Category Archives: Alternative Cancer Treatment

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

Gene Therapies for Two Blood Cancers Become a Reality

State of the Art Research on Blood Cancers Is Under Way
State of the Art Research on Blood Cancers Is Under Way

2017 was a breakthrough year for cancer treatment. For the first time ever, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two gene therapies for blood cancers that have failed to respond to traditional forms of treatment.

Helping a Patient’s Own Body Fight Cancer

The new treatments are known as CAR-T cell immunotherapy. What’s exciting about these therapies is that they enhance the power of a patient’s own immune system to seek out and kill cancer cells.

T cells are immune system cells responsible for attacking foreign substances in the body. First, a doctor extracts T cells from a patient’s blood sample. The cells are then genetically modified to produce artificial proteins.

These proteins are called chimeric antigen receptors, or CAR, and they have the ability to recognize cancer cells in a patient. Once the modified T cells have been replicated, they’re reintroduced to the patient’s system to find and destroy cancer cells.

An “Explosion of Interest”

Kymriah, manufactured by Novartis, was approved for use with ALL, a form of leukemia that affects children and young adults. Gilead Sciences produces the other gene therapy, called Yescarta, which is used with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

According to Dario Campano, an immunologist involved in the development of Kymriah, the approval of these therapies triggered an “explosion of interest.” Campano expects continued research to lead to greater advancements in the technology.

Immunotherapy Cancer Treatment at Issels®

Issels® has long been a leader in the use of non-toxic, personally tailored cancer treatment programs that harness the power of a patient’s immune system. Contact us to learn more about cancer vaccines and other treatments available at Issels®.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Cancer Treatment, Cancer Vaccine, Immunotherapy for Cancer, Uncategorized

NIH Considers Cancer Research on Genomics Critical

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New Research Is Unlocking the Mystery of Cancer
New Research Is Unlocking the Mystery of Cancer

As scientists learn more about how cancer cells operate, they use that knowledge to formulate more effective methods of cancer immunotherapy. For this reason, the National Institute of Health (NIH) considers genomics research to be a critical tool in the fight against cancer.

Why Genomics Research?

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is the arm of the NIH devoted to cancer research and training. In 2012, the NCI founded the Center for Cancer Genomics (CCG) for the purpose of studying the role of altered genes in the development of cancer.

Cancer results from abnormal cell growth within the body. Genomics research helps scientists understand more about these abnormalities and how they drive cancer development, leading to more precise methods of diagnosis and treatment.

Benefits of Cancer Genomics Research

One example of the success of genomic research is the development of vemurafenib (trade name Zelboraf®), which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2011. Vemurafenib is a cancer treatment that targets a form of melanoma arising from a specific mutation in the BRAF gene.

As researchers survey and catalog the results of various projects over the years, they have uncovered genetic similarities between seemingly disparate forms of cancer. For instance, mutations in the HER2 gene have been revealed in breast, bladder, pancreatic and ovarian cancers.

Cancer Immunotherapy at Issels®

Genomic diagnostics are an important part of the Issels® comprehensive immunobiologic core treatment. These tests are invaluable in providing essential information to help us identify causes of the disease and develop personalized cancer immunotherapy programs.

Contact us to learn more about cancer vaccines and other treatments at Issels®.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Cancer Treatment, Uncategorized

New Genetic Tests May Detect Some Asymptomatic Pancreatic Cancers Early

Rare but Deadly Pancreatic Cancer can Sneak up on Your Body's Immune system. Doctors and Researchers are Looking for Ways to Fight and Detect.
Rare but Deadly Pancreatic Cancer can Sneak up on Your Body’s Immune system. Doctors and Researchers are Looking for Ways to Fight and Detect.

Despite advancements in cancer treatment, pancreatic cancer continues to have one of the lower survival rates of all forms. Scientists are encouraged that a new test may increase the effectiveness of early detection and treatment.

Improving Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer

Medical scans routinely uncover pancreatic cysts, which are small pockets of fluid. While most are benign, some can lead to pancreatic cancer. This poses a dilemma for doctors, who know the importance of early detection but are reluctant to recommend potentially unnecessary surgery.

Dr. Aatur D. Singhi and his team at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) set out to find a way to test pancreatic cysts before surgery, rather than after. The result was PancreaSeq®, a procedure in which fluid is removed from a cyst and tested for 10 different types of tumor genes.

Breakthroughs in Cancer Testing

The UPMC study is noteworthy for other reasons as well. It was the first to evaluate testing that incorporates next-generation genetic sequencing and the first to be conducted in a certified and accredited clinical laboratory rather than a research facility.

During testing, PancreaSeq® was 100 percent accurate in classifying subjects who had a common precursor to pancreatic cancer. In addition, it also identified cysts that would progress to cancerous lesions with 100 percent accuracy and did not include any false positives.

