Category Archives: Uncategorized

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Cancer Survivors, Immunotherapy, Immunotherapy for Cancer, Uncategorized

June is Cancer Immunotherapy Month

June is Cancer Immunotherapy Awareness Month
June is Cancer Immunotherapy Awareness Month

In the fight against cancer, immunotherapy has been a game-changer. The Society of Immunotherapy for Cancer (SITC) is recognizing June as Cancer Immunotherapy Month to recognize and promote the value of these treatments.

Putting Immunotherapy in the Public Eye

The SITC observes Cancer Immunotherapy Month by promoting public awareness of immunotherapy and sponsoring educational events for both healthcare professionals and patients.

Here are a few of the programs scheduled for the upcoming month:

• “Cancer Immunity and Immunotherapy” is being held as part of the annual meeting of the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies. Presentations will focus on tumor immunology and therapies such as vaccines, CAR-T cells and checkpoint inhibitors.

• “Incorporating Radiation Oncology into Immunotherapy” is a two-day workshop exploring the challenges and opportunities of combining the different methods into one integrative treatment.

• “Rational Combinations 360º” is a comprehensive examination of combining therapies as it relates to business, clinical and scientific aspects.

How Can You Participate?

Everyone has been touched by cancer in one way or another. There are a number of ways you can support Cancer Immunotherapy Month.

• Join the Cancer Immunotherapy CONNECT Open Forum and share your stories with other members.

• Purchase a SITC Cure t-shirt.

• Post your support of immunotherapy for cancer research on Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms.

• Donate to the Forward Fund for immunotherapy research.

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

Our founder, Dr. Josef M. Issels, was a pioneer in the development and use of immunotherapy. Visit our website for more information about Dr. Issels and our individually tailored non-toxic immunotherapy programs.

Cancer Survivors, Immunotherapy for Cancer, Living with Cancer, Uncategorized

June 4th is National Cancer Survivors Day – Celebrate With Us!

Cancer Survivor's Day is Celebrated in the Month of June
Cancer Survivor’s Day is Celebrated in the Month of June

Everyone’s life has been touched by cancer, whether it’s through personal experience or that of family and friends. We all have a reason to participate in National Cancer Survivors Day on June 4, celebrating the advances in cancer treatment that have given hope to so many people.

What Is National Cancer Survivors Day?

More than 15.5 million people in America are cancer survivors, which the National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation defines as “living with a history of cancer.” Thirty years ago, the first Sunday in June was designated as a day to honor these cancer survivors, provide inspiration for those recently diagnosed, and support the families who are affected.

While National Cancer Survivors Day is primarily a time of celebration, the Foundation also uses the event as an opportunity to educate people about the challenges that cancer survivors continue to face.

Life as a Cancer Survivor

The end of treatment is actually the beginning of a number of serious issues that affect a cancer survivor’s quality of life.

• Inadequate health insurance can limit access to specialized care providers. Even with insurance, medical treatment can be a catastrophic drain on finances.

• Cancer survivors may have difficulty fitting into their personal and professional circles.

• Risk for secondary cancers and other problems is greater for cancer survivors.

Issels®: Leading the Way in Immunotherapy Cancer Treatment

The biggest advances in cancer treatment have come through immunotherapy, which helps your body’s own immune system fight tumors naturally. Contact us today for more information about our state-of-the-art, individually-developed methods, including cancer vaccines and NK cells.

 

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Immunotherapy, Uncategorized

Could This Bacterial Molecule Stimulate the Immune System to Fight Cancer?

Get The Treatment You Need with Us!
Get The Treatment You Need with Us!

There’s a popular saying that goes, “Everything old is new again.” This may also hold true with immunotherapy for cancer, as researchers explore the possibility of enlisting your body’s ancient defenses against bacterial threats to fight tumors.

Going Back to the Future

A team at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle recently conducted a trial of an experimental drug on 15 patients with advanced sarcoma. The drug, known as G100, was based on a molecule called lipopolysaccharide that is carried within certain bacteria.

Lipopolysaccharide is unique to these organisms, so its presence has historically triggered a prompt and powerful inflammatory response. According to scientists, the pathway to this response dates back so far in the evolutionary cycle that it’s nearly identical in all animals.

Over a period of two to three months, participants received an injection of G100 directly into the tumor, along with a course of focused radiation. The injected tumors stopped growing, shrank or even disappeared in 14 of the 15 patients, while tumor growth throughout the body stopped in six of them.

Boosting the Body’s Immune System

Researchers are theorizing that the drug makes the tumor “hot” in terms of activating an immune response aimed specifically at the cancer cells. The next step involves combining G100 injections with an as-yet-undecided immunotherapy agent to see if the treatment can boost the cancer-fighting immune response throughout the body.

