Steve Jobs’ decision to pursue alternative medicine treatment has drawn scrutiny, yet medical treatment decisions must always be made with individual preference in mind.
Steve Jobs was diagnosed with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs). These tumors tend to progress more slowly than more common exocrine pancreatic tumors and so he decided to delay surgery and instead opt for alternative therapy treatments instead.
1. Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a collection of powerful drugs used to kill cancer cells or slow their growth, either alone or combined with other treatments. Chemotherapy may be given alone or combined with others; often systemic treatment means the drugs travel throughout your body attacking any cancerous cells they find. There are more than 100 chemotherapy drugs that have been developed specifically for various kinds of cancer and their chemical make-up can vary according to effectiveness against specific forms and side effects.
Jobs was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas, an extremely rare form of pancreatic cancer which accounts for five percent of cases worldwide. Due to being usually asymptomatic and hard to detect until large enough, Jobs decided against traditional medicine treatments in favor of alternative approaches which ultimately proved disastrous for his condition.
Jobs’s decision to pursue alternative treatments for his cancer could have cost him his life. According to doctors, conventional medicine would likely have saved his life much sooner; alternative treatments like acupuncture and meditation had no positive effect in curing him of his condition.
Jobs’ decision to postpone surgery could have worsened his cancer condition. His special diet and alternative therapy techniques may have contributed to the growth of tumors that made removal more challenging.
As a result, his tumor expanded, leading to surgery being performed on it in 2004 and eventually leading to his passing due to it in 2011 aged 56 years.
Even without guarantees, the most effective approach to treating cancer is with a combination of therapies. Patients must educate themselves about all available options before consulting their physician on treatment decisions that will control cancer while managing its symptoms.
Chemotherapy treatments depend upon a patient’s type and stage of cancer, the rate at which their tumor grows and their response to other therapies. Chemo can be administered intravenously (IV), through injection or shots, through catheter or port access (which requires minor surgery), topically via creams applied directly onto skin lesions or topically as shots in injection sites.
2. Radiation
Apart from chemotherapy, radiation therapy is one of the best ways to treat pancreatic cancer. While not curative, radiation may help prolong life – yet Steve Jobs opts for only alternative medicine treatments instead, which Harvard medical school researcher Ramzi Amri believes may have contributed to his untimely demise.
Jobs is thought to have been diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer called neuroendocrine tumor, with only nine percent survival after five years. When first discovered in his pancreas, doctors recommended immediate surgery but he refused and spent nine months seeking alternative medicine treatments instead.
Studies show that it is common for those diagnosed with serious illnesses to seek alternative therapies as a means to maintain control. This tendency can especially manifest itself among those undergoing aggressive chemotherapy or surgery treatments. While alternative medicines can sometimes help mitigate side effects associated with conventional therapy regimens, people should not rely solely on them.
3. Hormone Therapy
Alternative medicine techniques might not have saved Steve Jobs from pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, but there is reason to believe they could have. Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are uncommon – comprising only five percent of pancreatic cancer cases – and tend to grow much slower than exocrine tumors (the more common form). Furthermore, neuroendocrine tumors tend to be less lethal than exocrine cancers – making alternative methods such as acupuncture or diet more likely to help.
Jobs was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor in 2003 and doctors advised him that immediate surgery would likely cure him of it; instead he chose alternative therapies instead and refused the surgery recommended by them; some medical experts consider this decision an oversight that led directly to his death.
Though it’s tempting to judge Steve Jobs’ decision, medical treatment decisions are highly personal. Opting for alternative treatments instead of chemotherapy and surgery can be risky when dealing with life-altering illnesses like cancer; though most don’t live longer when taking this route; there is no reason for us to judge those who choose such an approach if that was their decision – perhaps alternative treatments led Jobs down an unneeded early path; had he had access to surgery as needed while continuing alternative ones, perhaps his life might have extended further than expected.
4. Surgery
Surgery can be both risky and effective; in the case of pancreatic cancer, surgical removal of tumors has greatly increased a patient’s chance of cure. Unfortunately, Jobs instead chose alternative therapy rather than traditional medicine and was ultimately killed by his condition.
Although impossible to prove conclusively, many experts believe Steve Jobs’ sole reliance on alternative therapies was ultimately what caused his untimely demise. Harvard medical researcher Ramzi Amri claims Jobs reduced his chances of survival by declining immediate surgery after being diagnosed with pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer in 2003.
Although Jobs’ decision to seek alternative therapies likely caused him harm, it should be remembered that medical decisions are deeply personal and patients should be allowed to make their own choices regarding treatments. Many alternative remedies may help manage symptoms but may not cure diseases directly.
Importantly, alternative therapies often lead to longer hospital stays and poorer overall quality of life for those pursuing them. But one thing remains certain – Jobs was unquestionably a brilliant and extraordinary entrepreneur who left an incredible legacy that will inspire millions to seek innovative technologies that push the limits of innovation in future years. His death was still mourned worldwide when it occurred; thousands mourn his demise every day. His spirit will continue to inspire future innovators.
