Cancer Care Tips, Cancer Caregivers

Tips for Caregiving at the Hospital for Cancer Patients and Caregivers

Tips For Caregivers
Tips For Caregivers

Whether patients undergo traditional or alternative cancer treatments, there may come a time when further care requires a stay in the hospital. Even though the patients are surrounded by doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers, they benefit from continued support from their personal caregivers.

If you are a caregiver for a hospitalized cancer patient, you may feel discouraged or overwhelmed by the turn of events. Here are some tips to help you maintain mental and emotional balance while handling the needs of both you and the patient.

  • Actively participate in the patient’s health care team. As a close friend or family member, you can provide valuable information to assist the medical professionals in deciding on the proper care.
  • Establish a relationship with the patient’s nurses. They are on the front lines of patient care, and they can help you understand treatments and procedures while offering support and information.
  • Consult with a hospital social worker or case manager. They can help you stay on top of administrative details such as insurance matters, coordination of care between specialists and support resources.
  • Develop an organized information management system. The patient relies on you to handle tasks like filling prescriptions, scheduling appointments and contacting family and friends. Develop a simple method to keep documents and other necessary information organized and easily accessible.

Alternative cancer treatments at Issels® are available on either an outpatient or inpatient basis. If you or a loved one is dealing with cancer, contact us today for more information about our personalized protocols such as vaccines and immunotherapy for cancer treatment.

Cancer Care Tips, Cancer Research, Living with Cancer

Poor Diet May Raise the Risk for Lung Cancer

Eating During Cancer Treatment
Improving Your Diet

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking is the number one cause of preventable disease in the United States, and the link between smoking and cancer of the lung has been well-established for decades. Now researchers are finding that diet can also increase the risk of developing lung cancer.

Can carbohydrates lead to cancer?

Glycemic index (GI) measures how much a food’s carbohydrate content raises blood sugar. GI is used by diabetics to manage their diet, and it’s been studied as a possible factor in several types of cancer, such as colorectal, stomach and ovarian.

A research team at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston questioned a group of people recently diagnosed with lung cancer about their eating habits, income and other lifestyle factors. Results were compared to a control group of people without the disease.

Data shows that people who reported eating many foods with a high GI were 50 percent more likely to be in the group with lung cancer. Surprisingly, non-smokers with a high GI diet were found to be twice as likely to have the cancer as smokers with similar eating habits.

How high GI foods increase cancer risk

While doctors are not yet sure what drives the connection, they suspect it may have to do with high GI foods raising the body’s insulin production, which affects cell growth. These insulin-like growth factors (IGF) may in turn fuel the uncontrolled cell growth that leads to cancer.

Non-toxic immunotherapy treatments used at Issels® have been used successfully in patients with all types of cancer, including lung, breast and colon. Contact us for more information.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Care Tips, Cancer Research, News

US Takes “Moonshot” Approach to a Cure for Cancer – Can It Work?

The Moonshot Approach
The Moonshot Approach

Last year, Vice President Joe Biden made news promising a “moonshot” approach toward facilitating cancer research. His announcement was inspired by his son Beau’s untimely death from brain cancer. While experts appreciate Biden’s dedication to the cause, some are warning against unrealistic expectations for a cure in the near future.

In an editorial that appeared last January in the Washington Post, cancer researcher Vinay Prasad of Oregon Health and Science University compared Biden’s vision to previous lofty promises that ultimately fizzled. Prasad went on to examine the various proposals, considering the likelihood of each to succeed.

  1. Speedier approval of cancer drugs

Prasad compares the impact of this factor to “thinking you can run a faster mile by buying a new stopwatch.” Although the FDA has already demonstrated a willingness to approve most cancer drugs, their actions have no affect whatsoever on the effectiveness of these drugs.

  1. Analysis and application of past successes

Some have suggested working backwards to study individuals with a positive response to treatment and extrapolating those findings to other patients. The problem lies in proving a direct correlation between their improvement and the drugs that were used as opposed to other unrelated factors.

  1. Immunotherapy

Therapies that boost a patient’s own immune response to cancer, such as those used at our immuno-oncology center, were cited by Biden as a promising answer. But several immunotherapy drugs have already been developed, with many more studies in progress, so that’s hardly a novel suggestion.

You can count on receiving state-of-the-art treatments at our Issels® immuno-oncology center. Visit our website for more information about our non-toxic individualized protocols.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Immuno-Oncology

BBC Reviews the “Right” Way to Fight Cancer

Stop Cancer Sign
It’s Time to Stop Cancer!