Using State-of-the-Art Methods to Fight Cancer

At Issels®, we stay up-to-date on all the latest advancements in immunotherapy for cancer. Contact us to learn more about our non-toxic, integrative treatment programs that are specifically designed for your individual needs.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Cancer Treatment, Uncategorized

Tumor Treating Fields (TTF) Emerge as a New Cancer Treatment

New Advances Are Being Made in Cancer Treatment
New Advances Are Being Made in Cancer Treatment Using TTFields

Brain cancer is one of the more difficult forms to treat, with the last advancement dating back more than 10 years. Today scientists are excited about the potential of tumor-treating fields (TTFields) as a means of “shocking” cancer cells.

Putting a “Charge” into Cancer

TTFields were first approved as a cancer treatment by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2011. The method of sending mild electrical fields through the scalp was originally used to treat glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer that carries a two-year survival rate of approximately 30 percent.

NovoCure’s device, Optune, is a patient-controlled system that uses adhesive patches to deliver low-electric fields with a frequency of 200 kHz. The fields pulse through the skin, where they are thought to block the division of cancer cells.

TTFields in Action

There have been several subsequent trials of Optune that have generated positive results, but the most recent trial has been described as “landmark.” Neurologist Roger Stupp of Northwestern University led a group of researchers in a five-year study of patients newly diagnosed with glioblastoma.

Out of 695 participants, one-third were treated with oral chemotherapy alone while the other two-thirds had the oral treatment coupled with the Optune device. The two-, three-, four- and five-year survival rates were all significantly higher for the group that received the combination treatment.

Issels®: The Leader in State-of-the-Art Cancer Treatment

We’ve seen a significant number of patients achieve long-term remission after receiving our integrative immunotherapy programs. Contact us today to learn how Issels® has been ahead of the industry in the use of individually-developed immunotherapy protocols for cancer treatment.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Cancer Treatment, Immuno-Oncology, Immunotherapy, Immunotherapy for Cancer, Living with Cancer, Uncategorized

The Cost of Some New Cancer Drugs Spiral Out of Reach for Some Patients

The Cost of Some Medications Is Rising
The Cost of Some Medications Is Rising

The last few years have brought exciting advances in immunotherapy for cancer, but innovation has come at a price … literally. Skyrocketing costs for cancer drugs are making them inaccessible for many who would benefit the most.

Cancer Drugs: The Price of Success

During the 10-year period between 2005 and 2015, Big Pharma’s pipeline of cancer drugs increased by 63 percent, with several reaching the market. As a result, the global market is projected to grow from $16.9 billion in 2015 to an astounding $75.8 billion in 2022.

But while competition generally serves to drive prices down, that’s not happening with the new cancer drugs. Factors such as market exclusivity, insurance plan structures and lack of head-to-head comparison studies combine to keep prices high.

One example is checkpoint inhibitors, which release the systemic “brakes” preventing the immune system from recognizing and attacking cancer cells. Bristol, Merck, Roche and Pfizer all have checkpoint inhibitors on the market, but each has an annual price tag approaching $150,000.

What’s the Answer?

Experts see no evidence that pharmaceutical companies, driven by the current free rein on pricing, are exploring more cost-effective solutions. President Donald Trump and lawmakers from both parties are prioritizing a search for methods to restrain spiraling cancer drug costs, ranging from more price negotiation to faster approval.

Issels® Leads the Field in Immunotherapy for Cancer

While the medical community and lawmakers grapple with the finances of immunotherapy for cancer, we have been successfully treating patients with individually developed non-toxic protocols for years. Contact us today to learn more about cancer vaccines, NK cells and other immunotherapy programs at Issels®.

Cancer Care Tips, Cancer Research, News, Uncategorized

Alcohol Use is linked to Seven Different Types of Cancers

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Alcohol Linked to Seven Different Types of Cancer
Alcohol Linked to Seven Different Types of Cancer

It’s time to acknowledge that alcohol consumption has an overall negative effect on health. Based on recent research in Addiction, alcohol has a direct causal effect on seven types of cancer.

In addition to liver cancer, frequent drinkers are more likely to develop cancer in the colon, bowel, mouth and throat, and breast cancer in women.

The Link between Alcohol and Cancer

While past analyses have concluded that the link between alcohol use and cancer may not be causal, the latest research indicates that the statistics are simply not strong enough for the link to be explained by other factors.

A report, written by New Zealand’s Jennie Connor of the University of Otago, explains the connection:

• Alcohol caused about 6% of cancer deaths in 2012.

• Women who consume 2 drinks per day have a 16% higher risk of dying from breast cancer compared to non-drinkers.

• Heavy drinkers (averaging 5 drinks per day) have a 40% increased risk of cancer.

• Mouth, throat, and esophagus cancers are more strongly linked to alcohol (the risk of colon and breast cancer are heightened, but less so).

Is Moderate Drinking Safe?

Research doesn’t rule out the safety of drinking moderately — defined as an average of 14 drinks per week or less. However, the report stresses that alcohol is linked to other cancers, besides liver cancer, and that these risks outweigh anecdotal evidence like wine being good for the heart.

Emerging Science: Immunotherapy for Cancer

Immunotherapy for cancer may help patients interested in non-toxic, forward-thinking treatment options such as cancer vaccines and immune cell therapies. Contact us at Issels® for information about our individualized cancer care.