Monthly Archives: January 2015

Living with Cancer

Bladder Cancer Breakthrough Highlights

Erasing Cancer
Bladder Cancer

After decades without major developments, the study of advanced bladder cancer has reached a new breakthrough thanks to an alternative cancer treatment.

An immunotherapy medicine has been found by researchers to shrink or eliminate tumors. Patients who have not responded positively to chemotherapy and other standard therapies have improved or entered remission, based on the initial findings.

The immunotherapy has been awarded “Breakthrough Therapy Designation” by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This means the FDA will expedite the review process to help patients with the serious disease receive the treatment as quickly as possible.

Promising Evidence for Bladder Cancer Immunotherapy

In a British trial, advanced bladder cancer patients received a new medication developed by the Swiss lab Roche.

Patients carrying the PD-L1 protein responded best to the treatment. The results:

  • Tumors shrank in 43 percent of patients within 6 weeks of immunotherapy
  • After 12 weeks, 52 percent had shrunken tumors
  • 2 out of 30 patients had no signs of cancer following the treatment
  • Among PD-L1 negative patients, 11 percent saw a reduction in tumor size.

While this particular cancer immunotherapy awaits full FDA approval, the signs are encouraging. Only common side effects of cancer treatments were reported, including loss of appetite and tiredness.

Bladder cancer has long been considered one of the most difficult forms of cancer. This breakthrough provides an alternative to chemotherapy, which has for years been the only treatment option for advanced cases.

Issels® champions alternative cancer treatments, including many immunotherapies that are considered breakthroughs. Get in touch with us to discuss the latest cancer treatment options we provide.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Cancer Survivors, Living with Cancer

Does Your Age Impact Your Recommended Cancer Treatment? Some Say Yes

Does Age Affect Cancer?
Does Age Affect Cancer?

Cancer is a devastating disease that affects thousands of new patients every year. Conventional treatment methods like chemotherapy, radiation and surgery are the most common in the United States, however, research from the United Kingdom has shown that there might be a little bit of bias when it comes to the people who qualify for life-saving surgeries.

According to an article on DailyMail.com, surgery is rarely offered to patients who are age seventy-five or older. This is especially true for men who suffer from prostate cancer, or women who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. There is speculation that these patients are considered to be “unworthy” to undergo surgery, and so the option is never even discussed with them. In fact, statistics show that when prostate cancer was detected in men who were age fifty to fifty-four, 29% of them had the surgery to remove it. Only 0.1% of men age fifty-five to eighty-four had the surgery, and no one who was eighty-five or older had it.

Although more women in the age range of seventy-five to eight-four were offered surgery (37%), almost 90% of younger women had surgery for ovarian cancer. Again, not one woman age eighty-five or older was offered this option.

The survival rates for these and other types of cancer in the UK are quite low because of these practices. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem as though anything will be changing any time soon.

If you’ve recently been diagnosed with cancer, here at Issels®, we understand how you feel, and we’re dedicated to not discriminating against any of our patients because of their age. We would love to help you. Contact us.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Care Tips, Stress Management

Tips for Treating Hot Flashes and Night Sweats While in Cancer Treatment

melatonin-cancer
Treating Hot Flashes And Night Sweats

Do you sometimes wake up in the middle of the night to warm skin and damp sheets? Night sweats and hot flashes are a common occurrence with cancer patients. It can result from your course of treatment or from the tumor itself. Women tend to be more susceptible, but men can also experience either condition.

Sweat is your body’s natural way of regulating temperature. When the moisture evaporates on your skin it creates a cooling effect. Patients being treated for breast cancer or prostate cancer often have hot flashes because treatment can trigger menopause or menopause-like symptoms.

Help is available to control hot flashes and night sweats, allowing you to rest more comfortably. Discuss these options with your physician to determine which one is most appropriate for you.

  • In some cases hot flashes may be treated with hormone replacement therapy. Some patients have had success with certain antidepressants or anticonvulsants.
  • Stress and anxiety are contributing factors, so learning coping skills to deal with these emotions can help moderate night sweats and hot flashes. Meditation is a powerful method, and hypnosis is a newer treatment that has shown positive results.
  • Wear loose-fitting clothes made from natural fibers and keep your home well-ventilated.
  • Manufacturers of herbs and supplements such as Vitamin E and flaxseed make extravagant claims, but studies show that the results are mixed at best. Do not attempt this treatment without consulting your healthcare provider.

