Category Archives: Living with Cancer

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Living with Cancer

Weight Gain with Breast Cancer is Not Uncommon – What to Do

February 27, 2015 Chris

Weight loss is a common stereotype of cancer diagnosis and treatment. If you are dealing with breast cancer, it’s not unusual to actually gain weight. Factors such as personal and financial stress and the disruption of physical activity all play a part, but there are physiological reasons as well.

Effects of chemotherapy and hormonal therapy

Some people have a natural tendency to gain weight when treated with chemotherapy and steroids. The cause can be indirect if treatment causes you to enter menopause, which can also trigger weight gain.

An enzyme known as LPL controls the transfer of fat between cells in your body. Estrogen suppresses this LPL activity with fat cells. If your hormone levels drop due to cancer treatment, LPL is able to pull more fat into the fat cells where it is stored instead of burned.

Tips for maintaining a healthy weight

While weight control is important under any circumstances, being overweight can increase the risk of cancer recurrence, providing another vital reason. Here are some principles to consider when developing a healthy eating plan.

Basic mathematics still apply. If you burn more calories than you consume each day, your weight will go down.

However, all calories are not created equal. A 1,200-calorie-a-day diet consisting of sweets and high-fat foods is not going to do the trick. The same amount of calories consumed in fruits, vegetables and lean protein is a nutritionally sound way to lose weight.

Keep insulin levels steady by eating small amounts of low-carbohydrate foods throughout the day.

Our natural immuno-oncology treatment is designed with your personal needs in mind. Visit our website to learn more.

Cancer Research, Cancer Survivors, Living with Cancer

February 4th is World Cancer Day

February 4, 2015 Nancy McCord

Some catastrophic events cast dark shadows long before they occur. A cancer diagnosis frequently comes like a thunderbolt on a cloudless day. It can strike any person of any station in life and at any age. At Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology, we have more than 60 years experience successfully treating cancer patients. Join with us by participating in World Cancer Day 2015 as we celebrate cancer treatment successes, continue striving for further advancements in research, and educate others on the importance of healthy living and early cancer detection.

Not beyond us

This year’s tag line reminds us all that cancer is “not beyond us” and that we should remain vigilant in our fight against this deadly disease. In the United States, cancer is second only to cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of deaths. According to the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), more than 50 percent of the cancer related deaths that will occur this year could have been prevented. Tobacco use is the leading cause.

What can you do?

The earlier in life you adopt a healthy lifestyle, the lower your risk of developing cancer. Protect yourself from this and other non communicable diseases by not using any form of tobacco, keeping any alcohol consumption to a minimum, maintaining a healthy diet, and getting plenty of exercise. The financial and emotional toll of treating cancer far outweighs the effort and investment required to implement preventive behaviors into your life.

To stay updated on the latest cancer screening methods and to learn more about our non-toxic immunotherapy treatments, visit the Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology website and sign up for our free e-Newsletter.

Cancer Research, Immuno-Oncology, Immunotherapy, Living with Cancer

Personalized Vaccines Are Recognized as the Future for Cancer Treatment

January 28, 2015 heavy

Vaccines save lives by utilizing the patient’s immune system to attack harmful cells. Much like flu vaccines prepare the person’s body to defend against pathogens, cancer prevention vaccines are given to people who do not have cancer to help their body identify and destroy infections known to lead to cancer. Treatment vaccines are for people who are already diagnosed with cancer. Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology uses non-toxic vaccine and cell therapy that is prepared from the patient’s own blood.

Washington University study

A recent study by scientists at Washington University found personalized cancer treatment was able to cure 90 percent of the mice used in the study that had advanced muscle cancer. This success prompted Alumni Professor of Pathology and Immunology for the university Robert Schreiber, PhD, who was senior author of the study, to say personalized cancer vaccines should be used to treat cancer in humans right away.

Immune-based treatments

Years of research on cancer genetics and how the immune system interacts with cancer have made new vaccines and treatments possible. Scientists agree immunotherapy is the best path to a cancer cure.

A personalized vaccine requires samples from the DNA of the individual’s tumor and healthy tissue. This aspect of creating an effective vaccine is difficult because cancer cells develop from the healthy cells of the person and are not easily recognized as harmful by the immune system. Despite the difficulties, experts agree that this type of integrative strategy is the best path to successfully treating cancer.

To find out more about the cutting edge non-toxic treatments and cell therapies utilized by Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology, contact us by phone or via our short online form.

Cancer Care Tips, Living with Cancer, Uncategorized

Ten Herbs and Vitamins to Steer Clear of While in Chemo or Radiation

January 26, 2015 heavy

Herbs and other supplements can provide an added boost for patients with cancer. In many cases, alternative cancer therapies can succeed where standard therapies have failed.

