Category Archives: Cancer Treatment

Cancer Treatment: Foods to Avoid While in Treatment

Cancer Treatment: Foods to Avoid While in Treatment
Cancer Treatment: Foods to Avoid While in Treatment-

When you undergo cancer treatment, chances are good that side effects such as nausea and mouth sores will cause your taste buds to change. Your overall health can also be affected by the nutritional choices you make.

Many types of cancer treatments can weaken your immune system, even after they’re over. As a result, your body is vulnerable to food-borne bacteria and viruses that otherwise might not affect you.

Here are foods you should avoid during and after treatment to reduce the risk of food poisoning, even if they haven’t caused problems in the past.

Proteins

– Smoked fish

– Raw or undercooked beef and seafood, including sushi and sashimi

– Raw, unpasteurized eggs and items such as raw cookie dough that are made with raw eggs

– Undercooked eggs, including soft-boiled, over-easy and poached

– Soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk, such as Brie, feta and goat cheese

– Deli salads made with chicken, eggs, seafood or ham

– Cold hot dogs or cold deli meat, which should always be cooked until steaming hot

– Refrigerated paté

Produce

– Fresh fruits and vegetables that have not been washed

– Unpasteurized fruit juice or cider

– Raw sprouts

If you’re uncertain about any food items, don’t take chances. Talk to your healthcare team before consuming any questionable products.

Personalized Cancer Treatment from Issels®

Our individually tailored treatment programs are designed to boost the effectiveness of your body’s immune system. In addition, our immunotherapy doesn’t have the debilitating side effects that often accompany traditional forms of cancer treatment.

Contact us for more information about our cancer vaccines and other treatments we have been successfully using for decades.

Tumor Suppressing Protein May Lead to New Pancreatic Cancer Treatments

Tumor Suppressing Protein May Lead to New Pancreatic Cancer Treatments
Tumor Suppressing Protein May Lead to New Pancreatic Cancer Treatments

While a protein known as p53 has long been recognized as a potent factor in suppressing tumors, the reasons have been unclear. Scientists are now discovering more about p53, including the existence of a “super” version, that may have valuable implications for cancer immunotherapy.

Finding the Right Balance

Balance is essential for realizing the maximum benefits of p53. Too little leaves the door open for tumor growth, but too much can cause developmental problems.

A research team at the Stanford University School of Medicine tested a variety of p53 mutations on mice that were susceptible to pancreatic cancer. The scientists were surprised to find that one version of the protein kept the mice tumor-free for longer periods of time.

A “Supercharged” Tumor Suppressor

According to Dr. Laura Attardi, senior author of the study, the mutated protein hit a “sweet spot” that allowed embryos to develop without any problems and gave adult mice greater resistance to tumors. The mutation appears to hyperactivate the p53 protein, causing it to affect a number of downstream targets.

With hundreds of genes impacted by p53 activity, Attardi’s team turned to the question of discovering which ones were involved in tumor development. They discovered the pathway of three proteins, led by p53, that created a chain reaction preventing development of tumor cells.

Issels®: Leading the Way in Cancer Immunotherapy

Our personalized immunotherapy programs include gene-targeted therapies that shut down specific molecules required for cancer growth. Treatments are integrated with other therapies that combine for the most effective ways of fighting tumor cells.

Contact us to learn more about our success in helping patients achieve long-term remission

Why Many Breast Cancer Patients Stop Treatment or Only Take Partial Treatment

Why Many Breast Cancer Patients Stop Treatment or Only Take Partial Treatment
Why Many Breast Cancer Patients Stop Treatment or Only Take Partial Treatment

Many women do not trust the health care system and will often forgo radiation and drug therapy after breast cancer surgery. That is according to a survey of 2,700 breast cancer patients by researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Lead author of the survey, Lorraine Dean, said over 30 percent skip treatments that are intended to kill any cancer cells that remain after surgery.

Contact Issels® for information on how combining conventional treatments with immunotherapy cancer treatment reduces the likelihood of relapse.

Doctor-patient trust is crucial

Cancer is a devastating disease and it is understandable that patients experience feelings of helplessness. It’s not just women with breast cancer who are losing trust in doctors and the health care system, it’s the general public as well. People often feel that doctors put their own financial interest ahead of patient care. When patients feel their doctors don’t listen to them or take their concerns seriously, trust begins to erode.

For the best possible outcome, it is necessary that doctors and patients have a strong bond of trust. Patients should feel comfortable being fully honest with health care providers and the doctors should always remember that a patient’s trust in them is a vital and necessary component of proper medical care. Each person’s cancer is unique and treatment should be based on the specific needs of each patient.

Personalized cancer treatment

At Issels®, we have been practicing individualized treatment for more than 60 years. We want you to make informed decisions about your cancer treatment options. Contact us today for more information on our autologous (from the patient’s own blood) non-toxic cancer treatment protocols.

