HealthBeat News

Category: Cancer

  • I’m Not Afraid Of Cancer Any More!

    Dr. Myatt and Nurse Mark have just returned from a 3-week tour of the western states where they saw patients (making “The Ultimate HouseCall”) and spoke and taught at the fifth annual NW Herb Fest in Eugene, Oregon on a variety of subjects, including cancer. Her lectures were enthusiastically received – one participant approached Dr. Myatt at the end of the conference to say “After hearing you speak this weekend I’m not afraid of cancer any more!”

    Dr. Myatt’s lectures included:

  • The Urgent Care Herbalist: Where she discussed how with a small but powerful collection of herbal remedies, an herbalist can deal with medical “urgencies” from heart attack and hemorrhage to food poisoning, diarrhea, abdominal pain (even when the cause is unknown), anxiety attacks and more.
  • The Urgent Care Herbalist, Part II: Where she taught participants how to treat everything from pneumonia and upper respiratory infections to lymphadenitis, external infections, poisonous bites (including brown recluse spider bites), moderate to severe intestinal distress (infection, N/V, diarrhea, colic); kidney stones and gallbladder attacks and more. She taught the preparation and use of mustard plasters, charcoal poultices, castor oil packs, and essential oil inhalants. Corresponding internal herbal treatments include cayenne/lobelia, kava kava, bromelain, goldenseal, peppermint and more.
  • Botanical Prevention & Adjuvant Treatment of Malignancy: Dr. Myatt taught the underlying mechanisms of cancer initiation and progression, and discussed which herbs are the most important and powerful allies in treatment of this challenging disease. The talk included dietary intervention using common foods and herbs.
  • Black Salve Intensive: Dr. Myatt taught this 3 hour intensive class on Sunday night, discussing how the “Black salve,” consisting of a variety of botanical substances, has been used successfully in the treatment of melanoma and other external and internal cancers.

    • For those unable to be in attendance at the NW HerbFest, Dr. Myatt is making much of this information available online: information for those attending the Black Salve Intensive has been placed on the Wellness Club website and there is more to come – so stay tuned! For those who were there, Dr. Myatt is looking forward to seeing you again next year – so be sure to ask the Herb Fest organizers to have Dr. Myatt lecture about your favorite subject then!

  • Soy, Phytoestrogens, And Cancer – A Bad Combination?

    By Dr. Myatt

     

    Cancer, diet, hormones, drugs – individually these are incredibly complex subjects, and when one has to consider them all together – well, then things get really complicated!

    This looked at first sight to be a fairly straightforward question, but the answer actually required several hours of intensive research and fact-checking. Now you, dear reader, are the beneficiary of that! 

    Question:
    I have a question about Cal-Mag Amino supplements.  I have just purchased and received this item for the first time (since my old supplements are no longer available).  After opening the first bottle, I noticed on the label under “other ingredients” that the supplement tablets contain soy.  Under ordinary circumstances, this would not be a problem for me.  However, I have a history of estrogen 3+ / progesterone 1+ positive,  tubular breast cancer.  I am currently taking Arimidex and have completed 3 years of adjuvant therapy.  I was unaware that the Cal-Mag Amino contained soy, and now that I have several bottles I am concerned with how much soy is in the product.  I have an appointment with my medical oncologist in August and I would like to discuss this with her.  It would be helpful to know how much soy is in the product so that I may discuss this with my doctor. Could you please address this question for me? 
    Thank you,
    Sharon

    Dr. Myatt’s Answer:

    Phytoestrogens and Breast Cancer

    “Phytoestrogens” (literally, “plant estrogens”), are substances found in many foods and plants including flax seeds, soy and soy products (tofu, etc.), sesame seeds, garlic, apricots, squash, green beans and more. Here is a list of common phytoestrogen-containing foods. http://www.dietaryfiberfood.com/phytoestrogen.php

    Phytoestrogens are not true estrogens and cannot be converted in the body into estrogens. Because of molecular similarities between human estrogens and phytoestrogens, the phytoestrogens are able to bind to estrogen receptors where they have weak estrogenic effects.

