Tag Archives: Cancer Treatment

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Treatment, Uncategorized

One Important Step to Improving Treatment for Therapy-Resistant Cancers

1 Comment
Cancer Therapies at the Molecular Level in Intracellular Proteins
Cancer Therapies at the Molecular Level in Experimental Antibodies

The use of immunotherapy for cancer has helped many patients with cancers that are difficult to treat or cancers that have spread. However, there have been certain limits on how this treatment works. In some cases, tumors have become resistant to this form of treatment. Researchers have been working on a combination therapeutic approach that shows more promise in effectively fighting cancer.

Experimental Antibody

Researchers at Stanford and Yale developed an experimental antibody that is able to target more immune cells that are involved with the growth of tumors. Current immunotherapy approaches focus on a smaller number of these immune cells, which limits their ability to eliminate cancerous tumors. While these approaches have stopped cancer from spreading in some cases, they have been unable to successfully deal with tumor growth in other cases.

The experimental antibody is able to prevent another type of immune cell, known as a myeloid cell, from contributing to tumor growth and immunotherapy drug resistance.

Combination Immunotherapy

The use of this experimental antibody along with immunotherapy drugs is showing the potential for effectively fighting cancer. Researchers have used it on cell culture models and mouse models that contain human cell membrane proteins. This combination immunotherapy approach limits the growth of tumor cells, making it harder for them to thrive and spread. Researchers still need to do more studies on this experimental antibody in order to determine if it can be used to treat cancer cases that are metastatic or more advanced.

To learn more about immunotherapy for cancer, please visit Issels®. We offer advanced programs for those who are looking for nontoxic forms of cancer treatment.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Cancer Vaccine, Immuno-Oncology, Uncategorized

Immunotherapy May Now Be Possible for Some HIV Positive Patients

Targeted Immunotherapy May Now Be Possible
Targeted Immunotherapy May Now Be Possible for Some HIV Patients Who Have Cancer

Even though cancer is a major cause of death for patients with HIV, their compromised immune systems have been a barrier to immunotherapy for cancer treatments. A recent study shows that immunotherapy may be safer for HIV patients than was previously thought.

Is Immunotherapy for Cancer Compatible with HIV-Positive Patients?

Although HIV patients have routinely been excluded from immunotherapy research, results of a clinical trial involving them were presented at last fall’s meeting of the Society for Immunotherapy for Cancer. The study included 17 HIV-positive patients with advanced cancers of various forms.

Patients in the trial were treated with Keytruda, a checkpoint inhibitor approved for use with melanoma, lung cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma and a number of other cancers. Results showed that Keytruda had a positive effect on the patients.

Continuing Research into HIV-Positive Patients and Immunotherapy

The one exception was Kaposi sarcoma (KSHV), a viral form of cancer associated with HIV and immune system disorders. Kaposi sarcoma patients in the trial did not experience the same benefits as others, so the study has been amended to exclude those with symptomatic KSHV.

According to team member Dr. Thomas Uldrick, further research is needed with immunotherapy and KSHV patients, but it doesn’t negate the overall message that immunotherapy can be safe for HIV patients. The National Cancer Institute also recommends the inclusion of HIV patients in clinical immunotherapy trials.

Issels®: Defeating Advanced Cancer with Immunotherapy

Our individually tailored immunotherapy for cancer treatments have helped patients achieve long-term remission, even in cases where traditional treatments have failed. Contact us to learn more about cancer vaccines and other non-toxic treatments at Issels®.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Cancer Treatment, Immuno-Oncology, Immunotherapy for Cancer, Uncategorized

Monumental Advances in the Treatment of Bladder Cancer

There is New Hope for Bladder Cancer Treatment
There is New Hope for Bladder Cancer Treatment

When it comes to immunotherapy cancer treatment, checkpoint inhibitors have been a major game-changer. 2017 alone saw five approvals for checkpoint inhibitors that greatly advanced treatment for bladder cancer.

Bladder Cancer Treatment: The Year in Review

During the Society of Urologic Oncology’s annual meeting in late 2017, speaker Elizabeth Plimack, M.D., recapped the year’s highlights in bladder cancer treatments.

– The good news began in February, with the approval of Opdivo for second-line treatment of bladder cancer as a follow-up to platinum-containing therapy.

– After approval in 2016 as a second-line treatment, Tecentriq was granted approval as a front-line treatment in April 2017.

– May 2017 brought about approvals for three more treatments: Imfinzi, Bavencio and Keytruda.

As Plimack stated during her presentation, these approvals demonstrate that checkpoint inhibitors are “here to stay.”

What Lies Ahead?

One area that needs more research is how to be more accurate in choosing patients who will be most receptive to these treatments. Other features that require further studies include duration of response, delayed toxicities and overcoming resistance.

Plimack’s comments included cautioning against extrapolating the data to patients who are eligible for cisplatin, which is a form of chemotherapy. As Plimack explained, more trials are needed before checkpoint inhibitors are approved to replace cisplatin as first-line treatments.

Issels®: Immunotherapy Treatment for Advanced Cancers

We have a successful track record of providing cancer treatment that helps patients achieve long-term remission, even in advanced and therapy-resistant cases. Visit our website to hear and read testimonials from patients of all ages with various forms of cancer who have been treated at Issels®.

