Tag Archives: Immunotherapy

Breast Cancer, Cancer Research, Immunotherapy

Breast Cancer Patients Treated with Combination Drugs Suffer More Side Effects

New Research for Breast Cancer Studies Genes
New Research for Breast Cancer Studies Genes

One of the concerns with traditional cancer treatment is the range and severity of potential side effects that may occur. Based on the results of a recent study, patients with advanced breast cancer who are treated with a certain combination of drugs are at greater risk for serious side effects.

Fighting Cancer on Two Fronts

Some breast cancers are classified as “hormone receptor-positive.” Signals from hormones such as estrogen and progesterone reach receptors in the cancer cells, triggering further growth. Patients are commonly treated with a receptor blocker such as tamoxifen in conjunction with drugs that specifically target molecules involved in cancer cell development.

Previous research indicated that this combination therapy enabled patients to live longer without progression of the tumors. The missing piece of the puzzle was the extent to which treatment could cause side effects.

Evaluating Side Effects of Combination Therapies

A study conducted by an international research team found that patients with combination therapy were more susceptible to side effects such as fatigue, diarrhea and hyperglycemia. The degree of risk varied based on the particular drugs involved.

Scientists plan to use these results to design courses of treatment that are less likely to produce side effects. In the meantime, since these therapies do have benefits, doctors will have more information to use in prescribing and managing combination drug treatments.

Issels® Leads the Way with Non-Toxic Cancer Treatment

Personalized cancer treatment at Issels® uses a patient’s own immune cells, reducing the risk of of debilitating side effects. Contact us to learn more about our cancer vaccines and other innovative treatment programs.

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

Immunotherapy and Its Use in Stage 2 and 3 Cancers

There is New Hope for Cancer Patients. Don't Give up!
There is New Hope for Cancer Patients. Don’t Give up!

Immunotherapy drugs have become a valuable weapon in the fight against metastatic cancer, also known as Stage 4. Researchers are discovering that immunotherapy for cancer treatment can also have positive results when used during earlier stages of the disease.

Immunotherapy and Early-Stage Cancer

At the recent European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) congress in Madrid, AstraZeneca presented successful trial results for its immuno-oncology drug Imfinzi in treating mid-stage lung cancer. AstraZeneca is considered a latecomer to the I-O field as compared to established companies such as Merck and Bristol-Meyers Squibb.

For their part, Bristol-Meyers produced evidence regarding Opdivo, the company’s widely used late-stage I-O drug. Opdivo has been shown to prevent relapses in melanoma patients when administered immediately post-surgery.

Supplementing Surgery with Immunotherapy

This method of following surgery with cancer treatment is referred to as adjuvant therapy. With the success of Opdivo, a number of trials are being conducted on adjuvant therapy using I-O drugs with a range of cancer types. Some trials are even focusing on neoadjuvant, or pre-surgery, treatment for breast, neck and head cancers.

What’s Next?

If the trend of early-stage immunotherapy treatment continues, early detection becomes even more important than ever. According to Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca, effective early treatment is a powerful incentive for increased use of screening methods.

Non-Toxic Immunotherapy Programs from Issels®

Our cancer vaccines and other non-toxic, personally tailored immunotherapy treatment programs have resulted in long-term remission for patients with all types of therapy-resistant cancers. Contact us for more information about Issels®, the leader in immunotherapy for cancer treatment.

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

What Makes the Issels Immunotherapy Approach So Different?

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Each Person is Different, and as a Result, so is Every Treatment Plan!
Each Person is Different, and as a Result, so is Every Treatment Plan!

Choosing a cancer treatment program can be the most important decision you’ll ever face. What makes the Issels® immunotherapy for cancer approach so different from traditional forms of cancer treatment?

Issels® Treatment Programs Are Individually Developed

Regardless of the type of cancer, each patient’s experience is unique. Our treatment programs are personally tailored to address a patient’s specific needs.

Issels® Therapies Are Created from a Patient’s Own Immune Cells

Issels® immunotherapy protocols boost your body’s immune response to use the power of your own natural defense mechanisms.

Issels® Immunotherapy Has No Adverse Side Effects

Immunotherapy is non-toxic and has less risk of side effects than traditional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation. Our immunotherapy programs should also be distinguished from pharmaceutically-developed immunotherapy drugs, which can trigger serious negative reactions.

Issels® Immunotherapy Programs Are Comprehensive

Focusing cancer treatment on one form can limit its impact on the disease. Our immunotherapy programs integrate a number of complementary elements that work together for greater effectiveness.

Issels® Treatment Programs Focus on Cancer and Its Environment

Destroying cancer cells is only part of the process. Our immunotherapy for cancer is also directed at altering the internal environment that promotes tumor growth.

Issels® Immunotherapy Is Not a Trial

Patients who participate in clinical trials may end up receiving a placebo. Our cancer vaccines and gene-targeted therapies have stood the test of time.

Experience the Issels® Difference

Want to learn more? Visit our website to read and hear testimonials from patients who have achieved years and decades of recurrence-free remission thanks to our Issels® immunotherapy for cancer programs.

Cancer Research, Immuno-Oncology, Immunotherapy, Immunotherapy for Cancer, News

What’s Happening in Colorectal Cancer Research?

