What Benefits are Available to Cancer Patients?
Cancer is a devastating disease that affects millions of people every year. While the traditional approach to cancer treatment is chemotherapy and radiation therapy, many patients are looking for alternative treatments. According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 1.5 million American adults are treated for cancer each year. While conventional treatments are often successful upfront, they can be harsh, damaging to the body, and fail to address the genesis of cancer which allows for cancer to return.
That is why many cancer patients turn to alternative cancer treatment which is more gentle and involves a holistic approach to healing the body quickly but ultimately for the long term. So if you’re looking for an alternative to traditional cancer treatments, the following are just some cancer treatment resources & research used at Sunridge Medical Clinic.
Autohemotherapy
Ozone autohemotherapy is reported as being mainly used for cancer therapy. Findings show that;
- medical ozone can increase the oxygen-carrying ability and erythrocyte rheology of red blood cells, increase the oxygen supply for tissues and cells, improve the microcirculation in damaged nerve and skin tissue, and promote the repair of local nerves and tissue;
- medical ozone mixed with blood can produce hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which can be an important messenger, activate the body’s immune system, initiate a series of chemical reactions, induce the production of interleukin and interferon and other cytokines to activate and regulate the immune system function, and, finally, restore the normal functioning of the thalamus for the pain loop;
- ozone autohemotherapy can bring a pleasant sensation to the person, relieve the patient’s fatigue and depression, and improve physical strength and mental stability. In addition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid oxidative products (LOPs), believed to be involved in the biological progress of ozone, are produced immediately after ozone is dissolved in biological water (plasma, lymph, urine, interstitial fluid, etc.);
- Medical ozone has a strong bactericidal effect, and a specific concentration of medical ozone can inhibit the growth and reproduction of herpes virus and promote the phagocytosis of leukocytes for the herpes virus.
ROS and LOPs have been reported to activate nuclear transcriptional factors, such as nuclear factor-erythroid 2–related factor 2, so as to alleviate pain. Finally, one study also speculated that ozone directly or indirectly acted on transmembrane proteins, intracellular cascades, and nuclear transcriptions to alleviate pain. In conclusion, the findings of this study demonstrated that ozone autohemotherapy combined with pharmacological therapy was superior to isolated pharmacological therapy.
Biological Detoxificationerapy
Classical Homeopathy
Five out of six trials included in this systematic review yielded positive results, which suggest the effectiveness of homeopathic remedies for cancer care. Cancer patients appear to have benefited from homeopathic interventions specifically for chemotherapy-induced stomatitis, radiodermatitis, and general adverse events from radiotherapy. Breast cancer survivors, suffering from menopausal symptoms, experienced a general improvement in their quality of life.
Diagnostic Testing / Screening
Diagnostic accuracy is essential for good therapeutic treatment. The case for systematic reviews is now well established, enabling efficient integration of current information and providing a basis for rational decision-making.
A lack of awareness of the complexities within diagnostic studies may have led to the under-reporting of critical detail of review methods and included study characteristics. Test methods and materials often vary between studies for both reference and index tests, but many reviews do not give details for each study.
Heavy Metal Detoxification
The industrial activities of the last century have caused massive increases in human exposure to heavy metals. Mercury, lead, chromium, cadmium, and arsenic have been the most common heavy metals that induced human poisonings. Here, we reviewed the mechanistic action of these heavy metals according to the available animal and human studies. Acute or chronic poisonings may occur following exposure to water, air, and food. Bioaccumulation of these heavy metals leads to a diversity of toxic effects on a variety of body tissues and organs.
Heavy metals disrupt cellular events including growth, proliferation, differentiation, damage-repairing processes, and apoptosis. A comparison of the mechanisms of action reveals similar pathways for these metals to induce toxicity including ROS generation, weakening of the antioxidant defense, enzyme inactivation, and oxidative stress. On the other hand, some have selective binding to specific macromolecules. The interaction of lead with aminolevulinic acid dehydratase and ferrochelatase is within this context.
