13-year-old Hauser back home for cancer treatment

Wednesday May 27, 2009 (foodconsumer.org) -- A 13-year-old cancer patient, who fled authorities with his mother to avoid court-ordered chemotherapy, has returned home for treatment.

Daniel Hauser, whose Hodgkin’s lymphoma was reported to be worsening last week, voluntarily returned home with his mother Colleen Hauser yesterday, according to Brown County Sheriff Rich Hoffmann.

In a statement published by the Columbia Daily Tribune, Hoffmann stated that the mother and son returned to New Ulm, Minnesota, by a charter flight at 3 a.m. Monday where Daniel was immediately given a medical exam. His condition was not released.

Hoffmann said the arrest warrants issued for the mother after she left the state with her son last Tuesday were to be lifted. At that time, Daniel Hauser was ordered to appear before a judge and is expected to receive court-ordered chemotherapy treatments.

Legal custody of Daniel has been taken by the court, said Jennifer Keller, an attorney representing the family, according to CNN. Daniel has been put in his mother’s care and there were no plans to remove him “as long as she was cooperative with the court,” said Keller.

Keller told CNN that she met Sunday with Hauser and her son in Irvine, California, and that Colleen Hauser was prepared to accept the court’s decision.

“My understanding is that Colleen intends to abide by whatever order the court makes and that she wants to put her best case forward for her son to have a chance at alternative treatment,” Keller told CNN. “But if the court overrules that, she will abide by the orders of the court.”

It was Keller who called the Brown County Sheriff’s office to inform authorities that the mother and son wanted to come home.

The Hausers had said they preferred holistic health treatments for Daniel’s cancer and had opted for Native American healing practices called Nemenhah, according to CNN.

Phillip Cloudpiler Landis now leads the Nemenhah Band, an Internet-based holistic healing group, according to the Columbia Tribune. Landis, 47, who had never met Colleen Hauser or her 13-year-old son, Daniel, urged them to return home.

Landis, however, said he supports the Hausers’ decision to defy the recommendations of doctors, who “may be the high priests of the medical religion, but who are spiritually bankrupt,” reported the Tribune.

Many people seeking alternative therapies, especially those facing life-threatening cancers, use them in combination with conventional therapies, such as chemotherapy. Colleen Hauser told Keller she was prepared to try both methods to increase her son’s chances of survival.

For more information on Hodgkin lymphoma, read http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/hodgkin/allpages/print

(By Sheilah Downey, and edited by Heather Kelley)

Below is some basic information on Hodgkin lymphoma cited from nih.gov

What Is Hodgkin Lymphoma?

Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer that begins in cells of the immune system. Hodgkin lymphoma begins when a lymphocyte (usually a B cell) becomes abnormal.

Risk Factors

Doctors seldom know why one person develops Hodgkin lymphoma and another does not. But research shows that certain risk factors increase the chance that a person will develop this disease.

The risk factors for Hodgkin lymphoma include the following:

  * Certain viruses: Having an infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) or the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may increase the risk of developing Hodgkin lymphoma. However, lymphoma is not contagious. You can't catch lymphoma from another person.

  * Weakened immune system: The risk of developing Hodgkin lymphoma may be increased by having a weakened immune system (such as from an inherited condition or certain drugs used after an organ transplant).

  * Age: Hodgkin lymphoma is most common among teens and adults aged 15 to 35 years and adults aged 55 years and older. (For information about this disease in children, call the NCI's Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER.)

  * Family history: Family members, especially brothers and sisters, of a person with Hodgkin lymphoma or other lymphomas may have an increased chance of developing this disease.

Symptoms

Hodgkin lymphoma can cause many symptoms:

  * Swollen lymph nodes (that do not hurt) in the neck, underarms, or groin

  * Becoming more sensitive to the effects of alcohol or having painful lymph nodes after drinking alcohol

  * Weight loss for no known reason

  * Fever that does not go away

  * Soaking night sweats

  * Itchy skin

  * Coughing, trouble breathing, or chest pain

  * Weakness and tiredness that don't go away

Most often, these symptoms are not due to cancer. Infections or other health problems may also cause these symptoms. Anyone with symptoms that last more than 2 weeks should see a doctor so that problems can be diagnosed and treated. 

Diagnosis

If you have swollen lymph nodes or another symptom that suggests Hodgkin lymphoma, your doctor will try to find out what's causing the problem. Your doctor may ask about your personal and family medical history.

You may have some of the following exams and tests:

  * Physical exam: Your doctor checks for swollen lymph nodes in your neck, underarms, and groin. Your doctor also checks for a swollen spleen or liver.

  * Blood tests: The lab does a complete blood count to check the number of white blood cells and other cells and substances.

  * Chest x-rays: X-ray pictures may show swollen lymph nodes or other signs of disease in your chest.

  * Biopsy: A biopsy is the only sure way to diagnose Hodgkin lymphoma. 

Treatment

Your doctor can describe your treatment choices and the expected results. You and your doctor can work together to develop a treatment plan that meets your needs.

Your doctor may refer you to a specialist, or you may ask for a referral. Specialists who treat Hodgkin lymphoma include hematologists, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists . Your doctor may suggest that you choose an oncologist who specializes in the treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma. Often, such doctors are associated with major academic centers. Your health care team may also include an oncology nurse and a registered dietitian.

Chemotherapy and radiotheray are often used to treat hodgkin lymphoma.