Hi fellow warriors! โจ Just a quick update on my journey. I took an integrative approach to my last protocol, combining radiation with fasting, HBOT, repurposed drugs, RLT, and a GKI-friendly meals. Iโm happy to share that Iโve achieved a โnear completeโ treatment response. This result surprised my oncology team, especially since I opted out of standard โTotal Neoadjuvant Therapyโ (avoiding Oxaliplatin). Because thereโs still some scar tissue and inflammation, Iโll need a sigmoidoscopy to see how much of Shrimpy Boy is actually left (if any). My radiation oncologist and I are hoping itโs actually inflammation of surrounding tissues. ๐ค Now Iโm moving into a โwatch and waitโ phase, supported by my oncologistโs knowledge that radiationโs impact can continue to work on tumour cells for months, especially when supported by metabolic therapy. Iโm staying patient and vigilant, hoping that this is either a full response or one that will become โcompleteโ very soon. Part of me just wants to fast the shit out anything left, but with knowledge that autophagy can also be weaponised by cancer cells, Iโve decided against this. Best of all Iโve avoided the โnear certainโ side effects of pelvic radiationโno burns, no bowel issues, and my fertility is intact. I know this might not last forever and Iโd be delusionally optimistic to not expect late-onset side side effects. Iโm not sure how much longer Iโll stay away from antioxidants due to the โantioxidant paradoxโ, which ultimately led to my decision to pause some of my supplements and not take Vitamins C, A, E, and CoQ10 during the seven weeks of radiation. Because they act as free-radical scavengers, reintroducing them can risk lowering ROS within the cancer cells, inadvertently shielding Shrimpy Boy from continuous DNA damage over time. I acknowledge that not everyone agrees with pausing antioxidants and that the data remains highly conflicting. Ultimately, this was a decision made strictly for my own peace of mind, rather than an assertion of personal expertise (and is NOT medical advice).