Category Archives: Immunotherapy for Cancer

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

Cancer Gets Fuel From Fat Cells – How to Starve Tumors

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

Cancer research is now going beyond the genetic aspect to explore how the disease interacts with the body’s systems. Recent studies of the relationship between cancer and fat cells may have implications concerning immunotherapy for cancer.

Feeding the Growth of Cancer Cells

While the precise causes are not yet known, obesity has been identified as a risk factor for prostate cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men. As a result, research into the link between cancer and fat cells has focused on this form of the disease.

Previous tests involved mice who were fed a high-fat diet. In contrast, researchers at Sanford Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in San Diego conducted a study using mice who lacked a protein called p62, causing them to become obese on a normal diet.

According to co-author Dr. Jorge Moscat, this control was necessary to get a clear understanding of the communication pathways between cancer and fat cells. The team discovered that p62 suppresses another protein known as mTORC1, which in turn inhibits energy use by fat cells.

Can Cancer Cells Be “Starved” to Death?

With metabolism halted in fat cells, nutrients are then available to fuel development of tumor cells. Lack of p62 also triggers production of proteins found at high levels in particularly aggressive forms of prostate cancer.

As explained by Dr. Moscat, these findings can help identify specific substances to be targeted by immunotherapy for cancer treatments with the goal of “starving” cancer cells.

State-of-the-Art Immunotherapy for Cancer at Issels®

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Breast Cancer, Cancer Research, Cancer Treatment, Immuno-Oncology, Immunotherapy for Cancer, Stage Four Cancer Treatment, Uncategorized

Anti-Inflammatory Medicine May Improve Breast Cancer Prognosis

There is New Hope for Breast Cancer Treatment
There is New Hope for Breast Cancer Treatment

In addition to immunotherapy for cancer, many women with breast cancer will undergo surgery as part of their treatment. While cancer may sometimes spread after a mastectomy or lumpectomy, researchers have discovered that a course of anti-inflammatory drugs may reduce the risk.

What Causes Post-Surgery Cancer Spread?

Scientists have been puzzled as to why breast cancer is more likely to spread during the first 18 months post-surgery. According to a study by a research team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the healing process is the surprise culprit.

As senior author Robert Weinberg explains, the patient’s immune system directs its activity toward healing the wounds left by the surgery. The result is that stray cancer cells are left free to continue growing into new tumors.

In testing on mice, anti-inflammatory drugs were successful in preventing the spread of cancer cells. While research has suggested a similar effect in humans, specific testing is needed for confirmation.

Fighting Stage IV Breast Cancer

Gastroenterologist Andrew Chan has been researching the potential of aspirin as an anti-cancer treatment. While Chan says that studies have demonstrated positive benefits, the focus has been on long-term rather than short-term recurrence.

Researchers are particularly interested in the implications of the MIT study because most breast cancer deaths are a result of metastasis rather than effects of the original tumor.

Treating Advanced Tumors with Immunotherapy for Cancer

Our integrative, non-toxic immunotherapy programs have been successful in treating patients with breast cancer and other types that have reached advanced stages. Contact us to learn why Issels® has been leading the way in effective immunotherapy for cancer treatments.

Cancer Research, Immunotherapy, Immunotherapy for Cancer, News, Uncategorized

The Importance of Gut Bacteria in the Spread of Pancreatic Cancer

The Importance of Gut Bacteria in the Spread of Pancreatic Cancer
The Importance of Gut Bacteria in the Spread of Pancreatic Cancer

Gut bacteria, or microbiome, include organisms that manufacture vitamins and promote healthy digestion and other functions. A study recently published in Cancer Discovery found that pathogenic gut bacteria can have a negative impact on pancreatic cancer treatment.

When Gut Bacteria Fights the Immune System

A research team at NYU School of Medicine conducted tests on both mice and humans with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA), a particularly aggressive form of pancreatic cancer. The scientists discovered that pathogenic, or “bad,” gut bacteria migrated to the pancreas, increasing bacterial presence by a thousand times.

Problems arise when this unbalanced mix of bacteria triggers a shutdown of immune cells, allowing cancer cells to multiply unchecked. Checkpoint inhibitors are a type of immunotherapy cancer treatment that reactivates immune cells, but they’re ineffective against the overwhelming amount of bacteria in the pancreas.

Using Antibiotics to Supplement Immunotherapy

When the researchers treated the mice with antibiotics, the amount of bacteria decreased enough to “flip the switch” on immune cells, thereby slowing cancer growth. In addition, checkpoint inhibitors were approximately three times more effective when used in conjunction with antibiotics.

Checkpoint inhibitors had previously failed to treat pancreatic cancer in clinical trials, so scientists are encouraged by these results. The team is now recruiting PDA patients to test the antibiotic-checkpoint inhibitor combo.

Issels®: Cancer Treatment Harnessing the Power of the Immune System

Our non-toxic immunotherapy programs focus on helping your body’s own immune system attack and kill cancer cells. These personally tailored treatments have fewer side effects and work to eliminate the causes that create tumors. Contact us for more information.