    Because of these weak estrogenic effects, some people theorize that phytoestrogens should be avoided in the treatment of hormone-responsive cancers such as breast cancer. In my opinion, this hypothesis is partly correct and partly incorrect. Here’s why.

    First, phytoestrogens are widespread in plants. In order to avoid all phytoestrogenic substances, one would need to stop eating a wide variety of foods, including such things as flax seed which have proven anti-cancer effects (1-3).

    Soy isolates including MSG and “hydrolyzed protein” are not necessarily listed on food labels — they are “stealth ingredients” — which means that if you eat ANY processed foods, you are likely consuming phytoestrogens. The best advice is to avoid processed foods, for this and many other reasons.

    Second, there are studies which show that phytoestrogens may actually be protective against hormone-related cancers by blocking more potent estrogenic substances from occupying estrogen receptors. Though not all studies agree (they never do!), the preponderance of epidemiological evidence shows that Southeast Asian women, who typically consume high amounts of soy (10-50 g/day), have a four to six-fold decreased risk of breast cancer compared to American women who typically consume negligible amounts of this legume (1-3 g/day).(4-5) The difference in these cancer rates is believed due to the phytoestrogens in soy.

    Aromatase Inhibitors (estrogen-blocking drugs) Vs. Phytoestrogens

    Although the verdict is still out on this issue, I wouldn’t recommend taking concentrated soy or other phytoestrogen substances on a daily basis if I had a hormone-sensitive cancer NOR would I make a big deal out of avoiding all phytoestrogen containing foods.

    Aromatase inhibitors (estrogen blockers) such as Arimidex work (we think) by blocking the body’s formation of estrogen. Phytoestrogens appear to work, at least in part, by actually blocking the estrogen receptors. The end result is similar: decrease the ability of strong estrogens to bind to estrogen receptors, either by blocking their production (the drugs) or blocking their receptor (phytoestrogens). Some studies have shown that use of phytoestrogens has a similar effect as the drugs (1-5) but without the long list of negative side effects.

    Arimidex side effects:

    Possible Side Effects of ARIMIDEX.

    • Based on information from a study in patients with early breast cancer, women with a history of blockages in heart arteries (ischemic heart disease) who take ARIMIDEX may have a slight increase in this type of heart disease compared to similar patients who take tamoxifen.
    • ARIMIDEX can cause bone softening/weakening (osteoporosis) increasing the chance of fractures. In a clinical study in early breast cancer, there were more fractures (including fractures of the spine, hip, and wrist) with ARIMIDEX (10%) than with tamoxifen (7%).
    • In a clinical study in early breast cancer, some patients taking ARIMIDEX had an increase in cholesterol.
    • Skin reactions, allergic reactions, and changes in blood tests of liver function have also been reported.
    • In the early breast cancer clinical trial, the most common side effects seen with ARIMIDEX include hot flashes, joint symptoms (including arthritis and arthralgia), weakness, mood changes, pain, back pain, sore throat, nausea and vomiting, rash, depression, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, fractures, swelling of arms/legs, insomnia, and headache.

    “Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?”

      … from the manufacturer’s website: http://www.arimidex.com/arimidex-about/index.aspx

    Several studies have found that the isolated soy phytoestrogen genistein, but not other phytoestrogens, countered the effect of aromatase inhibitors. (6-8)

    On the other hand, though I would not take concentrated genistein with Arimidex, neither would I be concerned about eating small amounts of phytoestrogens that occur naturally in many foods. Again, there are studies which show phytoestrogens to be PROTECTIVE in hormone-sensitive cancers. I wouldn’t take concentrated forms of soy products or soy powder with estrogen-blocking drugs but neither would I avoid normal dietary amounts of phytoestrogen-containing foods. Since soy has the largest concentration of genisteins, I would not eat this every day; on the other hand, I wouldn’t skip my favorite tofu and veggie stir-fry when eating at The China Wok, either!

