All posts by Chris

The sun’s rays can give you a nice golden glow, but they can also increase your risk for melanoma or skin cancer. With summer vacations in full swing, July has been designated as UV Safety Awareness Month to promote good skin care habits.

Tips to Protect Your Skin from Sun Exposure

Use a broad-spectrum waterproof sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays, which have longer wavelengths to penetrate the ozone layer. Look for a sunscreen with a minimum sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 unless you’ll be outdoors for an extended period of time, in which case you should use SPF 30 or higher.
Apply one ounce of sunscreen to all exposed areas approximately 30 minutes before heading outside. Reapply every two hours and more frequently if you’re spending time in the water.
Wear a broad-brimmed hat to protect your face and scalp along with UV-blocking sunglasses.
Avoid the sun during peak hours between noon and 4 PM. Stay in the shade whenever possible.
Sunburn causes skin damage that can lead to the development of melanoma. Even if you’ve taken precautions, seek cover if your skin starts to become pink and tender.

Exposure to the sun can also hasten the development of wrinkles, leathery skin, eye problems and other signs of aging, which is another reason to use protection.

Fighting Melanoma with Immunotherapy for Cancer

At Issels®, our integrative immunotherapy for cancer treatments have helped patients diagnosed with melanoma, leukemia, breast cancer and all other forms. Contact us to learn more about why immunotherapy for cancer may be right for you.

Cancer Research, Immuno-Oncology, News

Cancer Research Embraces the Age of Super Computing

July 26, 2017 Chris

Supercomputers Catapult Speed of Research Ahead.

Can technology be the key that unlocks the secret to curing cancer? A report from the Cancer Moonshot Task Force confirmed the importance of supercomputers to research focusing on immunotherapy for cancer and other effective treatments.

HPC: A High-Tech Weapon Against Cancer

The Cancer Moonshot program originated in 2016 with the support of then-Vice President Joe Biden. At the time, Energy Secretary Ernie Monitz, a member of the task force, wrote about the role of high performance computing (HPC) in analyzing complex databases to identify patterns and other vital information.

How Cancer Researchers Use HPC

HPC systems such as the one at the Texas Advanced Computing Center use seven basic methodologies to understand cancer biology and possible treatments.

• Molecular simulations of protein and drug interactions help to create more effective treatments.

• Bioinformatics unravel the complexities of cancer genomes.

• Mathematical modeling is used to develop formulas that predict how cancer will behave.

• Quantum calculations help to refine radiation therapies.

• Computational treatment planning creates the pinpoint accuracy required to prevent radiation from damaging organs and healthy tissues.

• Computational trial design is used in immunotherapy for cancer to gauge the correct combination of dosages.

• Machine learning is how researchers develop algorithms and other statistical methods to analyze and interpret massive datasets.

Cancer Treatment Is Not “One Size Fits All”

Issels® uses state-of-the-art testing methods to design a personalized immunotherapy for cancer treatment that addresses a patient’s specialized needs. Contact us to learn more about cancer vaccines, NK cells, hyperthermia and other non-toxic treatment programs at Issels®.

Cancer Care Tips, Cancer Caregivers, Living with Cancer, Uncategorized

Cancer Caregiver Tips: Talking About Cancer with Your Loved One

July 24, 2017 Chris

Are you a cancer caregiver who’s tiptoeing around your loved one because you’re afraid of saying the wrong thing? Use these tips to guide your conversations in positive and helpful directions.

Tips for Talking to a Cancer Patient

Don’t stress about coming up with the perfect words. This is a new situation for both of you. If you don’t know what to say, be honest about it. Your loved one will let you know what he or she needs.
Keep the focus on the patient. You’re there to help them, not the other way around. Talk to another friend or family member if you need a sounding board.
Avoid clichés or dismissive comments like “You’ll be fine” or “At least you got the ‘good’ cancer.” Of course you don’t want to be a source of doom and gloom, but minimizing the situation doesn’t make the patient feel any better.
Every case of cancer is different. Don’t bring up friends, family members or acquaintances and compare their situations.
Don’t ask for details about their cancer treatment such as blood test results or possible side effects. Let them share information if they like, but respect their personal boundaries.
Sometimes no words are necessary. Your loved one might want you to provide a sympathetic ear, or may prefer a period of silence. Be willing to graciously accommodate their wishes.

Personalized Cancer Treatment from Issels®

Your experience with cancer is unique, so your treatment should be also. Visit our website to learn more about cancer vaccines and other individually tailored and integrative immunotherapy for cancer treatments.

