Bibliography - By Topic
Abscopal Effect
Melanoma:
Case study - An interesting case of possible abscopal effect in malignant melanoma.
Unfortunately I could not get the full text of this article, but I could at least get a summary. The patient experienced remission from late stage melanoma after having a wide excision, lymphangiogram and radiation to his inguinal (groin) region. However, unfortunately he had a sudden severe rectal hemorrhage after one year (I suspect it's likely due to the radiation) and passed away.
"The natural history of malignant melanoma is notoriously unpredictable. Although long term survival is not uncommon, lymph node involvement lowers the five yr survival rate to about 5%. It is generally accepted that radiation has no place in the treatment of metastases despite occasional reports of temporary tumor regression. In these cases the response to irradiation occurred in the treated area and simultaneous regression of distant untreated metastases has never been reported. Such behavior has been given the term 'abscopal effect'. It occurs not uncommonly in leukaemia but is extremely rare in other tumors and the case reported is therefore of interest. The patient was a 28 yr old male, who had had a melanoma on the lateral side of the right knee for many years. A wide excision of the melanoma with a skin graft was performed. A lymphangiogram carried out on the right leg showed extensive involvement of the glands in the right inguinal region, with abnormal lymphatic channels in the pelvis. There was failure to fill the right lumbar chain, with deviation of the contrast into the grossly abnormal left lumbar chain. The patient was treated with a full course of fast neutrons (1,440 rad in 12 fractions over 35 days) to the right inguinal region. The upper medial limit of the field was the inferior border of the right sacroiliac joint. A repeat lymphangiogram showed a remarkable regression from the initial very abnormal picture and nine mth after treatment was started, the lymphangiogram was normal. At laparotomy no metastases were found, either in the iliac or para aortic nodes. He remained clinically free of disease during one year when a sudden severe rectal haemorrhage resulted in his death. At post mortem there was no evidence of residual metastatic melanoma."
Immunologic Correlates of the Abscopal Effect in a Patient with Melanoma
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3345206/pdf/nihms-366064.pdf
This was published in 2012, not long after the observed patient experienced regression but not remission from her melanoma, after receiving both ipilimumab and radiation treatments. I have not seen any follow-up to learn of her long-term outcome.
(Brain metastases specifically)
Case Report of Extended Survival and Quality of Life in a Melanoma Patient with Multiple Brain Metastases and Review of Literature
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5814294/pdf/cureus-0009-00000001947.pdf
The patient had melanoma found in her neck (a mass) and a scalp lesion. She had a biopsy which proved the scalp lesion was melanoma and surgery to remove the mass. That same month they found on a PET scan on the other side of her neck hypermetabolic activity and she underwent surgery to remove 28 lymph nodes (including 3 that tested positive for melanoma); the surgery left positive margins (cancerous cells were left in the surgical site). She had two additional excisions of other scalp lesions. Then she received radiation to her scalp and neck, followed by three cycles of cisplatinum, interferon, and vinblastine, then interleukin-2. 9 months after completing the therapy they found a nodule in her retroperitoneum and 3 brain metastases. She had gamma knife radiation to the brain lesions and stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) to a pelvic soft tissue metastasis. The following months she received four cycles of carboplatin, paclitaxel, and temozolomide treatment. Three months following those treatments she developed headaches, nausea, vomiting, and confusion due to growth of the tumor and edema. Temodar was discontinued and she was given steroids. Subsequent scans revealed regressing disease until remission. As of 2017 she had perfect cognition and was running marathons, 11 years after diagnosis!!
"Notably, this patient never underwent craniotomy or whole brain radiation therapy and, consequently, avoided the related long-term neurocognitive toxicity of these interventions... We present a patient who is recurrence-free 11 years after the diagnosis of three brain metastases. Her treatment consisted of cytokine (interferon and interleukin-2) and chemotherapy nine months prior to developing brain and soft tissue metastases, which were treated with stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic ablative radiotherapy, respectively, followed by six months of chemotherapy. Notably, she has not received any treatment for over 10 years, never underwent craniotomy or whole brain radiation therapy, currently has a perfect score on the functional assessment of cancer therapy for brain (FACT-Br) quality of life (QoL) scale, and runs marathons. This treatment course is consistent with emerging literature on the abscopal effect (radiation-induced immune response). Clinical trials are needed to better understand and harness the abscopal effect in order to optimally integrate targeted drug and radiation therapies."
