All posts by Chris

Cancer Care Tips, Living with Cancer

Should I Tell My Grandchildren I Have Cancer?

1 Comment
When a Caregiver Gets Cancer
Should You Tell the Younger Members of Your Family You Have Cancer?

If you’ve received a diagnosis of cancer, your family will serve as the anchors of your support system. But should that include the younger members? Here are some helpful suggestions for sharing the news with grandchildren.

What Do I Tell Them?

• Before any decisions are made, consult with your children and their spouses. They have the ultimate responsibility of raising their kids, so they should have the ultimate approval over what they are told along with when and where.

• Formulate the content of your discussion based on the child’s point of view. Depending on age, he or she may not even know what cancer is, let alone have any frame of reference for it.

• Children are naturally self-centered, but not in a bad way. They simply don’t have the life experience to think outside of themselves. While they will be concerned for you, be prepared to assure them that their life will go on as normal.

Do I HAVE to Tell Them?

Children are more intuitive than most people think. If they sense that something’s wrong, lack of knowledge will frighten them more than the truth. It’s also better that they learn from you rather than from an outside source which may be misinformed.

Immunotherapy for Cancer: Giving Hope to Patients and Families

Former President Jimmy Carter is one of a growing number of patients who have successfully received immunotherapy for cancer treatments. Contact us today for testimonials from patients at our Issels® clinic who have benefited from personalized treatment protocols for cancer in all forms, including melanoma, leukemia, and breast cancer.

 

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Care Tips, Living with Cancer

Tips for Settling Your Stomach While in Cancer Treatment

1 Comment
Better Eating
Better Eating

Nausea is a common side effect that occurs with cancer patients, whether from the disease itself or from treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation. While the physical discomfort is bad enough, nausea can prevent you from absorbing valuable nutrients when you need them the most.

Relieving Nausea during Cancer Treatment

Drugs called antiemetics can help control nausea, but here are some cancer treatment tips you can use to naturally reduce your symptoms:

  • Don’t try to counteract nausea by eating your favorite foods. A more likely result is that you’ll lose your taste for those foods because you associate them with the nausea.
  • Sip liquids throughout the day, but not during meals, when it can cause bloating and a feeling of fullness.
  • Sitting comfortably for about an hour after eating helps digestion.
  • Wear loose-fitting clothes that are less restrictive around your midsection.
  • If you’re experiencing nausea during therapy sessions, avoid eating for a couple of hours before treatment.
  • Soft foods such as oatmeal, yogurt and canned fruits and vegetables are easier on your stomach. Avoid spices along with foods that are high in fat or sugar.
  • Track your episodes of nausea to identify specific triggers and adjust your eating habits accordingly.

Issels® Offers State-of-the-Art Immunotherapy for Cancer

We know that your environment and lifestyle contribute to successful cancer treatment. Visit our website for more cancer treatment tips and contact us to learn more about our individually tailored therapies such as cancer vaccines and NK cells.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Breast Cancer, Immunotherapy

Promising New Protocols for Breast Cancer Detection and Treatment

Super Survivor
New Breast Cancer Detection Technique

Past case records show that breast cancer has a history dating back to the days of ancient Egypt. Flash forward to the 21st century, where five innovative protocols are showing promise in more effective detection and treatment of breast cancer.

  1. Genetic Testing

Approximately 15 to 20 percent of breast cancer cases have a hereditary factor. Genetic testing aids in early detection and allows women to consider preventive measures such as prophylactic mastectomy.

  1. Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI)

With MBI, a patient receives a low-dose injection of a radioactive chemical that is absorbed at a more concentrated rate by breast cancer cells, making them easier to spot. MBI has been shown to be more cost-effective than magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

  1. Internal Radiation

While traditional radiation therapy requires weeks of daily treatments, internal radiation takes a matter of only days. A small catheter-like device is implanted in a patient’s breast, where it emits a higher dose of radiation in a more focused area.

  1. Antibody Medication

Antibody medication disrupts the growth mechanism of certain cancer cells. Newer formulas pair antibodies with a chemotherapy element for more aggressive treatment.

  1. Immunotherapy for Cancer

In contrast with more standard treatments such as chemotherapy that attack cancer cells directly, immunotherapy boosts the ability of a patient’s own immune system to fight tumors. Atezolizumab, a drug currently used to treat melanoma, bladder and lung cancers, has shown positive results in testing on breast cancer.

Issels®: A Leader in Groundbreaking Immunotherapy for Cancer

For years, Issels® has been in the forefront of state-of-the-art immunotherapy for cancer treatments. Contact us today for more information.