Reactions of other heavy metals with certain proteins were discussed as well. Some toxic metals including chromium, cadmium, and arsenic cause genomic instability. Defects in DNA repair following the induction of oxidative stress and DNA damage by the three metals have been considered as the cause of their carcinogenicity. Even with the current knowledge of the hazards of heavy metals, the incidence of poisoning remains considerable and requires preventive and effective treatment. The application of chelation therapy for the management of metal poisoning could be another aspect of heavy metals to be reviewed in the future.
High-Dose Vitamin C Therapy and Cancer
Over the past century, the notion that vitamin C can be used to treat cancer has generated much controversy. However, new knowledge regarding the pharmacokinetic properties of vitamin C and recent high-profile preclinical studies have revived interest in the utilization of high-dose vitamin C for cancer treatment. Studies have shown that pharmacological vitamin C targets many of the mechanisms that cancer cells utilize for their survival and growth. In this Opinion article, we discuss how vitamin C can target three vulnerabilities many cancer cells share: redox imbalance, epigenetic reprogramming, and oxygen-sensing regulation. Although the mechanisms and predictive biomarkers that we discuss need to be validated in well-controlled clinical trials, these new discoveries regarding the anticancer properties of vitamin C are promising to help identify patient populations that may benefit the most from high-dose vitamin C therapy, developing effective combination strategies and improving the overall design of future vitamin C clinical trials for various types of cancer.
Intravenous Therapies
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Artemisinin and Cancer
Artemisia annua L. is used throughout Asia and Africa as tea and press juice to treat malaria and related symptoms (fever, chills). Its active ingredient, artemisinin (ARS), has been developed as an antimalarial drug and is used worldwide. Interestingly, the bioactivity is not restricted to malaria treatment. We and others found that ARS-type drugs also reveal anticancer in vitro and in vivo. In this review, we give a systematic overview of the literature published over the past two decades until the end of 2016. Like other natural products, ARS acts in a multi-specific manner against tumors. The cellular response of ARS and its derivatives (dihydroartemisinin, artesunate, artemether, arteether) towards cancer cells include oxidative stress response by reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide, DNA damage and repair (base excision repair, homologous recombination, non-homologous end-joining), various cell death modes (apoptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis, necrosis, necroptosis, oncosis), inhibition of angiogenesis and tumor-related signal transduction pathways (e.g. Wnt/β-catenin pathway, AMPK pathway, metastatic pathways, and others) and signal transducers (NF-κB, MYC/MAX, AP-1, CREBP, mTOR etc). ARS-type drugs are at the stairways to the clinics. Several published case reports and pilot phase I/II trials indicate clinical anticancer activity of these compounds. Because of unexpected cases of hepatotoxicity, combinations of ARS-type drugs with complementary and alternative medicines are not recommended, until controlled clinical trials will prove the safety of non-approved combination treatments.
Careseng and Cancer
For thousands of years, ginseng (Panax Quinquefolium L.) preparations have been used for health remedies. The main ingredients in ginseng with therapeutic activity are Ginseng saponins (ginsenosides) but only a few of these ginsenosides, notably Rh1/2 and Rg3, demonstrate cytotoxicity on cancer cells. Since most ginseng preparations contain only trace amounts of these anticancer compounds, the effects of direct inhibition on cancer cell growth are limited with regular ginseng extracts.
In the present study, a specially formulated ginseng product, Careseng containing over 80% of Rh2 and Rh2-like ginsenosides, was tested on cultured breast, prostate, lung, pancreatic, and brain cancer cell lines and in an intracranial glioma rat model to study anticancer properties.
Our results showed that in vitro, Careseng induced G1 arrest and differentiation at low concentrations (<20ig/ml) and caused apoptosis at higher concentrations (>40ig/ml) in all cancer cell lines tested. Careseng-induced apoptosis was independent of P53, but requisite of caspase activation, as DEVD, a caspase blocker completely abolished this activity. In all cancer cell lines, Careseng apoptotic index was dose-dependent.