In this study they reference other long-term survivors who received:
a) Interferon, SRS, two craniotomies, chemotherapy
b) Craniotomy, vaccine, SRS
c) SRS, two craniotomies, chemotherapy
I haven't been able to check these case histories out yet but they are referenced for the above survivors:
- Somatic and germline analyses of a long term melanoma survivor with a recurrent brain metastasis. BMC Cancer. 2015, 23:926–931. 10.1186/s12885-015-1927-0
- Pulmonary sarcoid-like granulomatosis after multiple vaccinations of a long-term surviving patient with metastatic melanoma. Cancer Immunol Res. 2014, 2:1148–1153.
- Multiple brain metastases from malignant melanoma with long-term survival. Br J Neurosurg. 2004, 18:552–555. 10.1080/02688690400012616
Addiction
Article - Preventing Drug Addiction in Cancer Patients
Including treatment and support resources... "Cancer doesn’t have to define you or steal your joy, and you don’t have to be a slave to addiction. If you’re seeking help for drug or alcohol addiction, or a co-occurring mental health disorder (depression, anxiety, eating disorder, etc.), you can find it at The Recovery Village®. Lines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and there’s no obligation to enroll in treatment. So whether you’re ready to receive treatment or just need a listening ear, we’re here for you."
https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/resources/cancer-patients/
Amygdalin
Study - The anti-cancer effect of amygdalin on human cancer cell lines.
"Our findings suggest that amygdalin might have an anticancer effect due to the various gene expressions in A549, MCF7, and AGS human cancer cells, showing it's potential as a natural therapeutic anticancer drug."
Angiogenesis
The Angiogenesis Foundation
Article - Tumor Angiogenesis as a Target for Dietary Cancer Prevention
Article - Antiangiogenesis in the Treatment of Skin Cancer (Vincent W. Li MD MBA, William W. Li MD)
(on the mechanism of cancer spreading in skin cancer and conventional methods used to treat it)
Antioxidants
Study: 'Do the dietary supplements epigallocatechin gallate or vitamin e cause a radiomodifying response on tumors in vivo? A pilot study with murine breast carcinoma." (Is it safe to take antioxidants during radiation?)
EGCG slowed tumor growth rate by 10%. EGCG and VE slowed tumor regrowth by 24 to 25%... Normal tissues were protected from late radiation effects (autoamputations) in the VE group. VE and EGCG increased tumor cell apoptosis and decreased tumor cell proliferation but had no effect on microvessel density. In this pilot study, neither VE nor EGCG exerted a significant radiomodifying effect on the MCa-IV tumor. Nonetheless, the suggestion of a small degree of tumor radioprotection by these antioxidant compounds warrants further research.
Article: Should Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy Be Prescribed Antioxidants? (By Ralph Moss, PhD)
"In September 2005, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians published a warning by Gabriella D’Andrea, MD, against the concurrent use of antioxidants with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, several deficiencies of the CA article soon became apparent, not least the selective omission of prominent studies that contradicted the author’s conclusions... A blanket rejection of the concurrent use of antioxidants with chemotherapy is not justified by the preponderance of evidence at this time and serves neither the scientific community nor cancer patients."
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1534735405285882 or https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1534735405285882 (full-text)
Artemisinin
Blue Zones
"The Danish Twin Study1 established that only about 20% of how long the average person lives is dictated by our genes, whereas the other 80% is dictated by our lifestyle. In 2004, Dan Buettner, CEO of Blue Zones LLC, was determined to uncover the specific aspects of lifestyle and environment that led to longevity.
By teaming up with National Geographic and the National Institute on Aging, Dan and his team, found the 5 demographically confirmed, geographically defined areas with the highest percentage of centenarians (Loma Linda, CA, USA; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; seen in Figure 1). These 5 areas were located using epidemiological data, statistics, birth certificates, and other research. These areas were dubbed Blue Zones, where people reach age 100 at 10 times greater rates than in the United States. Once these areas were established, they sent in a team of anthropologists, demographers, epidemiologists, and researchers to identify the lifestyle characteristics that might explain longevity. They found that the lifestyles of all Blue Zones residents shared 9 specific characteristics. These are called the Power 9."
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6125071/
Budwig Diet
Article: The Budwig Diet and Cancer— Separating Flax from Fiction.
"Basic science suggests that flaxseed could have a very positive effect on cancer. Yet clinical research of flax in human cancer patients is almost entirely lacking... Long ago, as a member of the first advisory board of the Office of Alternative Medicine (OAM) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), I fought to get the U.S. government to research the alternatives that were of interest to cancer patients. But, then and now, the NIH has not shown much interest in seriously examining popular alternatives.
As a result, they can truthfully say that such treatment has not been studied! They often state this as a criticism of proponents, rather than as a confession of their own failure to pursue promising leads."