    Finally, the “soy” that occurs in Cal-Mag amino is the isolated amino acids from same, used as protein chelators of the minerals to increased absorption. The phytoestrogen component of whey has been removed; only the amino acids (protein fractions) are used in Wellness Club Nutritionals.

    Far more important than fussing about small amounts of phytoestrogens in food, a ketogenic diet is the single most important “treatment” that a person can use to both prevent and treat cancer. A brief description of the benefits of this diet, as written for doctors, can be found in this previous HealthBeat News article.

    One final note. Asking your conventional oncologist about the advisability or non-advisability of a natural or nutritional substance is usually like asking your acupuncturist about brain surgery: it is outside their scope of practice, meaning they don’t have the information to be able to give you a good answer.

    What does a conventional doctor do when they don’t know? Do they say “I don’t know”? Rarely. Instead, the thought is “If I don’t know the answer, then don’t do it.” Unfortunately, this mindset isn’t just “erring on the side of caution” and has in fact often steered people away from helpful treatments.

    I wouldn’t look to a conventional oncologist for sound advice on diet (most say it doesn’t matter, eat anything you want and just “keep up your weight”), supplemental nutrition or herbs for cancer unless they have done some serious extra-curricular studies on the subject. Most are not even aware of the numerous references and benefits of a ketogenic diet on cancer.

    I find no justification for avoiding phytoestrogens as found in food in instances of breast or prostate cancer, but I DO recommend avoiding concentrated genisteins and soy products with a history of breast cancer, especially when taking estrogen-blocking drugs.
    ____________

    References:
    1.) Power KA, Thompson LU. Can the combination of flaxseed and its lignans with soy and its isoflavones reduce the growth stimulatory effect of soy and its isoflavones on established breast cancer?  Mol Nutr Food Res. 2007 Jul;51(7):845-56.
    2.) Bergman Jungeström M, Thompson LU, Dabrosin C. Flaxseed and its lignans inhibit estradiol-induced growth, angiogenesis, and secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor in human breast cancer xenografts in vivo. Clin Cancer Res. 2007 Feb 1;13(3):1061-7.
    3.) Touillaud MS, Thiébaut AC, Fournier A, Niravong M, Boutron-Ruault MC, Clavel-Chapelon F. Dietary lignan intake and postmenopausal breast cancer risk by estrogen and progesterone receptor status.  J Natl Cancer Inst. 2007 Mar 21;99(6):475-86.
    4.) Messina MJ, Persky V, Setchell KD, Barnes S. Soy intake and cancer risk: a review of the in vitro and in vivo data. Nutr Cancer 1994;21:11331.
    5.) Birt DF, Hendrich S, Wang W. Dietary agents in cancer prevention: flavonoids and isoflavonoids. Pharmacol Ther. 2001;90:157-161.
    6.) Ju YH, Doerge DR, Woodling KA, Hartman JA, Kwak J, Helferich WG. Dietary genistein negates the inhibitory effect of letrozole on the growth of aromatase-expressing estrogen-dependent human breast cancer cells (MCF-7Ca) in vivo. Carcinogenesis. 2008 Nov;29(11):2162-8. Epub 2008 Jul 16.
    7.) Edmunds KM, Holloway AC, Crankshaw DJ, Agarwal SK, Foster WG. The effects of dietary phytoestrogens on aromatase activity in human endometrial stromal cells. Reprod Nutr Dev. 2005 Nov-Dec;45(6):709-20.
    8.) de Lemos ML. Effects of soy phytoestrogens genistein and daidzein on breast cancer growth. Ann Pharmacother. 2001 Sep;35(9):1118-21.

  • 7 Reasons To Take Take Grape Seed Extract

    7 Reasons To Take Take Grape Seed Extract



    by Dr. Dana Myatt

    Grape seed extract is on my list of “must take” supplements.” Here’s why.

