Category Archives: Breast Cancer

Higher Vitamin D Levels May Boost Breast Cancer Survival

Higher Vitamin D Levels May Boost Breast Cancer Survival
Higher Vitamin D Levels May Boost Breast Cancer Survival

Vitamin D has long been known as an essential nutrient that aids your bones with calcium absorption. A recent study shows that there may also be a link between vitamin D levels and surviving breast cancer.

Examining the Link between Vitamin D and Breast Cancer Survival

The study, performed by a research team from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, began in 2006 with a group of women from California who had been diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Participants were divided into three sub-groups based on blood levels of a particular vitamin D marker.

Women with more advanced cancers tended to have low levels of the marker. Over an average of seven years of follow-up, 100 of these women died compared to 76 women with high levels. There were approximately 1,600 women total involved in the study.

In addition, women with the highest vitamin D levels were 28 percent less likely to die of any cause, once factors such as tumor characteristics were accounted for. This link was the strongest among pre-menopausal women.

What Does This Mean for the Future?

According to lead author Song Yao, overall results showed “30 percent reduction of all-cause mortality” linked to vitamin D levels at the time of diagnosis. While the study supports previous research linking vitamin D with breast cancer survival, Yao said a randomized controlled trial would be needed to determine a direct cause-and-effect.

Immunotherapy for Cancer: Going Beyond Traditional Treatments

Immunotherapy for cancer has been gaining a lot of attention recently, but at Issels® we have a decades-long history of using these state-of-the-art methods successfully. Contact us for more information.

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.

Off Label Drug Use Rises in Fight against Cancer

Repurpasing Cancer Drugs
Repurposing Cancer Drugs

In recent years, drug repositioning or repurposing has become a valuable strategy in immunotherapy for cancer as researchers find previously unknown uses for approved drugs.

“Multitasking” Drugs

A research team at the University of Bergen in Norway has been searching for chemical compounds that can shut down a tumor’s signaling system, preventing continued growth and spread. Over a five-year period, the researchers scanned thousands of compounds ranging from Chinese herbs to FDA-approved drugs.

While testing current drugs, the team discovered that axitinib, a drug used on kidney cancer, has properties that knock out communication paths between mutant cells. Since 90 percent of all cancers are caused by mutations, researchers are hopeful that the drug can be put to use on breast, prostate, colorectal and other forms of cancer.

A New Direction for Cancer Treatment

With the development of new pharmaceuticals taking up to 10 years, repurposing has become a popular cost- and time-effective strategy. The University of Bergen team has also identified a handful of other promising compounds for testing. Lead Professor Karl-Henning Kalland believes that axitinib holds strong potential for use in combination with immunotherapy for cancer.

Issels® Is on the Cutting Edge of Immunotherapy for Cancer

Whether it’s repurposing drugs, cancer vaccines or NK cells, you can be sure that Issels® will be a leader in the use of personally developed, non-toxic immunotherapy treatments. Contact us to read and hear real-life testimonials from patients with all forms of cancer, including lung, melanoma and leukemia, which have been successfully treated at Issels®.

In 21 States Cancer Tops the List as the Cause of Death

We Haven't Defeated Cancer Yet
We Haven’t Defeated Cancer Yet

Thanks to increasingly successful developments in treatment, such as the state-of-the-art programs at our Issels immuno-oncology clinics, the number of cancer deaths has dropped significantly over the past 20 years. Sadly, though, it has become the leading cause of death in 21 states, emphasizing the need for continuing urgency in research.

Cancer by the numbers

Projections recently released by the American Cancer Society reveal that more than 1.68 million people will be diagnosed with the disease in the upcoming year, while nearly 600,000 will die from it. In terms of overall numbers, 23 percent of deaths are a result of cancer, second only to 24 percent from heart disease.

While lung cancer is still the most deadly form, the 23 percent drop in cancer death rates between 1991 and 2012 is largely due to a steep reduction in smoking. Only 16.8 percent of Americans are smokers, compared to just fewer than 21 percent in 2009.

Continued optimism in the search for a cure

The American Society for Clinical Oncology issued a statement hailing “our nation’s investment in cancer research,” which has led to major breakthroughs in effective treatment. In particular, advancements in innovative programs such as immunotherapy and molecular targeted treatments have led to a consistent decline in death rates from the four major types: lung, breast, prostate and colon/rectum.

For years, our Issels immuno-oncology clinic has been a leader in the use of non-toxic immunotherapy protocols. Visit our website for more information about our programs as well as testimonials from the many patients of all ages who have been helped by our personalized treatment programs.

Watchful Waiting – A New Treatment for Some Breast Cancer Patients

New Treatment for Breast Cancer
New Treatment for Breast Cancer

Despite significant improvements in cancer treatment, such as the development of immuno-oncology, patients often have a knee-jerk reaction to a cancer diagnosis. This may be particularly true for women, who are mindfully watching the efforts to increase public awareness of breast cancer. They may feel that there are mixed messages in the news in regards to the appropriate treatment for their breast cancer.

Some women, along with their physicians, have begun taking a path that may seem counterintuitive. They are choosing to defer traditional treatments, such as chemotherapy and lumpectomy, in favor of a course often referred to as “watchful waiting.”

What is watchful waiting?

Desiree Basila, a 60 year-old woman diagnosed with DCIS or stage 0 breast cancer, participated in a clinical trial that exemplifies watchful waiting. She began taking tamoxifen, a drug that blocks estrogen, which can often cause tumors to grow. In addition, she visited her doctor twice a year for checkups that alternated between mammograms and MRIs.

The reasons behind watchful waiting

  • Studies show that women with DCIS have a mortality rate of three percent regardless of their form of treatment, which corresponds to the average for the general population.
  • Each case of breast cancer is unique based on a woman’s biological profile, meaning treatment should be determined on an individual basis rather than using a cookie-cutter approach.
  • Mastectomy, radiation and other aggressive treatments sometimes cause seriously harmful side effects that may have been avoided with a more moderate approach.

Assessment of a patient’s individual lifestyle, genetic profile and personal needs has always been a part of our immuno-oncology protocols at Issels®. Visit our website to learn more about our innovative and non-toxic cancer treatment programs.

Leukemia Virus in Cattle and Potential Breast Cancer Connection Revealed

Hypothermia To Fight Cancer?
Breast Cancer

While breast cancer incidence rates in the United States have been dropping since 2000, it’s estimated that approximately 40,000 women will die from the disease this year. Researchers have recently discovered an unexpected risk factor that may surpass known ones such as obesity and postmenopausal hormone use.

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) causes malignant lymphoma and lymphosarcoma in up to five percent of infected beef and dairy cattle. Until recently, the medical community believed that BLV could not be transmitted to humans.

That idea was shattered by a University of California-Berkeley team led by Professor Gertrude Buehring of its School of Public Health. In 2014, the group of researchers turned up the first-ever evidence of BLV in humans.

Prof. Buehring then had her team turn their attention to investigating a link between BLV and breast cancer. Samples were obtained from 239 women, some of whom were breast cancer patients. BLV was discovered in 59 percent of samples from the latter, compared to 29 percent in those who were cancer-free.

At this point it’s not known how BLV infects breast tissue, although Prof. Buehring speculates that possible causes are unpasteurized milk, unprocessed meat or human-to-human transmission. She also states that there is no proof at this point that BLV is a direct cause of breast cancer. Further studies will focus on determining whether BLV is present before tumors develop.

Breast cancer patients are among the thousands who have received treatment with the non-toxic personalized therapies at our Issels® immuno-oncology clinics. Visit our website to view testimonials and subscribe to our newsletters.