Tag Archives: Alternative Cancer Therapies

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Care Tips, Cancer Research, Cancer Survivors

New Support for Cancer Treatment During Pregnancy

Happy mother, father and daughter in the park
Keeping Baby Safe Even With Cancer

Patients who receive a cancer diagnosis have some difficult choices to make regarding treatments such as chemotherapy or immuno-oncology. Pregnant women have two lives to consider, placing additional weight on their decision for cancer treatment. Is there any option that will not pose significant risk to the fetus?

Some doctors recommend erring on the side of caution, suggesting a preterm delivery or even termination. The results of a study that was presented at the recent European Cancer Conference in Vienna show that cancer treatment may not necessarily interfere with a healthy, full-term pregnancy.

Dr. Frédéric Amant of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium was the lead author of the study, which involved more than 100 children born to women who underwent cancer treatment within the last two trimesters of their pregnancy. Results revealed no difference in cardiac and cognitive functions between these children and those in the control group.

Since birth defects are most likely to occur during the first trimester, none of the women participating in the study received treatment during that period. Premature delivery was found to have a greater impact on fetal development than cancer treatment. Each additional week in the womb added two points to a child’s score on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, which was used in conjunction with a neurological exam to measure results.

Our non-toxic immuno-oncology therapies at Issels® are personalized to account for lifestyle and other elements of your individual situation. Visit our website for more information about our innovative, state-of-the-art treatments as well as testimonials from our patients.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research

Research on Polar Organisms May Shed New Light on Effective Cancer Treatment

New Research on Polar Organisms
New Research on Polar Organisms

Cryobiology is the study of how low temperatures affect living things. It has been around for thousands of years and lead to many life-saving procedures like cryopreservation of organs at low temperatures for transplant. Immunotherapy has been around for over one hundred years and is used by Issels® immuno-oncology to successfully treat many types of cancer. While transplant organs are stored at cool temperatures, blood, semen and many thin tissues can be maintained practically indefinitely via liquid nitrogen cryopreservation at sub-freezing temperatures. Many living organisms can survive long periods below freezing.

Understanding how some micro-organisms are thriving in the harsh Polar Regions may help researchers develop new cancer treatment techniques.

Arctic study of bacteria may provide new cancer treatments

Shiv Mohan Singh is a cryobiologist and senior researcher with Goa’s National Center for Antarctic and Ocean Research. As a member of India’s first expedition to the Arctic back in 2007, Singh has been studying how some organisms develop survival mechanisms to endure the harsh climate.

They have found that bacteria in Arctic glaciers survive by producing anti-freeze proteins, opening up possible applications in the cryopreservation of blood and organs. One substance that is of particular interest is thelebolan, a derivative from an Antarctic fungus, which has been shown to stall tumor cell growth and induce cell death in cancer lines.

When modern insights and innovations are applied to sciences that have been around for many years, incredible advancements are made in medical treatments. Issels® immuno-oncology uses highly personalized immunotherapy and other non-toxic alternative treatments for cancer. Visit our news blog for the latest advancements in cancer research and contact us to learn more about our integrative immunotherapy treatments.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research

University of Iowa Looks Carefully at Vitamin C Treatments for Cancer

Healthy Living With Cancer
Vitamin C Treatment

Many people swear by the use of Vitamin C supplements to prevent and cure colds and other common illnesses. Given its health applications, it might come as little surprise that the medical community would explore Vitamin C’s possible role in the fight against cancer.

Researchers at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics are studying the effects of large amounts of Vitamin C used in conjunction with other cancer treatments like chemotherapy. Preclinical testing began in 2008 when Vitamin C was used successfully to slow the growth of tumors in mice.

Phase one of the study is currently investigating whether high doses of Vitamin C administered intravenously are safe for humans. So far the treatment has been tolerated by pancreatic cancer patients, and researchers are awaiting the results on patients with brain and lung cancer.

The study has not yet progressed to the point of testing Vitamin C as a method of killing tumors. However, Joseph Cullen, a professor of surgery at UI, said that the preclinical testing with mice showed that Vitamin C seemed to create hydrogen peroxide that attacked and killed cancer cells without affecting healthy ones.

After scientists in the late 1970s had promising results with testing Vitamin C as a cancer treatment, Mayo Clinic performed a study in the 1980s that contradicted the earlier one. Cullen says that the Mayo Clinic focused on oral ingestion of Vitamin C, while UI’s tests are using intravenous dosage which allows for higher, more effective levels.

Our immuno-oncology protocols make use of natural, non-toxic treatments for a personalized approach to your specific needs. Contact us to learn more about our alternative cancer treatments.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Cancer Survivors, Immunotherapy

Dr. Josef Issels: Highlighting Our History

Issels
Ilse Marie Issels, wife of Dr. Josef M. Issels

When you visit an Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology clinic for cancer treatment, you receive the benefit of our long history of remission success using immunotherapy protocols. Our founder, Dr. Josef M. Issels, was a pioneer in the field of non-toxic cancer immunotherapy and Mrs. Ilse Marie Issels and their sons are proud to carry on his legacy.