    Grape Seed Extract Lowers Risk of Heart Disease

    Proanthocyanidin (OPC), a powerful antioxidant found in grape seeds, grape skins, strawberries and French maritime pine bark, has anti-inflammatory properties which have been shown to promote normal blood flow and thus benefit the cardiovascular system. In Doctor Myatt’s words, OPC’s prevent “blood sludge” that can cause strokes and heart attacks. OPC’s work like aspirin (only better and safer) to prevent abnormal blood clotting. OPC’s may be a superior answer for those who need thinner blood (like people with arrhythmias) as a safer alternative to coumadin. OPC’s are also derived from pine bark (the grape seed extract is slightly more potent and less expensive. You will often see the terms proanthocaynadin, OPC’s, and grape seed extract used interchangeably).

    In one study, 38 cigarette smokers were divided into two groups and received either 500 mg of aspirin or 125 mg of Proanthocyanidin. After taking these doses, each subject smoked a cigarette, which is known to increase blood platelet aggregation (blood clumping). After two hours, blood samples were analyzed. Both groups has greatly reduced platelet aggregation, but those in the aspirin group had increased bleeding times while those in the OPC group did not. Other studies in smokers have also shown the anti-aggregation effect of OPC’s.

    In another study, 30 people were given Proanthocyanidin and 10 were given placebo. People in the Proanthocyanidin group had significant reduction in blood pressure, capillary (small blood vessel) leakage, and blood vessel inflammation, all risk factors for heart disease. There were no negative side effects or adverse changes in blood chemistries from Proanthocyanidin.

    Grape Seed Extract A Boon to Diabetics (and those who don’t want to be diabetics)

    Proanthocyanidin benefits the cardiovascular system by decreasing inflammation and improving blood viscosity in both normal and diabetic subjects. These effects can be especially important to diabetics. New research shows that OPC’s have even more benefits for diabetics by helping to lower blood sugar levels and improving microcirculation.

    OPC’s were administered to diabetic patients. Leg ulcers (which often result in gangrene and loss of limbs in diabetics) healed 25-29% faster in the group taking OPC’s. This is a significant benefit for diabetic patients and could help prevent loss of limbs that often occurs in diabetes.

    OPC’s have also been shown to help lower blood sugar levels. Researchers looked at the effect that Proanthocyanidin has on alpha-glucosidase, an enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates into glucose molecules. In this study, Proanthocyanidin was compared to acarbose, a synthetic drug (sold under the brand name Precose) that inhibits alpha-glucosidase. Proanthocyanidin was found to be 190 times more potent at inhibiting alpha-glucosidase, producing a greater delay in glucose absorption. At higher concentrations, OPC’s greatly slowed the entrance of carbohydrates into the blood stream compared to the drug.

    Another study showed that Proanthocyanidin improved the level of microangiopathy (small blood vessel abnormalities) decreased capillary filtration, improved symptoms and reduced edema in 18 out of 18 diabetic patients, with no subjects dropping out of the study due to adverse side effects. There were no improvements seen in the control group.

    OPC’s have been shown in French trials to help limit the progression of diabetic retinopathy. In one study, 60% of diabetics taking 150 mg per day of OPCs from grape seed extract had no progression of retinopathy compared to 47% of those taking a placebo.

    Another trial including 77 subjects with type 2 diabetes, (half receiving 100 mg of Proanthocyanidin and half received a placebo daily), showed after 12 weeks that subjects in the Proanthocyanidin group had significantly lowered their plasma glucose levels compared to placebo. Proanthocyanidin subjects were also found to have improved artery function. In another trial of 30 type 2 diabetics, researchers found that increasing doses of Proanthocyanidin (doses of 50, 100, 200, and 300 mg) lowered blood sugar levels in a dose-dependent fashion. (The more grape seed extract, the lower the blood sugar levels). Subjects who received 100 to 300 mg of Proanthocyanidin had the most significant lowering of their fasting glucose levels.

