Tag Archives: Alternate Cancer Therapy

Personalized Dendritic Cell Vaccines As Effective Immunotherapy Make the News

Sharing the Opinions of the Future
Sharing the Opinions of the Future

One of the benefits of immunotherapy for cancer is that treatments can often be tailored to address a patient’s individual needs. Scientists in Switzerland have now developed a method of modifying dendritic cell vaccines that makes them easier to personalize.

Aiding the Body’s Own Immune Response

Dendritic cell vaccines are normally created by force-feeding dendritic cells with tumor antigens. Scientists at the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research have developed a modification that allows dendritic cells to acquire antigens from a patient’s tumor.

Prof. Michele De Palma, winner of the 2017 Swiss Cancer League award, led the team of researchers in creating an extracellular vesicle (EV)-internalizing receptor, referred to as EVIR. The EVIR has been optimized to enhance dendritic cells and their ability to selectively uptake cancer cell-derived EVs.

Antigen-laden exosomes and other extracellular vesicles are released by tumors in sizable quantities. The EVIR helps dendritic cells target the exosomes more precisely and present them to killer T-cells for a more efficient immune response.

Streamlining the Job of Dendritic Cells

De Palma explained the phenomenon of cross-dressing, in which dendritic cells display the acquired antigens directly on their surface. The process simplifies the immune response by eliminating the need for more complex interactions within the dendritic cell itself.

Dendritic Cell Vaccines and Immunotherapy for Cancer at Issels®

Dendritic cell vaccines are only one of the non-toxic cancer treatments available at Issels®. Our individually developed programs are created to maximize the ability of your own immune system to fight cancer.

Contact us to learn more about why Issels® has long been a groundbreaking leader in immunotherapy for cancer.

Adoptive Cell Transfer a Natural Immunotherapy for Cancer

Adoptive Cell Transfer a Natural Immunotherapy for Cancer
Adoptive Cell Transfer a Natural Immunotherapy for Cancer09

Scientists are excited about immunotherapy for cancer because it supplements a patient’s own natural defenses of the immune system. Thanks to a recent study, researchers have made a discovery that could lead to more effective immunotherapy treatments.

What Is Adoptive Cell Transfer?

Adoptive cell transfer, one of the primary forms of immunotherapy for cancer, involves extracting a patient’s T-cells, which are a form of white blood cells that attack foreign invaders in the system. After engineering the T-cells to target the specific proteins in cancer cells, they are injected back into the patient.

While adoptive cell transfer has been successful in treating blood and bone marrow cancers, it’s been less effective with solid tumors. A team from The Scripps Research Institute and the University of California, San Diego set out to find a better way to program the T-cells.

Unleashing the Power of T-Cells

The researchers zeroed in on a protein known as Runx3, which appeared to specifically direct T-cells to solid tumors. During testing on animal models, it was found that overexpression of Runx3 led to delayed tumor growth and longer life.

Matthew Pipkin of Scripps said that Runx3 works on chromosomes within T-cells, enabling them to focus on killing tumor cells. Pipkin was hopeful that their discovery would pave the way for improving the effectiveness of adoptive cell transfer on solid tumors.

Issels®: The Leader in Immunotherapy for Cancer

Our proprietary immunobiologic core protocols are specifically designed to meet each patient’s individual needs. Contact us to learn more about our record of helping patients achieve and sustain long-term remission.

The Issels Story – a Focus on Immunotherapy

Another Step in Stopping Cancer
We Are Dedicated to Stopping Cancer

Immunotherapy for cancer has been a hot topic in the news lately, but the methods are far from new. Our founder, Dr. Josef Issels, was a pioneer in the field of integrative immuno-oncology dating back to the mid-20th century.

Josef Issels: A Life Dedicated to Fighting Cancer

Dr. Issels began his trailblazing path in 1948, conducting extensive research on the causes of cancer while working in his native Germany. His studies focused on the role of the immune system in fighting cancer as well as microbial aspects of the disease.

In 1951, Dr. Issels founded the first hospital in the world devoted exclusively to integrative immunotherapy, focusing on patients for whom traditional treatments had failed. The revolutionary Issels program went above and beyond standard tumor-centered treatments, and many patients experienced partial or total long-term remission.

As the integrative procedures developed by Dr. Issels continued to generate successful results, the hospital added 35 beds in 1970 for a total of 125. The scope of research also expanded to include programs such as vaccines, hypothermia and mycoplasma.

After Dr. Issels retired, he brought his innovative immuno-oncology programs to America. Since his death in 1998, his wife, Ilse Marie, has continued his work alongside their sons, Christian and Hellmut. The trio has maintained the same dedication and level of excellence set forth by Dr. Issels.

Issels® Continues to Lead the Way in Immunotherapy for Cancer

Nearly 70 years later, our patients continue to benefit from the foresight and tireless work of Josef Issels. Contact us for more information about our state-of-the-art programs that are personally tailored to meet each patient’s specific needs.

Immunotherapy: a Miracle Cure for Many

Let Issels Help You Survive Fighting Cancer!
Let Issels Help You Survive Fighting Cancer!

Chemotherapy and radiation are common forms of treatment for cancer, but they are not always effective. These forms of treatment can also cause unpleasant side effects or long-term effects.

Issels immunotherapy for cancer offers a nontoxic treatment method that is effective and doesn’t cause adverse side effects. Our personalized treatment programs have helped patients completely recover, even from aggressive forms of cancer.

Miracle Cure

While she was in her 40s, Lori Alf battled multiple myeloma, a blood cancer with a grim outlook. With the help of Dr. Carl H. June, Alf underwent an experimental treatment that used her body’s own immune system to fight the cancer cells. As part of this treatment, researchers took white blood cells from Alf’s body and turned them into cells that were able to target and destroy cancer cells.

These white blood cells were combined with a protein known as chimeric antigen receptor to help them recognize myeloma cells. Within two months of undergoing immunotherapy, Alf’s body was free of cancer.

One of the advantages of immunotherapy is that it does not carry the risk of graft-versus-host disease, a condition that can be life-threatening. This occurs when the body rejects transplanted stem cells that come from a donor. Since the cells used in immunotherapy are from the patient, there is no risk of rejection. Researchers believe that immunotherapy can be used to effectively and safely treat more than two dozen cancers.

If you would like more information on the Issels non-toxic immunotherapy for cancer, please contact Issels. We offer care for many different types of cancer.