Dr. Issels began the first hospital in the world dedicated to integrative immunotherapy now more commonly known as Immuno-Oncology – in his homeland of Germany. The 120-bed facility focused on patients with advanced cancers, many of whom had failed to improve their prognosis with conventional treatments.

Vaccines from the patient’s own blood and other Innovative methods developed by Dr. Issels treated the tumor, and with the same importance, its microenvironment, which includes the extracellular matrix, the blood vessels, immune cells and signaling molecules. This concept created controversy in some medical circles at the time, but research today has confirmed the importance of the microenvironment in the progression or regression of tumors.

In 1981, thanks to his extensive knowledge and outstanding success, Dr. Issels was asked to serve as a member of the German Federal Government Commission in the Fight Against Cancer. He remained on the commission until his retirement in 1987, when he brought his integrative immuno-oncology practice to the United States.

After Dr. Issels passed away in 1998, his work was continued by Ilse Marie Issels, his wife and collaborator of 40 years. She was joined by their sons, Dr. Christian N. Issels and Hellmut J. Issels. Today the Issels team, of 8 doctors at the inpatient and outpatient facilities, collaborates under the leadership of Dr. Christian N. Issels and maintains the same high standards and tireless commitment of their late founder.

We continue to treat our patients with the latest non-toxic immunobiologic cancer therapies at the Issels clinics in North America. Visit our website to learn more about what makes Issels® a leader in personalized integrative Immuno-Oncology methods.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Immunotherapy

One Fight Against Cancer – A Story of Immunotherapy

Fighting Cancer With Immunotherapy
Fighting Cancer With Immunotherapy

When 36-year-old real estate agent Sue Scott’s cervical cancer was found to have not only returned, but spread to her lymph nodes just a few short months after she believed it was beaten, Scott put on her boxing gloves and turned to immunotherapy.

Limited options
Having previously received the maximum amount of radiation possible in her lifetime and with chemo unable to prevail against Sue’s metastatic cervical cancer, she turned to the surgeon who previously treated her mother’s uterine cancer with a hysterectomy.

An experimental approach
Following in the footsteps of her mother, Sue also underwent a hysterectomy, as well as the removal of cancerous lymph nodes and organs. The surgeon then proceeded to tell her about an immunotherapy trial at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda that could give her a chance.

Immunotherapy at work
In immunotherapy, the patient’s own immune system is used to attack tumors, offering hope to metastatic cancer sufferers who have little left in the way of treatment options. There are multiple forms of immunotherapy available. Sue’s treatment involved T-cell therapy in which tumor-fighting immune cells are isolated, grown in a lab, and then re-infused into the body. The tumor is then removed and a regimen of intense chemo follows.

Promising results
A month after the conclusion of Sue’s treatment, CT scans revealed significant shrinkage to the 7 tumors throughout her body. Two months following treatment she was cancer-free, and appears to be in remission nearly three years to the day of her diagnosis.

Are you looking for alternative cancer treatments that give you the chance at the same promising results Sue experienced? Contact Issels® today to learn more.

Alternative Cancer Treatment

The Importance of Cancer Pathology In Your Cancer Treatment

Sign Stop Cancer
Stopping Cancer

Getting an accurate diagnosis is crucial before making decisions on what type of cancer treatment to undergo. The treatment you’ll benefit from the most typically depends on what type of cancer you have and how advanced it is. One of the most effective ways to determine this is through pathology.

The Role of Pathologists

Pathologists provide in-depth diagnoses and might even end up changing a patient’s diagnosis depending on what they find, although this is rare. These specialists examine tumors and tissue in order to determine whether cancer is present, how serious it is and whether surrounding areas have been affected. They also run additional tests to see if the cancer will spread and study its nature.

Pathologists use advanced technology, including genetic sequencing, to provide an even more accurate diagnosis or to look for genetic mutations that could affect the type of treatment you need. In addition to performing these tests, pathologists consider several other factors, such as:

  • Family medical history
  • Personal medical history
  • Other health conditions
  • Age
  • Imaging tests

Taking all of these factors into considerations, along with test results, helps pathologists come up with the most effective ways to treat cancer. For example, if they find a slow-growing cancer, you might be able to put off treatment and have your condition monitored instead. If you have cancer that’s not likely to spread or a certain genetic mutation, pathologists might recommend targeted therapies. Once you have a diagnosis, you can start considering your treatment options.

If you need help finding the right non-toxic cancer treatment, please contact Issels®. We offer a wide range of nontoxic immunotherapy options for all types and stages of cancer.