Cannabis
My personal stance is that I recommend CBD products for nausea and pain relief without THC due to THC's psychotropic effects. There is also some question whether CBD can lead to liver toxicity when taken in conjunction with some pharmaceutical drugs. I am not sure of the frequency of this or if it can be alleviated with coffee enemas. If you have any questions or comments on this please email me! contact@baileyobrien.com. Thanks!
Review Article - A User’s Guide to Cannabinoid Therapies in Oncology
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5176373/pdf/conc-23-398.pdf
Study - Cannabidiol Enhances the Therapeutic Effects of TRAIL by Upregulating DR5 in Colorectal Cancer
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333052937_Cannabidiol_Enhances_the_Therapeutic_Effects_of_TRAIL_by_Upregulating_DR5_in_Colorectal_Cancer
"Cannabidiol, a major non-psychotomimetic compound derived from Cannabis sativa, is a potential therapeutic agent for a variety of diseases such as inflammatory diseases, chronic neurodegenerative diseases, and cancers. Here, we found that the combination of cannabidiol and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) produces synergistic antitumor effects in vitro. However, this synergistic effect was not observed in normal colonic cells. The levels of ER stress-related proteins, including C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and phosphorylated protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase (PERK) were increased in treatment of cannabidiol. Cannabidiol enhanced significantly DR5 expression by ER stress. Knockdown of DR5 decreased the combined effect of cannabidiol and TRAIL. Additionally, the combination of TRAIL and cannabidiol decreased tumor growth in xenograft models. Our studies demonstrate that cannabidiol enhances TRAIL-induced apoptosis by upregulating DR5 and suggests that cannabidiol is a novel agent for increasing sensitivity to TRAIL."
Article - Can THC and CBD Really Help with Nausea and Vomiting?
https://www.cbdschool.com/can-thc-and-cbd-really-help-with-nausea-and-vomiting/
Study - Safety and Side Effects of Cannabidiol, a Cannabis sativa Constituent
https://www.medicinalgenomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Bergamaschi_2011.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1InfA9JzCXO3M9q3SW6vICcoQpArDy55zNjKYGXiBxc6VszSRW_UpeTLY
Furthermore, CBD can inactivate human P450 3A4 [111], which is responsible for metabolizing more than 60% of clinically prescribed drugs [112]"
Meta Analysis - Safety and Toxicology of Cannabinoids
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604177/pdf/13311_2015_Article_380.pdf
Sources in California:
Green Health Consultants
Cannakids
Aunt Zeldas
Here is a company that uses third party safety testing:
GreenSpectrums
I checked out the lab that does the testing and as far as I can see they look legit: https://terpenesandtesting.com/cannabis-testing-lab-dvt/
It looks like this product from Green Spectrums might be the best one to start with since it contains a low dose:
https://greenspectrums.com/product/250mg-hemp-oil-tincture-natural-flavor/
I saw in this video that it would be best to start with 5-10mg of CBD, and one dropper full of the tincture above (the 250mg bottle) provides 8.33mg of CBD. However, the bottle only contains 30 servings so it might be better to get the 500mg bottle and you could do 1/3 the dropper to get 5mg of CBD and it would last you longer.
Article: CBD Lab Reports: Why They Are Important & How to Read Them
https://bigskybotanicals.com/education/how-to-read-cbd-lab-reports/
Cat's Claw
Study - Antitumoral and antioxidant effects of a hydroalcoholic extract of cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa) (Willd. Ex Roem. & Schult) in an in vivo carcinosarcoma
modelhttps://www.academia.edu/17055869/Antitumoral_and_antioxidant_effects_of_a_hydroalcoholic_extract_of_cats_claw_Uncaria_tomentosa_Willd._Ex_Roem._and_Schult_in_an_in_vivo_carcinosarcoma_model
Checkpoint Inhibitors
Article - Thymic hyperplasia following double immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in two patients with stage IV melanoma.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajco.13233
"These are the first described cases of true thymic hyperplasia following combination immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy for metastatic melanoma. We hypothesize that the true thymic hyperplasia in these cases results from initial lymphocyte depletion caused by intense corticosteroid therapy followed by rebound thymic hyperplasia during the period of relative hypocortisolism, which may have been aggravated by the onset of secondary hypoadrenalism."
