Category Archives: Immunotherapy

Cancer Research, Immunotherapy

Wheat Germ Extract Shows Potent Anti-Cancer Activity

Another Step in Stopping Cancer
Another Step in Stopping Cancer

For years, doctors have been advising that a nutritious diet low in fat and rich in antioxidants is beneficial in preventing cancer and helpful in boosting the health of cancer patients. Studies show that fermented wheat germ extract (FWGE), a popular staple in health food stores, can be a potent anti-cancer dietary supplement.

What Is Fermented Wheat Germ Extract?

Quite simply, wheat germ is extracted from the germ, or seed, of a wheat plant. FWGE is wheat germ fermented with baker’s yeast to create a concentration of an active substance called benzoquinones.

FWGE is sold under the trade name of Avemar in Hungary, where it’s registered as a special nutriment for cancer patients. (Avemar is marketed as AWGE in the U.S.) In the 1990s, the fermentation process was patented by a group of Hungarian scientists who also conducted in vitro and human clinical trials.

Anti-Cancer Properties of Avemar

Cancer cells use glucose as building blocks for rapid proliferation. As the tumor grows, it continues consuming more and more of the available glucose, causing the cancer patient to experience fatigue and weight loss.

In addition to interfering with a tumor’s glucose metabolism, Avemar has applications for immunotherapy for cancer as an NK cell activator. Both processes result in apoptosis, or “suicide” of cancer cells.

Immunotherapy for Cancer: A Non-Toxic, Integrative Approach

At Issels®, we evaluate your individual case along with factors such as lifestyle and environment to create a personalized course of treatment. Visit our website to learn more about innovative methods such as cancer vaccines and gene-targeted therapies.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Breast Cancer, Cancer Research, Immunotherapy

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®.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Immunotherapy

Expert States Traditional Cancer Treatments are Out of Step with Modern Advances

Classic Cancer Treatment is Dated
Classic Cancer Treatment is Dated

As the spotlight continues to shine on developing immunotherapy for cancer, the medical community is taking a hard look at traditional cancer treatments. During a recent press conference in Dubai, one of America’s top oncology experts explained why he believes cancer treatment is “out of step” with modern medical advances.

A “Rock Star” of Molecular Medicine Weighs In

Dr. Samuel Bernal, a Harvard-trained professor at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, is himself a cancer survivor. In addition, Dr. Bernal was the leader of a multi-disciplinary team of molecular cancer researchers for 20 years and has written several books about oncology and the drug resistance of cancer cells.

During last month’s press conference, Dr. Bernal stated that traditional cancer treatments don’t cure the disease, but merely prolong a patient’s life at best. He cites strict FDA requirements for standardized treatments as being counter-productive because no two cases of cancer are the same.

Giving the Immune System a Helping Hand

Based on years of studies and his own personal experience, Dr. Bernal believes that stem-cell therapy is the most effective cancer treatment. He explains that our immune systems usually do a good job of killing cancer cells, but when they slip through and gain a foothold, a patient’s own stem cells provide the greatest boost in fighting the cancer.

Issels®: The Leader in Personally Tailored Immunotherapy for Cancer

At Issels®, all of our personalized immunotherapy protocols are developed to address each patient’s specific case. We also take into account factors such as lifestyle, environment and genetic predisposition. Contact us today for more information about our non-toxic, individualized immunotherapy for cancer programs.

Cancer Care Tips, Cancer Research, Immunotherapy, Immunotherapy for Cancer

Does Treatment Cause Cancer to Spread?

Can Cancer Treatment Causer The Spread of Cancer
Can Cancer Treatment Causer The Spread of Cancer

One of the obstacles to immunotherapy for cancer and other traditional treatments is that the disease can reoccur. While it was believed this was due to cancer cells developing resistance to drugs, recent evidence suggests that the problem may be the treatments themselves.

“A Double-Edged Sword”

Penicillin and other antibiotics were once hailed as “wonder drugs,” but overuse resulted in many forms of bacteria adapting and becoming immune to the toxic effects. The medical community felt the same process was behind the tendency of cancer to reoccur and spread to other areas.