Cancer is the #2 cause of death in the United States. Untold amounts of time and money have been spent researching treatments, such as the non-toxic protocols used at our immuno-oncology center. But is the fight against cancer going in the right direction? Four experts recently spoke with BBC News about ways to improve the approach toward cancer research.

1. Relax government regulation

Dr. Vincent DeVita, instrumental in discovering the cure for Hodgkin’s disease, points to restrictive rules enforced by the Food and Drug Administration. He says it took three years for his team to develop their program, but today’s gauntlet of hurdles would stretch that time to 15 years.

2. Focus on early-stage treatments

According to MIT assistant economics professor Heidi Williams, shorter clinical trials for late-stage treatments result in more funding. Private funding is usually directed toward this research, suggesting that public funding could be allocated more for early-stage treatments studies.

3. Allocate more resources toward prevention

Political and economic considerations make cancer prevention efforts a lower priority, states Dr. Christopher Wild of WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer. He estimates that 40 to 50 percent of cancers could be prevented if knowledge was applied to prevention as well as treatments.

4. Educate the public

Professor Pekka Puska led a landmark experiment to reduce heart disease by educating a Finnish community about the dangers of high-risk habits. A similar campaign could be used to inform the public about the connection between cancer and individual behaviors.

Cancer treatments at our Issels® immuno-oncology center are personally tailored to focus on each patient’s particular needs. Contact us for more information.

Cancer Care Tips, Cancer Caregivers

Tips for Young Adults on Caring for a Parent with Cancer

Group of college students leaning on banister
Young Adults Can Help Parents When They Have Cancer.

Young adulthood is an exciting time of establishing independence, starting a career and finding romance. Becoming a caregiver for a parent with cancer is a major responsibility that may curtail some of these activities, but it can also strengthen your familial bond.

Here are some tips for finding balance between your caregiver role and your personal life.

  • Set aside time when you can sit down and talk to your parent without being rushed or interrupted. Discuss their medical wishes, including possible alternative cancer treatments. Establish plans for financial management, care visits and any other pertinent issues.
  • After the discussion, use the information to create a master task list. Enlist the support of siblings, family members and close friends to help out where needed.
  • Schedule a meeting with your parent’s health care team to get the facts about your parent’s illness. He or she should be present as well to approve release of protected medical information.
  • Make sure your contact information is kept in your parent’s file. You should also keep a list of doctors, pharmacists and anyone else involved in your parent’s treatment.
  • Don’t feel obligated to give up your personal life. Spending time with friends and participating in your favorite activities reduces your stress level, allowing you to be a better caregiver.
  • Join a support group to get encouragement and advice from others who are or have been in your shoes.

The non-toxic alternative cancer treatments at Issels® focus on harnessing the body’s natural immune response to fight cancer. If you, your parent or another loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, contact us for more information.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Living with Cancer

WHO Says Bacon and Sausage is Dangerous Like Cigarettes for Causing Cancer

High Protein Diets Linked to Cancer
Who Says Sausage and Bacon is Bad

For years, a patient’s overall lifestyle has been one of the factors considered in developing our alternative cancer treatments at Issels®. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently provided additional evidence for this approach by placing popular breakfast meats on their list of cancer-causing substances.

Pork is #1 on the hit list

Last October, WHO issued their updated list of commonly-used substances that can cause cancer. Bacon, ham and sausage were added to the list, with processed meats joining asbestos and cigarettes as the highest-ranking carcinogenic substances.

Studies indicate that haem, a pigment that gives red meat its color, may irritate the linings of the intestines. Another possible cause comes from the preservatives used to keep meat for a longer time, which can ultimately form carcinogenic substances.

Should you give up red meat?

Some researchers remain unconvinced of the link between processed meats and bowel cancer. Neurobiology professor Robert Pickard of the University of Cardiff maintains that eliminating red meat from your diet is not as valuable a protection against cancer as reducing smoking, drinking alcohol and overeating.

Nevertheless, the World Cancer Research Fund International advises that you can reduce your risk of bowel cancer by limiting consumption of red meat to 500 grams cooked weight per week. Meat-eaters also tend to have a lower intake of fruits and vegetables, which are loaded with fiber along with antioxidants and other healthy nutrients, so upping produce consumption can also lower your risk.

Our Issels® alternative cancer treatments incorporate a healthy lifestyle as an element of our individually created protocols. Visit our website to learn more.

Individualized Cancer Treatment