Issels®: Your #1 Choice for Immunotherapy Cancer Treatment

Gene-targeted therapies are an important part of our non-toxic, integrative cancer treatment programs. Contact us to learn more about cancer vaccines, NK cells and other state-of-the-art therapies at Issels®.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Treatment, Immuno-Oncology, Immunotherapy, Immunotherapy for Cancer, Uncategorized

Issels and the Dendritic Cell Vaccine for Cancer

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It's Time to Cross Out Cancer!
It’s Time to Cross Out Cancer!

For decades, Issels® has been a leader in non-toxic immunotherapy for cancer treatments. The dendritic cell vaccine is one of the most potent weapons in our cancer-fighting arsenal, succeeding in many late-stage patients for whom other treatments had failed.

The Power of Dendritic Cells

Immunotherapy for cancer focuses on boosting the power of the body’s own immune system to fight tumors. Dendritic cells are part of the immune system, serving as advance sentries that recognize the presence of foreign antigens.

Once the dendritic cells process the antigens, they are presented to T cells, another part of the immune system. T cells are effectors that provide a response to stimulus such as bacteria, viruses and other invaders.

Individually, dendritic cells are extremely potent, but the problem is that they’re not usually present in large enough quantities. Dendritic cell vaccines are an effective method of increasing their numbers.

Issels® and the Dendritic Cell Vaccine

In a process called extracorporeal photophoresis, a patient’s blood passes through an ultraviolet light chamber, which provides an immune boosting effect. White blood cells are harvested and cultured into active dendritic cells, then re-injected into the body to trigger an immune response.

Traditional cancer treatments often have side effects because they attack healthy cells along with tumor cells. Dendritic cells can distinguish normal dying cells from cancer cells so the immune system refrains from attacking them.

Personalized Immunotherapy for Cancer at Issels®

Dendritic cell vaccines are only one of the innovative treatments we use for patients with all forms of cancer. Contact us to read and hear testimonials from our many patients who have successfully achieved long-term remission.

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

NIH Embraces Immunotherapy as a Top Cancer Treatment

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NIH Embraces Immunotherapy as a Top Cancer Treatment
NIH Embraces Immunotherapy as a Top Cancer Treatment

The National Institutes of Health has named immunotherapy as a top form of cancer treatment. In the past, chemotherapy and radiation were typically the main types of cancer treatments that the NIH focused on. However, research findings and treatment advances have led to an increase in the demand for immunotherapy for cancer.

Fighting Cancer with the Immune System

Immunotherapy relies on the body’s immune system to seek out and destroy cancer cells before they have a chance to spread. This type of treatment focuses on strengthening natural immune defenses against cancer rather than targeting and destroying cancer with radiation or chemotherapy. This helps protect healthy cells from damage and lowers the risk of nausea and other potentially severe side effects.

Advances in Immunotherapy

Advances in immunotherapy for cancer have led to significant improvements in this type of treatment, which has resulted in a higher number of successes for those with certain types of cancer. Researchers are also doing studies to find out more about immunotherapy in order to provide more and more cancer patients with effective treatment.

Current research has been focusing on why this type of treatment works better for some patients, what other kinds of cancer it can be used for, and how to make it more effective when used in combination with other forms of cancer treatment. These findings should lead to even more successes for immunotherapy.

If you’re interested in learning more about how immunotherapy for cancer works, please contact Issels®. Our cancer treatments are nontoxic and can be effective for certain cancers that are difficult to treat.

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

Treatment Uses Patient’s Own Immune Cells to Fight Cancer

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Treatment Uses Patient's Own Immune Cells to Fight Cancer
Treatment Uses Patient’s Own Immune Cells to Fight Cancer

Scientists are hopeful that a new gene therapy cancer treatment will lead to development of other drugs that utilize the power of a patient’s own immune system. In the meantime, policy makers face the challenges of safety, cost and access.

“Training” the Immune System to Fight Cancer

The therapy in question, called Kymriah, received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August 2017. Novartis developed Kymriah as a cancer treatment for children and young adults with a type of leukemia known as ALL.

Kymriah is a form of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell treatment. A patient’s T cells are genetically reengineered and infused back into the patient’s system to attack and kill cancer cells.

Weighing the Pros and Cons

During clinical trials conducted by Novartis, 63 patients received a one-time infusion of CAR T cells. After three months, 52 of the patients were in remission.

The downside is that 76 percent of the patients experienced a variety of side effects. In order to determine the overall risk vs. reward factor, the FDA has required Novartis to perform a post-marketing study of Kymriah’s safety and effectiveness.

An article published in the October issue of Health Affairs noted that high demand and high cost of CAR T cell therapies could lead to greater inequalities in health outcomes. The authors urged ethics and policy-making to catch up to the science of cancer treatment.

Issels®: A Pioneer in Cancer Immunotherapy

Issels® has long been ahead of the field in successful use of cancer treatment that aids the immune system in targeting tumor cells. Contact us for more information.