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Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Treatment, Immuno-Oncology, Immunotherapy, Immunotherapy for Cancer, Uncategorized

Issels and the Dendritic Cell Vaccine for Cancer

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It's Time to Cross Out Cancer!
It’s Time to Cross Out Cancer!

For decades, Issels® has been a leader in non-toxic immunotherapy for cancer treatments. The dendritic cell vaccine is one of the most potent weapons in our cancer-fighting arsenal, succeeding in many late-stage patients for whom other treatments had failed.

The Power of Dendritic Cells

Immunotherapy for cancer focuses on boosting the power of the body’s own immune system to fight tumors. Dendritic cells are part of the immune system, serving as advance sentries that recognize the presence of foreign antigens.

Once the dendritic cells process the antigens, they are presented to T cells, another part of the immune system. T cells are effectors that provide a response to stimulus such as bacteria, viruses and other invaders.

Individually, dendritic cells are extremely potent, but the problem is that they’re not usually present in large enough quantities. Dendritic cell vaccines are an effective method of increasing their numbers.

Issels® and the Dendritic Cell Vaccine

In a process called extracorporeal photophoresis, a patient’s blood passes through an ultraviolet light chamber, which provides an immune boosting effect. White blood cells are harvested and cultured into active dendritic cells, then re-injected into the body to trigger an immune response.

Traditional cancer treatments often have side effects because they attack healthy cells along with tumor cells. Dendritic cells can distinguish normal dying cells from cancer cells so the immune system refrains from attacking them.

Personalized Immunotherapy for Cancer at Issels®

Dendritic cell vaccines are only one of the innovative treatments we use for patients with all forms of cancer. Contact us to read and hear testimonials from our many patients who have successfully achieved long-term remission.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Cancer Treatment, Immuno-Oncology, Immunotherapy, Immunotherapy for Cancer, Uncategorized

NIH Embraces Immunotherapy as a Top Cancer Treatment

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NIH Embraces Immunotherapy as a Top Cancer Treatment
NIH Embraces Immunotherapy as a Top Cancer Treatment

The National Institutes of Health has named immunotherapy as a top form of cancer treatment. In the past, chemotherapy and radiation were typically the main types of cancer treatments that the NIH focused on. However, research findings and treatment advances have led to an increase in the demand for immunotherapy for cancer.

Fighting Cancer with the Immune System

Immunotherapy relies on the body’s immune system to seek out and destroy cancer cells before they have a chance to spread. This type of treatment focuses on strengthening natural immune defenses against cancer rather than targeting and destroying cancer with radiation or chemotherapy. This helps protect healthy cells from damage and lowers the risk of nausea and other potentially severe side effects.

Advances in Immunotherapy

Advances in immunotherapy for cancer have led to significant improvements in this type of treatment, which has resulted in a higher number of successes for those with certain types of cancer. Researchers are also doing studies to find out more about immunotherapy in order to provide more and more cancer patients with effective treatment.

Current research has been focusing on why this type of treatment works better for some patients, what other kinds of cancer it can be used for, and how to make it more effective when used in combination with other forms of cancer treatment. These findings should lead to even more successes for immunotherapy.

If you’re interested in learning more about how immunotherapy for cancer works, please contact Issels®. Our cancer treatments are nontoxic and can be effective for certain cancers that are difficult to treat.

Cancer Research, Cancer Treatment, Immunotherapy for Cancer, Uncategorized

Immunotherapy: 2017’s Top Clinical Advance for Cancer Treatment

Immunotherapy: 2017's Top Clinical Advance for Cancer Treatment
Immunotherapy: 2017’s Top Clinical Advance for Cancer Treatment

The use of immunotherapy for cancer has been around for a long time, but it’s becoming more and more common. In fact, this form of treatment was named the 2017 Clinical Cancer Advance of the Year, which was mainly due to the increase in successful cases of treatment for cancers that are normally hard to treat.

Fine-Tuning Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy offers a non-toxic form of treatment, which doesn’t have the risk of side effects as chemotherapy and radiation do. Patients often turn to this type of treatment if they have not had success with conventional cancer treatments or they’re unable to tolerate the accompanying side effects.

Immunotherapy makes use of the immune system in order to find cancer cells and destroy them, rather than relying on chemicals or radiation. Researchers have been working on improvements in the way this type of treatment handles cancer, which has led to a higher number of successful treatments.

Good Candidates for Immunotherapy

Researchers have also been looking into who benefits from this type of treatment. Immunotherapy for cancer has been used successfully in cases that are considered hard to treat. However, certain types of immunotherapy treatments seem to be more effective for some patients but not others.

Researchers are conducting a number of studies to learn more about why certain individuals have greater benefit while undergoing specific immunotherapy treatment protocols. This research is expected to lead to improvements for those with cancers that are difficult to treat with traditional methods.

If you need more information on immunotherapy for cancer, please contact Issels® today. We offer personally tailored immunotherapy treatments for those with certain cancers.