After Cancer, Alternative Cancer Treatment, Immunotherapy

New After-Cancer Self-Care Treatments Boost Healing

Create a Positive State of Mind
Create a Positive State of Mind

While immunotherapy for cancer and other innovative methods have improved breast cancer treatment results, women can still suffer from physical and mental side effects that threaten their overall well-being. Many women are finding relief in alternative self-care activities that create a more positive frame of mind and facilitate healing.

1. Brain-Building Exercises

Traditional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy can sometimes impair the brain’s cognitive functioning. Rehabilitation oncology therapists use tools like game apps to help patients keep their minds sharp and boost their memory skills.

2. Hit the Dance Floor

Dance is a joyous and light-hearted alternative to standard physical therapy. The tango has been found to help patients improve balance, gait and side-to-side movements, skills that sometime suffer during cancer treatment.

3. Yoga and Meditation

Yoga and meditation draw heavily on Eastern medicine concepts of the connection between mind and body. Regular practice clears the mind and relieves stress, which boosts the body’s immune function. Guided imagery is a form of meditation that involves a therapist guiding patients through a series of positive mental images.

4. Natural Medicines

Natural vitamins, nutrients and supplements can work well when paired with conventional treatment methods. If you’re considering this course, be sure to consult your doctor and healthcare team to make choices that will not interfere with other medications or treatments.

Issels®: Creating Treatments Based on Each Patient’s Needs

At Issels®, we strongly believe that a patient’s lifestyle and environment play a role in effective immunotherapy for cancer. Contact us today to learn more about our personally-developed integrative programs including non-toxic cancer vaccines and cell therapies.

Cancer Research, Immunotherapy

Wheat Germ Extract Shows Potent Anti-Cancer Activity

Another Step in Stopping Cancer
Another Step in Stopping Cancer

For years, doctors have been advising that a nutritious diet low in fat and rich in antioxidants is beneficial in preventing cancer and helpful in boosting the health of cancer patients. Studies show that fermented wheat germ extract (FWGE), a popular staple in health food stores, can be a potent anti-cancer dietary supplement.

What Is Fermented Wheat Germ Extract?

Quite simply, wheat germ is extracted from the germ, or seed, of a wheat plant. FWGE is wheat germ fermented with baker’s yeast to create a concentration of an active substance called benzoquinones.

FWGE is sold under the trade name of Avemar in Hungary, where it’s registered as a special nutriment for cancer patients. (Avemar is marketed as AWGE in the U.S.) In the 1990s, the fermentation process was patented by a group of Hungarian scientists who also conducted in vitro and human clinical trials.

Anti-Cancer Properties of Avemar

Cancer cells use glucose as building blocks for rapid proliferation. As the tumor grows, it continues consuming more and more of the available glucose, causing the cancer patient to experience fatigue and weight loss.

In addition to interfering with a tumor’s glucose metabolism, Avemar has applications for immunotherapy for cancer as an NK cell activator. Both processes result in apoptosis, or “suicide” of cancer cells.

Immunotherapy for Cancer: A Non-Toxic, Integrative Approach

At Issels®, we evaluate your individual case along with factors such as lifestyle and environment to create a personalized course of treatment. Visit our website to learn more about innovative methods such as cancer vaccines and gene-targeted therapies.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Living with Cancer

Hispanic and Black Males are Less Likely to Receive Prostate Cancer Treatment – Why?

Prostate Cancer
Prostate Cancer

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, black males are at greater risk of developing prostate cancer than any other race or ethnicity. Despite this, a recently published study shows that black and Hispanic males are least likely to receive treatment of all groups.

Does Race Impact Prostate Cancer Treatment?

The study was conducted jointly by researchers from Roswell Park Cancer Institute and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Participants included 327,641 men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer between 2004 and 2011.

Data gathered by researchers included demographic data such as age, race and marital status along with two cancer-specific elements:

  • Gleason score, which indicates the relative aggressiveness of a tumor (a score of 7 to 10 is considered high-grade)
  • D’Amico risk classification, which determines the risk of post-treatment recurrence (low, intermediate or high)

Within all three D’Amico categories, data analysis revealed that black males had “significantly lower odds” of receiving treatment. The same held true for Hispanic males in the intermediate- and high-risk categories.

While some subjects may have followed a new approach called watchful waiting, wherein the patient continues to receive medical care but defers actual treatment, lead author Dr. Kelvin Moses of VUMC points to the “significant disparity” in treatment rates for African-American males. With Hispanic males not far behind, Dr. Moses hopes results of the study will prompt action within the medical community.

Immunotherapy for Cancer Addresses Your Specific Needs

At Issels®, our personally tailored immunotherapy for cancer programs have successfully treated patients with prostate cancer as well as other forms including breast, colon, lung, and melanoma. Contact us today for real-life testimonials from our patients.