I think this is a terrible reflection on the standard of care given to cancer patients. It is down to the doctors to ensure that the patients realise what they can/cannot take during treatment and how it may impact them. It's not rocket science to produce a list of "Do Nots" or at least review with the patients what they take regularly/periodically at home to check there are no contraindications. I am really quite appauled at the results of this survey, the cancer doctors and nurses should be ashamed.

I could not have said it any better then Mazza B and second everything that was written

This is more than a bit concerning for me. I am currently going through Chemotherapy but doctors suggest antacids and other drugs for sleep. I can only hope that the drugs I've been taking aren't counterproductive to the treatment. If anyone is curious I have a blog about it. http://www.expatpattycake.com

Not only that, they omit to advise you what you should take as additional vitamins etc, such as lots of B12 to repair nerve tissue damage caused by the Chemo.

This isn't anything new. Patients need to be more forceful with their doctors and give them their current medications before beginning any treatment. Not doing this made me sicker than I needed to be.

My experience at the Erasmus MC: I've been told by the medical team that is following me not to take any medication without their approval. So simple.

I can only thank the Dutch Health services for the excellent care I received when being treated for cancer. I was certainly made aware that I should consult my cancer nurse before taking any self medication, including pain killers and mouth wash. I was even given advice on what foods to avoid.

The big pharma cure is a lot worse than the illness. The chemo therapy is more likely to kill you more quickly than the cancer. There are already several cures, but have been silenced many years ago.

It is a reflection of the stupid system
I am handled by my huisarts / GP for some ailments.
For other he has referred me to a hospital where i am treated.

My GP is not informed by the hospital any results of tests or any medication.
It is up to me to work as manger and ensure the information flow.

When you are sick and in pain your mind is elsewhere.

The electronic patient dossier was created to prevent this but has been scrapped

I agree with Mazza B.
It is part of the doctor's job to make sure the patient knows what to take or not in addition to his-her current medicines.
A friend got pregnant because the doctor prescribed her with an antibiotcs which should not be taken with the pill. Same doctor prescribing both!
She trusted the doctor, and that's hwat happens. I do not trust Dutch doctors.

A country with such a close association with cannabis and no talk of the prevalent cannabis cures that we are reading about online.

Joanna - well everybody who use bird control pills knows that one should be careful while using antibiotics at the same time,your friend appearently didn't read the list of cotraindications where they warn you about it,it's in every pack of pills

Tati - if you need to say something use the correct grammar. bird control? you mean birth control

Manuela - if you need to complain about somebody, please do it correctly. A misspellt word is not a question of grammar.

Visitor: I think every cancer patient is told in advance that chemotherapy is carcongenic. I know we were, 20 years ago.

Your choice is this: cancer does not - ever - go away on its own, and so you choose:
* death sooner *guarenteed*, or
* chemo and risk getting cancer again in the future (a risk both of chemo and the cancer itself). As a parent who once made this choice for her child, there was no choice.

Everyone will die someday, but we are not
authors of our own passing. Chemo saves lives, end of story. I didn't look at the pharmaceutical companies ethics nor it's profit and loss sheet before making my decision.

@osita: there are other ways to cure cancer, chemo is Russian roulette.

That depends entirely on the cancer and its location. Radiotherapy is effective only on single site tumours (or was, I'm not that up to date now). If you found the cure, please feel free to share: all cancer treatments are Russian roulette, but so is driving a car or cycling in peak hour Amsterdam.

I've lost several friends to cancer recently; 2 of them chose the cannabis "cure".
Science is a powerful tool for separating what works from what doesn't.
Several other friends are alive and well after chemotherapy.
Quackery kills.