Furthermore, when Careseng was combined with Taxol, Mitoxantrone, and Cisplatin in vitro, a synergistic effect on cytotoxicity was demonstrated. In a 9L glioma rat model, oral administration of Careseng?(25-50mg/kg) reduced mortality by 60%, and elongated the average life span of tumor-bearing animals compared to controls (32+3 days versus 18+1 days; p<0.001). Acute (4000mg/kg) and chronic (300mg/kg/day for 8 weeks) toxicity tests in mice showed no significant adverse effects.
Cesium Chloride and Cancer
The effect of cesium therapy on various cancers is reported. A total of 50 patients were treated over a 3-year period with CsCl. The majority of the patients have been unresponsive to previous maximal modalities of cancer treatment and were considered terminal cases. The Cs-treatment consisted of CsCl in addition to some vitamins, minerals, chelating agents, and salts of selenium, potassium, and magnesium. In addition, a special diet was also instituted. There was an impressive 50% recovery of various cancers, i.e., cancer of unknown primary, breast, colon, prostate, pancreas, lung, liver, lymphoma, Ewing sarcoma of the pelvis, and adeno-cancer of the gallbladder, by the Cs-therapy employed.
Curcumin and Cancer
Curcumin, a polyphenol extracted from Curcuma longa in 1815, has gained attention from scientists worldwide for its biological activities (e.g., antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral), among which its anticancer potential has been the most described and still remains under investigation. The present review focuses on the cell signaling pathways involved in cancer development and proliferation, which are targeted by curcumin. Curcumin has been reported to modulate growth factors, enzymes, transcription factors, kinase, inflammatory cytokines, and proapoptotic (by upregulation) and antiapoptotic (by downregulation) proteins. This polyphenol compound, alone or combined with other agents, could represent an effective drug for cancer therapy.
DCA and Cancer
An extensive body of literature describes the anticancer properties of dichloroacetate (DCA), but its effective clinical administration in cancer therapy is still limited to clinical trials. The occurrence of side effects such as neurotoxicity as well as the suspicion of DCA carcinogenicity still restricts the clinical use of DCA. However, in the last years, the number of reports supporting DCA employment against cancer increased also because of the great interest in targeting the metabolism of tumor cells. Dissecting the DCA mechanism of action helped to understand the bases of its selective efficacy against cancer cells.
Successful coadministration of DCA with conventional chemotherapy, radiotherapy, other drugs, or natural compounds has been tested in several cancer models. New drug delivery systems and multi-action compounds containing DCA and other drugs seem to ameliorate bioavailability and appear more efficient thanks to the synergistic action of multiple agents. The spread of reports supporting the efficiency of DCA in cancer therapy has prompted additional studies that led to finding other potential molecular targets of DCA. Interestingly, DCA could significantly affect cancer stem cell fraction and contribute to cancer eradication. Collectively, these findings provide a strong rationale for novel clinical translational studies of DCA in cancer therapy.
Germanium and Cancer
Germanium has long been considered a therapeutic agent with anticancer, antitumor, antiaging, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory effects. Numerous clinical studies have explored the promising therapeutic effects of organic germanium on cancer, arthritis, and senile osteoporosis. The immune activation property of organic germanium is considered the foundation of its various therapeutic effects. However, previous human clinical studies investigating immune activation with organic germanium compounds have certain limitations, as some studies did not strictly follow a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design.
To build a more clinically substantiated foundation for the mechanism underlying its immunostimulation, we structured by far the most rigorous clinical study to date with a group of 130 human subjects to examine changes in immune profiles following germanium supplementation. We used Bio-Germanium, an organic germanium compound naturally synthesized via a yeast fermentation process. An 8-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted with 130 subjects with leukocyte counts of 4–8 (×103/μL) divided into the Bio-Germanium group and the placebo group. Anthropometric measurements; blood collection; biochemical analysis; urinalysis; natural killer cell activity, cytokine, and immunoglobulin assays were conducted.
