Tag Archives: alternative cancer treatment

Steer Clear of These Foods While in Traditional Cancer Treatment

Herbs and other supplements can provide an added boost for patients with cancer. In many cases, alternative cancer therapies can succeed where standard therapies have failed.

However, in some cases, complementary medicines that are recommended for some patients can actually have adverse effects on certain other patients. An herb may be excellent for one form of cancer and hazardous for another. In all cases, patients should confirm recommendations with a doctor before taking supplements.

These products may not be prescription drugs, but they do have a powerful ability to interact with chemotherapy, radiation treatments, and anti-cancer medicines.

Below are common supplements with anti-cancer properties that may also cause serious problems if taken during other treatments. Consult the American Cancer Society website or other trusted sources for a helpful guide to vitamins, minerals, and herbal medicines.

1. Fish oil: May induce bleeding if you have a low platelet count.

2. Ginger: Also may induce bleeding.

3. Turmeric: Could decrease the effectiveness of chemotherapy — or increase the effects, with toxic results.

4. Coenzyme Q10: Antioxidant properties may interfere with chemotherapy and radiation.

5. Milk thistle: May affect estrogen levels, which could pose an issue for breast or ovarian cancer.

6. Licorice: Also may affect estrogen levels.

7. Green tea: Negates the benefits of certain anti-cancer drugs.

8. Reishi mushroom: May interfere with certain drugs or chemotherapy.

9. Astragalus: May interfere with certain immunosuppressants.

10. Acidophilus: May cause infections or other problems if taken during chemotherapy.

Despite the risks for some patients, these substances do have successful results for many people. Issels® Integrative Immuno-Oncology can always help with information about alternative cancer treatment.

Take Care with Antibiotics Now to Prevent Cancer Treatment Hampering Reactions

In Order To Achieve the Best Cancer Care Possible, You Must First Make Sure Your Body is Open to These Options to Its Best Ability.
In Order To Achieve the Best Cancer Care Possible, You Must First Make Sure Your Body is Open to These Options to Its Best Ability.

Doctors always take care when prescribing combinations of drugs due to possible negative interactions. It’s not surprising that mounting evidence indicates the complex balance of targeted cancer treatment can be upset by use of antibiotics.

Disrupting the Body’s Natural Defenses

According to results of a study conducted at the Georgia Cancer Center, this problem stems from the effect of antibiotics on gut microbiota, the network of bacteria, viruses and fungi that resides in the digestive tract. These “good” germs aid with digestion and protect our system from “bad” germs.

In the process of killing off microorganisms that cause infections, antibiotics also destroy large amounts of gut bacteria. As a result, patients on a course of antibiotics often experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms.

The Connection Between Gut Bacteria and Cancer Treatment

Dr. Gang Zhou, corresponding author of the study, explained that certain bacteria in the microbiota are necessary to activate the T-cells involved in cancer treatment known as adoptive T-cell therapy. A newer form of treatment called CAR T-cell therapy appears to be resistant to the antibiotic effect because it works on its own, with little reliance on the immune system.

Co-author Dr. Locke Bryan pointed out that antibiotics are often used in conjunction with chemotherapy. This traditional cancer treatment lowers white blood cell counts to the point where there’s no defense against bacteria, and an infection can be lethal to an already weakened immune system.

Individualized Treatment Plans for Specific Needs

Our personally tailored immunobiologic core treatments are designed to remove or repair factors that inhibit the body’s natural defense mechanisms. Contact us for more information.

The Keto Diet May Prove Beneficial to Cancer Patients While in Treatment

What You Put in Your Body Could Be Affecting Your Likelihood of Catching Cancer.
What You Put in Your Body Could Be Affecting Your Likelihood of Catching Cancer.

People are always looking for the next great diet in an effort to lose weight. The recently popular ketogenic diet could have some surprising benefits for patients undergoing cancer treatment.

The Warburg Effect

Cancer cells proliferate via the Warburg effect, named for the scientist who first advanced the idea. Fermentation is a process by which sugars are metabolized to provide energy for bacteria. Sauerkraut and yogurt are some of the more widely-known products of fermentation.

Unlike normal body cells, which derive their energy from mitochondria, cancer cells receive energy from fermentation of glucose within cytoplasm. When a cell starts getting energy from glucose, it can be the first sign of abnormal cell function that ultimately results in formation of a tumor.

