All posts by Chris

Living with Cancer, Stress Management

Put Worry to Bed and Get a Good Night’s Rest

A Good Nights Sleep
A Good Nights Sleep

When you’re coping with cancer, making sure you get a good night’s sleep can be challenging. Between worrying about your condition and dealing with symptoms, you can end up having trouble falling asleep or difficulty staying asleep throughout the night.

Benefits of Improved Sleep

Taking steps to ensure that you’re able to get restful sleep is an important part of living with cancer. A good night’s sleep gives you more energy and allows your body time to rest and recover from the day. Not getting enough sleep affects your immune system, making it harder for your body to fight off infection.

Tips for Getting Better Sleep

The key to improving your sleep quality while you’re coping with cancer is to make sure you’re feeling relaxed at bedtime. The following tips can help ensure that you’re in a better frame of mind for a good night’s rest:

  • Limit naps. Only allow yourself to take one nap of 45 minutes or less during the day. Just make sure you don’t nap after 4pm, or you’ll have trouble falling asleep later in the evening.
  • Unwind before bedtime. Take at least one hour to relax before going to bed. Spend this time reading, writing in a journal or listening to music instead of watching TV or using a computer or tablet.
  • Stay positive. Repeat a helpful, upbeat phrase to yourself before going to bed. Avoid researching your condition or discussing it between dinner and bedtime, which will help you feel less stressed.

If you’d like information on healthy ways to treat cancer, please contact Issels®. We offer integrative immuno-oncology programs and personalized non-toxic therapies to help you get better and feel stronger.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research

Extra Oxygen May Hold the Key to Stop Cancer Growth

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Oxygen Is Key
Oxygen Is Key

That essential oxygen we breathe is delivered to our organs and body tissues via the blood pumped throughout our bodies. Scientists have known for quite some time that adequate oxygen is vital to healthy organs and proper brain function.

A recent cancer study using mice suggests extra oxygen could boost the immune system’s ability to fight cancer cells. Immunotherapy is the cornerstone of our non-toxic treatment protocols at Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology.

Tumor growth

Most of the time, the immune system identifies and destroys abnormal cells, preventing them from developing into cancer. Once a tumor begins to develop, it has its own defenses to block attacks from the immune system. Tumors grow at a faster rate than the blood supplied oxygen can combat. This creates an oxygen-deprived environment that is more conducive to tumor growth. The lack of oxygen is a catalyst to the tumor making adenosine. The adenosine molecule neutralizes the tumor fighting T cells of the immune system.

Supplement oxygen cancer therapy

The study led by Michail Sitkovsky, who is the director of the Tissue Protection Institute at Northeastern University, used mice with lung tumors to test how extra oxygen altered the tumor created environment and helped the immune system do its job.

The tumors of mice that were in the high-oxygen group shrank. The shrinking was more significant when the mice were injected with additional T cells. What makes the results even more exciting is that oxygen is so well tolerated by the human body, unlike many traditional cancer treatments.

For more information on the benefits of immunotherapy and all the latest cancer news, visit Issels.com and sign up for our free e-Newsletter.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research

What Are Probiotics? How Can They Help Me?

Get Your Probiotics
Get Your Probiotics

Living healthy. This is something we see, hear, and read about on a daily basis. For many, healthy living is a choice, for many others, it’s necessary due to health issues. Either way, living a healthy lifestyle is a positive goal to focus on. At Issels ®, we focus on providing you with the help and support you need to live healthy including nutritional tips for cancer patients.

Another word you might have heard in the world of health is “probiotics.” These friendly bacteria and yeasts are good for the digestive system. They’re found in the digestive system and in certain foods such as yogurt, honey, cheese, oats, and pickles. There are also over-the-counter supplements for these friendly bacteria.

Benefits of probiotics include:

  • When your body loses bacteria, probiotics serve as a replacement
  • Probiotics keep bad bacteria that can lead to infections at low levels
  • Probiotics work as a monitor to keep good bacteria and bad bacteria balanced

For patients who are going through cancer treatment as well those who have completed treatment, studies show certain probiotic strains help reduce issues of diarrhea due to radiation treatment.

According to an article by Vanessa Wada, MS, RD, studies indicate,”these organisms have demonstrated their potential in minimizing cancer treatment side effects and reducing cancer risk.” That is encouraging.

Her report also notes liver cancer may also be affected by probiotics as well as breast cancer and bladder cancer. As positive research continues into the healthy effects of the bacteria, Dr. Wada suggests adding probiotics to the diet.

