Tag Archives: Cancer Cell Growth

Cancer Risks Are Linked to Cell Division

T Cells
Cell Division Linked To Cancer

Cancer is effected by numerous and complex risk factors, making concepts related to calculating its risk a frequent subject of debate. Adding to this debate is a recent study looking at randomly mutating cells, specifically how they play a predominant role in cancer development. What does this say about your cancer risk? Issels® wants to help you put this new information in perspective.

Cancer and car accidents: They have a lot in common…

  • Trip length
    Comparing getting cancer to getting into a car accident, the length of your trip – your lifespan – increases your risk. The longer you live, the more the odds increase of your body randomly mutating cells, making this a significant risk factor – attributable to two-thirds of your total cancer risk in fact.
  • Road conditions
    Just as rain or snow can increase your risk of an accident, so too can conditions in your body and in your environment increase your risk of cancer.
  • Mechanical issues
    Bad brakes or worn tires can be seen as a metaphor for genetic factors, such as inherited mutations.

Reading the accident report
Despite this research, it can’t be stressed enough no single factor causes cancer. Two-thirds of car accidents are not related solely to trip length, but to a combination of road conditions, mechanical issues, and the like. For each “accident,” the major contributing factor will vary.

Accident prevention
Due to the large combination of risk factors, there are many opportunities for prevention, including addressing radiator issues (smoking), regular maintenance (early diagnostics and detection), and more.

Cancer spinning out of control? Contact Issels® today.

New Regulators That Impact Cell Growth Are Discovered and May Impact Cancer Growth

Regulated Cell Growth
Regulated Cell Growth

A new discovery made at the Center for RNA Research at IBS could provide some insight into how cancerous tumors are formed in the body and how their growth can be repressed. This could be very big news for those undergoing treatment with Issels Integrative Immuno-Oncology.

For the first time, researchers have discovered that the enzyme PKR is activated during cellular mitosis. PKR was previously known as a trigger of immune response during a viral infection. It is believed that the disruption of PKR activation causes a delay in mitotic progression and defects in cell division that ultimately results in cancer growth.

Researchers also discovered that PKR activation is closely regulated by TAR RNA Binding Protein, or TRBP. TRBP inhibits PKR activation and otherwise helps control the cell cycle.

It isn’t yet known what this new research means for cancer treatment, but this new discovery could lead to revolutionary new cancer treatments that prevent cancer cells from dividing. Given time, there could be a treatment that safely affects tumors before they have time to spread.

Issels® and Cancer Treatment

We at Issels® focus closely on the tumor and the tumor microenvironment in our cancer treatment and research, so this discovery is very exciting and could change the way we look at cancer treatment. For more information about Issels® and our alternative cancer treatments, visit us online at http://issels.com.

Scientists Pursue Creative Cancer Detection Techniques

Cancer Detection
Cancer Detection

The earlier a cancer is found and properly diagnosed, the better the odds of effectively treating the disease. At Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology, we understand that different types of cancer behave differently and the best approach is individualized treatment protocols based on each person’s diagnosis. Scientists are now using nanoparticles and cancer sniffing dogs to detect cancer.

These nanoparticles (called nanoflares) connect with cancer cells in blood, causing those same cells to glow. The nanoflares are tiny gold particles that have been coated with luminescent molecules and specifically selected DNA that correlates with the RNA of different cancer cells.

Scientist are hoping to be able to identify different types of cancer by using particular DNA and various colors of molecules.

Google is looking for ways to create pills and wearables incorporating the nanoflares that would simplify the screening process and improve the accuracy of cancer diagnosis. These devices would constantly monitor for cancer cells within the individual, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Different organizations in the United States and UK are attempting to train dogs to screen patients for cancer. Many feel this non-invasive approach could be used for pancreatic and stomach cancers that do not currently have screening methods. The British Medical Journal has already published the results of successful canine scent cancer detection for prostate cancer.

For more than 60 years, Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology has been successfully treating cancer with innovative immunotherapy and non-toxic treatment methods. If you or a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, you do have options. Contact us for more information.

U.S. Lung Cancer Rates Start to Decline

Lung Cancer On The Decline
Lung Cancer On The Decline

Major research on lung cancer has determined some significant, positive trends: overall rates have dropped about 12 percent over the last thirty years according to Denise Riedel Lewis of the U.S. National Cancer Institute. Some types of lung cancer are stagnant or even increasing, however.

