Category Archives: Living with Cancer

Breast Cancer, Cancer Care Tips, Living with Cancer

Men Can Get Breast Cancer Too

Men can get breast cancer too!
Men can get breast cancer too!

Although rare, breast cancer does affect men. Roughly 1 percent of all cases occur in men, meaning a few thousand U.S. males are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. As with female breast cancer, the male form typically begins with lumps and progresses if untreated.

The way men seek diagnosis and treatment has evolved over the years. As awareness campaigns and media spotlight increased the visibility of the disease, a larger number of men are getting screened and treated for breast cancer risk factors.

The Hamilton (Ontario) Spectator recently reported a trend of men electing to undergo a double mastectomy as treatment — and as a preventive measure upon discovering genetic risk factors. A recent JAMA Surgery study found that contralateral prophylactic mastectomy surgery had risen from 3 percent to 5.6 percent among male patients with one tumor.

“A Culture of Awareness”

The increase in male patients receiving mastectomies comes on the heels of other recent reports about changes in the way breast cancer is diagnosed and treated. Some research has suggested that frequent mammograms in women had led to over-diagnosis.

The preventive double mastectomy option — highlighted by actress Angelina Jolie’s treatment due to BRCA1 gene mutation — has sparked debate about elective surgery conducted based on risk factors rather than the presence of cancer.

Authors of the JAMA Surgery have concluded that men should carefully weigh all options when facing information about breast cancer risks and cancer treatment options. Tissue removal may only be beneficial for some patients.

For more information about innovative cancer treatments, contact us at Issels®. We provide non-toxic therapies and immunotherapy, with an emphasis on personalized care.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Living with Cancer

Sponge-Like Implant IDs Early Cancer Metastatic Cells for Earlier Treatment

Early Detection
Early Detection

An exciting new development in the battle against all forms of cancer has been announced by the journal Nature Communications. Engineers have devised a sponge-like apparatus that attracts the attention of cancer cells, causing them to cluster—not in an organism’s organ—but on the man-made apparatus. This represents a step toward controlling metastatic cells in patients suffering from breast, pancreatic, and prostate cancer in the future.

FDA Approved Material

The device is made of a sponge-like “biomaterial” that has already received FDA approval for use in medical devices. Although it has only been used in lab rodents with breast cancer, the material could be tested in humans very soon. It works like a decoy to attract cancer cells and distract them from clustering in the body’s organs. So far, the results have been promising, and researchers are eager to begin the next phase.

An Effective Decoy

Ordinarily, cancer cells break loose from a tumor and are attracted to other areas in the body by immune cells. In the research results, these immune cells flocked to the sponge-like material, which is its natural reaction to any foreign body. The cancer cells end up being caught in the device and consequently reduced the numbers present at other sites, preventing them from colonizing other organs in the live test rodents and enabled researchers to extract them from the body while they remained inside the absorbent sponge-like material.

These findings are very positive and represent the ongoing strides that are being taken in the quest for a cancer cure. However, treatments like this will have to go through many stages before they can be made available to the public. To stay informed about the latest treatments available, and to receive more information about non-toxic cancer treatments, contact the Issels® Center for Immuno-Oncology.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Living with Cancer

50% of Ovarian Cancer Patients Missed Early Treatment

Missed Early Treatment
Missed Early Treatment

A shocking study published by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston concluded that half of the patients eligible for intraperitoneal/intravenous chemotherapy, a form of treatment that is delivered into the body cavity and the veins of a patient, did not receive the treatment, even though they could have because they were eligible. The most common symptoms of ovarian cancer are bloating, constipation, abdominal pain, and frequent urination, though often these symptoms are mistaken for other minor problems.

It’s important to check with a doctor if you are experiencing strange symptoms in the lower abdominal region, as they are often more than just a reaction to digestion. Ovarian cancer is so dangerous because most patients only find out about it when it’s too late, and not earlier when it could have been prevented and or mitigated. A study performed in 2006 showed that this cancer treatment led to over a year where the disease exhibited no signs of progression. It also said that people who took this treatment lived four to five years longer than those who only took intravenous treatment.

It’s critical to survival rates to discover ovarian cancer before it’s too late; a whopping one-third of those who receive treatment early are reported to live ten years longer than those who didn’t receive any at all.

At Issels®, the Center for Immuno-Oncology, we are committed to helping all our patients experience the best survival rate possible following an ovarian cancer diagnosis. Through a combination of better eating habits and non-toxic treatment options, your prognosis has never had a more shining future. Contact us today for more information.