The Ketogenic Diet: Starving Cancer Cells

A keto diet plan is low in carbohydrates and high in fat. The science behind it is based on a biological response that dates back to prehistoric times. When food was scarce, the body responded by shifting metabolic gears and using stored fat as fuel.

When the body’s supply of carbs is restricted, it shuts off the flow of glucose and other cancer-promoting fuels. As cancer cells become compromised, the body resumes its normal cellular signaling, putting the brakes on further tumor development.

The keto diet should not be considered a cure for cancer. However, it’s a valuable tool for use in conjunction with immunotherapy and other cancer treatment.

Immunotherapy and Nutrition: A Winning Combination

Good nutrition is a perfect complement for our non-toxic cancer treatment programs. Visit our website for more information about cancer vaccines and other individually created treatments.

New Genetic Tests May Detect Some Asymptomatic Pancreatic Cancers Early

Rare but Deadly Pancreatic Cancer can Sneak up on Your Body's Immune system. Doctors and Researchers are Looking for Ways to Fight and Detect.
Rare but Deadly Pancreatic Cancer can Sneak up on Your Body’s Immune system. Doctors and Researchers are Looking for Ways to Fight and Detect.

Despite advancements in cancer treatment, pancreatic cancer continues to have one of the lower survival rates of all forms. Scientists are encouraged that a new test may increase the effectiveness of early detection and treatment.

Improving Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer

Medical scans routinely uncover pancreatic cysts, which are small pockets of fluid. While most are benign, some can lead to pancreatic cancer. This poses a dilemma for doctors, who know the importance of early detection but are reluctant to recommend potentially unnecessary surgery.

Dr. Aatur D. Singhi and his team at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) set out to find a way to test pancreatic cysts before surgery, rather than after. The result was PancreaSeq®, a procedure in which fluid is removed from a cyst and tested for 10 different types of tumor genes.

Breakthroughs in Cancer Testing

The UPMC study is noteworthy for other reasons as well. It was the first to evaluate testing that incorporates next-generation genetic sequencing and the first to be conducted in a certified and accredited clinical laboratory rather than a research facility.

During testing, PancreaSeq® was 100 percent accurate in classifying subjects who had a common precursor to pancreatic cancer. In addition, it also identified cysts that would progress to cancerous lesions with 100 percent accuracy and did not include any false positives.

Issels®: Your #1 Choice for Immunotherapy Cancer Treatment

Gene-targeted therapies are an important part of our non-toxic, integrative cancer treatment programs. Contact us to learn more about cancer vaccines, NK cells and other state-of-the-art therapies at Issels®.

Gut Bacteria Appears to Influence Whether or Not Cancer Tumors Will Shrink During Cancer Treatment

New Cancer Research Is Improving Treatment
New Cancer Research Is Improving Treatment

Bacteria is generally considered to be the cause of disease and infection, but many varieties have beneficial properties. Scientists are discovering that “good” bacteria living inside of us can have positive implications for cancer treatment.

How Can Bacteria Be “Good?”

The microbiome is a collection of microscopic organisms found inside our bodies, primarily in the gut. These organisms play a role in the digestive process and help to regulate the immune system.

Researchers in France and the United States conducted separate studies involving the microbiome of cancer patients. All participants were receiving immunotherapy treatment, which boosts the ability of the immune system to fight cancer cells.

The Relationship Between Gut Bacteria and Cancer Treatment

The team at the Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus in Paris studied 249 patients with lung or kidney cancer.

– Participants who had taken antibiotics, which disturb the microbiome, were more likely to experience tumor growth, even during treatment.

– A bacteria species known as A. muciniphila was found in two-thirds of patients who responded to immunotherapy, as opposed to only one-third of those who did not.

At the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, a team analyzed the microbiome of 112 patients with advanced melanoma.

– Patients who responded to cancer treatment were found to have a more rich and varied microbiome than those who didn’t.

– The composition of the microbiome also appeared to be significant, as higher levels of certain bacteria were associated with positive responses while others had negative impacts.

Innovative Cancer Treatment at Issels®

Our immunotherapy programs focus on cancer cells as well as the internal environment that supports them. Contact us for more information.

What Makes the Issels Immunotherapy Approach So Different?

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.