If you have questions or need information, contact our staff at Issels in the USA, Canada or abroad by phone. Or use our convenient online form and we’ll respond to your email.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research

A Look Back at the Successes in Treating Ovarian Cancer

Prostate Cancer
Treating Ovarian Cancer

For the many drafted into the fight against ovarian cancer, its sub-40% cure rate can seem especially daunting. No matter where you’re at in your cancer journey, Issels® wants you to know you have an increased fighting chance thanks to these ovarian cancer treatment advancements which can stop aggressively growing tumors from endangering vital organs and gain time for immunotherapy to work.

Let’s celebrate our success in the hard-fought battle against ovarian cancer!

  • Changes to surgical principles
    Now that the role of surgery is more clearly understood, complete surgical staging (checking the spread of cancer) and debulking (the removal of cancerous tumors), is now recommended for nearly all patients suspected of harboring any residual disease in order to create better outcomes.
  • Intraperitoneal chemotherapy
    A major development in ovarian cancer treatment, this stage three cancer therapy delivers a concentrated dose of chemotherapy directly to the cancer site via a catheter inserted into the abdominal cavity. Strong evidence now associates its use with a major improvement in median ovarian cancer survival rates in women.
  • The addition of bevacizumab
    Bevacizumab, an angiogenesis inhibitor, has offered ovarian cancer victims a variety of bevacizumab-containing regimens which slow the growth of new blood vessels, offering a progression-free survival as opposed to overall survival when other methods have been exhausted.

Who do we have to thank for these treatments?
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®), a not-for-profit alliance of 25 of the world’s leading cancer centers devoted to patient care, research, and education, is dedicated to improving the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of cancer care so that patients can live better lives.

Do you have the right cancer battle strategy? Plot your course for a better life with Issels® today.

Cancer Research, Living with Cancer

Lung Cancer Grows in Women and May Surpass Breast Cancer

Lung Cancer On The Decline
Lung Cancer In Women

Breast cancer can rightly be considered the most significant disease facing women specifically. However, researchers have long warned that lung cancer rates could overtake breast cancer as the most fatal form of the disease in women. The Annals of Oncology have recently released a report confirming that 2015 may be the year that lung cancer kills more women than breast cancer across Europe.

Even while cancer death rates decline overall, lung cancer rates trend upward as the population ages. The statistics in Europe reflect a global truth: where smoking has been prevalent, both men and women face high rates of lung cancer.

The fact that this disease could affect more women than breast cancer serves as a reminder for necessity of awareness and prevention efforts.

There are several key issues to understand about the rise of lung cancer in women:

  • Many women began smoking after World War II. As the population ages, more women develop lung cancer. Smoking cessation can begin to reduce the rates.
  • Rates vary notably by country. Smoking has been more common in England and Poland than many other European countries. British women (21 per 100,000) and Polish women (17 per 100,000) exceed the EU average of 14 deaths per 100,000.
  • The trends represent a rise in lung cancer rates, more than a reduction in breast cancer rates.

At Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology, we study every case of cancer individually. Research into the overall trends provides another important facet of fighting cancer: if we understand why one form of the disease is becoming more common, we can better anticipate future patient needs. Contact Issels® to find out about holistic and individualized cancer therapies.

After Cancer, Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Survivors

Twist Out Cancer Allows Cancer Patients to Share Their Stories

Sharing Their Stories
Sharing Their Stories

As a cancer patient, it can be easy to feel isolated and alone as you fight the illness. Community support can relieve your loneliness and provide inspiration from the encouragement of others. A young woman’s refusal to be marginalized led to the creation of Twist Out Cancer, an online social network allowing members to form positive connections.

One woman’s story

Jenna Benn Shersher was a 29-year-old woman dealing with a rare form of lymphoma that affects fewer than 300 people in the United States. Although her compromised immune system kept her isolated, she decided to proactively reach out for companionship.

Since treatment prevented her from enjoying her favorite pastime of dancing, Jenna posted a video of herself twisting in her room to Chubby Checker songs. She invited viewers to join her on the “dance floor,” and it took only days to receive responses from thousands of people, many of whom shared their own dance videos.

Giving back to the community

After completing treatment, Jenna wanted to use her experience to benefit other cancer patients seeking companionship. Twist Out Cancer is a website devoted to creating bonds through the sharing of thoughts, stories and experiences.

Anyone touched by cancer is encouraged to create their own page highlighting the personal “twist” they use to cope with the disease. One young woman recently issued a challenge to others to “Kiss Away Cancer” by posting selfies of their smooches with family, friends or even passers-by.

At Issels® we look beyond cancer to see the unique individual that you are. Our treatments are personalized to meet your particular needs. Visit our website to learn more about our non-toxic immunotherapy methods.