Breast Cancer, Cancer Treatment, Immunotherapy, News, Stage Four Cancer Treatment, Uncategorized

Olivia Newton John Shares News of Her Breast Cancer Metastasis

July 21, 2017 Chris

Actress and singer Olivia Newton-John has campaigned to raise awareness of cancer research since she began fighting the disease in 1992. In May she made the sad announcement that her breast cancer had returned and spread to her lower spine.

The Prognosis for Metastatic Breast Cancer

Newton-John’s breast cancer is metastatic, also known as Stage IV, which refers to cancer that begins in one area of the body and spreads to other organs or tissues. It was discovered when the singer postponed a concert tour due to lower back pain that was originally thought to be sciatica.

Family and friends remain positive, and Newton-John herself plans to resume touring in August. While metastatic breast cancer is a serious issue, doctors say that Newton-John and other women with this diagnosis have reason for optimism.

Five-Year Survival by the Numbers

A recent study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention discovered that the five-year survival rate for women with metastatic breast cancer had reached 36 percent during the last 10 years. That number is double the five-year survival rate for women diagnosed in the early 1990s.

According to Dr. Sagar Sardesai of the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, the healthcare community has begun thinking of metastatic breast cancer as a chronic disease. Physicians are working with patients cancer treatment programs that relieve symptoms and improve their quality of life.

Stage IV Cancer Treatment at Issels®

If you have been diagnosed with metastatic cancer, there is hope. Visit our website to read and hear testimonials from patients with Stage IV cancer in all forms who have been successfully treated with our immunotherapy programs.

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

One in five US Cancer Patients Are Diagnosed with a Rare Cancer

July 19, 2017 Chris

1 in 5 US Cancer Patients Are Diagnosed with a Rare Cancer

Rare cancers are more common than you think. As a group, they make up about 20% of all cancer diagnoses. However, each specific type of rare cancer is still very dangerous because the symptoms are often misdiagnosed. At Issels®, we often see patients whose rare cancer went undiagnosed despite several rounds of doctor visits and tests.

The American Cancer Society recently shed light on the frequency of rare cancer diagnoses:

Rare cancer is defined by annual diagnoses in less than 6 out of 100,000 people
71% of all cases in people under 20 years old are rare types
39% of all cases in people 20 to 39 years old are rare types
Younger people have better survival rates for rare cancer than older people

Together, Learning More About Rare Cancers

In some cases, standard cancer treatment fails to work as well as it does for common types of cancer. On the other hand, the ACS notes that innovations in rare cancer treatment often help scientists develop better treatment for all types of cancers.

After a rare cancer diagnosis, it can be difficult to find information if your physicians are not very familiar with the disease. We specialize in advanced stage cancer treatment at Issels®, including rare types of the disease that are not responding well enough to standard therapies.

At Issels®, we offer individualized treatments including cancer vaccines developed using the patient’s own autoimmune cells. Such treatments, known as immunotherapy, are helping patients with standard therapy–resistant and advanced stages of cancer.

Learn more about our integrative immunotherapy approach to cancer treatment on our website or contact us for more info.

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

Family’s 1,200 Mile Bike Ride to Fund Cancer Research

July 17, 2017 Chris

Family Raises Money for Pediatric Cancer

Getting creative can always help with a cancer awareness campaign. For one family in Michigan, that meant climbing on a bicycle built for three and setting out on a six-week fundraising bike trek from a Detroit suburb to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Karl and Eva Helminen have participated in many cancer fundraising efforts over the years, and they are also avid cyclists. As part of the Great Cycle Challenge USA program, they spent May 25 to July 5 on a bike with their 10-year-old son pedaling along, too. Their bulldog, Duchess, lent moral support and enjoyed restaurant leftovers along the way.

For the Helminens, the trip represented a special opportunity to help fundraise for childhood cancer treatment. As many families can relate, the Helminens have numerous family members and friends whose lives have been affected by cancer.

How Fundraising Events Help Cancer Treatment

Cancer awareness events can take many forms besides the typical walk or 5k run. Getting people talking and learning about cancer treatment and research projects is always the real goal.

The proceeds from cancer research events often get used to fund research to address difficult-to-treat types of cancer, including advanced stages, rare types, and cases that resist standard cancer therapeutic approaches.

At Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology, we see firsthand how innovative treatments can lead to cancer remission. Our therapies include targeted protocols to destroy cancer cells as well as immune enhancement that boosts the body’s existing cancer-killing capabilities.

The fight against cancer still has a long path ahead, but awareness and research are making inroads. Contact Issels® to learn more about our non-toxic immunotherapy cancer treatment.

The Issels News Blog