However, in some cases, complementary medicines that are recommended for some patients can actually have adverse effects on certain other patients. An herb may be excellent for one form of cancer and hazardous for another. In all cases, patients should confirm recommendations with a doctor before taking supplements.

These products may not be prescription drugs, but they do have a powerful ability to interact with chemotherapy, radiation treatments, and anti-cancer medicines.

Below are common supplements with anti-cancer properties that may also cause serious problems if taken during other treatments. Consult the American Cancer Society website or other trusted sources for a helpful guide to vitamins, minerals, and herbal medicines.

1. Fish oil: May induce bleeding if you have a low platelet count.

2. Ginger: Also may induce bleeding.

3. Turmeric: Could decrease the effectiveness of chemotherapy — or increase the effects, with toxic results.

4. Coenzyme Q10: Antioxidant properties may interfere with chemotherapy and radiation.

5. Milk thistle: May affect estrogen levels, which could pose an issue for breast or ovarian cancer.

6. Licorice: Also may affect estrogen levels.

7. Green tea: Negates the benefits of certain anti-cancer drugs.

8. Reishi mushroom: May interfere with certain drugs or chemotherapy.

9. Astragalus: May interfere with certain immunosuppressants.

10. Acidophilus: May cause infections or other problems if taken during chemotherapy.

Despite the risks for some patients, these substances do have successful results for many people. Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology can always help with information about alternative cancer treatment.

Living with Cancer

Cancer Cells Show Sensitivity to Metabolic Stress

January 21, 2015 heavy

Every day it seems researchers are learning something new about cancer. Recently, it was discovered that cancer cells could be vulnerable to metabolic stress. According to an article on Medical News Today’s website, this discovery could pave the way for new cancer therapies that won’t be harmful to normal cells.

How Tumor Cells Get Stressed

Research has shown that a tumor is usually not made up of identical cells. When someone goes through chemotherapy the cells frequently change. This chromosomal instability causes cancer cells to stress out. When they are stressed, it could lead to metabolic disruption.

What is metabolic stress? Metabolism is essential to life. It’s what turns food into energy. Metabolic stress puts a strain on the immune system, and could diminish muscle strength.

Experiments are currently being conducted on Drosophila flies that will show how much stress unstable cells can tolerate. Dr. Gregory is hoping this study will be the jumping-off point to developing treatments that have no side effects.

Ways to Avoid Metabolic Stress

According to the article, chemotherapy is toxic to all dividing cells. That’s why there are so many chemotherapy side effects such as hair loss, pain, and infections. The immunotherapy treatments we provide at Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology have been shown to stop the growth of unstable tumor cells in many patients.

Other ways to avoid metabolic stress is by radically changing one’s eating habits and by working out. Exercise has also been linked to cancer prevention and reduced cancer recurrence.

If you’re looking for a way to treat cancer that doesn’t involve weakening your body or the use of toxic chemicals, contact us at Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology. Our experienced doctors are happy to walk you through our immunotherapy treatments.

Living with Cancer

Bladder Cancer Breakthrough Highlights

January 16, 2015 heavy

After decades without major developments, the study of advanced bladder cancer has reached a new breakthrough thanks to an alternative cancer treatment.

An immunotherapy medicine has been found by researchers to shrink or eliminate tumors. Patients who have not responded positively to chemotherapy and other standard therapies have improved or entered remission, based on the initial findings.

The immunotherapy has been awarded “Breakthrough Therapy Designation” by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This means the FDA will expedite the review process to help patients with the serious disease receive the treatment as quickly as possible.

Promising Evidence for Bladder Cancer Immunotherapy

In a British trial, advanced bladder cancer patients received a new medication developed by the Swiss lab Roche.

Patients carrying the PD-L1 protein responded best to the treatment. The results:

Tumors shrank in 43 percent of patients within 6 weeks of immunotherapy

After 12 weeks, 52 percent had shrunken tumors

2 out of 30 patients had no signs of cancer following the treatment

Among PD-L1 negative patients, 11 percent saw a reduction in tumor size.

While this particular cancer immunotherapy awaits full FDA approval, the signs are encouraging. Only common side effects of cancer treatments were reported, including loss of appetite and tiredness.

Bladder cancer has long been considered one of the most difficult forms of cancer. This breakthrough provides an alternative to chemotherapy, which has for years been the only treatment option for advanced cases.

Issels® champions alternative cancer treatments, including many immunotherapies that are considered breakthroughs. Get in touch with us to discuss the latest cancer treatment options we provide.

The Issels News Blog