Tag Archives: Cancer Immunotherapy

Cancer Treatment, Uncategorized

What is Cancer and How Does it Develop?

When you or someone you love is diagnosed with cancer, learning as much as you can about this disease can be helpful. This knowledge can help you make decisions on cancer treatment and understand more about how this disease develops.

What Is Cancer?

Although you’ve probably heard about cancer for years, you might not know exactly what it is. Cancer is a disease that causes cells in your body to grow and multiply in an abnormal way. Usually, your cells normally grow when certain signals in your body tell them to. Cancer cells don’t need these signals in order to grow. Instead, they grow on their own. These cells also don’t pay attention to signals that tell them to stop growing.

In some cases, cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body, which is known as metastasis. Cancer cells typically form tumors that are able to grow and travel to other areas of your body. Certain types of cancer, such as blood cancers, do not usually have solid tumors.

Cancer Development

How does cancer develop? This disease can develop when changes in certain genes occur. These genes are responsible for controlling how cells grow and divide, so changes to them can result in abnormal growth.

These genetic changes can occur for different reasons, such as DNA damage from the sun’s ultraviolet rays or cigarette smoke. In some cases, these changes are inherited from parents. In other cases, errors during cell division can lead to these changes.

Ways to Treat Cancer

Different treatment options for cancer include chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and immunotherapy. Each option treats cancer in a different way.

If you’re interested in learning more about immunotherapy for cancer, please contact Issels® today. We can help you learn more about this type of cancer treatment.

Cancer Treatment, Uncategorized

Why Some Cancers are Resistant to Traditional Therapies

Advances in cancer treatment allow for precision targeting of cells that cause damage. The flip side is that some cancers can become resistant to these traditional therapies. What are the factors behind this concerning development?

Mutations vs. Behavioral Changes

It’s well-established that cancer is a genetic disease. Changes in DNA, whether they’re random accidents or caused by carcinogens such as tobacco or UV rays, result in cancer by altering the way cells grow and multiply.

In some cases, cancer cells will mutate in such a way as to “dodge” the effects of treatment. However, in cases that doctors are observing with targeted chemotherapy, DNA remains the same and it’s the gene activity that changes. Epigenetic signals, a layer of regulators that control the activity of genes, are at the core of this new resistance.

Melamoma and Treatment Resistance

Scientists at the Systems Biology and Cancer Metabolism Lab at the University of California, Merced studied melanoma to gain some insight into this development. Melanoma is a particularly aggressive form of skin cancer that’s often caused by prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays.

UV damage can cause mutations in a major signaling regulator known as BRAF. This protein is responsible for signaling cells regarding when to grow and divide and when to stop. Mutations triggered by UV rays cause BRAF to leave the growth signal turned on, leaving cancer cells to multiply unchecked.

Initially, targeted chemotherapy can successfully restore BRAF’s “off switch.” In some cases, rather than mutating further, cells “learn” how to bypass BRAF altogether, continuing their growth.

Personalized Cancer Treatment for Advanced Cases

At Issels®, our personalized immunotherapy programs have often achieved success after traditional methods have been exhausted. Visit our website for more information, including testimonials from patients in long-term remission after undergoing our non-toxic cancer treatment.

 

Cancer Research, Uncategorized

Study Suggests Cancer Can ‘Hijack’ Blood Vessels

The medical community has long believed that cancer cells support their growth by generating blood vessels. A study suggests that blood vessels may actually begin the cycle of tumor development.

“Hijacking” Blood Vessels for Tumor Development

According to cancer biologist Dr. Lan Ko, one of the authors of the study, the team found evidence that blood vessels can create tumors. In turn, the cancer cells then produce blood vessels to further sustain their growth.

Researchers focused on GT198, a gene generally found in low levels within the body. It has a natural ability to repair DNA and regulate stem cells, but in mutated form it creates cancer cells.

Pericytes, found in the outer layer of blood vessels, resemble stem cells in the way they can form different types of tissue. During the study, researchers found abnormally high levels of GT198 in pericytes supporting a number of human tumors.

Even more surprising was that the GT198 was located in the pericytes’ cytoplasm instead of the nucleus. This enabled malignant pericytes to multiply into cancer cells and detach from blood vessels to promote spread of the tumors.

Application for Cancer Treatment

As Dr. Ko explained, these results indicate that GT198 is a viable target for immunotherapy for cancer treatments. Further testing will explore use of existing cancer drugs and development of new ones.

Issels® Leads the Way in Immunotherapy for Cancer

While immunotherapy for cancer has become a hot topic among scientists, Issels® has been successfully using our integrative, non-toxic treatments for decades. Contact us for more information about our individually tailored programs.

