Mark Synder

In October of 1995, my son Mark Snyder, who has cerebral palsy, received the shocking diagnosis of esophageal cancer. He had an endoscopy that showed "a large fungating mass" and biopsy results that identified it as carcinoma. A CT-SN showed extensive growth beyond the esophagus. This type of cancer is extremely dangerous and has a survival rate of about 5%; 6 months to live was one estimate. St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ypsilanti, Michigan, offered no hope. Radiation therapy only offered palliative care.

At the conclusion of Mark's radiation therapy, I sought alternative medicine possibilities. Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski of Houston, Texas, offered some hope. Mark's initial treatment began on January 24, 1996. CT-SNs at St. Joseph's began to show a steady improvement. The CT-SN taken on January 23, 1998, was the basis for celebration. A later endoscopy showed "no evidence of any tumor."

Mark's treatment ended on January 25, 1998. His catheter was removed at Cheboygan Community Memorial Hospital in Michigan on May 29, 1998. Mark's last CT-SN on September 24, 1998, found no evidence of tumor activity.

Dr. Burzynski saved my son's life. Mark and I will be forever grateful.

Throughout Mark's 3-year struggle against cancer, he has been haunted with the explicit and implicit shadow of FDA prohibition of his treatment. Now, that threatening shadow is carried on by possibly FDA-inspired doctors and/or professional enemies of Dr. Burzynski. They now seek to demolish the clinical trials even before they are completed. Will the hatchet job ever cease?

My son's continued coping in this poisoned environment is amazing and heroic.

Carl Dean Snyder, PhD, Syracuse 1963

Professor of Economics (Retired), Eastern Michigan University

1998