Cancer Research, Cancer Treatment, Uncategorized

New Challenges Exposed in Treating Bladder Cancer

Just Because an Answer is Presented with Obstacles That Doesn't Mean it's Impossible.
Just Because an Answer is Presented with Obstacles That Doesn’t Mean it’s Impossible.

Checkpoint inhibitors, one of the major forms of cancer immunotherapy, have played a significant role in the way doctors treat bladder cancer. Researchers are now tackling new challenges in order to improve the effectiveness of these treatments.

Checkpoint Inhibitors and Bladder Cancer

Five checkpoint inhibitors recently received approval from the Food and Drug Administration: Keytruda, Opdivo, Tecentriq, Imfinzi and Bavencio. All five have been tested as both first-line and second-line treatments.

When used with patients who had previously been untreated, these therapies achieved a positive response in 15 to 25 percent. As second-line treatments for patients who had received chemotherapy, only Keytruda showed improvement in overall survival rates.

Solving the Puzzle of Patient Selection

Andrea Necchi, a medical oncologist from Italy, spoke on the topic at last year’s European Multidisciplinary Meeting on Urological Cancers. Necchi explained that patients who respond to checkpoint inhibitors have a high chance of success, so it becomes an issue of patient selection.

According to Necchi, one condition that appears to inhibit use of cancer immunotherapy is the presence of mutations in fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR). Testing of pan-FGFR receptors suggests that using them before or after treatment with checkpoint inhibitors could increase chances of a positive response.

Since the use of the five checkpoint inhibitors alone will not boost survival rates, researchers are testing them in different combinations with other treatments, including other checkpoint inhibitors.

Issels®: Leading the Way in Cancer Immunotherapy

Our individually tailored cancer immunotherapy programs are not clinical trials. We have a long track record of helping our patients achieve long-term remission, even with late-stage cancer. Contact us for more information.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Care Tips, Cancer Treatment, Immuno-Oncology, Living with Cancer, News, Uncategorized

Some Types of Immunotherapy Can Cause Serious Side Effects

Some Types of Immunotherapy Can Cause Serious Side Effects
Some Types of Immunotherapy Can Cause Serious Side Effects

In 2017, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two new forms of cancer immunotherapy for use with certain types of blood cancer. While these treatments show great promise, scientists are also working to control their potential side effects.

Cancer Immunotherapy and CAR T-cells

Kymriah from Novartis is designed to treat a form of leukemia known as ALL, which is the most common cancer that affects children. The other new treatment, Kite Pharma’s Yescarta, is for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Both treatments incorporate CAR T-cell therapy, which uses the power of the body’s immune system. Specialized white blood cells known as T-cells are removed from a patient’s body and engineered to include a receptor designed to identify and attack cancer cells. The “new” cells are replicated and reintroduced to the patient’s system.

Dealing with Side Effects

Kymriah and Yescarta are one-time-only procedures that don’t have the common side effects normally associated with chemotherapy and radiation. But scientists have discovered that the treatments have some potential side effects of their own.

CAR T-cell therapy essentially supercharges the immune system, which can result in cytokine-release syndrome. The cells under attack release proteins called cytokines, setting off a massive inflammatory response including extreme fevers and seriously low blood pressure.

Fortunately, the side effects can be managed in a hospital or clinical setting. Researchers are seeking a way to make the therapies useable in a variety of settings.

State-of-the-Art Cancer Immunotherapy from Issels®

Our non-toxic, personalized cancer immunotherapy programs have helped numbers of patients achieve and maintain long-term remission. Contact us to learn more about Issels® and our record of successful cancer treatment.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Cancer Treatment, Cancer Vaccine, Immuno-Oncology, Immunotherapy for Cancer, Uncategorized

Gene Therapies for Two Blood Cancers Become a Reality

State of the Art Research on Blood Cancers Is Under Way
State of the Art Research on Blood Cancers Is Under Way

2017 was a breakthrough year for cancer treatment. For the first time ever, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two gene therapies for blood cancers that have failed to respond to traditional forms of treatment.

Helping a Patient’s Own Body Fight Cancer

The new treatments are known as CAR-T cell immunotherapy. What’s exciting about these therapies is that they enhance the power of a patient’s own immune system to seek out and kill cancer cells.

T cells are immune system cells responsible for attacking foreign substances in the body. First, a doctor extracts T cells from a patient’s blood sample. The cells are then genetically modified to produce artificial proteins.

These proteins are called chimeric antigen receptors, or CAR, and they have the ability to recognize cancer cells in a patient. Once the modified T cells have been replicated, they’re reintroduced to the patient’s system to find and destroy cancer cells.

An “Explosion of Interest”

Kymriah, manufactured by Novartis, was approved for use with ALL, a form of leukemia that affects children and young adults. Gilead Sciences produces the other gene therapy, called Yescarta, which is used with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

According to Dario Campano, an immunologist involved in the development of Kymriah, the approval of these therapies triggered an “explosion of interest.” Campano expects continued research to lead to greater advancements in the technology.

Immunotherapy Cancer Treatment at Issels®

Issels® has long been a leader in the use of non-toxic, personally tailored cancer treatment programs that harness the power of a patient’s immune system. Contact us to learn more about cancer vaccines and other treatments available at Issels®.