Tag Archives: Cancer Research Advancement

Cancer Research, News

University Researchers Show How Wearable Technology Can Fight Cancer

Can Wearable Technology Change How Cancer is Fought?
Can Wearable Technology Change How Cancer is Fought?

Wearables like smartwatches and fitness trackers have been at the forefront of the latest wave of technology. Thanks to researchers at the University of Southern California, wearable technology could be the next step in more effective cancer treatment.

Cancer Moonshot Launches ATOM-HP

“South by South Lawn” (SXSL) is a White House-based festival patterned after the ground-breaking SXSW annual event in Austin, TX. SXSL gathers and celebrates innovators and visionaries who are creating ways to improve lives, both domestically and globally.

The USC project, called Analytical Technologies to Objectively Measure Human Performance (ATOM-HP), is part of the Cancer Moonshot initiative started by Vice President Joe Biden. ATOM-HP uses wearable devices to provide doctors with real-time data that was previously unavailable.

The ATOM-HP Difference

Even during cancer treatment, doctors and patients have only sporadic contact. Decisions are based on the doctor’s observations and self-reporting by the patient, which can result in an incomplete picture of the illness. ATOM-HP lets the doctor “see” effects of treatment and its impact on the patient’s everyday life.

As explained by Jorge Nieva, co-lead on ATOM-HP, the process humanizes treatment by allowing doctors to observe patients beyond the controlled confines of the hospital or clinic. Nieva refers to it as a “safety net for patients” who may be struggling with cancer treatments.

Co-lead Peter Kuhn stressed the importance of ATOM-HP for cancer research. Instead of relying on previously collected data, researchers will have the benefit of real-time information.

Personalized, Non-Toxic Immunotherapy for Cancer

At Issels®, we incorporate the most up-to-date technology and methods in our immunotherapy for cancer. Contact us today for more information.

Cancer Research, Immunotherapy, Immunotherapy for Cancer

Immunotherapy: A Doctor’s Fundamental Change in Treating Cancer

Using the Body to Fight Cancer
Using the Body to Fight Cancer

Traditional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation are directed at fighting tumors head-on. Immunotherapy for cancer, which is aimed at making the body’s immune system more effective against tumors, has created a fundamental change in the way doctors approach treatment.

A Long-Held “Medical Dream” Becomes Reality

While the earliest attempts at immunotherapy date back more than 100 years, it presented too much of a puzzle to doctors. As a result, radiation and chemotherapy surpassed immunotherapy as the treatments of choice for cancer.

As modern research with immunotherapy uncovered more effective methods with documented track records, medical and financial floodgates have opened. Charitable organizations, pharmaceutical companies and the federal government are dedicating billions of dollars to fund hundreds of trials involving various treatments on every type of cancer.

Boosting the Body’s Own Immune System

While there is still much to learn, researchers are focusing primarily on two types of immunotherapy for cancer:

  • In the first method, a doctor removes some of the patient’s own immune cells and creates genetic alterations enabling them to attack cancer cells, at which point they are added back to the bloodstream.
  • The second method makes use of drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors, which block the mechanism used by cancer cells to evade detection and attack by the immune system.

Issels®: Leading the Way in Immunotherapy for Cancer

Our immunotherapy center has continued the groundbreaking work of our founder, Dr. Josef M. Issels, using state-of-the-art therapies to treat patients with all forms of cancer. Contact us today to learn more about our non-toxic treatments such as cancer vaccines and NK cells.

 

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Immuno-Oncology, Immunotherapy, News

What’s Happening in Immunotherapy Research – Part Two

Advances in Cancer Therapies
Advances in Cancer Therapies

There’s so much exciting news in research involving immunotherapy for cancer that we couldn’t cover it all in one post! Here’s a continuation of our look at new and improved ways scientists are finding to fight cancer.

Cancer Vaccines

Vaccines have long been a promising form of treatment for cancer. One roadblock limiting progress is the ability of cancer cells to fly under the radar of the immune system.

Armed with a growing body of knowledge gained through years of research, scientists are finding methods to boost the effectiveness of vaccines. For example, vaccines are sometimes given in tandem with substances called adjuvants that make the immune response more efficient.

Checkpoint Inhibitors

You may have seen advertisements for products such as nivolumab, which is referred to as an immune checkpoint inhibitor. Cancer cells often elude the immune system by “hiding” behind checkpoint proteins that prevent immune responses against normal cells. Inhibitors target the checkpoints, freeing the immune system to attack cancer cells.

Oncolytic Viruses

Viruses are normally something to avoid, but researchers have found ways to harness their ability to infect and kill cells. Specific modifications alter certain viruses, creating oncolytic viruses that direct their attacks toward cancer cells, while also alerting the immune system to take action.

