All posts by Chris

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

Focusing on a Cancer’s Host Tissue May Bring a Prognosis into Better Focus

State of the Art Treatment with Cancer Immunotherapy
State of the Art Treatment with Cancer Immunotherapy

Thanks to innovations in testing methods and proactive awareness campaigns, doctors are able to diagnose cancer earlier then ever, increasing the chances of successful cancer immunotherapy. The second part of the equation, predicting the degree of malignancy, is a puzzle that remains to be solved.

When Is a Patient Truly Free of Cancer?

After treatment, a patient who shows no signs of cancer cells is classified as “no evidence of disease.” While the patient may display no visible tumors, doctors have no way of knowing if the cells have metastasized to other areas of the body where they may later resurface.

Chemotherapy and other treatments are often prescribed to decrease the chance of metastasis. Doctors tend to err on the side of caution, assuming that all patients are vulnerable, so many endure grueling rounds of treatment that end up being unnecessary.

“Focus on the Soil, Not the Seed”

For the most part, researchers have concentrated on unraveling the mysteries of cancer cells themselves to understand how they grow and spread. In keeping with that approach, scientists believed that metastasis was caused by cells spreading outward from their original location.

Based on that theory, all cancer patients would be expected to have metastasis. Many researchers are now shifting to a view that the spread of cancer cells is caused by a pathological relationship between the diseased cells and the host environment.

State-of-the-Art Cancer Immunotherapy from Issels®

Cancer immunotherapy at Issels® is directed at the cancer cells along with the underlying causes for the development of tumors. Contact us to learn more about how Issels® has helped patients achieve long-term remission.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Cancer Treatment, Uncategorized

New Test Could Find Esophageal Cancer Up to 8 Years Earlier

There is New Hope to Find Esophageal Cancer Early
There is New Hope to Find Esophageal Cancer Early

Patients with esophageal cancer are often diagnosed in the later stages of the disease, presenting a challenge for cancer immunotherapy and other treatments. Researchers in the U.K. have developed a genetic test for esophageal cancer that could help identify the disease up to eight years before symptoms are presented.

Are There Early Signs of Esophageal Cancer Risk?

A team of scientists at the University of Cambridge conducted a study of tissue samples from 90 patients with Barrett’s esophagus. Approximately five percent of people with this condition go on to develop esophageal cancer.

Since there has been no way to predict which cases of Barrett’s esophagus would progress to cancer, routine endoscopies have been standard treatment. Samples included in the study came from endoscopies performed over a period of 15 years. Half of the patients involved eventually developed esophageal cancer.

The researchers were able to identify predictive gene markers in 94 percent of the patients who ultimately showed signs of esophageal cancer. Even more promising is the fact that they could spot the markers in samples that predated the symptoms by several years.

Applications for Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

According to Professor Rebecca Fitzgerald, lead researcher of the study, the next step is to conduct clinical trials using the genetic test. If the approach proves successful, it could make early diagnosis and treatment more effective and reduce the number of people who undergo unnecessary endoscopies.

Issels®: The Leader in Cancer Immunotherapy Treatment

We have helped patients with advanced esophageal cancer and other forms of the disease achieve long-term remission. Contact us for more information about our personally developed cancer immunotherapy programs.

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

Immunotherapy the Cancer Treatment Disrupter

Join Us in the Fight Cancer
Join Us in the Fight Against Cancer

During the last few years, respected political leaders Joe Biden and Jimmy Carter have become active in raising awareness of cancer immunotherapy and the need for research. Now a major figure in the social media and technology field has added his voice and his funding to these efforts.

From Social Networking to Social Responsibility

Sean Parker first made his name as the founder of music-sharing service Napster before serving as the first president of social networking giant Facebook. While that might be enough for most people, Parker has begun a new project that will affect even more individuals in a personal way.

Over the last decade, Parker has generously supported organizations such as Stand Up to Cancer and Cancer Research Institute Immunotherapy Dream Team. Early in 2016, Parker earmarked $250 million from his charitable foundation for a grant to establish the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.

The Institute is comprised of seven academic medical centers working in conjunction with more than 50 partners in pharma and biotech. According to Parker, the intent was to “cut down the barriers” that limit the free exchange of information.

Aligning Research and Medicine

Parker was inspired to found the Institute when he noticed a disconnect between academic science and the process of actually bringing treatments to patients. He specifically sees cancer immunotherapy as the “opportunity to disrupt” the gap between what’s possible through technology and what’s actually being accomplished.

Issels®: A Champion for Immunotherapy

Our founder, Dr. Josef M. Issels, was ahead of his time in recognizing the power of cancer immunotherapy. Contact us for more information about our non-toxic integrative programs.

Cancer Treatment, Stage Four Cancer Treatment

What’s the Deadliest Cancer of All? Lung Cancer. Find out Why.