Cancer Research, Living with Cancer

Capsaicin in Hot Chilis May Kill Prostate Cancer Cells

Peppers May Be The Key
Peppers May Be The Key

Issels® is delighted to share the news that surprising research has now found that capsaicin, a little known molecule found within the chili pepper plant, has the ability to kill prostate cancer cells. Historically, capsaicin has been used as a therapeutic pain reliever in topical creams. The compound is found in differing quantities depending on the species of pepper. For instance, the bell pepper contains a lot less of it than chili peppers do.

It all started 10 years ago when scientists reported that the compound capsaicin killed prostate cancer cells in mice, while leaving the healthy cells untouched. Such discoveries signified the possibility of a cure for prostate cancer, and motivated more scientists into finding out more about this amazing molecule.

Spurred on by these findings, scientists Ashok Kumar Mishra and Jitendriya Swain tried to gain a deeper understanding of how capsaicin works in removing prostate cancer. The researchers figured out that the molecule binds to a cell’s surface and affects the membrane, which surrounds and protects the cell. They were then able to detect how the compound interacts with cell membranes by monitoring its natural fluorescence. Their study showed that capsaicin lodges in the membranes near the surface.

You should be aware that hot pepper consumption is not equivalent to the use of pure capsaicin. Simply eating peppers won’t work the same way, since the compound is only effective in high dosages.

For more information on non-toxic cancer treatment contact Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology to get you started on the road to a natural recovery from cancer.

Living with Cancer, Stress Management, Uncategorized

Cancer Patient Tip: Are You Sad or Clinically Depressed – How to Tell the Difference

Sad or Depressed?
Sad or Depressed?

Issels® Center for Immuno-Oncology provides state-of-the-art techniques to support and encourage a patient’s immune system to defend against cancer cells. Often times, even though treatment is progressing, cancer patients may experience a feeling of sadness.

The question is if the patient is having random moments of sadness or is clinically depressed. Knowing the difference is important.

Random Moments of Sadness

When you’re feeling sad, it can be for any number of reasons from worry about a health condition to stress of paying medical bills. Being sad doesn’t encompass your feelings for the majority of the time. You’re sad; you work through the issue, find a resolution, talk with friends or family, and continue your normal daily routine. Depression is the exact opposite and a much more serious condition.

Clinical Depression

Studies show that between 15-25 percent of the people who’ve been diagnosed as having cancer are candidates for depression. Some of the signs of depression may seem like sadness but there are differences.

  • Depression is long-term unhappiness
  • Experience excessive tiredness
  • Lack of interest in hobbies and activities
  • Eating routine changes
  • Restless and nervous feelings
  • An obvious change in sleeping habits
  • Lack of concentration
  • Significant change in mental and physical reactions
  • Feeling as if you no longer matter
  • Continued thoughts of the possibility of death
  • Thoughts of suicide

Anti-depressants, exercise, counseling, established routines, and psychotherapy are all ways to deal with depression. If you suffer from any of the listed symptoms, contact your physician to determine a plan of action.

If you need information about the services available at Issels® Center for Immuno-Oncology, contact us by phone or use the online form to submit your request.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Living with Cancer

Just Diagnosed with Cancer? Know More about Why You Have Cancer

Tackling The Side Effects
Cancer Diagnosis

Everyone understands that cancer is a disease, but many people really know nothing more about it than that. If you have recently been diagnosed, the how’s and why’s behind cancer become concerns that move to the forefront of your mind. Here are answers to some of the more common questions that arise with cancer patients. 

Who gets cancer?

The short answer is: anyone. More than 1.5 million new cases are diagnosed each year. About 78 percent occur in people aged 55 or older, but cancer can strike people of any age, race and ethnicity.

How common is cancer?

In the United States, approximately half of all men and one-third of all women will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime. Thanks to advancements in screening and treatment, survival rates are much greater than in years past.

What are the causes of cancer?

The most common causes fall under a number of different categories. Certain lifestyle choices, such as smoking and spending time outside without sunscreen, are risk factors. Outside elements like radiation and chemicals can also increase risk. Roughly five to ten percent of cancers are linked to genetics.

Some people hold the misconception that injuries can cause cancer. The disease may be uncovered during treatment for an injury, but there is no causal relationship. Stress can affect your immune system, but to date there is no evidence that it’s a direct cause of cancer.

Issels® Immuno-Oncology Centers have pioneered the use of personalized therapies that are considered the most advanced of cancer treatments. Visit our website to read and view testimonials given by our patients.