Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, News

Stanford Scientists Research New Ways to Target Cancer

New Approaches to Cancer Bring New Perspectives to Potentially Solving this Disease.
New Approaches to Cancer Bring New Perspectives to Potentially Solving this Disease.

Cancer treatment has come a long way in the last 20 years. From immunotherapy for cancer to synthesized protein antibodies, cancer patients now have a variety of options to choose from when it comes to treatment in early or late stages.

Stanford Study Shows Promise

One of the major drawbacks of chemotherapy is the range of side effects that come with a dose strong enough to take care of a tumor. Stanford researchers have found a way to bind a synthetic protein to specific molecules in the lining of certain cells, allowing them to easily pass through without needing to be delivered via the blood stream.

Since particularly dense tumors are difficult to treat due to their lack of blood flow, many chemotherapy drugs need to be administered in high doses to get the desired effect.

The Importance of Synthetic Protein Antibodies

Much like a sponge, a tumor might absorb these special protein antibodies just by contact, leading to the saturation of the chemical within the tumor. This can cause the cancer cells to die off and the tumor to shrink, possibly eliminating the cancer causing cells completely.

All of this is done without the harmful effects of large doses of chemotherapy drugs. While these synthetic protein antibodies show promise, they could still be a few years away from the mass market.

It’s good to know that immunotherapy for cancer already exists even for late-stage patients, and new treatments are being developed by researchers to improve life expectancy and quality of life. If you would like to receive more information, get in touch with us today.

Living with Cancer, Stress Management

Tips on What to Eat While in Cancer Treatment

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Start Your Day and Body Off Right with a Healthy Diet!
Start Your Day and Body Off Right with a Healthy Diet!

Cancer does not exist in a vacuum. Immunotherapy for cancer takes a patient’s lifestyle, environment, and genetic tendencies into consideration in developing personalized protocols. It’s not surprising that nutrition can play an important part in successful cancer treatment.

Here are some tips from WebMD regarding healthy eating habits and dietary choices to follow during your treatment for cancer:

Healthy Eating Habits

  • Instead of waiting until you’re hungry, eat smaller meals at scheduled times of the day.
  • Eat dense, nutrient-rich foods such as avocados, nuts and beans that pack a lot of power into a small amount.
  • Make a point of plating your food using garnishes and other decorative touches to make it visually appealing.
  • During treatment, you may be more susceptible to germs. Use proper treatment methods such as washing and rinsing produce and cooking meat thoroughly.

Healthy Dietary Choices

  • At least 50 percent of each meal should come from fruits and/or vegetables, and aim for meatless meals two to three times a week.
  • Choose whole grain breads and cereals instead of so-called “white foods” made with processed and refined flour.
  • Avoid high-sugar foods that provide empty calories with no nutrition.
  • Keep items like carrot sticks, apples and berries on hand for convenient snacking.
  • Get nutrition from natural sources rather than supplements. In any case, consult your doctor before using dietary supplements, as they can interfere with treatment.

Issels®: Leading the Way in Immunotherapy Treatments

Immunotherapy for cancer is designed to boost your own immune system’s ability to identify and fight tumors. Contact us to learn more about our non-toxic treatments such as cancer vaccines and activated NK cells.

Living with Cancer

PubMed.gov: Probiotics Play a Cancer Protective Role

Eating healthy can boost your immune system!
Eating healthy can boost your immune system!

For the last few years, yogurt commercials have been touting the value of probiotics for gastrointestinal health. A growing body of evidence shows that probiotics may also play a substantial role in protecting against the development of cancer.

Probiotics: Nature’s “Good” Bacteria

Fermented dairy products like yogurt produce lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which slows down the spoilage process. As “good” bacteria, LAB releases enzymes into the intestinal tract that improve digestion and increase absorption of nutritional substances.

LAB also has a number of properties that appear to suppress cancer. It reduces mutagenic cellular activities leading to genetic changes, as well as enzymes that promote carcinogens and other tumor-related substances. Other cancer-specific benefits include:

  • Activation and modulation of the immune system’s response
  • Facilitation of pathways for cytokines, which are proteins that help to govern cell-based immune responses
  • Regulation of interleukins and other tumor necrosis factors

What Does the Future Hold?

Both in vitro and in vivo tests have shown promising results regarding the inhibitive effect of probiotics on colon, liver, and bladder cancers. Reports suggest that probiotics boost the activity of anti-oxidants which protect against cell damage, which can increase the risk of cancer.

Immunotherapy for Cancer: Aiding the Body’s Natural Defenses

Probiotics assist your body’s immune response, which is the same goal of immuno-oncology protocols such as cancer vaccines and gene-targeted therapies. Our non-toxic, personalized treatments have successfully helped patients with all forms of cancer, including breast, lung, and liver. Contact us today to learn more about how you could benefit from immunotherapy for cancer at Issels®.

