Tag Archives: Fighting Cancer

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research

Cancer Cells are Rogues that Dedifferentiate: An Interesting New Study

Learning About Cancer
Learning About Cancer

Issels® Center for Immuno-Oncology recently discovered an interesting study, linking the Darwinian theory of evolution to the origin of cancer. Life, a delicate web of biological compromises, can go awry with the rogue dedifferentiation of a single cell…

A harmonious cooperative
In evolutionist theory, cooperation gives rise to multicellular organisms from plants to mammals. Surrendering autonomy, single cells prosper with the whole rather than the ruthless competition of their predecessors, singular primordial cells.

Different, but the same
Cells in a healthy multicellular organism differentiate, performing specialized tasks and working for the good of the whole: skin, blood, bone cells and more benefit each other.

Getting greedy
What happens when a cell breaks loose, selfishly multiplies and expands its territory? The free-for-all of Darwin’s pond results in cancer, a selfish dedifferentiation that benefits only itself through excess reproduction and overconsumption of resources. Pathological behavior that ultimately degrades the environment to the rogue’s own advantage, but which ultimately destroys the ecosystem, resulting in its own demise.

Deadly deception
How does this result from a single rogue cell? The cancer cell divides and mutates, creating separate lineages (subclones) with different abilities. Each family of mutated cells works together to make what is necessary for the growth of the tumor, even tricking healthy cells to do their own bidding.

Is there a choice?
The study identified similar kinds of “cellular cheating” in most multicellular organisms: mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, insects – even in plants and fungi; an inescapable consequence of multicellularity.

Is your body’s rebellious side getting the better of you? Issels® can help bring your body back to balance. Contact us today.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, News

Off-Label Arthritis Drug Shows Promise in Blood Cancer Treatment

Nano Pills To Detect Cancer
Blood Cancer Treatments

A common drug used in the treatment of arthritis may offer a new hope for cancer patients. At one thousandth of the cost of today’s latest blood cancer treatment, Issels® wanted to let you know about this important discovery.

The arthritis drug in question:
Methotrexate. A drug commonly used to treat inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and psoriasis. A World Health Organization ‘Essential Medicine’, the drug is well-understood, and if results are confirmed, could be used for treatment throughout the developing world. A one year course of low-dose treatment: $46. The cost for a single 60 tablet bottle of the current treatment, ruxolitinib: over $9,000. It is so costly that many retail pharmacies refuse to stock it.

What is it being purported to treat?
Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). Typically seen in the 50-70 age range, MPN causes an overproduction of blood cells in the body. Symptoms include night sweats, itching, and tiredness. Though ruxolitinib has been developed for the treatment of MPN, it prices itself out of the market for most patients, whose treatment is otherwise limited to aspirin, excess blood removal, and chemotherapy.

What’s next?
Though further testing following the research performed by U.K.’s University of Sheffield confirmed the results, clinical trials are now being scheduled at Royal Hallamshire Hospital. Once complete, the new course of treatment with the repurposed drug could offer financial relief not only patients, but local and regional healthcare systems as well. The study could spawn research into the repurposing of other, previously safety tested, prescription drugs.

Are your cancer treatment options overwhelming your budget? At Issels® , you have options. Contact us today.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research

Which Type of Prostate Cancer Do You Have? Scientists Find 5 Types

Prostate Cancer In Men
Prostate Cancer In Men

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in U.S. men, with 1 in 7 being diagnosed. Experts now say that there are five distinct types of prostate cancer. How can this help you in your prostate cancer battle? Issels® Center for Immuno-Oncology wants you to know…

Identifying the pieces
In the landmark study, samples of healthy and cancerous prostate tissue from over 250 men were analyzed, looking for abnormal chromosomes and measuring the activity of 100 different genes linked to the disease. Tumors of five distinct types were uncovered, each with a unique genetic fingerprint.

Putting the puzzle together
Prior research had identified six of the genes associated with prostate cancer, however the other 94 remained in hiding until brought to light by this recent study.

Solving the puzzle
The findings from this study could dramatically change the way prostate cancer is treated in the future. In identifying characteristics of the tumors, the scientists in the study were able to be more accurate at predicting aggressive, rapidly spreading cancers than today’s tests, such as the PSA test and Gleason score.

The missing piece
Current treatment methods, which result in some patients getting unnecessary treatment (and having to manage side effects) while others with more aggressive forms of prostate cancer often go without the intensive treatments they need will be impacted by this important study.  The study findings could save lives by allowing doctors the opportunity to quickly identify specific cancer subtypes. This specialized classification may allow a more fitting course of treatment for each patient and help those identified with the aggressive classification of prostate cancer to get treatment faster and earlier. Before this typing of prostate cancer tumors can be used to start saving lives however, a larger trial needs to be done.