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

New Research: Programming DNA to Deliver Targeted Cancer Treatment

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New Research: Programming DNA to Deliver Targeted Cancer Treatment
New Research: Programming DNA to Deliver Targeted Cancer Treatment

DNA carries the genetic information that makes you who you are. While DNA directs protein production by cells, scientists have discovered a way to turn DNA into an on/off switch for applications in cancer treatment.

DNA: A Protein Computer

In essence, DNA operates like a computer. Just as all digital data relies on various configurations of a two-component code, DNA uses different arrangements of a four-component code to determine which proteins need to be manufactured.

This similarity has given rise to a field called DNA computing. A research team at the University of Delaware recently engineered DNA strands with a code to create circuits programmed to open and close based on a specific logic.

Leveraging DNA Code

The next step was to make and purify the proteins that the scientists wanted to use. Once the custom-made DNA strands were received from the manufacturer, the proteins were attached to form protein-DNA conjugates.

When the DNA circuits were tested on both E. coli bacteria and human cells, the target proteins went through a series of stages just as they had been programmed to do.

Applications for Cancer Treatment

Once the DNA circuits proved to be successful, the UD team tested them with cancer prodrugs, which are inert until they’re metabolized into therapeutic form. The scientist designed DNA circuits to control the protein that triggers metabolism of the prodrug. Professor Wilfred Chen, lead author of the study, anticipates a future of “plug-and-play” DNA circuits.

Advanced Immunotherapy at Issels®

Our integrative cancer treatment programs often incorporate gene-targeted therapies and other methods that address a patient’s individual needs. Contact us to learn more.

Cancer Research, Cancer Treatment, Immuno-Oncology, Immunotherapy, Immunotherapy for Cancer, News

Gene-Based Urine Tests Used for Bladder Cancer Discovery

Gene-Based Urine Tests Used for Bladder Cancer Discovery
Gene-Based Urine Tests Used for Bladder Cancer Discovery

What if you could determine your need for bladder cancer treatment from a routine urine sample, just like many other medical conditions? Scientists have recently developed a test that could make this a reality.

Using Gene-Based Testing for Early Cancer Detection

A team of researchers at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center has been studying cancer genes to find more effective methods of early detection. Earlier this year, they announced a new blood test called CancerSEEK, which screens for eight different types of cancer, and PapSEEK, which screens for endometrial and ovarian cancers via cervical fluid samples.

In a study published in March, the team revealed the addition of another test called UroSEEK. Urine samples are analyzed for the presence of gene mutations or abnormal numbers of chromosomes, both of which are associated with bladder cancer and upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC).

Identifying New Cancer Cases and Recurrences

During clinical studies involving 570 at-risk patients, UroSEEK had an 83 percent success rate identifying those who did develop bladder cancer. When UroSEEK was used in conjunction with cytology, the standard test for bladder cancer, accuracy rose to 95 percent.

According to Dr. David McConkey of the Johns Hopkins Greenburg Bladder Cancer Institute, bladder cancer has a high rate of recurrence. Another benefit of UroSEEK is that it can be used to effectively monitor patients who have already undergone treatment for bladder cancer.

Individually Created Cancer Treatment for Each Patient

At Issels®, we have been using gene-targeted therapies as one of the components of our integrative cancer treatment programs. Contact us for more information about our non-toxic protocols.

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

Highlighting a DNA-Based Lymphoma Treatment

Highlighting a DNA-Based Lymphoma Treatment
Highlighting a DNA-Based Lymphoma Treatment

One of the benefits of cancer immunotherapy is that it can offer options for patients when other treatments have failed. Doctors are having success with a new DNA-based treatment for certain forms of lymphoma.

CAR T-cell Therapy and Lymphoma

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (or CAR T-cell therapy) may sound complicated, but the basic principle is simple. CAR T-cell therapy, like most types of cancer immunotherapy, works by boosting the ability of a patient’s own immune system to fight cancer.

With this procedure, T-cells are harvested from a patient and genetically engineered to produce surface receptors. The T-cells are then reintroduced into the patient’s system, where the receptors target a specific protein expressed by the lymphoma cells.

Dimas Padilla, a 44-year-old man from Orlando whose lymphoma had returned for a third time, was one of the 101 patients involved in a test of CAR T-cell therapy. Approximately half of the group experienced complete remission. Padilla himself has been tumor-free for 18 months.

Yescarta Wins FDA Approval

In October 2017, the FDA approved this treatment under the trade name Yescarta for use with certain types of B-cell lymphoma. This is only the second gene therapy to pass FDA approval, but at this point usage is restricted to patients who have unsuccessfully undergone at least two other forms of treatment.

Issels®: Personally Developed Cancer Immunotherapy for All Patients

No two cases of cancer are the same. Our non-toxic immunotherapy programs are created to meet each patient’s needs, even if previous treatments have failed. Contact us to learn how we have helped numerous patients achieve long-term remission.