Category Archives: Cancer Survivors

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Care Tips, Cancer Survivors, Immunotherapy, Living with Cancer

Cancer Survivors: Tips on Living Healthy After Treatment

Cancer Survivors: Tips on Living Healthy After Treatment
Cancer Survivors: Tips on Living Healthy After Treatment

Here at Issels®, whenever we talk with cancer patients about their fears, they’re most concerned about being told that their cancer has returned after being declared “cancer free.” There are actually a lot of things that can be done to reduce your risk of a recurrence and improve your overall health.

Risk Factors for Cancer Survivors

Staying healthy is very important for cancer survivors, and if you fall into certain high-risk groups, there is an elevated chance that your cancer will return. These groups include:

  • Those who are obese or overweight
  • Those who have a heart condition
  • Those who have high blood pressure
  • Those who have been diagnosed with diabetes

While it might seem as though you can’t really do much to change any of these physical ailments or conditions, making small changes to your everyday routine can help. Not only will you feel better overall, but your body will be more equipped to fight off cancer if it does attempt to make a comeback.

Help for Cancer Survivors: Getting Healthy

To get and keep your body in the best possible physical condition, you should consider making these changes to your lifestyle:

  • Start eating healthier foods, and talk with a nutritionist to find out what’s recommended.
  • Add exercise to your daily routine – even a small amount each day can work wonders.
  • Stop all tobacco use.
  • Find healthy ways to deal with stress.
  • Cut down or eliminate the amount of alcohol you drink.

At Issels®, we can help you find the right combination of changes that will help you thrive! Contact us to learn more about immunotherapy.

Cancer Care Tips, Cancer Survivors, Immuno-Oncology, Immunotherapy, Living with Cancer

How to Survive Cancer – Tips from Sam Donaldson

These Tips Can Improve Your Outlook on Life!
These Tips Can Improve Your Outlook on Life!

When veteran TV journalist Sam Donaldson was diagnosed with melanoma, he thought he had three months to live. That was in 1995, and thanks to successful treatment he went on to live another 20 years and counting. He has since passed on some important lessons to his fellow cancer survivors.

Dealing with a Cancer Diagnosis

The reporter’s mother had died of melanoma at 93, while his brother succumbed to liver cancer at 49, so Donaldson thought he understood what he was in for. One thing he knew is that melanoma is a “bad actor” that takes an unpredictable course.

Since Donaldson’s treatment began almost immediately, he had little chance to do any research. Over his post-treatment years, Donaldson has done extensive research on cancer as a member of the “Cancer Club, Melanoma Division.”

Top Three Tips for Cancer Patients

Here are Donaldson’s top three tips for people who have cancer, as told to the National Institutes of Health:

• While cancer can still be fatal, it’s no longer an automatic death sentence and the “Cancer Survivors Club” is growing each year.

• Get a second opinion, and even a third if need be. Consulting more than one specialist improves the accuracy of your diagnosis and helps you find the expert best suited for your treatment.

• Stay optimistic. As Donaldson says, a positive attitude doesn’t cure cancer, but there’s no question that it makes a difference.

Our personalized immunotherapy programs at Issels® have introduced many patients to the “Cancer Survivors Club.” Contact us today to learn more about our cancer vaccines and other non-toxic treatments.

Cancer Care Tips, Cancer Survivors, Immuno-Oncology, Immunotherapy

Cancer Survivors: How to Thrive After Treatment

Close-up of stethoscope and paper on background of doctors and patient working with laptop
How to Thrive After Cancer Treatment

Thanks to cutting-edge treatments like immunotherapy, more and more cancer patients are experiencing positive outcomes. If you’re one of the nearly 15 million cancer survivors in the United States, you may feel a bit adrift as you try to resume your everyday life.

Dr. Joanne Mortimer of the Women’s Cancers Program at City of Hope offers these valuable tips to help you cope and even thrive post-treatment.

Take Care of Your Body and Mind

Cancer is a physical disease that also affects your mental and emotional states. Don’t allow worries about finances, spousal intimacy or other issues to interfere with your recovery. Talk to your doctor and get a referral for a counselor or support group.

Be Realistic

The end of treatment can be similar to other types of loss, where you feel uncertain about where to go from there. Focus on matters you can control, such as following a healthy diet or staying physically active, and you will feel less anxious about the things you can’t.

Educate Your Doctor

The increasing number of cancer survivors is relatively recent, so doctors are also learning about life post-treatment. Don’t be afraid to discuss any symptoms with your doctor, no matter how minor you might think they are. The more information you provide, the better your doctor will be able to assist you and other cancer survivors down the road.