Results showed the Bio-Germanium group exhibited NK cell activity increases at effector cell: target cell (E:T) ratios of 50:1, 10:1, 5:1, and 2.5:1 (12.60±32.91%, 10.19±23.88%, 9.28±16.49%, and 7.27±15.28%, respectively), but the placebo group showed decreases (P<0.01). The difference in the IgG1 change from baseline to follow-up between the Bio-Germanium and placebo groups was significant (P = 0.044). Our results and earlier clinical study of Bio-Germanium confirm that Bio-Germanium acts as an effective immunostimulant by increasing the cytotoxicity of NK cells and activating immunoglobulin, B cells, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (P<0.05). As we have added newly discovered clinical findings for germanium’s immunostimulation mechanism, we believe Bio-Germanium is a highly promising therapeutic agent and should certainly be further explored for potential development opportunities in immunotherapy.
Glandular Therapy and Cancer
DDX5 (p68) is a well-known multifunctional DEAD-box RNA helicase and a transcription cofactor. Since its initial discovery more than three decades ago, DDX5 is gradually recognized as a potential biomarker and target for the treatment of various cancer types. Studies over the years significantly expanded our understanding of the functional diversity of DDX5 in various cancer types and extended our knowledge of its Mechanism of Action (MOA). This provides a rationale for the development of novel cancer therapeutics by using DDX5 as a biomarker and a therapeutic target. However, while most of the published studies have found DDX5 to be an oncogenic target and a cancer treatment-resistant biomarker, a few studies have reported that in certain scenarios, DDX5 may act as a tumor suppressor. After a careful review of all the available relevant studies in the literature, we found that the multiple functions of DDX5 make it both a superior independent oncogenic biomarker and a target for targeted cancer therapy. In this article, we will summarize the relevant studies on DDX5 in literature with a careful analysis and discussion of any inconsistencies encountered, and then provide our conclusions with respect to understanding the MOA of FL118, a novel small molecule. We hope that such a review will stimulate further discussion on this topic and assist in developing better strategies to treat cancer by using DDX5 as both an oncogenic biomarker and therapeutic target.
Glutathione and Cancer
Glutathione (GSH) is the most abundant non-protein thiol present at millimolar concentrations in mammalian tissues. As an important intracellular antioxidant, it acts as a regulator of cellular redox state protecting cells from damage caused by lipid peroxides, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, and xenobiotics. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of GSH in key signal transduction reactions as a controller of cell differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, ferroptosis, and immune function. Molecular changes in the GSH antioxidant system and disturbances in GSH homeostasis have been implicated in tumor initiation, progression, and treatment response.
Immunotherapy and Cancer
Wang Y, Wang M, Wu HX, Xu RH. Advancing to the era of cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Commun (Lond). 2021 Sep;41(9):803-829. doi: 10.1002/cac2.12178. Epub 2021 Jun 24. PMID: 34165252; PMCID: PMC8441060. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34165252/
Cancer greatly affects the quality of life of humans worldwide and the number of patients suffering from it is continuously increasing. Over the last century, numerous treatments have been developed to improve the survival of cancer patients but substantial progress still needs to be made before cancer can be truly cured. In recent years, antitumor immunity has become the most debated topic in cancer research and the booming development of immunotherapy has led to a new epoch in cancer therapy. In this review, we describe the relationships between tumors and the immune system, and the rise of immunotherapy. Then, we summarize the characteristics of tumor-associated immunity and immunotherapeutic strategies with various molecular mechanisms by showing the typical immune molecules whose antibodies are broadly used in the clinic and those that are still under investigation. We also discuss important elements from individual cells to the whole human body, including cellular mutations and modulation, metabolic reprogramming, the microbiome, and the immune contexture. In addition, we also present new observations and technical advancements of both diagnostic and therapeutic methods aimed at cancer immunotherapy. Lastly, we discuss the controversies and challenges that negatively impact patient outcomes.
The current oncotherapy has being quickly evolved with the rise of antitumor immunotherapy. We are in an epoch with many opportunities for lengthening the lifespan of patients suffering from cancer. With the development of precision medicine, more appropriate individual treatments based on the comprehensive analysis of both tumors and the TME can be offered to patients . However, opportunities are always accompanied by challenges. In 2020, Hegde et al listed the 10 largest challenges in cancer immunotherapy, covering issues ranging from preclinical experiments to therapeutic endpoints, that indicated the existence of insufficient recognition in cancer-related immunity. Despite all the setbacks in this field, we still hold full confidence in the potential of immunotherapy which can be realized with the use of more advanced medical devices and newly developed experimental methods. Immunity is considered either the weapon or the armor with which humans are born, so the mobilization and usage of this system should be an ideal option for disease control. When treating cancer with new therapeutic methods, we should not only pay attention to the dynamic alterations in the TME but also consider the relationship between local lesions and the basic status of patients. As scientists gradually expand the knowledge of immunotherapy, medical research and cancer treatments will likely advance significantly in the next decade.