Find Out Why Lung Cancer is the Deadliest Cancer
Find Out Why Lung Cancer is the Deadliest Cancer

While advances in cancer treatment have improved survival rates for many of its forms, lung cancer continues to be the deadliest type of the disease. Despite alarming statistics, lung cancer remains a lower priority for medical researchers.

Lung Cancer Accounts for One-Quarter of Cancer Deaths

Approximately 14 percent of new cancer cases are lung cancer, but it makes up a disproportionate 26 percent of cancer deaths. According to the Lung Cancer Alliance, that averages out to 427 deaths from lung cancer each day in America, which is more than the number of deaths from breast, prostate and colon cancer combined.

Despite these numbers, less funds are allocated to lung cancer research than the other three leading forms. In 2016, the National Institute of Health spent only $1,500 per lung cancer death as opposed to $19,250 for breast cancer, $9,400 for prostate cancer and $5,800 for colon cancer.

Does Lung Cancer Merit Less Attention?

Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, but nearly 18 percent of cases are found in non-smokers. Four years ago, former educator Ginny Hicks found herself in the latter group when she was diagnosed with Stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer.

As Hicks undergoes treatment in a clinical trial of an immunotherapy drug, she has become an advocate for lung cancer research and education. According to Hicks, lung cancer has a stigma attached due to a common perception that smokers bring the disease on themselves.

Non-Toxic Cancer Treatment at Issels®

We have helped patients with Stage 4 lung cancer and other metastatic tumors achieve long-term remission with personally tailored immunotherapy programs. Contact us for more information.

Cancer Research

New Findings Show Men with Abnormally Low Testosterone Levels Will Rarely Develop Prostate Cancer

Research Shows Some Men Have A Lower Risk of Prostate Cancer
Research Shows Some Men Have A Lower Risk of Prostate Cancer

Each year more than 170,000 men in the United States are affected by prostate cancer. While the causes remain unknown, studies have found that hormone levels could be a key to prostate cancer treatment.

The Role of Testosterone in Prostate Cancer

Age, ethnicity and genetic mutations are some of the common risk factors for prostate cancer. The male hormone testosterone is known to facilitate cell growth in prostate tumors.

Based on the androgen saturation model, scientists believe that an increase in testosterone levels beyond the saturation point does not cause a corresponding increase in benign or malignant prostate tissue. Until recently, there wasn’t enough evidence to confirm or refute the model.

Putting Theory to the Test

Researchers at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom reviewed data obtained from more than 19,000 men, of whom approximately one-third had prostate cancer. Subjects were grouped into 10 categories ranging from lowest to highest levels of testosterone.

When prostate cancer risk was calculated based on conditional logistic regression methods, men in the lowest group were determined to be 20 percent less likely to develop the disease. Subjects in the other nine groups showed no link to prostate cancer risk.

According to Prof. Tim Key, co-author of the study, this is the first population study to support the commonly-held theory regarding testosterone and prostate cancer. Experts believe it could be a significant step toward more efficient diagnosis and treatment.

Issels: A Leader in Effective Prostate Cancer Treatment

Our non-toxic immunotherapy programs have helped patients with prostate cancer and other forms that have been unresponsive to other cancer treatment. Contact us to learn more.

Cancer Research

Norwegian Research Finds a 16% Drop in Cancer Rates Later in Life Among Those Taking Blood Thinners

Are You Taking Blood Thinners? Research Shows Your Risk for Cancer is Lower
Are You Taking Blood Thinners? Research Shows Your Risk for Cancer is Lower.

Blood thinners such as Warfarin are prescribed for millions of people around the world to control a range of cardiovascular problems. Based on the results of a recent study, the drugs may also reduce the risk of cancer, which could have future implications for cancer treatment.

A Surprising Weapon in the Battle Against Cancer

The study, recently published in JAMA Internal Medicine, involved 1.25 million people over the age of 50 in Norway. Researchers at the University of Bergen found that those who took Warfarin were 16 percent less likely to develop cancer than those who didn’t.

Benefits were even more pronounced for three of the most common forms of cancer. Prostate cancer had the highest risk reduction at 31 percent, followed by lung cancer at 20 percent and breast cancer at 10 percent.

The good news doesn’t end there. Patients taking Warfarin for atrial fibrillation, an abnormal heart rhythm, saw a 29 percent reduction in risk for bowel cancer.

Blood Thinners: A Form of Immunotherapy?

At this point, researchers are unclear how Warfarin affects the risk of cancer. They believe that the drugs may inhibit the signaling power of cancer cells, leaving them vulnerable to attack from the body’s immune system.

Despite the promising results, medical experts warn against self-medicating with Warfarin. The drug can have serious side effects, so it should always be taken under a doctor’s supervision.

Personalized Cancer Treatment at Issels®

Our cancer treatment programs harness the power of your own immune system to fight the disease. Contact us to learn more about cancer vaccines and other programs designed to meet your specific needs.