Looking for a center for immune-oncology that can handle every healthcare variable? Issels® has you covered! Contact us today.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, News

Levitating Cells May Lead to a Cancer Cure Breakthrough

Super Charged Cells
levitating Cells

Our Issels® team is extremely supportive of any process that makes detecting cancer cells easier, which is why we are highly enthusiastic about research published in May’s Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences about a potential new diagnostic tool that can detect cancer at the cellular level in a fast and simple way.

Researchers at Stanford University have learned how to detect and identify different types of cancer cells by levitating them.

It’s Not Magic

When most people hear the word “levitate,” they think of magicians tricking audiences into believing magic exists by floating objects or people in the air.

Scientists have discovered that they can levitate animals by injecting them with a material that reacts to the presence of magnets. The Stanford researchers wondered if they could do the same with cells to determine if cells had different measurable magnetic field levitation profiles. As cells are too small to inject with materials without damaging them, the researchers decided to test their theory using a buoyant force:

  • They placed a channel of gadolinium-laced fluid between two small magnets and soon found that any cells that were less dense than gadolinium levitated above it.
  • They learned that cancer cells levitated above healthy cells and that cancer, bacteria, blood and yeast cells levitated at different heights.
  • They also discovered that cells that form different types of cancer, such as breast, colorectal, esophageal and non-small cell lung had unique profiles and levitated at different heights.

For more information about this astounding new diagnostic test research, or any of our currently available testing and treatment methods, contact any Issels® center for Immuno-Oncology today!

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research

Epigenomics Research May Stop Progression of Late Stage Cancers

Advances In Genetics
Advanced Cancer Research

A late stage cancer patient’s survival depends a great deal on his/her doctor doing whatever possible to determine the cause of that cancer. At the Issels® Centers for Immuno-Oncology, our teams use every means at our disposal to understand your cancer and create a personalized treatment plan. We take into account new diagnosis, prevention and treatment options.

Research details announced in June give new hope for late stage patients: Mayo Clinic oncologists and an international team revealed that they may have found a way to stop the spread of late stage cancers using epigenomics and epigenetics research.

Additionally, they may be able to use their research to soon identify people predisposed to certain cancers before early tumor formation.

How do epigenomics and epigenetics help?

  • Epigenomics is a discipline that focuses on the study of epigenomes – chemical compounds that change a genome without changing the DNA they surround – and their role in cells correctly reading and following genetic blueprints.
  • Epigenetics is the study of all processes that dictate how gene expression changes, the timing of those changes and the results.

The Simplicity of Comparison

The researchers compared normal DNA and tumor-sourced mutated DNA and learned that the loss of H3K36me3 expression plays a role in aggressive late stage cancers. Their new treatment method is not yet approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, but they are currently offering experimental treatment to volunteers as part of their continued research.

To learn more about this and other new treatment options, contact us today!

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research

Researchers Find a Single Protein That Causes Cancer to Spread

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New Protein in Blood Found To Spread Cancer
New Protein in Blood Found To Spread Cancer

At the Issels® Center for Immuno-Oncology, we provide you with as much information as possible about recent medical research discoveries that advance your goals and ours of preventing, treating and curing cancer. One recent wonderful breakthrough could prevent cancer from the breast spreading to the brain.

While studying breast cancer, researchers from The Institute of Cancer Research of London and the University of Leeds found a protein that promotes the growth of new blood vessels. Why does this protein, which they have designated as DOCK4, matter?

Tumor Growth Cycle

Cancer needs food to survive and grow. This food, in the form of oxygen and nutrients found in blood, reaches existing cancer cells through blood vessels. When new blood vessels form close to these cells, the cells multiply and the cancer spreads.

The Research Results

The researchers learned the following about DOCK4 and cancer:

  • DOCK4, along with another protein designated DOCK9, are critical to the formation of the interior of blood vessels — the channels through which blood flows.
  • Removing DOCK4 and DOCK9 using precision techniques slowed blood vessel growth.

The researchers hope these results will one day assist them when creating new methods for halting the growth of secondary breast cancer tumors. Additionally, a better understanding of blood vessel formation could help them to create a method for identifying men and women who are at greater risk for getting brain and other tumors caused by breast cancer.

We are impressed at Issels® with this new research and extremely hopeful for what it means for the future of cancer detection and immunotherapy treatments. For more information, contact us today!