Our Issels® personalized immunotherapy treatments have helped a number of people achieve long-term remission. Visit our website and be inspired by testimonials from patients who have survived cancers of almost every type.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Survivors, Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy: a Miracle Cure for Many

Let Issels Help You Survive Fighting Cancer!
Let Issels Help You Survive Fighting Cancer!

Chemotherapy and radiation are common forms of treatment for cancer, but they are not always effective. These forms of treatment can also cause unpleasant side effects or long-term effects.

Issels immunotherapy for cancer offers a nontoxic treatment method that is effective and doesn’t cause adverse side effects. Our personalized treatment programs have helped patients completely recover, even from aggressive forms of cancer.

Miracle Cure

While she was in her 40s, Lori Alf battled multiple myeloma, a blood cancer with a grim outlook. With the help of Dr. Carl H. June, Alf underwent an experimental treatment that used her body’s own immune system to fight the cancer cells. As part of this treatment, researchers took white blood cells from Alf’s body and turned them into cells that were able to target and destroy cancer cells.

These white blood cells were combined with a protein known as chimeric antigen receptor to help them recognize myeloma cells. Within two months of undergoing immunotherapy, Alf’s body was free of cancer.

One of the advantages of immunotherapy is that it does not carry the risk of graft-versus-host disease, a condition that can be life-threatening. This occurs when the body rejects transplanted stem cells that come from a donor. Since the cells used in immunotherapy are from the patient, there is no risk of rejection. Researchers believe that immunotherapy can be used to effectively and safely treat more than two dozen cancers.

If you would like more information on the Issels non-toxic immunotherapy for cancer, please contact Issels. We offer care for many different types of cancer.

After Cancer, Cancer Survivors, Living with Cancer

June is National Cancer Survivor Month – Wear the Purple Ribbon

Diverse Hands Holding The Word Cancer
June 5th is Cancer Survivor Day!

We tend to think of National Cancer Survivor Day as a day that’s set aside to honor all of those who have beaten this dreadful disease. However, here at Issels® we feel that it’s also important to remember the unsung heroes. These are the people who have worked hard by their loved ones’ sides to ensure that they receive the best possible care during their treatments.

National Cancer Survivor Day is June 5. On this day, we want to remember everyone who has fought, or who is still fighting cancer and celebrate them and their journey.

The Effects of Cancer

Unless you’ve been through it, it’s hard to completely understand the effects of cancer. Many patients live their lives in a constant state of fear from one treatment to another, and the side effects that are usually experienced after their treatments can have life-long impact. Their caregivers struggle with knowing if they’re making good decisions, and whether or not their friends and family members are comfortable and pain-free.

Providing Support to Patients and Caregivers

If you know a cancer patient or a cancer caregiver, there are many ways you can honor them; not just on National Cancer Survivor Day, June 5, but all year long. Providing a listening ear helps more than you know, and offering to do tasks such as running errands, cleaning the house, and paying bills is very much appreciated. Cancer patients and their caregivers need to know that they are supported and loved, and you can play a major role in making sure that happens.

This year, on National Cancer Survivor Day, June 5, wear your purple ribbon and show your support!

Cancer Survivors, Living with Cancer, Stress Management

Tips for Returning to Work after Cancer Treatment

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Getting Back to Work
Getting Back to Work

Resuming normal activities after immunotherapy for cancer is a good way to re-establish your sense of self and reduce the sense of isolation that may accompany treatment. Returning to work allows you to feel productive while interacting with others.

No matter how long you’ve been away from work, the transition back can be a little bumpy. Use these tips to prepare yourself for a smooth re-entry.

  • Talk to your supervisor about a more flexible structure as you become adjusted. Possible options include job-sharing or working from home.
  • You’re under no obligation to give your co-workers full disclosure. Decide how much and with whom you want to share.
  • Not all reactions will be positive. Some people feel uncomfortable in the face of illness, while for others it may trigger painful memories of a loved one who was diagnosed with cancer. A few co-workers may even be resentful about taking on additional responsibilities in your absence. Take some time to plan your responses to the various reactions.
  • Legislation like Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) protects the workplace rights of individuals with cancer and other health problems. Consult your company’s human resources department for more information.
  • Unfortunately, legal protection doesn’t guarantee an absence of discrimination. Document any workplace conversations you have about your illness and save copies of performance reviews in case problems should arise.

Our Issels® personalized immunotherapy for cancer is focused on your individual needs so there is a minimum of disruption to your lifestyle. Visit our website to learn more about our comprehensive non-toxic treatments.