All posts by Nancy McCord

Cancer Research

Will Your Low Fat Diet Help You Beat Breast Cancer?

Woman with Basket of Food
A Low Fat Diet May Help You Beat Breast Cancer.

A study by Dr. Rowan Chlebowski, a medical oncologist at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center’s Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, shows that some women diagnosed with breast cancer who maintain a low-fat diet may reduce their risk of early death.

Research for women in the early stages of breast cancer specific to estrogen receptor-negative (ER-negative) cancer showed positive results. For this group, Dr. Chlebowski’s study showed a reduced risk of death factor of 36 percent over a 15-year study for patients who maintained a diet of low-fat food for five years after being diagnosed.

For women diagnosed with both ER-negative and progesterone-receptor negative (PR-negative) cancer, the results were even higher. Following the same five year low-fat diet regimen after initial diagnosis, patients experienced a 56 percent reduction in risk of death due to any cause.

The study included over 2,400 women ranging in age from 48 to 79 in the early stages of breast cancer. Of the 2,400 women, approximately 1,600 were diagnosed with ER-positive cancer while the remaining 800 were diagnosed with ER-negative or both ER and PR-negative cancer.

During the study, low-fat diets for half of the women was a requirement. Unannounced checks were made throughout the study. The other group was not required to maintain a low-fat diet. The study showed a lower death rate in the low-fat diet research group.

The study is the first where a low-fat diet over an extended period for cancer patients has been researched.

For information about how integrative immuno-oncology works in the treatment of breast cancer, contact Issels®. Established in 1951, Issels® has made a name for itself internationally for its success in the long-term remission of advanced tumors.

 

Alternative Cancer Treatment

Is the Price of Cancer Care Killing Patients?

Stack of Money
Is the price of cancer care too high?

Fighting cancer involves full concentration of a patient’s physical, mental and emotional resources. Keeping a positive frame of mind is one of the most effective weapons in the battle. Sadly, patients are increasingly distracted by concern over the financial toll of their survival.

It’s not unusual for a full round of chemotherapy to cost $100,000. Medication can run into the thousands just for one month’s supply. Considering the fact that these treatments are only a fraction of the total medical care required by cancer patients, it’s clear that the dollars involved go well beyond any investment undertaken by most people.

We consider life to be priceless, but cancer patients are forced to consider the literal value of gaining an extra year, month, or even week. They conduct a debate with themselves whether or not it’s worth the gamble of leaving their families with no financial resources.

Since not all treatments are covered, healthcare insurance is often only a partial solution at best. Far too many people exist in the grey area where they are above the threshold of qualifying for assistance but not well-off enough to afford the exorbitant costs of medical care.

This quandary also puts healthcare providers in a difficult situation. Not only do they have to weight the risks and benefits of potential treatments, they have to consider the economic hardship they could mean for patients.

Our caring staff at Issels® work with you every step of the way to develop a personalized course of alternative cancer treatment to fit your individual needs. Please contact us to learn more about our services.

 

Cancer Research, Cancer Survivors, Living with Cancer

February 4th is World Cancer Day

Today is World Cancer Day.
Today is World Cancer Day.

Some catastrophic events cast dark shadows long before they occur. A cancer diagnosis frequently comes like a thunderbolt on a cloudless day. It can strike any person of any station in life and at any age. At Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology, we have more than 60 years experience successfully treating cancer patients. Join with us by participating in World Cancer Day 2015 as we celebrate cancer treatment  successes, continue striving for further advancements in research, and educate others on the importance of healthy living and early cancer detection.

Not beyond us

This year’s tag line reminds us all that cancer is “not beyond us” and that we should remain vigilant in our fight against this deadly disease. In the United States, cancer is second only to cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of deaths. According to the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), more than 50 percent of the cancer related deaths that will occur this year could have been prevented. Tobacco use is the leading cause.

What can you do?

The earlier in life you adopt a healthy lifestyle, the lower your risk of developing cancer. Protect yourself from this and other non communicable diseases by not using any form of tobacco, keeping any alcohol consumption to a minimum, maintaining a healthy diet, and getting plenty of exercise. The financial and emotional toll of treating cancer far outweighs the effort and investment required to implement preventive behaviors into your life.

To stay updated on the latest cancer screening methods and to learn more about our non-toxic immunotherapy treatments, visit the Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology website and sign up for our free e-Newsletter.