 

Cancer Research is Making Progress Every Day. Here is the Latest for Colorectal Cancer.
Cancer Research is Making Progress Every Day. Here is the Latest for Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in the United States, but there are currently more than one million survivors in the country. The National Foundation for Cancer Research has some information you should know about this preventable disease.

Rates and Risks of Colorectal Cancer

• Overall risks of developing colorectal cancer are marginally higher for men. Approximately one in 21 is diagnosed with the disease, while the numbers for women are one in 23.

• Health factors that increase the risk of colorectal cancer include inflammatory bowel disorders, family history and genetics, and personal history of polyps or another form of cancer.

• Poor lifestyle choices such as smoking, obesity and high-fat diets, heavy alcohol use and physical inactivity also contribute to colorectal cancer risk.

• Regular screenings can help prevent colorectal cancer.

Colorectal Cancer Research in the News

Genomics and immunotherapy for cancer are the main focus points of today’s colorectal cancer research.

• Dr. Wei Zhang and his NFCR-funded team are continuing their promising studies into biomarkers and their use in improving colorectal cancer prognosis and predicting responses to treatment.

• NFCR has also supported the work of Dr. Yung-Chi Cheng, who is on the cusp of producing one of the first FDA-approved oral herbal immunotherapies for cancer. When applied in combination with chemotherapy, PH906 has been found to ease gastrointestinal side effects that accompany treatment for colon and rectal cancers.

Personally Developed Immunotherapy for Cancer at Issels®

Our integrative, non-toxic cancer treatment programs are powerful and effective, but they avoid the often painful side effects of traditional treatments. Contact us for more information.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, Cancer Treatment

New Cancer Treatment Targets Protein Found in Tumors

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Links to Cancer are Being Identified Everyday! There is Hope.
Links to Cancer are Being Identified Everyday! There is Hope.

Immunotherapy continues to be a major focus in cancer treatment research. Scientists in the United Kingdom recently began early-phase clinical trials of an experimental drug that targets a protein found in many solid tumors.

Using the Immune System to Attack Cancer Cells

Cancer Research UK and Biotecnol Limited are collaborating on development of a first-in-class Fdrug known as Tb535H. Arising from Trisoma®, Biotecnol’s antibody development platform, the drug targets the 5T4/WAIF1 antigen that is believed to contribute to the spread of cancer cells.

As with most immunotherapy treatments, Tb535H works by harnessing the immune system’s T cells and directing them to attack and kill cancer cells. Biotecnol has been instrumental in partnering with top cancer institutions to develop promising immune-oncology therapies.

Targeted Cancer Treatment

The discovery of the WAIF1 antigen also occurred as a result of studies at Cancer Research UK’s Manchester Institute. While it may ultimately be a target for a number of cancer types, current testing will be limited to cancers with low survival rates, including mesothelioma and small-cell lung carcinoma.

Dr. Nigel Blackburn, director of drug development for Cancer Research UK, acknowledged that the partnership with Biotecnol will accelerate the path of bringing Tb535H to cancer patients. Blackburn also stressed the need for more effective treatment for lung cancer, the cause of 20 percent of cancer deaths in the UK.

Issels® Offers State-of-the-Art Immunotherapy Programs

While immunotherapy is a hot buzzword in cancer treatment today, we have been using non-toxic integrative programs for decades. Contact us to read and hear testimonials from patients with all forms of cancer who have received successful treatment at Issels®.

Alternative Cancer Treatment, Cancer Treatment, Immuno-Oncology

Tumor Heterogeneity: Why Some Tumors Metastasize or are Drug Resistant

Each Body Is Unique, and So Is Curing Each Cancerous Tumor.
Each Body Is Unique, and So Is Curing Each Cancerous Tumor.

For decades, scientists have tried to uncover the mysteries behind the complex behaviors of cancer cells. Thanks to gene sequencing and other molecular diagnosis tools, they are beginning to understand the process behind metastasis and drug resistance.

Solving the Puzzles of Metastasis and Drug Resistance

Cancer treatment is sometimes hampered by two significant problems:

• Metastasis, or stage IV cancer, occurs when cancer cells migrate from the original site to other parts of the body. Surgery is no longer an option at stage IV, which significantly reduces survival rates.

• Drug resistance sets in when treatment reaches a point where cancer cells are no longer vulnerable to attack and they resume spreading.

Scientists have discovered that cancer cells can vary greatly between the original site and metastatic site, and even within a single tumor. This characteristic is referred to as tumor heterogeneity.

How Does Tumor Heterogeneity Affect Cancer Treatment?

Research has uncovered significant evidence demonstrating that cancer cells continue to evolve.

• Gene mutations can create a subset of cancer cells with the ability to break away from the original tumor site.

• Drugs that target specific cancer cells can lose effectiveness as the original mutations are lost.

Doctors are using this knowledge of tumor heterogeneity to prescribe combination therapies that attack multiple genetic and molecular targets.

Issels®: A Pioneer in Combination Therapies

Our individual immunotherapy programs are integrative, combining treatments that work together to form a comprehensive attack on cancer cells. Contact us to learn why Issels® is the right choice for powerful and non-toxic cancer treatment for patients in late and early stages.