Cancer Treatment, Uncategorized

Know Your Cancer Fighting Options Before You Choose Your Treatment

When you’re diagnosed with cancer, your thoughts might turn to getting treatment as soon as possible. However, rushing into cancer treatment can lead to ineffective care, adverse side effects, and other issues. Taking time to go over your options means you’ll be able to choose the best kind of treatment.

Factors That Affect Cancer Treatment

When you discuss treatment options with your healthcare team, they’ll provide you with options based on different factors. Keep in mind that not all treatments are considered suitable for every cancer case. Your healthcare team will consider the type of cancer you have, the stage of this cancer, and your health in general in order to determine treatment options. Other factors they’ll consider include additional testing, such as blood tests or genetic testing, as well as any other medical conditions you have.

Types of Treatment

Several types of treatment are available for cancer. In some cases, surgery might be recommended to remove cancerous tumors and prevent them from spreading. Other conventional forms of treatment for cancer include radiation therapy and chemotherapy, although these can have adverse side effects. Immunotherapy offers a treatment option for cancer that uses a more holistic approach and doesn’t produce side effects.

Understanding Treatment Options

Talking to your healthcare team about your options is important. Ask questions about anything you don’t understand, such as how specific treatments work or what the chances of success are in your case. You can also get a second opinion, look into clinical trials, and research treatment options on your own before making your decision.

If you’re looking for more details on immunotherapy cancer treatment, please contact Issels®. We can help you learn more about this type of treatment, so you can determine if it’s right for you.

Breast Cancer, Uncategorized

Lack of Trust Leads Breast Cancer Patients to Skip Treatments

Many women do not trust the health care system and will often forgo radiation and drug therapy after breast cancer surgery. That is according to a survey of 2,700 breast cancer patients by researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Lead author of the survey, Lorraine Dean, said over 30 percent skip treatments that are intended to kill any cancer cells that remain after surgery.

Contact Issels® for information on how combining conventional treatments with immunotherapy cancer treatment reduces the likelihood of relapse.

Doctor-patient trust is crucial

Cancer is a devastating disease and it is understandable that patients experience feelings of helplessness. It’s not just women with breast cancer who are losing trust in doctors and the health care system, it’s the general public as well. People often feel that doctors put their own financial interest ahead of patient care. When patients feel their doctors don’t listen to them or take their concerns seriously, trust begins to erode.

For the best possible outcome, it is necessary that doctors and patients have a strong bond of trust. Patients should feel comfortable being fully honest with health care providers and the doctors should always remember that a patient’s trust in them is a vital and necessary component of proper medical care. Each person’s cancer is unique and treatment should be based on the specific needs of each patient.

Personalized cancer treatment

At Issels®, we have been practicing individualized treatment for more than 60 years. We want you to make informed decisions about your cancer treatment options. Contact us today for more information on our autologous (from the patient’s own blood) non-toxic cancer treatment protocols.

Immunotherapy for Cancer, Uncategorized

What to Look for If You Think Your or a Loved One Has Cancer

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Early detection can be a huge advantage for successful cancer treatment. Do you think you or a loved one may be suffering from cancer? Here are some of the primary signs and symptoms to watch for.

Difference Between Signs and Symptoms

While they may seem like the same thing, there is an important difference between signs and symptoms.

*Signs are measurable conditions, such as a fever, that can be observed by another person.

*Symptoms are detectable only by the person who is actually experiencing them. Pain and fatigue fall into this category.

Keep in mind that many signs and symptoms may be temporary and caused by something other than cancer. Be sure to consult a doctor if these conditions become exacerbated or don’t go away over time.

Possible Signs and Symptoms of Cancer

*Fatigue or tiredness that is not relieved by rest

*Significant weight loss or gain (10+ pounds) with no apparent cause

*Eating and digestive problems, including lack of appetite, stomach pain, nausea and vomiting or constipation, diarrhea or other changes in bowel habits

*Swelling, thickening or lumps in the breast or any part of the body

*Sudden unexplained pain that becomes more serious or continues to linger

*Changes in skin features, such as a new mole or altered appearance in an existing one, a sore that refuses to heal or a yellowish color in skin or eyes

*Chronic coughing and hoarseness

*Bleeding or bruising that appears suddenly without reason

*Pain or blood in the urine, or increase or decrease in frequency of urination

*Fever or night sweats

*Headaches

*Vision or hearing problems

Issels®: The Leader in Personalized Cancer Treatment

With our state-of-the-art immunotherapy cancer treatment, even many patients with advanced cancer have achieved long-term remission. Contact us to see how Issels® can help you or your loved one.