Chemotherapy
My personal stance is that there are times when chemotherapy may be appropriate, such as if alternatives were tried and the cancer growth did not slow down and if it used via IPT (insulin potentiation therapy) in which the chemo is given in lower doses, and in combination with other complementary therapies such as major diet and lifestyle modifications, IV therapies and/or fasting. With that said, cancer researcher Ralph Moss discusses the downfalls of chemotherapy used in conventional settings in the following article:
When Chemo Kills: The Inside Story
Coffee Enemas
Article - Scientific Basis of Coffee Enemas (from the Gerson Institute)
https://gerson.org/pdfs/How_Coffee_Enemas_Work.pdf
Case report - Coffee enema induced acute colitis
I don't often hear of any negative side effects from coffee enemas but this article (in Korean language) provides some information on its potential negative effects. References are in English, and some are not related to coffee enemas themselves but barium, saline and hydrogen peroxide enemas.
Coley's Toxins
Article - Bacterial Pyrogens: Beneficial Effects on Cancer Patients (by Helen Coley Nauts)
Results and insights on 896 of Dr. William Coley's patients by his daughter, Helen Coley Nauts, including the importance of fever on survival.
http://www4.secondopinionfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Read_a_1982_published_paper_on_Coleys_Toxins.pdf
Article - Beyond Magic Bullets: Helen Coley Nauts and the Battle for Immunotherapy (Cancer Research Institute)
Review - Dr William Coley and tumour regression: a place in history or in the future (Hoption Cann, van Netten, van Netten)
Article - Fever and Cancer in Perspective (by Uwe Hobohm)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?cmd=historysearch&querykey=2
(Full-text requested and will be added here if approved)
Article - Helen C. Nauts, 93, Champion Of Her Father's Cancer Work (New York Times)
Article - The Treatment of Malignant Tumors by Repeated Inoculations of Erysipelas: with a Report of Ten Original Cases. (William Coley)
Review by the American Cancer Society calling Coley's Toxins quackery - Unproven Methods of Cancer Treatment Coley's Mixed Toxins (found on the US National Library of Medicine website,
Blog post - What Is Coley Fluid
Danger Model (click for more info)
Dietary Fats
Article - Metabolic Endotoxemia: The Link Between the Chronic Diseases and the Saturated Fats You Want to Avoid
Drug-Herb Interactions
Integrative Therapeutics' "Drug-Nutrients Interactions"
https://www.integrativepro.com/Resources/Drug-Nutrient-Interaction-Checker
Memorial Sloan Kettering's "About Herbs, Botanicals & Other Products"
https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/diagnosis-treatment/symptom-management/integrative-medicine/herbs
Estrogen
Study - Green tea intake is associated with urinary estrogen profiles in Japanese-American women
Conclusions: Findings suggest that intake of green tea may modify estrogen metabolism or conjugation and in this way may influence breast cancer risk.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3584908/pdf/1475-2891-12-25.pdf
Fasting
Medical Supervision for Fasting
https://www.healthpromoting.com/ Dr. Alan Goldhamer in CA and
https://balanceforlifeflorida.com/health-director/ Dr. Frank Sabatino in FL.
Fatigue
Study - Oxygen-ozone therapy as support and palliative therapy in 50 cancer patients with fatigue – A short report
"Patients were treated with Auto Hemotransfusion (GAE) according to the SIOOT (Scientific Society of Oxygen Ozone Therapy) protocols, two times a week for one month and then twice monthly as maintenance therapy... No side effects were found, and 35 patients (70%) achieved a significant improvement (> 50%) of the symptoms. Our preliminary data demonstrate that ozone therapy is a valid supportive therapy for fatigue in cancer patients, both during cancer therapy and in a palliative setting with no significant side effects."
Fiber
Study - Fat, fibre and cancer risk in African Americans and rural Africans
Frankincense
Article - Frankincense Oil Kills Chemo-Resistant Cancer Cells Without Damaging Healthy Cells, Studies Show
https://returntonow.net/2019/03/21/frankincense-oil-kills-chemo-resistant-cancer-cells-without-damaging-healthy-cells-studies-show/
Gadolinium
Article - Gadolinium-based contrast agent toxicity: a review of known and proposed mechanisms
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4879157/
"Unequivocal data regarding the effects of multiple GBCA exposure are limited. However, the information regarding the thermodynamic stability constants for GBCAs, in vitro, animal, and human data, and the emerging data regarding gadolinium tissue accumulation in those with normal kidney function indicate that the potential toxicity associated with GBCA must be seriously and urgently considered. This concept must be addressed with retrospective and prospective cohort studies. Research providing additional mechanistic data is also paramount and will provide valuable information regarding how to prevent GBCA-related toxicity, treat existing GBCA-related health issues, guide the use of existing GBCAs, and direct the design of safer MRI contrast agents."
