All posts by Chris

Excercise and Healthy Eating for Cancer Prevention — Exercise and Healthy Eating for Cancer Prevention

Have you made it a priority to watch your weight? According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), a healthy diet and physical activity are the most important cancer risk prevention factors after avoiding tobacco.

How much of a difference can nutrition and exercise make? The World Cancer Research Fund estimates that approximately 20 percent of all cancers diagnosed in the United States are related to excess weight and poor eating habits.

Reduce Cancer Risk with Healthy Habits

You may not be able to control your genetic makeup, but you can take steps to stay active and maintain a proper weight. Follow these guidelines offered by the ACS:

• Stay as lean as possible. If you’re overweight, even a modest weight loss can improve your health.

• Get a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five times a week.

• Limit “screen time” with TVs, computers, video games and other sedentary activities.

• Practice portion control during mealtimes.

• Minimize consumption of red meat and processed meat. Eat at least five half-cup servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

• Avoid refined grain food items, such as white bread and white rice, that have little nutritional value. Opt for barley, brown rice, oatmeal and other whole-grain products.

• Daily alcohol intake should be limited to one drink for women and two drinks for men.

Issels®: Incorporating Good Nutrition in Immunotherapy for Cancer

Our non-toxic, integrative programs include nutritional immunotherapy for cancer treatments to restore balance of vitamins and minerals that promote healthy functioning of the immune system. Contact us for more information about our specialized testing and treatment programs to meet your specific needs.

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

FDA Quickly Approves New One-of-a-Kind Cancer Treatment

August 9, 2017 Chris 1 Comment

Researchers have made a number of significant breakthroughs in cancer treatment, but a recent development has the healthcare community particularly excited. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a drug that treats tumors based on a genetic abnormality.

Keytruda: A Landmark in Immunotherapy for Cancer

Pembrolizumab, marketed under the trade name Keytruda, was tested on a trial group of 86 patients. The results were remarkable: 66 patients saw their tumors shrink and stabilize, while the tumors in 18 of them disappeared with no recurrence.

What’s different about Keytruda? It’s the first drug that attacks tumors from a shared genetic profile rather than the actual location of the tumor. A prospective patient first undergoes testing to determine whether he or she is a genetic match for the mutations targeted by Keytruda.

Current and Future Possibilities

At present, Keytruda is approved for treating only select forms of advanced bladder, lung and melanoma tumors. The drug will be effective for approximately four percent of cancer patients, which still equates to tens of thousands of people.

Scientists are encouraged by the possibility of further treatment methods tailored to a patient’s specific genetic profile. This ability would greatly enhance development of more accurate targeting and treatment.

Advanced Immunotherapy for Cancer Treatment from Issels®

Issels® uses genomic testing to determine a patient’s individual treatment needs. We then use the information to tailor a personalized immunotherapy for cancer program including methods such as vaccines and NK cells.

We have helped patients with all forms of cancer achieve long-term remission. Contact us to learn more about why the Issels® difference may be right for you.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Cancer Treatment, Cancer Vaccine, Uncategorized

UV Exposure and the Skin Cancer Connection

August 7, 2017 Chris

Exposure to ultra-violet (UV) rays can have more serious consequences than a painful sunburn. UV rays from both natural and man-made sources can increase risk of developing skin cancer.

How UV Rays Damage Skin

While UV rays come primarily from the sun, they contain more energy than visible light. Man-made sources of UV rays include tanning beds and welding torches.

UV rays are powerful enough to ionize atoms by removing an electron, which is how they cause damage to DNA in body cells. But they don’t have enough energy to penetrate to organs and other internal tissues, which is why their effect is seen mostly on skin.

UV Ray Wavelengths

The three types of UV rays are:

UVA rays, which are the weakest of the three and linked more to cosmetic damage such as wrinkles than to skin cancer.
UVB rays, which are slightly stronger and the main cause of sunburns and skin cancer.
UVC rays, which have the most energy but are prevented from reaching the ground by the ozone layer.

Preventing UV Ray Exposure

A certain amount of sunshine is necessary for good health, but protect yourself by applying sunscreen to exposed parts of your body when you’re outside for extended periods. Avoid peak hours of 11 AM until 4 PM and stay in the shade when possible.