Is Immunotherapy for Cancer the Answer for You?

For years, Issels® has been a leader in immunotherapy treatments such as cancer vaccines and gene-targeted therapies. Contact us for more information about our non-toxic immunotherapy programs and how they are individually tailored to meet your specific needs.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Immuno-Oncology, Immunotherapy, News

What’s Happening in Immunotherapy Research – Part One

What's New in Immunotherapy
What’s New in Immunotherapy

As immunotherapy for cancer continues to gain traction in the medical community, researchers around the globe are directing their efforts toward finding new treatment methods and improving existing ones. Here’s a look at some of the exciting developments in immunotherapy treatments that are making news today.

Refining Monoclonal Antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies, or mAbs, are proteins that take advantage of the difference between cancer cells and normal cells. Scientists are exploring ways to make mAbs even more powerful, such as attaching them to drugs or other substances, while making them less likely to trigger an immune response. They are also working on combining mAbs for a more focused attack on tumors.

CAR T-Cells

T-cells, which are part of the immune system, have long been a major subject of immunotherapy research. Recent trials involve removing T-cells from a patient, genetically adding CARs (chimeric antigen receptors), then returning them to the patient’s blood, where they can more precisely target cancer cells. This method has shown particularly promising results in cases featuring advanced forms of leukemia and lymphoma.

Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes

Another approach using T-cells centers on tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) found deep within tumors. The TILs are removed from tumor samples and treated with interleukin-2 so they multiply rapidly. Once injected back into the patient, the TILs are better equipped to fight cancer cells.

Issels®: A Pioneer in Immunotherapy Treatments

In our next post, we’ll continue our look at the latest updates on research centering on immunotherapy for cancer. Contact us to learn more about how Issels® has been a leader in personalized, non-toxic immunotherapy protocols.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Immunotherapy

Gut Flora and Cancer – the Important Connection

Using Gut Flora in Treatment Has Benefits Comparable to Anti-Cancer Drugs
Using Gut Flora in Treatment Has Benefits Comparable to Anti-Cancer Drugs

When it comes to your health, the term “bacteria” usually inspires a negative reaction. You may be surprised to learn that your body actually harbors “good” bacteria that boosts your immune system and plays a role in preventing cancer.

The Role of Gut Flora

Your body’s microbiome is a network containing trillions of organisms such as bacteria, fungi and viruses. Some are positive and some are not, but they all work together to maintain a balance that keeps your system in good working condition.

In the late 1990s, scientists began to discover the crucial value of the group of organisms centered in your colon, referred to as “gut flora.” Research has found that healthy gut flora contributes to a strong immune system, which is your body’s first line of defense against foreign organisms that cause illness and disease.

Gut Flora and the Fight against Cancer

Cancer cells can often evade detection by your body’s immune system, allowing them to grow unchecked. Traditional therapies such as radiation and chemotherapy are effective, but they end up destroying healthy cells as well.

Researchers from the University of Chicago, encouraged by positive results from testing on mice, included gut flora as part of integrative immunotherapy treatments. The successful results were comparable to the beneficial effects of anti-cancer drugs.

State-of-the-Art Integrative Immunotherapy at Issels®

Integrative immunotherapy programs used at Issels® are focused on harnessing your body’s own natural defenses to destroy cancer cells. Visit our website to learn more about our cancer vaccines, immune enhancement protocols and other personalized non-toxic treatments.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, News

Legislation Would Improve Care for Cancer Patients through Palliative Care Research

Cancer Research
Cancer Research

Cancer patients receiving the best medical care can still be left fending for themselves in coping with pain, stress and other auxiliary effects of treatment. A bipartisan bill introduced in Congress this past July aims to ease their burden by making palliative care more widely available.

This specialized form of care is centered on improving quality of life for patients dealing with cancer or other life-threatening diseases by helping them manage chronic symptoms associated with their illness and its treatment. Palliative care also reduces overall stress by allowing patients to be proactively involved with their healthcare team in determining the course of treatment and setting goals.

Public opinion research discovered that 70 percent of Americans are not even aware of palliative care. The Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act, introduced by New York Representatives Eliot Engel and Tom Reed, aims to reduce that statistic.

The bill provides for expanded federal research into palliative care along with corresponding training for allied health care professionals. It also calls for the establishment of a nationwide awareness campaign centered on educating the public about palliative care and its benefits for patients and their families.

Palliative care can be initiated for patients of any age at any stage of their illness. According to research supported by the American Cancer Society, palliative care reduces the amount of time patients spend in intensive care while allowing them to experience greater quality of life.

The personalized therapies you receive at our Issels® immuno-oncology centers include compassionate physician treatment that extends to your aftercare. Contact us for more information.