Garlic
Study - The Influence of Heating on the Anticancer Properties of Garlic
"Allyl sulfur compounds are the major active constituents found in crushed garlic. Research has revealed that garlic and its lipid- or water-soluble components have many pharmacologic properties; however, studies also demonstrate that heating has a negative influence on these beneficial effects... These studies suggest that heating destroyed garlic's active allyl sulfur compound formation, which may relate to its anticancer properties."
Gerson Therapy
Gerson Matzinger - Practice of Gerson’s diet therapy in neoplastic diseases: A tissue-centric nutritional immunotherapy that anticipated Matzinger’s Danger Model with its tissue-based effector class control
http://gerson-research.org/wp-content/uploads/Gerson-Matzinger.pdf
Glyphosate
Study - Glyphosate Induces Human Breast Cancer Cells Growth via Estrogen Receptors
"Several recent studies showed its potential adverse health effects to humans as it may be an endocrine disruptor. Glyphosate exerted proliferative effects only in human hormone-dependent breast cancer, T47D cells, but not in hormone-independent breast cancer, MDA-MB231 cells, at 10⁻¹² to 10⁻⁶M in estrogen withdrawal condition. The proliferative concentrations of glyphosate that induced the activation of estrogen response element (ERE) transcription activity were 5-13 fold of control in T47D-KBluc cells and this activation was inhibited by an estrogen antagonist, ICI 182780, indicating that the estrogenic activity of glyphosate was mediated via ERs. Furthermore, glyphosate also altered both ERα and β expression... These results indicated that low and environmentally relevant concentrations of glyphosate possessed estrogenic activity."
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23756170-glyphosate-induces-human-breast-cancer-cells-growth-via-estrogen-receptors/?from_term=roundup+cancer&from_pos=10
Green Tea
Study - Green tea intake is associated with urinary estrogen profiles in Japanese-American women
Conclusions: Findings suggest that intake of green tea may modify estrogen metabolism or conjugation and in this way may influence breast cancer risk.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3584908/pdf/1475-2891-12-25.pdf
Hyperthermia
Article - Temperature Matters! And Why it Should Matter to Tumor Immunologists
"These discoveries suggest that mild hyperthermia may be an effective noninvasive strategy for manipulating the tumor microenvironment in specific ways that could enhance immunotherapy... A major concept being explored by researchers in Thermal Medicine is that application of heat to a specific region of the body (in the absence of fever) may result in a significant counter reaction aimed at restoring the normal temperature of the affected region. These counter reactions might alter the physiology of the tumor microenvironment, altering the immune response. Importantly, fever and hyperthermia share a dependence upon activation of heat shock factor 1, (HSF-1) (14) suggesting a common stress induced pathway could account for some of the similar effects of each process on the immune response.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24490177
Study - Hyperthermia enhances photodynamic therapy by regulation of HCP1 and ABCG2 expressions via high level ROS generation.
Hyperthermia increases the cytotoxic effects of photodynamic therapy.
Article - Where to get photodynamic therapy:
Study - Biofunctionalization of magnetite nanoparticles with stevioside: effect on the size and thermal behaviour for use in hyperthermia applications
Stevia compound-coated nanomagnets help increase efficacy of hyperthermia in killing rat glioma cells.
"Our finding suggests superior properties of stevioside-coated magnetite nanoparticles in comparison to polysorbate-80 and oleic acid coated nanomagnets as far as particle size reduction, biocompatibility, hyperthermic effect, and cellular uptake by the glioblastoma cancer cells are concerned. The stevioside-coated nanomagnets exhibiting the maximum temperature rise were further investigated as heating agents in in vitro magnetic hyperthermia experiments (405 kHz, 168 Oe), showing their efficacy to induce cell death of rat C6 glioma cells after 30 min at a target temperature T = 43 °C."
Hypophysitis
Review - Immunotherapy and Hypophysitis: Clinical Presentation, Treatment, and Biologic Insights
Hysterectomy
If at all possible I recommend avoiding this procedure because of the increased cardiovascular risk, especially among younger women.
Study - Cardiovascular and Metabolic Morbidity After Hysterectomy With Ovarian Conservation: A Cohort Study
"Results: Over a median follow-up of 21.9 years, women who underwent hysterectomy experienced increased risks of de novo hyperlipidemia (HR 1.14; 95% CI, 1.05-1.25), hypertension (HR 1.13; 95% CI, 1.03-1.25), obesity (HR 1.18; 95% CI, 1.04-1.35), cardiac arrhythmias (HR 1.17; 95% CI, 1.05-1.32), and coronary artery disease (HR 1.33; 95% CI, 1.12-1.58). Women who underwent hysterectomy at age ≤35 years had a 4.6-fold increased risk of congestive heart failure and a 2.5-fold increased risk of coronary artery disease."