Immunotherapy for Cancer: Restoring the Body’s Natural Defenses

At Issels®, our integrative immunotherapy treatments boost your own immune system’s ability to fight cancer. Contact us for more information to learn how immunotherapy for cancer has helped patients diagnosed with skin cancer, melanoma and other types of tumors.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Cancer Survivors, Cancer Treatment, Uncategorized

Coaches vs. Cancer Has Raised $100 Million for Cancer Research

August 4, 2017 Chris

Coaches and Teams Have Raised Millions for Research

Actors, athletes and other high-profile people often use their celebrity to help promote awareness of cancer research. One such program is Coaches vs. Cancer, which has raised more than $100 million to support the American Cancer Society (ACS).

Leading the Charge Against Cancer

As with most Americans, basketball coaches across the country have been affected by cancer, either personally or through a loved one. The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) has partnered with the ACS to form Coaches vs. Cancer, a program designed to empower the coaches to participate in the fight against cancer.

Coaches vs. Cancer: The “Battles”

Thanks to their personal and professional experiences and positions of leadership, basketball coaches are in a great position to raise awareness of cancer research among their teams and communities. Some of their creative initiatives have included:

In February 2017, their 3-Point Challenge let fans pledge an amount for every successful three-point shot made by their favorite team that month.
During Suits and Sneakers Week, coaches across the country wear sneakers on game day to symbolize the role of nutrition and physical activity in reducing cancer risk.
Hardwood Heroes is part of March Madness, the NCAA’s popular basketball championship tournament. 2017 marked the second year of this event in which a basketball team made up of cancer survivors took on a team of survivors from last year’s game.

Issels®: The Leader in Immunotherapy for Cancer Treatment

For decades, Issels® has raised the bar on cancer treatment with our non-toxic and integrative immunotherapy programs. Visit our website to read and hear testimonials from patients who have achieved long-term remission.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Care Tips, Uncategorized

American Society of Clinical Oncology Releases Their State of Cancer Care in America Report for 2017

August 2, 2017 Chris

Advances in immunotherapy for cancer treatment have given patients more options than ever before. This is one of the encouraging findings included in the recently-issued State of Cancer Care in America, 2017 report.

Analyzing the Current State of Cancer Care

The annual report has been issued by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) since March 2014. It offers an in-depth look at current demographic, economic and oncology practice factors impacting cancer care.

Increasingly effective immunotherapy is just one of the significant improvements in cancer care noted in this year’s report. Other highlights include:

Emphasis on preventive measures such as quitting smoking appears to be paying off as overall cancer incidence has declined over the last decade at a rate of 0.9 percent each year.
Former Vice President Joe Biden’s Cancer Moonshot Initiative, launched in 2016, paved the way for dozens of research initiatives and cross-disciplinary partnerships focused on research for prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Use of big data from sources such as electronic health records (EHR) has resulted in more informed research studies and decision-making.
The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) and other payment programs have begun a shift away from fee-for-service in favor of high-quality, high-value cancer care. This process is expected to accelerate during 2017.

State-of-the-Art Cancer Treatment at Issels®

Issels® has long been ahead of the curve with our innovative and personally tailored cancer treatment programs. Contact us to learn more about why immunotherapy at Issels® may be the option for you, regardless of age or type of cancer.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Cancer Treatment

Where Your Body Stores Fat May Predict Where You May Get Cancer

July 31, 2017 Chris

Excess weight has long been recognized as a risk factor for developing cancer. According to a recent study published in the British Journal of Cancer, where body fat is carried can be another indicator of obesity-related cancer risk.

Body Shape Can Increase Cancer Risk

The study, conducted by scientists at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization, were the first to compare adult body measurements in a standardized way. Data was obtained from 43,000 participants, 1,600 of whom had been diagnosed with an obesity-related cancer, and who were observed over an average of 12 years.

Results showed that an additional four inches added to the waistline equated to a 13 percent increase in the risk for obesity-related cancers. More significantly, adding three inches to the hips can boost the risk of bowel cancer by 15 percent.

How Can Obesity Cause Cancer?

Obesity is the second largest preventable cause of cancer behind smoking. Excess body fat alters the level of sex hormones, triggering an increase in production of insulin, ultimately leading to inflammation. All three factors have been linked to an increased risk of cancer.

Dr. Heinz Freisling, lead author of the study, explains that further investigation is needed to explore the connection between cancer and fat carried around the midsection, but results indicate that body shape should be considered along with body mass index (BMI) when evaluating cancer risk.

Non-Toxic, Integrative Cancer Treatment for All Ages at Issels®

Our individually developed cancer treatment programs have been successful with people of all ages and all forms of cancer. Contact us for more information.

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