    Anti-Cancer Effects of Grape Seed Extract

    Talc (talcum powder) increases “ovarian neoplastic transformation” (turns cells of the female ovary into cancerous cells). A brand new study showed that Proanthocyanidin blocked this talc-induced cancerous change in ovarian cells. PC’s have also been shown to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in breast cancer cells but not in normal breast tissue.

    OPc’s reduce four factors know to stimulate cancer cell growth: blood sugar levels, insulin levels, free radical and inflammation. This means that OPC’s may be a potent factor not only in cancer prevention but also in cancer treatment. (See our medical paper on cancer diet and nutrition for cancer for full details).

    But Wait! There’s More! (More Benefits of Grape Seed Extract)

    If heart-protective, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer effects aren’t enough to make you consider adding grape seed extract to your supplement regimen, here are a few more benefits of this amazing flavonoid for you to consider:

    * anti-allergenic (grape seed stabilizes histamine release and so acts as a natural anti-histamine, without any drowsy side-effects). Asthmatic children who took Proanthocyanidin were able to decrease their asthma medications.

    * improves skin elasticity by increasing collagen in the skin. For this reason, OPC’s are often used in skin rejuvenation programs.

    * prevents varicose veins by strengthening blood vessels and increasing collagen (same reason it helps improve aging skin).

    * helps prevent Alzheimer’s disease by blocking the formation of beta amyloid (a protein associated with Alzheimer’s).

    * Reduces symptoms of endometriosis. This is JUST IN today in Family Medicine journal, yet another study showing positive benefit.

    I Don’t Know About You, But…

    The proven (but non-FDA-approved, blessed or verified) effects of grape seed extract (aka Proanthocyanidin, OPC’s etc.) are just too great for me to overlook. I personally take 100mg, 3 times per day with meals and will continue to do so. The new research coming out on this important herb convinces me that I’ve made a good decision. Learn more about Grape Seed Extract here.

    * The term “pycnogenol” originally denoted the generic proanthocyanidin (OPC) extracts derived from pine bark as researched by Jacques Masquelier, Ph.D.  However, Pycnogenol® is now a registered trademark of Horphag Overseas Ltd., referring specifically to their brand of maritime pine extract. Jacques Masquelier, Ph.D., the original discoverer of OPC’s, initially researched maritime pine as the source of proanthocyanidins. 

    In 1951, Professor Masquelier patented a method of extracting OPC’s from pine bark, and in 1970 used this same technique to extract OPC’s from grape seed.

     