Smoking causes at least 90 percent of lung cancer cases, so declining usage of tobacco products directly accounts for decreasing rates overall. Scientists believe that smoking habits also contribute to increasing rates for certain cancer types.

Adenocarcinoma and “Light” Cigarettes

People who smoke “light” cigarettes may believe that lower nicotine levels offer a health benefit, but this new data points to rising lung cancer rates for these smokers.

Dr. Norman Edelman of the American Lung Association points out that carcinogens reach the outer areas of lungs more often when people deeply inhale low-nicotine cigarettes rather than taking shallower inhalations of standard cigarettes.

Rates are increasing for adenocarcinoma, or lung cancer that begins in the outer lungs. Women, who smoke “light” cigarettes at higher rates than men, have had notably high rates of adenocarcinoma in recent years.

Some Lung Cancer Rates Hitting a Plateau

According to Edelman, men’s lung cancer rates have been falling for years while women’s rates have held steady. Women starting to smoke later in life than men contributed to lower rates among women in the past, with rates now evening out between the sexes.

The NCI study looked at lung cancer cases from 1977 to 2010, covering significant changes in smoking rates as well as advances in lung cancer treatments.

To learn more about innovations in lung cancer treatments, contact Issels Integrative Oncology Centers.

Cancer Has Been Linked to Popular Menopause Medication

Cancer Linked To Menopause Medication
Cancer Linked To Menopause Medication

Two new studies appear to have decided the debate over whether there is a causal link between cancer and menopause hormone therapy. The answer is YES.

Menopause Drug Linked to Cancer

In recent cancer news, a Canadian Cancer Society report concludes that a popular estrogen-based menopause drug has caused breast cancer in thousands of Canadian women.

As reported in The Star, the report states: “The body of evidence to date overwhelmingly points to a causal connection between the use of Premplus and the development of invasive breast cancer in women.”

The report has sparked a Canadian class-action lawsuit against the drug’s manufacturer, Wyeth Canada. Owned by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, Wyeth has denied that Premplus causes breast cancer, stating that the medication is “safe and effective when used as directed.” A Vancouver court will hear the lawsuit in October.

HRT Doubles Cancer Risk

In corroborating cancer news, a large federal study in the U.S. has found that menopause hormone replacement therapy (HRT) medications double breast cancer risk when taken for five years. In women taking estrogen and progestin pills, cancer risk increased in just two years.

However, halting hormone replacement therapy returned cancer risk levels to normal in about two years. Given study findings, researchers believe breast cancer risk would not increase for most women if hormone replacement therapy was stopped within three years.

“It’s an excellent message for women: You can still diminish risk (by quitting), even if you’ve been on hormones for a long time,” Dr. Claudine Isaacs of Georgetown University told The Star.

Issels integrative immunotherapy offers personalized non-toxic treatments for breast and other cancers. Contact us for information about integrative oncology.

Aspirin May Actually Cut Cancer Risk

Aspirin As A Cancer Reducer?
Aspirin As A Cancer Reducer?

Many doctors already recommend taking an aspirin a day to decrease the risk of stroke and heart attack, but recent cancer news indicates that swallowing an aspirin a day may also decrease certain types of cancer risk.

Cutting Cancer Risk

British researchers at the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine in London have found strong evidence that people age 50 to 65 could cut their risk of contracting colon, esophageal and stomach cancers by taking one baby aspirin (75 to 81 milligrams) a day for 10 years.

“Taking aspirin daily looks to be the most important thing we can do to reduce cancer after stopping smoking and reducing obesity,” one British researcher told USA Today.

Beware of Side Effects

However, both study researchers and other cancer experts recommend talking to your doctor before beginning a preventative aspirin regimen. Aspirin can cause gastrointestinal bleeding and may cause other adverse and potentially dangerous side effects, particularly when taken with certain other drugs such as blood thinners.

Also of concern, a study reported by Newser.com found that long-term aspirin therapy “may be a factor in macular degeneration,” an age-related eye disease that can result in eventual blindness. Due to the increased risk of aspirin-related bleeding with age, British researchers generally recommended halting daily aspirin therapy after 10 years.

Benefits Outweigh Side Effects

“There was clear evidence that the benefits vastly outweigh the side effects,” study leader Dr. Jack Cuzick told the New York Times.

While cancer news shows support for use of long-term aspirin therapy to prevent cancer growing, questions remain. We recommend talking to your Issels cancer treatment team to see if aspirin therapy is right for you.