All posts by Chris

New Developments in Treatment for Blood Cancer Drug Resistance

New Blood Treatment
New Blood Treatment

Recently you may have seen some promising cancer research in the news concerning treatment for blood cancer drug resistance. Scientists at the University of Southampton have developed a drug that has the potential to reverse this resistance. Preliminary testing has shown great promise and may potentially be used for patients that have certain types of leukemia and lymphoma. These drugs are made from chemically engineered immune proteins that are considered to be antibodies. As these antibodies stick to the proteins on cancer cells, the immune system is directed to kill the cancer cells.

The reason these new drugs are working for people who have experienced resistance is that many of these drugs can be developed to prevent cancer cells from being able to hide from the immune cells, according to a study published in the Cancer Cell journal. This research was done by scientists located at the University of Southampton as well as professionals at BioInvent International. These studies were funded by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Research Foundation in the UK.

A new antibody that is called BI-1206, has also been discovered and it can prevent tolerance by binding to a certain molecule that is called FcyRIIB; this allows for cancer cells to be destroyed. A six year plan is being put into place by a team of professors and scientists in Southampton and Sweden to build on this exciting research. With more information and newly developed treatment options, blood cancer drug resistance may see great changes in the near future.

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Cancer Rates Increase in China Creating a Healthcare Crisis

Chinese Cancer Rates Are On The Rise
Chinese Cancer Rates Are On The Rise

The United States has made progress in recent years reducing the number of smokers. As a result, we have seen the male mortality rate from lung cancer decrease from 55 out of 100,000 people in 2000 to 40 per 100,000 in 2012, according to World Health Organization (WHO) data. As smoking rates increased among women, lung cancer increased for them as well.

At Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology, we know that your actions, lifestyle, and choice of cancer treatment can have a significant impact on your likelihood of surviving cancer. Right now, a crisis of increased cancer mortality is brewing in China.

China’s health crisis

The persistently high percentage of smokers, unhealthy diet, obesity, and toxic air pollution in China have lead to an increase of lung, bowel, and breast cancer rates. The mortality rate from lung cancer grew from about 50 out of every 100,000 men in 2000 to 60 per 100,000 by the year 2012. WHO officials say the rate of breast cancer has increased to the point that it is killing almost as many women as lung cancer.

Chinese welcome special patient hotels

Because many cancer patients in China do not trust the available treatment in their hometowns, they choose to wait for treatment in the larger cities that have more advanced facilities and cancer specialists. This has lead to the advent of special patient hotels. Different from traditional hotels, these facilities are in apartment blocks. For as little as $7 per day, patients and their families have a place to cook and stay while awaiting cancer treatment.

At Issels, we don’t make you wait for a specialist to become available. We provide rapid delivery of non-toxic treatment protocols to help your immune system combat and defend against cancer. Contact us today to learn more about our cancer treatment program.

University of Iowa Looks Carefully at Vitamin C Treatments for Cancer

Healthy Living With Cancer
Vitamin C Treatment

Many people swear by the use of Vitamin C supplements to prevent and cure colds and other common illnesses. Given its health applications, it might come as little surprise that the medical community would explore Vitamin C’s possible role in the fight against cancer.

Researchers at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics are studying the effects of large amounts of Vitamin C used in conjunction with other cancer treatments like chemotherapy. Preclinical testing began in 2008 when Vitamin C was used successfully to slow the growth of tumors in mice.

Phase one of the study is currently investigating whether high doses of Vitamin C administered intravenously are safe for humans. So far the treatment has been tolerated by pancreatic cancer patients, and researchers are awaiting the results on patients with brain and lung cancer.

The study has not yet progressed to the point of testing Vitamin C as a method of killing tumors. However, Joseph Cullen, a professor of surgery at UI, said that the preclinical testing with mice showed that Vitamin C seemed to create hydrogen peroxide that attacked and killed cancer cells without affecting healthy ones.

After scientists in the late 1970s had promising results with testing Vitamin C as a cancer treatment, Mayo Clinic performed a study in the 1980s that contradicted the earlier one. Cullen says that the Mayo Clinic focused on oral ingestion of Vitamin C, while UI’s tests are using intravenous dosage which allows for higher, more effective levels.

Our immuno-oncology protocols make use of natural, non-toxic treatments for a personalized approach to your specific needs. Contact us to learn more about our alternative cancer treatments.