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29286988-cardiovascular-and-metabolic-morbidity-after-hysterectomy-with-ovarian-conservation-a-cohort-study/?from_term=hysterectomy+hyperlipidemia&from_pos=2
Review - Early and late onset complications of gynaecologic surgery: a multimodality imaging approach
"Correct evaluation of female pelvis after gynaecologic surgery, having in mind the most frequent complications, is based on the correct use of the instruments and on the experience of the examiner, who should be aware of the history of the patient, type of surgery and clinical symptoms for which the exam is required; the clinician should be aware of the possibilities and limits of the different techniques, in order to choose the most appropriate imaging modality and promptly make a correct diagnosis."
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5506770/pdf/FVVinObGyn-9-5.pdf
Iodine
Study - Adjuvant Effect of Molecular Iodine in Conventional Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer. Randomized Pilot Study
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6682905/pdf/nutrients-11-01623.pdf
"Our data indicate that supplementation with I2 improves the effectiveness of the treatment, decreasing side effects and increasing disease-free survival specially in advanced conditions (stage III). We also show that iodine supplementation induces tumor re-differentiation and the reactivation of antitumor immune responses. This study establishes a framework for the proposal of a phase III study for the analysis of iodine supplementation in the treatment of advanced breast cancer."
Mistletoe Therapy
Study - Active Chinese mistletoe lectin-55 enhances colon cancer surveillance through regulating innate and adaptive immune responses.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18785279 (Full text available at https://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/full/v14/i34/5274.htm)
Modified Citrus Pectin
Melanoma:
Studies on Modified Citrus Pectin and melanoma reveal that MCP may reduce the risk of metastasis.
Study - Galectin-3 expressed on different lung compartments promotes organ specific metastasis by facilitating arrest, extravasation and organ colonization via high affinity ligands on melanoma cells.
"Metastasis could also be inhibited by blocking surface polyLacNAc by pre-incubating cells with truncated galectin-3 (which lacked oligomerization domain) or by feeding mice with modified citrus pectin in drinking water. Overall, these results unequivocally show that polyLacNAc on melanoma cells and galectin-3 on the lungs play a critical role in arrest and extravasation of cells in the lungs and strategies that target these interactions inhibit lung metastasis."
Study - Effects of natural complex carbohydrate (citrus pectin) on murine melanoma cell properties related to galectin-3 functions.
"We reported previously that intravenous injection of B16-F1 murine melanoma cells with CP or MCP into syngeneic mice resulted in a significant increase or decrease of lung colonization, respectively (Platt D, Raz A (1992) J Natl Cancer Inst 84:438-42). Here we studied the effects of these polysaccharides on cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions mediated by carbohydrate-recognition. MCP, but not CP, inhibited B16-F1 melanoma cells adhesion to laminin and asialofetuin-induced homotypic aggregation. Both polysaccharides inhibited anchorage-independent growth of B16-F1 cells in semisolid medium, i.e. agarose. These results indicate that carbohydrate-recognition by cell surface galectin-3 may be involved in cell-extracellular matrix interaction and play a role in anchorage-independent growth as well as the in vivo embolization of tumour cells."
Study - Modulation of the lung colonization of B16-F1 melanoma cells by citrus pectin.
"Successful interference with such a process with MCP may lead to a reduced ability to form tumor cell emboli and metastasis."
MRI
I did some research on this a little while ago and found some other interesting articles, one of which states that iron chelates may be used to replace gadolinium as a contrast agent...
Article - Diagnostic value of alternative techniques to gadolinium-based contrast agents in MR neuroimaging-a comprehensive overview.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/31444580/?i=3&from=gadolinium%20kidney
Gadolinium has resulted in kidney toxicity.
Article - Gadolinium Retention and Toxicity-An Update.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28501075
Study - Gadolinium-Based MRI Contrast Agents Induce Mitochondrial Toxicity and Cell Death in Human Neurons, and Toxicity Increases With Reduced Kinetic Stability of the Agent.
"Conclusions: In human neurons modeling a subset of those in the basal ganglia, these results demonstrate a toxic effect of gadolinium-containing MRI contrast agents on mitochondrial respiratory function and cell viability. Toxicity increases as agent concentration increases and as the kinetic stability of the agent decreases."
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31265439
Article - Low-Molecular-Weight Iron Chelates May Be an Alternative to Gadolinium-based Contrast Agents for T1-weighted Contrast-enhanced MR Imaging.