 

Alternative Cancer Treatment

The Importance of Cancer Pathology In Your Cancer Treatment

Sign Stop Cancer
Stopping Cancer

Getting an accurate diagnosis is crucial before making decisions on what type of cancer treatment to undergo. The treatment you’ll benefit from the most typically depends on what type of cancer you have and how advanced it is. One of the most effective ways to determine this is through pathology.

The Role of Pathologists

Pathologists provide in-depth diagnoses and might even end up changing a patient’s diagnosis depending on what they find, although this is rare. These specialists examine tumors and tissue in order to determine whether cancer is present, how serious it is and whether surrounding areas have been affected. They also run additional tests to see if the cancer will spread and study its nature.

Pathologists use advanced technology, including genetic sequencing, to provide an even more accurate diagnosis or to look for genetic mutations that could affect the type of treatment you need. In addition to performing these tests, pathologists consider several other factors, such as:

  • Family medical history
  • Personal medical history
  • Other health conditions
  • Age
  • Imaging tests

Taking all of these factors into considerations, along with test results, helps pathologists come up with the most effective ways to treat cancer. For example, if they find a slow-growing cancer, you might be able to put off treatment and have your condition monitored instead. If you have cancer that’s not likely to spread or a certain genetic mutation, pathologists might recommend targeted therapies. Once you have a diagnosis, you can start considering your treatment options.

If you need help finding the right non-toxic cancer treatment, please contact Issels®. We offer a wide range of nontoxic immunotherapy options for all types and stages of cancer.

 

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Care Tips

Some Health Providers Alter Cancer Care Payments by Bundling

Reducing Cancer Care Costs
Reducing Cancer Care Costs

A new payment method for treating certain types of is cancer being tried by the country’s largest health insurer. UnitedHealth Group (UNH) has announced they will soon launch a pilot program with Houston based MD Anderson Cancer Center. Rather than multiple fee-for-service payments, UNH will pay the cancer center a single bundled payment for treatment of head and neck cancer.

Eliminate billing inefficiencies

The innovative payment plan is to last for three years. Studies have shown that paying several individual fees for testing, radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy cost more than the bundled payment method. UNH believes they can eliminate cost brought on by bureaucratic red tape and give both doctors and patients a better idea what the treatment will cost before it is underway.

Better coordination among doctors

Cancer treatment and related drug cost account for about 11 percent of UNH’s health plan expenditures. While treatment of head and neck cancer is a small part of that, it does involve physicians of various specialties. They will have to work together more closely under the bundled payment plan. If the pilot program does prove successful, UNH plans to expand it to the treatment of other types of cancer.

Our Approach is Different

These are just two of the many types of cancers that Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology has successfully kept in remission for thousands of patients. Without the problem of bundling by such as by some providers, Issels® is able to provide the treatment that you need instead of a “cookie cutter” approach.

For more information about the highly personalized treatment protocols, non-toxic cancer vaccines, and cell therapies used by Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology, contact us today. Our therapies are based on 60 years of successful cancer treatment and extensive scientific research.

Cancer Research, News

Startling Similarity Found Between Cancer and Embryonic Cells

Cancer cells
Image of Cells

Researchers in Spain have discovered an unexpected similarity between the behaviors of cancer cells and the cells that form human embryos that could some day lead to new cancer treatments to prevent cancer from metastasizing. (Visit this link to read the original article by M. Angela Nieto of the Instituto de Neurociencias Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas published in Science magazine.)

When human embryos form, embryonic cells must migrate from the initial cellular core to new locations where they form different types of tissues and organs. When they are tasked to become heart cells or skin cells or bone cells, embryonic cells must undergo two complex genetic transformations that require remarkable cell plasticity.

In processes that involve gene splicing and micro-RNA networking, embryonic cells undergo a transformation that allows them to become mobile and move to specific designated locations in the developing body. Scientists call this process epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, or EMT. Once embryonic cells have arrived at their designated location, they undergo a second transformation that restores their ability to replicate and allows them to assume their newly assigned differentiated form heart cells or skin cells or bone cells, etc. Scientists call this “reverse” process mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition, or MET.

Spanish researchers have observed this same two-step process – EMT followed by MET — when cancer cells metastasize. EMT occurs when cancer cells leave their primary tumor and travel to other parts of the body. When they arrive at new locations, MET occurs, allowing cancer cells to replicate and form secondary tumors. Other research indicates that changes in the tumor microenvironment may initiate these processes in cancer tumors.