Cancer Care Tips, Cancer Research, News

Eating Fish with Omega-3 May Cut Bowel Cancer Risk

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Omega 3's Cut Bowel Cancer Risk
Omega 3’s Cut Bowel Cancer Risk

More than 49,000 people in the U.S. will die this year from bowel cancer, making it the second leading cancer-related cause of death among people aged 40+. Exciting new findings from a British research team have shown that Omega-3 fatty acids can drastically reduce the chances of dying from bowel cancer by up to 41%.

Importance of Omega-3

Commonly found in certain fish, this fatty acid appears to have a wide variety of health benefits. Omega-3 tends to lower triglycerides, slow memory loss, reduce inflammation, and even improve symptoms of depression as well as ADHD in both children and adults.

Immunotherapy for Cancer and Other Treatments

The amount of research going into cancer treatment is great news for those at risk of developing cancer in their lifetime. Immunotherapy for cancer is experiencing multiple breakthroughs every year, and studies into Omega-3s and other natural remedies are picking up steam. A cure still seems elusive, but cancer patients have seen enormous quality of life improvements over the past two decades.

What Do Omega-3 Supplements Mean in the Long-term?

They mean that while your risk of dying from bowel cancer may go down significantly, they do not seem to help prevent cancer from forming. As you age, your body loses its ability to properly rid itself of cancerous cells before they turn into a problem. While this research is promising, there’s still a lot of work to be done in analyzing the relationship between Omega-3 fatty acids and cancer.

Issels® has been helping individuals with cancer develop personalized treatment plans for the last 60 years. Let our decades of experience work for you.

 

Cancer Care Tips, Cancer Research, News

National Cancer Institute: Vitamin D and the Cancer Risk Connection

Vitamin D To Reduce Risks of Cancer
Vitamin D To Reduce Risks of Cancer

Remember how Mom always told you to drink your milk so you would have strong bones? Researchers have discovered that vitamin D, found in fortified milk and other sources, may also reduce your risk of getting cancer.

Can Vitamin D Lower Your Risk of Cancer?

Vitamin D is actually a group of fat-soluble prohormones that the body uses to synthesize hormones. In addition to foods, sunshine is a valuable source of vitamin D, which is absorbed through the skin.

The possible link between vitamin D and cancer risk first arose during studies of cancer incidence and death rates based on geographic location. Numbers were found to be lower among people living in southern latitudes, where exposure to sunlight is more frequent.

Analysis of the results led researchers to consider the possibility of different vitamin D levels accounting for the incidence rates. Tests on mice have shown that vitamin D intake can slow down or prevent cancer cell growth, tumor blood vessel formation, and other processes that aid the development of cancer.

Ongoing Vitamin D Clinical Trials

At this point, most of the medical evidence has come from tests designed to study other health-related issues. Clinical researchers are now conducting tests specifically focused on the relationship between vitamin D and cancer. These studies include trials of vitamin D supplements and vitamin D analogs, which are substances that resemble the chemical but don’t have the calcium-boosting properties.

State-of-the-Art Immunotherapy for Cancer

Immunotherapy for cancer at Issels® incorporates the latest findings on non-toxic treatments that help your body’s own immune system to fight cancer. Contact us for more information.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Care Tips

American Institute for Cancer Research List Cancer-Fighting Foods

Cancer Fighting Foods
Cancer Fighting Foods

Do you need more motivation to consume a healthy diet? According to the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), excess body weight is a cause of more than 130,000 new cases of cancer in the United States each year.

Consuming nutritious plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans, provides a double-whammy against cancer. Fewer calories mean no weight gain, while the vitamins and minerals are strong tools against developing cancer.

What’s on Your Grocery List?

Fortunately, there’s a wide variety of delicious foods to choose from. Here are some of the products that rank high on AICR’s list.

  • Dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach and romaine lettuce contain carotenoids that attack free radicals, which are unstable molecules that cause cell and tissue damage.
  • Tomatoes get their red color from an antioxidant called lycopene. They’re also rich in fiber, which protects against colorectal cancer.
  • Coffee has gained a bad reputation with some, but it’s actually full of antioxidants that may become more potent during the roasting process.
  • Kidneys, black beans and other legumes are a good source of fiber and protein. They also contain a resistant starch used by “good” bacteria in the colon to manufacture protective short-chain fatty acids.
  • Blueberries are considered one of the “superfoods” that have some of the highest antioxidant content.

Good Nutrition and Immunotherapy for Cancer: A Powerful Combination

At our Issels® center, diet and other lifestyle factors are taken into consideration when creating our personalized immunotherapy for cancer treatments. Contact us for more information about non-toxic protocols such as cancer vaccines and NK cells.

Individualized Cancer Treatment