"Conclusion: Iron-based contrast agents are promising as alternatives for contrast enhancement at T1-weighted MR imaging and have the potential to contribute to the safety of MR imaging."
Article, Science to Practice: Will Gadolinium Chelates Be Replaced by Iron Chelates in MR Imaging?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29356647
Opdivo
Potential side effects: https://www.opdivo.com/about-opdivo/side-effects
"Hypophysitis is a rare condition which involves the acute or chronic inflammation of the pituitary gland or pituitary stalk. The most common form is lymphocytic hypophysitis which is believed to be an autoimmune disorder."
Ozone
Study - The antiproliferative effects of cold atmospheric plasma-activated media on different cancer cell lines, the implication of ozone as a possible underlying mechanism.
PABA
[Appears to act as an antiviral and antibiotic agent. Was recommended to me by Dr. Anna Pavlick, MD from NYU Langone Cancer Center when she discovered it killed melanoma cells in her lab.]
Study - Modulation of chemotherapy with para-amino benzoic acid (PABA): Translation from preclinical models to a completed phase I trial
"We observed inflammatory responses in responding cutaneous lesions." (which could be a good thing! This often happens during Coley's toxins injections
https://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/jco.2005.23.16_suppl.7557
Study - Production of Antifungal p-Aminobenzoic Acid in Lysobacter antibioticus OH13.
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/acs.jafc.7b05084/suppl_file/jf7b05084_si_001.pdf
Study - The folate precursor para-aminobenzoic acid elicits induced resistance against Cucumber mosaic virus and Xanthomonas axonopodis.
"Unexpectedly, fruit yield was increased in PABA-treated plants, indicating that PABA-mediated SAR successfully protected pepper plants from infection by bacterial and viral pathogens without significant fitness allocation costs."
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23471007
Pain
Study - Antihyperalgesic effects of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera root extract) in rat models of postoperative and neuropathic pain.
Pancreatic Enzymes
The recommended protocol in the Cellect-Budwig protocol (the protocol recommended by CancerTutor.com) is to take them 6 times per day: 1) upon waking; 2) 30 min before breakfast; 3) 2 hours after breakfast; 4) 30 min before lunch; 5) 2 hours after lunch; 6) 30 minutes before dinner
When taken 30 minutes before meals, the enzymes are able to function both as systemic (scavenging cancer cells and digesting the protein layer of the cancer cells as they travel through the blood) and digestive enzymes.
Mike Vrentas, who formulated the Cellect-Budwig Protocol after his wife got breast cancer (she is alive and cancer-free now), recommends enzymes that also contain trypsin and chymotrypsin. Some brands he recommends are:
- Dr. Kelley's PEP Enzymes (Dr. Kelley healed himself of pancreatic cancer and went on to treat many thousands of cancer patients with succes. Here is a brief version of his story: https://www.naturalnews.com/030050_dentist_cancer.html)
- Dr. Kelley's Pancreatin 1200 (a less expensive formulation than the PEP Enzymes) - your prescription enzymes are much stronger than these, so I wouldn't recommend taking your enzymes at the dosages recommended by the Cellect-Budwig protocol
- Univase Forte (less expensive than both above)
The protocol involves building up to taking 72 capsules per day of the enzymes, starting at one capsule 6 times per day (as indicated above), to 2 capsules, 6 times per day, etc. until you get to 12 capsules, 6 times per day. This isn't as many as Dr. Gonzalez and Dr. Isaacs (who studied and continued the work of Dr. Kelley, practicing in NYC) recommend, as their patients have taken as many as 150 capsules per day of enzymes.
While taking the enzymes, it is recommended to take them 25 days on, 5 days off, and continue at least as long as there is sign of active disease, if not longer. And one must do coffee enemas at the dose of 72 capsules to get rid of the toxic die-off of the cancer cells, otherwise a person can get very sick and experience burning of the anus. Mike Vrentas' wife had to do 3 enemas per day while on the enzymes because it made her feel unwell, and she had to stop premature of the 25 day limit. However, very shortly after she stopped taking the enzymes, the symptoms went away, and she re-started the enzymes after 5 days of rest. She did 7 cycles of the enzymes. Dr. Kelley believed it would take 6-18 months for the enzymes to get rid of the cancer at 72 capsules per day.
PET Scans
Study - The ability of positron emission tomography/computed tomography to detect synchronous colonic cancers in patients with obstructive colorectal cancer.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30931111
Study - The value of using fludeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography scan with respect to colorectal abnormalities-a cross-sectional study.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30788152
Photodynamic Therapy
Article - Where to get photodynamic therapy:
Study - Hyperthermia enhances photodynamic therapy by regulation of HCP1 and ABCG2 expressions via high level ROS generation.
