Category Archives: Cancer Vaccine

Nicotine Dependence May Be a First Pathway to Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is one of the most common types of cancers in the U.S., as well as a top cause of preventable cancer death. Although anyone can develop this type of cancer, certain individuals have a higher risk. Those who smoke or have nicotine dependence face a considerably increased risk of having lung cancer.

With more research focusing on improving outcomes for lung cancer through cancer immunotherapy and other treatment methods, scientists need to learn more about the causes of this disease. A research team at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine studied potential pathways that lead to lung cancer.

Nicotine Dependence as a Pathway

Researchers studied possible pathways that allow a chromosome called 15q25.1 to raise an individual’s risk of lung cancer. This chromosome has previously been identified as a genetic component that can increase lung cancer risks in some individuals. The research team found two pathways associated with this chromosome that could help explain how it leads to a higher lung cancer risk.

Nicotine dependence is linked to the first pathway that the researchers found. This finding has helped scientists better understand how lung cancer develops and why individuals with a history of smoking and certain genetic components face a significantly higher risk of having lung cancer. The second pathway is linked to biological processes, including those involving the immune system.

Improved Lung Cancer Treatments

The findings of this research could pave the way for improved treatments for lung cancer. Scientists can use these findings to come up with ways to block risky genetic variants, resulting in better outcomes for those with cancer. The results of this study might also be used to develop more effective ways to treat lung cancer using the body’s immune system or other methods.

For more information on cancer treatment and cancer immunotherapy, please contact Issels® today.

Low Fat Diets – Can They Help Prolong Life with Breast Cancer

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 the Issels 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.

In Cancer Treatment? The Keto Diet May Have a Benefit

People are always looking for the next great diet in an effort to lose weight. The recently popular ketogenic diet could have some surprising benefits for patients undergoing cancer treatment.

The Warburg Effect

Cancer cells proliferate via the Warburg effect, named for the scientist who first advanced the idea. Fermentation is a process by which sugars are metabolized to provide energy for bacteria. Sauerkraut and yogurt are some of the more widely-known products of fermentation.

Unlike normal body cells, which derive their energy from mitochondria, cancer cells receive energy from fermentation of glucose within cytoplasm. When a cell starts getting energy from glucose, it can be the first sign of abnormal cell function that ultimately results in formation of a tumor.

The Ketogenic Diet: Starving Cancer Cells

A keto diet plan is low in carbohydrates and high in fat. The science behind it is based on a biological response that dates back to prehistoric times. When food was scarce, the body responded by shifting metabolic gears and using stored fat as fuel.

When the body’s supply of carbs is restricted, it shuts off the flow of glucose and other cancer-promoting fuels. As cancer cells become compromised, the body resumes its normal cellular signaling, putting the brakes on further tumor development.

The keto diet should not be considered a cure for cancer. However, it’s a valuable tool for use in conjunction with immunotherapy and other cancer treatment.

Immunotherapy and Nutrition: A Winning Combination

Good nutrition is a perfect complement for our non-toxic cancer treatment programs. Visit our website for more information about cancer vaccines and other individually created treatments.

Cancer Risks – What to Know

Cancer is effected by numerous and complex risk factors, making concepts related to calculating its risk a frequent subject of debate. Adding to this debate is a recent study looking at randomly mutating cells, specifically how they play a predominant role in cancer development. What does this say about your cancer risk? Issels® wants to help you put this new information in perspective.

Cancer and car accidents: They have a lot in common…

  • Trip length
    Comparing getting cancer to getting into a car accident, the length of your trip – your lifespan – increases your risk. The longer you live, the more the odds increase of your body randomly mutating cells, making this a significant risk factor – attributable to two-thirds of your total cancer risk in fact.
  • Road conditions
    Just as rain or snow can increase your risk of an accident, so too can conditions in your body and in your environment increase your risk of cancer.
  • Mechanical issues
    Bad brakes or worn tires can be seen as a metaphor for genetic factors, such as inherited mutations.

Reading the accident report
Despite this research, it can’t be stressed enough no single factor causes cancer. Two-thirds of car accidents are not related solely to trip length, but to a combination of road conditions, mechanical issues, and the like. For each “accident,” the major contributing factor will vary.

Accident prevention
Due to the large combination of risk factors, there are many opportunities for prevention, including addressing radiator issues (smoking), regular maintenance (early diagnostics and detection), and more.

Cancer spinning out of control? Contact Issels® today.

Liver Cancer Rates Rise and Becomes the Sixth Deadliest Cancer

Liver Cancer Rates Are Rising
Liver Cancer Rates Are Rising

Thanks in part to the improved effectiveness of immunotherapy cancer treatment, overall death rates due to this disease have been dropping over the past few decades. Unfortunately, liver cancer death rates have been going in the opposite direction.

Liver Cancer Death Rates Climb

According to a July 2018 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), death rates for all forms of cancer combined have declined since 1990. But in the period from 2000-2016, liver cancer death rates for ages 25 and up rose a dramatic 43 percent.

The increase breaks down to 10.3 deaths per 100,000 people in 2016 compared to 7.2 deaths per 100,000 people in 2000. As a result, liver cancer moved from the ninth-leading cause of cancer deaths up to the sixth spot.

Behind the Numbers

Patients with other types of cancer, such as breast, lung and colon, have benefited from better diagnostic and treatment procedures. In addition, lower rates of people are developing these forms of cancer than in the past.

The same can’t be said for liver cancer. Rates of developing this disease have remained fairly steady, while diagnostic and treatment methods are not as effective as those for other cancers.

Within overall liver cancer death rates, the numbers were highest for adults aged 75 and up. Dr. Jeffery Drebin, liver cancer surgeon at NYC’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, explains that it’s primarily due to long-term effects of liver inflammation.

Personalized Cancer Treatment at Issels®

Our immunotherapy cancer treatment programs are individually created to address the needs of patients with liver cancer and other therapy-resistant tumors. Contact us for more information.

Test on New Drug that Contains Cancer Cell Metastasis

Tests on New Drugs That May Provide Better Treatment
Tests on a New Drug That May Contain the Spread of Cancer

At Issels®, our immunotherapy for cancer treatments are often used with patients whose tumors have spread to other parts of the body. Over the last few years, an international research team has made significant progress in developing a drug that limits the movement of cancer cells.

Stopping the Spread of Cancer Cells

Metastasis is the term for the ability of cancer cells to move throughout the body and establish tumors in locations away from the primary site. Once a tumor metastasizes, it presents a greater challenge for successful treatment.

While cancer research primarily focuses on treating tumors directly, a multinational team of scientists decided to investigate possible methods of interfering with cancer cells’ motility. If migration could be contained, it would help prevent tumors from entering later, hard-to-treat stages.

KBU2046: Putting the Brakes on Metastasis

In 2011, the team identified a drug called KBU2046 that binds to heat-shock proteins found in all cells, preventing cell movement. Original testing was done on human cell models of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer in vitro.

The team’s most recent study, published in June, extended testing to mouse models. Scientists were able to confirm that KBU2046 targeted cancer cells only, sparing healthy tissue, and further refinements eliminated any side effects.

The researchers believe that the positive results justify their unorthodox approach. Next step on their agenda is obtaining funds to conduct further studies in preparation for clinical trials.

Integrative Immunotherapy Treatments for Late-Stage Cancer

Numerous patients with advanced and therapy-resistant tumors have achieved long-term remission with our personally developed immunotherapy for cancer programs. Visit our website to hear and read their first-person testimonials.