IPT-Insulin Potentiation Therapy and Cancer
The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling system plays key roles in the establishment and progression of different types of cancer. In agreement with this idea, substantial evidence has shown that the type I IGF receptor (IGF-IR) and its primary ligand IGF-I are important for maintaining the survival of malignant cells of hematopoietic origin. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the role of IGF-IR signaling in cancer with a focus on hematological neoplasms. We also address the emergence of IGF-IR as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of different types of cancer including plasma cell myeloma, leukemia, and lymphoma.
Mistletoe Extract and Cancer
Mistletoe has been used as a treatment of many diseases in traditional and folk medicine. To date, anticancer, immunomodulatory, cardiac, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, neuropharmacological, antibacterial, and antifungal properties of mistletoe extracts have been studied the most. In this review, we summarized in vitro and in vivo studies on the pharmacological activity of Viscum species. Furthermore, we proposed the possible mechanisms of action of this herb, which might include many signaling pathways.
Oxidative Medicine Therapies and Cancer
Poly MVA and Cancer
Poly-MVA enhanced the antitumor effect of radiation when administered beforehand. Furthermore, Poly-MVA administered once daily for 2 weeks, immediately after 4 Gy irradiation, protected DNA damage in peripheral blood. It also rendered protection against the radiation-induced reduction of platelet count.
The unique electronic and redox properties of the palladium-α-lipoic acid complex in Poly-MVA appear to be responsible for the exhibited effect. The results conclude that the antitumor-enhancing and normal cell-protective effect of Poly-MVA warrants additional studies for its potential clinical application.
Resveratrol and Cancer
The anticancer potential of resveratrol is recognized in numerous in vivo and in vitro studies. Previous experimental data suggested that resveratrol may be valuable in cancer management or improve the efficacy of drugs when given with anticancer drugs. This review emphasizes the potential role of resveratrol as an anticancer drug by modulating numerous cell signaling pathways in different types of cancer.
Vitamin C and Cancer
Vitamin C (VitC) is known to directly impair cancer cell growth in preclinical models, but there is little clinical evidence of its antitumoral efficacy. In addition, whether and how VitC modulates anticancer immune responses is mostly unknown. Here, we show that a fully competent immune system is required to maximize the antiproliferative effect of VitC in breast, colorectal, melanoma, and pancreatic murine tumors. High-dose VitC modulates infiltration of the tumor microenvironment by cells of the immune system and delays cancer growth in a T cell-dependent manner. VitC not only enhances the cytotoxic activity of adoptively transferred CD8 T cells but also cooperates with immune checkpoint therapy (ICT) in several cancer types. A combination of VitC and ICT can be curative in models of mismatch repair-deficient tumors with the high mutational burden. This work provides a rationale for clinical trials combining ICT with high doses of VitC.
Nutritional Supplementation & Cancer
Both beta-carotene and vitamin E supplementation increase overall mortality. This article reviews phase II and III trials that examine the effects of multivitamins, antioxidants, vitamin D, and n-3 supplements on outcomes and toxicity from cancer treatments. Although vitamin E and beta-carotene reduce toxicity from radiotherapy among patients with head and neck cancer, it has been found to increase recurrence, especially among smokers.
Antioxidants have mixed effects on chemotherapy toxicity, but there are no data on the outcome. Vitamin D deficiency is relatively common among patients with cancer, and ongoing phase III trials are studying the effect of vitamin D on outcomes as well as optimum vitamin D and calcium intakes for bone health. Docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acid supplements have mixed effects on cachexia and are currently being tested as potential adjuncts to maximize response to chemotherapy.
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