“Angelina” Effect Causes An Increase in Genetic Cancer Testing

DNA
Genetic Predisposition

Hereditary ovarian and breast cancer have made the news in recent years thanks to Angelina Jolie. The actress made headlines in 2013 after revealing that she had a double mastectomy after finding out that she carries genetic mutations that increase her risk of breast and ovarian cancer. In 2015, she had her fallopian tubes and ovaries removed. 

Jolie’s disclosures have raised awareness of these types of cancer, prompting more women to undergo genetic testing for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations. However, in the latest cancer news, some major insurance companies are refusing to cover the costs of this testing. These companies, which include Aetna and Cigna, won’t cover these costs out of concern that the tests are unproven and might end up causing patients to seek unnecessary medical care, such as preventive chemotherapy. 

Health experts, including physicians and genetic counselors, have defended these tests, stating that delaying them could be putting patients who do carry these mutations at risk. If they knew that they were carriers, they could be taking steps to reduce their risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, such as making dietary changes.

Some health professionals also state that making these tests cost-prohibitive makes it harder for researchers to study their effectiveness in more detail. Health experts are encouraging insurance companies to cover the costs of genetic testing for cancer in order to reduce the costs associated with eventually having to treat cancer in those with a high risk. 

To keep up with the latest cancer news and to learn more about non-toxic forms of treatment, please visit Issels®. We offer integrative immunotherapy for a variety of cancers.

UK Breast Cancer Patients Waiting Too Long for Diagnosis

UK Patients are Waiting Too Long For Diagnosis
UK Patients are Waiting Too Long For Diagnosis

At Issels®, our programs have focused on our patients for over 60 years. This includes providing patients with support and information along with the most current natural cancer treatments.

A recent report in The Guardian news in the UK notes that “17 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer waited for over a month to see a GP.” Even when the patients recognized symptoms, they chose to wait. Another worrisome poll by YouGov concerning breast cancer care states “one in 20 women wait more than six months” to see a doctor which decreases the opportunity to provide effective treatment at the earliest stages of their cancer.

Many of the women who prolonged visiting their GP convinced themselves the symptoms they exhibited were not serious. A significant number admitted they were too scared to schedule a doctor visit because they were afraid their fears would be validated.

Unfortunately, ignoring the symptoms of breast cancer, whether because of fear or denial, does nothing to tackle the cancer cells. Not seeing a doctor to get a proper diagnosis only allows the cancer cells to multiply.

Early diagnosis is the key to getting a jump start on the disease and patients are strongly urged to schedule an appointment, as soon as possible, whenever one or  more of cancer symptoms are present.

At our centers, patients receive immunotherapy along with other types of treatment and care with the use of non-toxic medications. Our goal is providing treatment and helping patients navigate through each step. For this to happen, it’s important to follow through with doctor visits.

If you have questions about breast cancer and need information about our programs, please contact our center.

Technion Lab Finds Protein That Suppresses Cancer

Researchers Find New Cancer Suppressing Protein
Researchers Find New Cancer Suppressing Protein

Researchers at Israel’s oldest university, the Technion, have found two proteins that are able to suppress the spreading and growth of cancer cells. In the published paper on their findings, researchers show that these proteins can repress cancer. They also mention that high levels of the protein called KPC1 and another called p50 are able to protect tissue from tumors.

The research

This study took place in Professor Aaron Ciechanover’s laboratory. He is a recipient of the Nobel Prize for chemistry for discovering the ubiquitin process. This process is a cell system that breaks down damaged proteins that can potentially damage otherwise healthy cells and tissue. Scientists used human tumors for the study that were then grown inside of mice. They also used samples taken from human tumors themselves.

The ubiquitin system

These previously unknown proteins were discovered while studying the ubiquitin process. The process is an essential part of the life of cells. It handles the destruction of defective proteins that will damage cells if not eliminated. The ubiquitin system will typically tag the unhealthy proteins, along with nonessential healthy proteins, for destruction.

The proteins

When KPC1 is a key component of the ubiquitin system, it generates p50. Researchers found higher levels of KPC1 and/or p50 in healthy tissue can defend the tissue from cancerous tumors. Developing drugs or cancer treatments based on the findings is possible, but years in the future.

At Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology, we utilize the patient’s own immune system to defend against and eliminate cancer cells. To read more about the latest cancer treatment breakthroughs or learn more about our own non-toxic individualized cancer treatments, visit the Issels®  website and sign up for our free e-Newsletter.