the side effects were short-lived. Her right arm, however, is paralysed as a result of radiotherapy.