    References
    1.)Inhibition of smoking-induced platelet aggregation by aspirin and pycnogenol. Thromb Res. 1999 Aug 15;95(4):155-61.
    2.) Pine bark extract reduces platelet aggregation. Integr Med. 2000 Mar 21;2(2):73-77.
    3.) Single and multiple dose pharmacokinetics of maritime pine bark extract (pycnogenol) after oral administration to healthy volunteers. BMC Clin Pharmacol. 2006 Aug 3;6:4.
    4.) Inhibition of COX-1 and COX-2 activity by plasma of human volunteers after ingestion of French maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol). Biomed Pharmacother. 2006 Jan;60(1):5-9. Epub 2005 Oct 26.
    5.) Diabetic ulcers: microcirculatory improvement and faster healing with pycnogenol. Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2006 Jul;12(3):318-23.
    6.) Oligomeric procyanidins of French maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol) effectively inhibit alpha-glucosidase. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2006 Nov 10.
    7.) Rapid relief of signs/symptoms in chronic venous microangiopathy with pycnogenol: a prospective, controlled study. Angiology. 2006 Oct-Nov;57(5):569-76.
    8.) Procyanidolic oligomers in the treatment of fragile capillaries and diabetic retinopathy. Med Int 1981;16:432–4 [in French].
    8.) Retinopathies and OPC. Bordeaux Medicale 1978;11:1467–74 [in French].
    9.) Contribution to the study of procyanidolic oligomeres: Endotelon in diabetic retinopathy (in regard to 30 observations). Gaz Med de France 1982;89:3610–4 [in French].
    10.) Antidiabetic effect of Pycnogenol French maritime pine bark extract in patients with diabetes type II. Life Sci. 2004 Oct 8;75(21):2505-13.
    11.) French maritime pine bark extract Pycnogenol dose-dependently lowers glucose in type 2 diabetic patients.Diabetes Care. 2004 Mar;27(3):839.
    12.) Pycnogenol reduces talc-induced neoplastic transformation in human ovarian cell cultures.Phytother Res. 2007 Mar 14; [Epub ahead of print]
    13.) Selective induction of apoptosis in human mammary cancer cells (MCF-7) by pycnogenol. Anticancer Res. 2000 Jul-Aug;20(4):2417-20.
    14.) Nutritional and Botanical Considerations in the Systemic Treatment of Cancer: 2006 Update. http://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/cancer2006update.htm
    15.) Pycnogenol as an adjunct in the management of childhood asthma. J Asthma. 2004;41(8):825-32
    16.) Stabilization of collagen by polyphenols. Angiologica 1972;9:248–56 [in German].
    17.) Non-enzymatic degradation of acid-soluble calf skin collagen by superoxide ion: protective effect of flavonoids. Biochem Pharmacol 1983;32:53–8.
    18.) Pycnogenol protects neurons from amyloid-beta peptide-induced apoptosis. Brain Res Mol Brain Res. 2002 Jul 15;104(1):55-65.
    19.) Pine Bark Extract Reduces Symptoms of Endometriosis. J Reprod Med. 2007;52:000-000.

  • The Internet Can Be A Scary Place

    By Nurse Mark

     

    HealthBeat News readers are a smart and computer-savvy lot – after all, they find us on-line and they are not the least shy about searching online for whatever information they seek. There is a massive amount of information available – just for fun, this morning I entered the word ‘cancer’ in a popular search engine and got 190,000,000 results! Let’s face it – no matter how important a subject is to you, that much information is overwhelming and is bound to leave most people desperately confused rather than usefully educated.

    Chat boards, forums, and discussion groups are another aspect of the internet that can be both good and bad – they can be a wonderful source of support and encouragement; just knowing that there are others out there facing the same challenges, and being able to chat and share tips and experiences can be very gratifying.

    Unfortunately, many of the participants of these chat boards and forums are "regular folk" like everyone else, and much of the "helpful information" tends to be of the "since I had my heart attack two years ago, I eat steel-cut oatmeal every morning for breakfast and drink a cup of cider vinegar every day. My doctor says I’m doing great. That has probably saved my life and I’ll never stop it!" variety – anecdotal at best.

    At worst there are the quacks and hucksters who also haunt these places, looking for the unwary and the desperate to prey upon. Selling everything from "enhanced water" (over which they have meditated to give it "energy"), to coral calcium, to any number of fruit and berry and grass juices, or dubious and even potentially harmful concoctions of supposedly "all-natural" ingredients their glossy and compelling advertisements and unsupported testimonials, often accompanied by ad copy that claims that the product is being "suppressed by the government!" confuse and confound many people and separate them from time, attention and money that could be better used for the pursuit of more proven treatments.

    We’ve had several emails recently that point out just how confusing a place cyberspace can be:

    One was from Gail, whose conventional doctors gave a diagnosis of cancer and told her she had "six months to live" a number of years ago and who is now not only very much alive but is thriving under Dr. Myatt’s care. Gail wrote with a question about a much-hyped but unproven "cure" for her cancer. Here is Dr. Myatt’s reply to her:

    Hi Gail:

    The single most important control cancer treatment is a ketogenic diet. Please read the attached abstract "Dietary Ketosis In The Treatment of Solid Tissue Malignancy" from an upcoming medical presentation of mine concerning cancer.