At Issels® we utilize a course of immunotherapy that strengthens your own immune system and reduces side effects. Visit our website to see and hear success stories from our patients.

Living with Cancer

Tips for Moving Beyond Cancer Treatment

Moving Beyond Cancer
Moving Beyond Cancer

Change is difficult. Even change for the better can be unsettling and spark feelings of anxiety. But we must change to our adapting situations or we will lose control of our lives and our future. It is important to understand that as you begin moving beyond cancer treatment. This is why Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology uses individualized immunotherapy treatment protocols. How you respond to treatment and transition to a new normal depends largely on your diagnosis and predisposition.

The National Cancer Institute has a very helpful 36 page booklet to help anyone adjust to the effects of cancer treatment and the changes in lifestyle. It also has some very helpful information for caregivers who will need to prepare themselves for how their level of involvement will change.

Those TV shows that always solve the mystery by the episode conclusion and wrap up all loose ends are written that way for a reason. People want things to have a predictable and logical outcome. But as cancer survivor, you will not be able to resume your previous level of activity right away. Do not try to make up for lost time or take on too much. Keep the following tips in mind:

  • Be open and honest about your feelings and capabilities
  • Be realistic with the goals your set for yourself
  • Talk to your doctor about feelings of anxiety or depression
  • Schedule time for yourself to appreciate the life you have
  • Find ways that friends and family can help you and let them know they are appreciated

Contact Issels® for more information on your treatment options and how we help patients get the most out of life.

 

Cancer Care Tips, Cancer Research, Immunotherapy

Keeping a Healthy Weight While in Cancer Treatment

Eating During Cancer Treatment
Eating During Cancer Treatment

You may be thinking to yourself, “isn’t going through cancer treatment enough without the need to worry about my weight?” While this is a legitimate complaint, following your doctor’s instructions is vital in order to remain strong throughout the treatment.

Going through cancer treatment takes its toll physically and emotionally but you have a hand in controlling how much. Treatment can have a decided affect on your appetite which impacts your eating habits. If both are in a negative mode of operation, the end result is weight loss, plain and simple.

Weight loss and weight gain can be a significant side effect of cancer treatment. For those losing weight, this may be caused due to a lack of appetite. Nothing seems tantalizing and while you do eat something, you may not eat as much as before taking in less calories. This will cause a loss in weight and also impacts the amount of nutrients your body needs.

For other patients, especially those who are obese, weight loss may be recommended while treatments are ongoing. A nutritionist or dietitian are good options for helping determine healthy menus that provide the calories, nutrients, vitamins, and protein to help maintain a healthy weight.

Dietary supplements are also an option for getting the fuel your body needs to handle the rigors of cancer treatment.

Learn more about integrative immunotherapy and holistic treatments at the Issels® blog. The informative articles can help answer questions and concerns you may have about the best approach to cancer treatment.

Living with Cancer

New Regulators That Impact Cell Growth Are Discovered and May Impact Cancer Growth

Regulated Cell Growth
Regulated Cell Growth

A new discovery made at the Center for RNA Research at IBS could provide some insight into how cancerous tumors are formed in the body and how their growth can be repressed. This could be very big news for those undergoing treatment with Issels Integrative Immuno-Oncology.

For the first time, researchers have discovered that the enzyme PKR is activated during cellular mitosis. PKR was previously known as a trigger of immune response during a viral infection. It is believed that the disruption of PKR activation causes a delay in mitotic progression and defects in cell division that ultimately results in cancer growth.

Researchers also discovered that PKR activation is closely regulated by TAR RNA Binding Protein, or TRBP. TRBP inhibits PKR activation and otherwise helps control the cell cycle.

It isn’t yet known what this new research means for cancer treatment, but this new discovery could lead to revolutionary new cancer treatments that prevent cancer cells from dividing. Given time, there could be a treatment that safely affects tumors before they have time to spread.

Issels® and Cancer Treatment

We at Issels® focus closely on the tumor and the tumor microenvironment in our cancer treatment and research, so this discovery is very exciting and could change the way we look at cancer treatment. For more information about Issels® and our alternative cancer treatments, visit us online at http://issels.com.