A recent discovery by a team of Israeli scientists has shed new light on the problem. Their study involved mice with multiple myeloma, which is produced in bone marrow and spreads throughout the body. They received treatment with bortezomib, an anti-cancer drug with the brand name of Velcade.

The researchers were surprised to find that Velcade caused inflammatory cells in the bone marrow to accelerate the cancer, arming the cells with resistant properties. While they emphasize that “treatment with Velcade is essential and necessary,” the team is working on methods to inhibit the body’s response so treatments are more effective.

Immunotherapy for Cancer: A Personalized Approach

Our Issels® immunotherapy treatments are developed to meet each patient’s individual needs. These integrative programs attack cancer cells directly and treat the underlying causes to reduce the risk of tumor growth and reoccurrence.

Contact us to learn more about cancer vaccines, NK cells and the other non-toxic immunotherapy for cancer treatments offered at Issels®.

Cancer Research, Immunotherapy, Immunotherapy for Cancer, News

Immunotherapy is the Hot Buzz in the World of Cancer Research Publications

Could Immunotherapy Be Your Miracle Treatment?
Cancer Immunothereapy in the News

Thanks to rapid and effective developments, immunotherapy for cancer continues to be a hot topic in the medical community. A recent analysis shows the explosive growth of this subject in academic and industrial publications.

Immunotherapy for Cancer in the News

Results of the analysis conducted by Drs. Enal Razvi and Gary Oosta were published in Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News. Data was based on publications in the broad space of cancer immunology, which have seen exponential growth from zero in the early ’70s to more than 600 in the past year.

While there has been a clear increase in quantity, what about qualitative measures? A word cloud corresponding to titles and abstracts shows that the major areas of focus are “cancer,” “immunotherapy,” “cells,” “immune” and “tumor.”

Drilling down to find the key components of these publications, the most commonly mentioned one is “dendritic cells,” which play a vital role in initiating the immune response. “Cell death” (apoptosis) has generated 33 percent annual growth.

What Does the Future Hold?

Drs. Razvi and Oosta drew the following conclusions:

  • Understanding in vivo mechanisms and pathways driving immunological cascades is crucial for continued progress.
  • Companies will continue clinical trials, both individually and in collaboration with others.
  • Immunotherapy for cancer will eventually use biomarkers to identify which populations and sub-populations are the optimum candidates for specific treatments.

Individualized Blueprints for Immunotherapy

At Issels®, our integrative therapies are personalized based on each patient’s lifestyle and genetic makeup as well as the tumor microenvironment. Contact us today to hear success stories from patients of all ages who have dealt with leukemia, melanoma and other forms of cancer.

Cancer Research, Immunotherapy, Immunotherapy for Cancer

Research Being Done to Boost Immunotherapy Response in the Tumor Microenvironment

New Smart Blood Test Allows Doctors to Tailor Treatment
The Microenvironment

Cancer cells often proliferate due to their ability to evade the body’s natural defense system. Immunotherapy for cancer eliminates this advantage by boosting the response of immune cells, but researchers have discovered a possible roadblock: a limited amount of cellular “fuel.”

Running on Empty

A team at the University of Pittsburgh conducted a study to determine why treated T cells lose mitochondrial function once they are reintroduced to the tumor environment. They confirmed that the reaction is definitely a result of proximity to the tumor and not a side effect of activation.

Data obtained during testing showed that the tumor microenvironment contains signals that repress oxidative metabolism in T cells. In effect, the cells starve from lack of energy.

Stoking the Flames

The study, published last August in the journal Immunity, found that T cells suffer a progressive loss of a PPAR-gamma coactivator that programs mitochondrial function. Laboratory testing on rats showed that just as T cells can be treated to better detect and fight tumor cells, they can be treated with the coactivator to maintain effective metabolism levels.

Dr. Greg M. Delgoffe, leader of the University of Pittsburgh team, has joined with other scientists to develop new methods of immunotherapy for cancer using the study’s results. Strategies include incorporating commonly used drugs along with further T cell modification to stimulate metabolism.

Issels®: The Leader in State-of-the-Art Immunotherapy

Our innovative, personally tailored therapies fight cancer by focusing on both the tumor and its microenvironment for more effective treatment. Contact us to learn more about our non-toxic protocols such as cancer vaccines and NK cells.