    [Nurse Mark Note: Please follow the link above or this link to read this important abstract.]

    Carctol is a combination of aryuvedic herbs ( Hemidesmus indicus, Tribulus terrestris, Piper cubeba, Ammani vesicatoria, Lepidium sativum, Blepharis edulis, Smilax china and Rheum emodi). It has never been tested in any controlled trial, not even in animals. There are only some anecdotal stories about it’s use.

    Because it has never been studied, we don’t know IF it works or how it works. Many claim that it works by alkalinizing the body. Since cancer cells produce lactic acid, this sounds reasonable to a layman. However, the substrate or "fuel" for cancer cell’s production of acid is glucose — sugar. A ketogenic diet stops lactic acid production by removing the fuel that allows for this acidity. Of course, the production of lactic acid is only one of the many mechanisms whereby cancer wreaks havoc in the body.

    Because I not only practice but also teach in the field of cancer medicine, I’m pretty "hip" on  anti-cancer substances, both conventional and natural. I focus on those that have a high degree of proof behind them. I and my research team are constantly reviewing the literature from all angles. There aren’t any scientific references on this herbal formula, only "testimonials." There are so many substances that are PROVEN to help cancer that I really don’t mess around with the ones that aren’t proven.

    Also, there is no "one magic bullet" for cancer. Instead, there needs to be a complete strategy to thwart the disease at a number of different places: angiogenesis, apoptosis, immune system recognition, anti-inflammation, decreasing radical oxygen species production, etc. (you’ll see the list of objectives in the paper). This means a complement of substances, each one doing one of the many "jobs" of a complete anti-cancer strategy, are best employed. When people are taking a number of disconnected "miracle substances," they rarely get results because there is no concerted plan. It would be like having a pile of materials — wood, windows, doors, roofing material and nails — and starting to build a house without a house plan. All you wind up with is a jumbled mess.  I once tried building a garden shed this way so I know whereof I speak. It’s a mess (we call it the Taj Mahal because it felt like such a major construction).

    Don’t build a house without a house plan and don’t treat cancer without a concerted protocol the addresses all the factors of cancer.

    It sounds like you would benefit from an updated review of your nutritional, supplement and other parts of your protocol so we can make sure you are doing the best that can be done (not just a "patchwork quilt," which I find many patients eventually drift toward). I will be leaving the end of next week on a 3-week speaking/ patient tour but I would be sure to work you in before then if you agree that it would be in your best interest.

    In Health,
    Dr. Myatt

    Then there is Katrina, who found us recently in her search for relief from what sounds like arthritic pain, requesting more information about glucosamine sulfate and wanting to know if we provide a "chat board" or blog where our customers (and presumably patients) can chat with each other.

    I’ll answer some of Katrina’s health questions in another article, since the answers may be of benefit to our other readers – but for now, here is the answer to the Chat Board question:

    No.

    Here’s why: When we look at some of the other medical condition forums and chat boards, we have seen that the "signal-to-noise ratio" is skewed very heavily to the "noise" side. There are plenty of well-meaning (and some, as described above, not so well-meaning)  folks and huge amounts of conflicting, erroneous, and even dangerous "advice" being shared around. Because Dr. Myatt’s and my policy for our website and HealthBeat news articles is that they be scrupulously researched and strictly correct, we would spend all our time sorting out misinformation and setting straight well-meant but wrong or even dangerous suggestions.

    Anyone who wants to see just how far off-base some of these discussion forums can get should check out websites like Dr. Mercola’s Optimal Wellness Center and Mike Adams "The Health Ranger’s" NaturalHealth – just two of many websites that allow a free-for-all comments feature. Some of these websites require registration, many don’t, but almost none of them are truly moderated by medically knowledgeable people. They are fun, but everything there must be taken with a healthy dose of caution.