Drug Resistant Cancer Cells Appear to Share a Similar Weakness

Medical Research Has Validated that Immunotherapy Works to Fight Cancer
Medical Research Has Validated that Immunotherapy Works to Fight Cancer

Cancer researchers at UC San Francisco have discovered a common gene vulnerability in certain treatment-resistant cancers. This is yet another promising advancement that could lead to better treatment of existing cancers and a new approach to preventing cancer recurrences.

Visit Issels® for more information on how combining traditional cancer treatments with integrative immunotherapy can reduce the incidence of relapse from 13 to 50 percent.

Understanding drug-resistant cancer cells

For many years, oncologists thought the drug resistance of cancer cells evolved genetically. Doctors thought a few of the cells survived cancer treatment because they had or somehow developed gene mutations to withstand traditional treatments. These remaining cells would then lead to a recurrence of cancer.

In 2010, researchers working at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center found that some cancer cells may be able to avoid the effects of treatment without any genetic mutations. These small clumps of cells are called “persister cells” and they go into a dormant state, allowing them to survive cancer drugs. The cells awaken later and lead to new cancer growth.

Exploiting persister cell weaknesses

Matthew Hangauer, PhD led the UC San Francisco study. He said persister cancer cells have a mesenchymal-like gene expression signature and rely on the enzyme glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) to survive treatment. Lab tests show that blocking GPX4 can kill the persister cells found in many different cancer types. Researchers hope to soon validate their findings with human patients.

The Issels® non-toxic cancer treatment

Our caring and knowledgeable experts have helped many patients achieve long-term remission from cancer by using personalized immunotherapy treatment protocols. Contact us for more information.

Gut Bacteria Appears to Influence Whether or Not Cancer Tumors Will Shrink During Cancer Treatment

New Cancer Research Is Improving Treatment
New Cancer Research Is Improving Treatment

Bacteria is generally considered to be the cause of disease and infection, but many varieties have beneficial properties. Scientists are discovering that “good” bacteria living inside of us can have positive implications for cancer treatment.

How Can Bacteria Be “Good?”

The microbiome is a collection of microscopic organisms found inside our bodies, primarily in the gut. These organisms play a role in the digestive process and help to regulate the immune system.

Researchers in France and the United States conducted separate studies involving the microbiome of cancer patients. All participants were receiving immunotherapy treatment, which boosts the ability of the immune system to fight cancer cells.

The Relationship Between Gut Bacteria and Cancer Treatment

The team at the Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus in Paris studied 249 patients with lung or kidney cancer.

– Participants who had taken antibiotics, which disturb the microbiome, were more likely to experience tumor growth, even during treatment.

– A bacteria species known as A. muciniphila was found in two-thirds of patients who responded to immunotherapy, as opposed to only one-third of those who did not.

At the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, a team analyzed the microbiome of 112 patients with advanced melanoma.

– Patients who responded to cancer treatment were found to have a more rich and varied microbiome than those who didn’t.

– The composition of the microbiome also appeared to be significant, as higher levels of certain bacteria were associated with positive responses while others had negative impacts.

Innovative Cancer Treatment at Issels®

Our immunotherapy programs focus on cancer cells as well as the internal environment that supports them. Contact us for more information.

New Treatment Breaches Blood Barrier for Treatment of Glioblastoma

New Research is Helping to Understand Brain Cancer
New Research is Helping to Understand Brain Cancer

Brain tumors are notoriously resistant to most types of cancer treatment. Scientists have recently discovered that a drug that targets one form of cancer may also have applications for treating brain tumors.

Why Brain Tumors Are Difficult to Treat

Despite improvement in overall cancer survival rates, the numbers for brain cancer remain low. Scientists attribute this to the blood brain barrier, which is a natural filter that prevents drugs from reaching the tumors.

In a study funded by Cancer Research UK, scientists recruited 48 patients with glioblastoma, a particularly stubborn form of brain cancer, that had returned after treatment. The patients were given olaparib, a PARP inhibitor used to treat ovarian cancer, in conjunction with temozolomide, a chemotherapy drug.

After treatment, the research team examined tumor cells and found that the drug had penetrated the core of the tumor as well as cancer cells in surrounding areas. The results were significant because surgery is not possible for this form of tumor, so cancer treatment options are limited.

New Hope for Brain Tumor Treatment

According to lead researcher Professor Anthony Chalmers, glioblastoma disturbs the blood brain barrier, allowing olaparib to reach the tumor cells. Chalmers believes that scientists will be able to build on the results of the study to improve the effectiveness of current treatments.

Professor Susan Short of the National Cancer Research Institute adds that the study shows the potential of PARP inhibitors to treat a wide range of cancer types.

Cancer Treatment for Therapy-Resistant Cancers

Issels® has helped numerous patients with stage IV cancer achieve long-term remission. Contact us for details about our non-toxic cancer immunotherapy programs.