Hyperthermia increases the cytotoxic effects of photodynamic therapy.
Phytochemicals
Article - Potential Synergy of Phytochemicals in Cancer Prevention: Mechanism of Action (Rui Hai Liu)
Radiation Therapy
Curcumin can protect the body from inflammatory damage caused by radiation!!
Pneumonitis is a concern when it comes to Opdivo treatments, according to this article published in 2017 in China:
[Immune-related Pneumonitis Caused by Programmed death-1 Inhibitor Pembrolizumab: A Case Report and Literature Review]
"The common clinical manifestations were dyspnea, cough, fever and other immune-related damages. And about 20% patients had no symptoms... Adequate steroid and tapering slowly is the standard treatment. Immunosuppressive agents could be added in some serious cases. The prognosis was relatively good. Most patients were alleviated."
I thought that maybe curcumin could alleviate pneumonitis from Opdivo treatments the same way it reduces pneumonitis after radiation. Given that the cytokine IL-4 is involved in radiation-induced pneumonitis, I postulated that pneumonitis from Opdivo could also be related to activity of IL-4. However, according to this study, levels of IL-4 were below the detection level of the test (ELISA).
Study - Curcumin Mitigates Radiation-induced Lung Pneumonitis and Fibrosis in Rats
The cytokine IL-4 is proposed to be involved in radiation lung injury. In the study, rats received radiation to the chest and levels of IL-4 were subsequently measured and found to be increased after radiation treatments. There was also a great increase in pneumonitis and fibrosis. Treatment with curcumin however downregulated the expression of IL-4 in the rats and could possibly prevent or reduce pneumonitis and fibrosis in people receiving radiation to the lung area.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6709933/
Review - Relationship and interactions of curcumin with radiation therapy
Curcumin is widely thought to be neuroprotective; its high consumption is associated with minimal rates of several neurodegenerative diseases in India, which is backed by convincing experimental evidence of such[90]. Pre-RT administration of curcumin was able to improve results in post-RT spatial/memory functional tests (Morris water maze) in mice administered carbon ion RT (high biologically effective dose owing to the heavy particle size)[91]. Furthermore, histologically-apparent neuropathological changes were also present between both groups. Hence, if other research can confirm these results, it will not be difficult to design clinical trials examining learning/memory tests in patients undergoing whole-brain RT with or without curcumin.
Curcumin can also protect lymphocytes, the most RT-susceptible blood cell, especially when radiating bony lesions (marrow) in patients[92].
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4896895/
Study - Selenium does not affect radiosensitivity of breast cancer cell lines.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31201502
"The data suggest that physiological relevant selenium concentrations administered in combination with radiation therapy do not deteriorate the efficacy of radiotherapy in breast cancer patients."
Article - Tumor Microenvironment as A “Game Changer” in Cancer Radiotherapy
"Low doses [of radiation therapy, RT] slightly activate the antitumor response, without significant impact on the cancer blood vessels, which does not damage the entire tumor. High doses activate the antitumor immune response but also cause destruction, with huge regions of hypoxia that trigger renewal processes that lead to a regrowth of the tumor. In both cases, cancer may recur. Therefore, further studies investigating the effect of dose and RT schema on the TME [tumor microenvironment] are necessary. The acquired knowledge should be used to develop a treatment regimen that will destroy cancer cells and use the surrounding environment to effectively fight cancer. The key is to understand that TME is a “game changer” in the RT fight against cancer. Ignoring this information leads to therapy failure. Following these may lead to designing an effective combination therapy—radiotherapy with drugs that will prevent the unwanted, negative changes occurring in the tumor microenvironment. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/20/13/3212/htm
Soy
Pooling all comparisons, soy food intake after diagnosis was associated with reduced mortality and recurrence. Pooling the comparisons of highest vs. lowest dose, soy food intake after diagnosis was again associated with reduced mortality and recurrence. Subgroup analysis of ER status showed that soy food intake was associated with reduced mortality in both ER negative and ER positive patients, and both premenopausal and postmenopausal patients. In addition, soy food intake was associated with reduced recurrence in ER negative and ER+/PR+, and postmenopausal patients. Conclusion: Our meta-analysis showed that soy food intake might be associated with better survival, especially for ER negative, ER+/ PR+, and postmenopausal patients.
http://journal.waocp.org/article_27665_fc0b15f47675e24cb667928541889c5e.pdf
Study - Influence of soy isoflavones in breast cancer angiogenesis: a multiplex glass ELISA approach