    So, there you have it – since the potential for misinformation is so great on chat boards and forums, we will not be a party to them. Instead, we do take and answer questions from our readers – and you can be sure that the information that you are reading in those answers really is "The Straight Goods!"

  • Dietary Ketosis In The Treatment of Solid Tissue Malignancy

    Nurse Mark Note: The following abstract was recently been presented to the American Academy of Anti Aging Medicine (A4M) for consideration for presentation at an upcoming conference. While it is written for a medically trained audience (for doctors and scientists) we are making it available for our HealthBeat readers who may also find it useful in their research.

     

    Dietary Ketosis In The Treatment of Solid Tissue Malignancy

     

    By Dr. Dana Myatt

     

    "Attack by stratagem: hence, to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting”

    — Sun Tzu, "The Art of War"

     

    Many believe that cancer cells, damaged by mutation, are more resilient than normal cells. However, malignant cells are largely incapable of the metabolic flexibility displayed by normal cells, and therein lies their weakness and the potential for a gentle but highly effective point of attack.

    Nutritional and botanical factors can have profound positive effects in cancer treatment, but the single most potent anti-cancer strategy documented in the medical literature strikes at the core of cancer’s metabolism: glycolysis, especially anaerobic glycolysis, and impaired mitochondrial function.

    Numerous animal and human studies have demonstrated that the glycolytic pathway of cancer cells can be confounded by metabolic ketosis, often with profound apoptotic effects on cancer cells but without negative consequence — and in fact with protective effects — to normal cells.(1-6)

    Metabolic ketosis curtails cancer growth by a variety of mechanisms including:

    I. Decreasing the glucose substrate required for cancer cell metabolism. Most tumors express abnormalities in the number and function of their mitochondria.(7-12) Such abnormalities prevent the bioenergetic utilization of ketone bodies, which require functional mitochondria for their oxidation.

    II. Decreasing insulin, a secondary growth factor for cancer cells. (13-14)

    III. Decreasing inflammation. Inflammation acts to promote cancer by altering cell-to-cell communication and delaying local detoxification. (15-25) Metabolic ketosis has significant anti-inflammatory effects. (9, 26-29)

    IV. Decreasing ROS production. Reactive Oxygen Species are known to promote
    cancer (30-33) ; metabolic ketosis decreases ROS production. (34-37)

    V. Reversing cachexia while simultaneously decreasing tumor weight. (38-40)

    VI. Decreasing angiogenesis. (29, 41-42)

    VII. Inducing apoptosis. (11,29, 38)

    VIII. Suppressing the p53 oncogene, the most common point mutation observed in human cancer; more than 50% of all human tumors examined to date have identifiable p53 gene point mutations or deletions. A ketogenic diet has been shown to suppress the p53 oncogene in animal models. (43)

    IX. Acting synergistically with chemotherapy and/or specific nutritional supplementation. (44-45)

    In spite of improved availability of foods containing anti-carcinogenic phytonutrients and vitamins, most types of cancer have not declined as expected. This correlates to the overall calorie increase and overweight condition of our society, a condition which puts us in "constant feast" mode instead of the periodic fasting our ancestors previously experienced. (46) Some observers feel that our previous occasional fasts, which would induce ketosis, were beneficial for cancer control. It has also been hypothesized that alternative "cancer diets" such as juice fasting, calorie restriction or the use of Coley’s toxins are effective primarily because they induce metabolic ketosis.

    This presentation will serve as a review of the nature and behavior of characteristics common to all solid tissue cancer cells. It will offer a novel but well-documented clinical nutritional treatment strategy which targets multiple cancer cell vulnerabilities while simultaneously protecting and enhancing the function of normal cells and tissues.

    References:

    1.) Al-Zaid NS, Dashti HM, Mathew TC, Juggi JS. Low carbohydrate ketogenic diet enhances cardiac tolerance to global ischaemia. Acta Cardiol. 2007 Aug;62(4):381-9.

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