Cancer Research, Cancer Treatment, News, Uncategorized

The American Cancer Society Gives Tips on Healthy Living to Prevent Cancer

The American Cancer Society Gives Tips on Healthy Living to Prevent Cancer
The American Cancer Society Gives Tips on Healthy Living to Prevent Cancer

How proactive are you about your health? According to the American Cancer Society, the healthy living tips recommended for patients undergoing cancer treatment can also reduce the risk of developing cancer in the first place.

Good Nutrition and Physical Activity Can Reduce Cancer Risk

According to the World Cancer Research Fund, approximately 20 percent of cancer cases in the United States are connected to poor health habits, including obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and lack of nutrition.

Here’s a look at how you can start today to reduce your personal cancer risk.

1. Maintain a Healthy Weight

Excess weight puts hormones such as estrogen and insulin into overdrive, which can promote development of tumors. In addition to reducing cancer risk, maintaining a healthy weight prevents or controls diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other issues.

2. Be Physically Active

Exercise involves physical activity performed at a moderate or vigorous intensity. This can include gardening, walking and biking as well as more traditional forms such as sports and weight lifting. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity every week.

3. Follow a Nutritious Diet

– Avoid processed foods.

– Eat at least 2-1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables daily.

– Choose foods that are low in fat, sugar and calories.

– Cut back or eliminate refined carbohydrates in favor of whole-grain products.

– Eat smaller portions.

– Limit your intake of alcohol.

Integrative Cancer Treatment at Issels®

At Issels®, our personally tailored cancer treatment programs combine a number of complementary elements, including nutritional immunotherapy. Contact us to learn why we are the leader in non-toxic, state-of-the-art immunotherapy cancer treatment.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Cancer Treatment, Immuno-Oncology, Immunotherapy, Immunotherapy for Cancer, Uncategorized

Treatment Uses Patient’s Own Immune Cells to Fight Cancer

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Treatment Uses Patient's Own Immune Cells to Fight Cancer
Treatment Uses Patient’s Own Immune Cells to Fight Cancer

Scientists are hopeful that a new gene therapy cancer treatment will lead to development of other drugs that utilize the power of a patient’s own immune system. In the meantime, policy makers face the challenges of safety, cost and access.

“Training” the Immune System to Fight Cancer

The therapy in question, called Kymriah, received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August 2017. Novartis developed Kymriah as a cancer treatment for children and young adults with a type of leukemia known as ALL.

Kymriah is a form of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell treatment. A patient’s T cells are genetically reengineered and infused back into the patient’s system to attack and kill cancer cells.

Weighing the Pros and Cons

During clinical trials conducted by Novartis, 63 patients received a one-time infusion of CAR T cells. After three months, 52 of the patients were in remission.

The downside is that 76 percent of the patients experienced a variety of side effects. In order to determine the overall risk vs. reward factor, the FDA has required Novartis to perform a post-marketing study of Kymriah’s safety and effectiveness.

An article published in the October issue of Health Affairs noted that high demand and high cost of CAR T cell therapies could lead to greater inequalities in health outcomes. The authors urged ethics and policy-making to catch up to the science of cancer treatment.

Issels®: A Pioneer in Cancer Immunotherapy

Issels® has long been ahead of the field in successful use of cancer treatment that aids the immune system in targeting tumor cells. Contact us for more information.

Cancer Caregivers, Living with Cancer, Uncategorized

Dealing with Family Members Who Don’t Agree to Your Treatment Choices

Dealing with Family Members Who Don't Agree to Your Treatment Choices
Dealing with Family Members Who Don’t Agree to Your Treatment Choices

Whether you opt for cancer immunotherapy or more traditional treatment methods, some family members may disagree with your choices. With open and honest communication, you can all work together to make sure you get the support you need.

Tips for Discussing Cancer Treatment

When a family member objects to your chosen form of cancer treatment, it’s usually caused by concern for you and fear of the unknown. Experts suggest the following tips for maintaining productive and positive discussions.

– As the patient, you are the one who will be directly affected, so your wishes should be considered first. You should also feel free to change your mind if circumstances change or you get new information.

– Talk about your priorities in choosing a particular course of treatment. Knowing what’s important to you will help others understand your decision.

– People may be uncomfortable talking about cancer and treatment options for a wide variety of reasons, including fear, lack of knowledge and religious beliefs. Ask a member of your healthcare team or an experienced counselor to be involved in the discussions.

– Identify problems that may arise during treatment so everyone is prepared.

– Find out from your doctor which decisions are urgent and which ones are less pressing. This helps reduce the amount of pressure that family members may feel.

Cancer Immunotherapy with a Personal Touch

Dealing with cancer is frightening for patients and their families. At Issels®, we refuse to let the disease rob you of your individuality. Our treatments are tailored to address your personal situation and needs.

Contact us to learn more about our non-toxic cancer immunotherapy programs.