Round 2 of Chemotherapy in the bag

God bless you Ifosfamide.   I do not wish you upon anyone.  (Unless of course you really need it.)  I didn't move a whole lot between April 8 and 15th.  Some of those days I ate in bed by resting my cheek on the side of the plate and shoveling food in.  At least I was eating!.    I had been carrying a pump with me delivering this drug to me 20 hours per day and then going to the hospital in the afternoon's for rehydration, steroids and the antioxidant Mesna, a bladder protectant.  I am glad that is behind me.  A patient of mine who has experienced many chemotherapies in a long bout with recurrent cancer tells me that Ifosfamide is the most difficult chemo.   I only know about this one, but what she said made me feel good.   I wonder what Adriamycin will be like?  More specifically I have not figured out my process to get ready for it.  Lance Armstrong's book carried me through this round.  I could think, "If Lance could do it so can I".  I am always looking for good motivation these days.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

Is it working?
This is a good question.  I hope so.  All I know is that I have swelling in the tumor area.  Nobody officially has told me if this is good or bad but I have concluded it is a good sign.  The tumor area on my first MRI showed  a mass of fluids, and blood and so it appears to me the Ifosfamide has gone to the area to do it's thing.  But there is another answer here - radiation.

Radiation:
My Dr's scheduled radiation to begin on the day chemotherapy ended.  Apparently there is  a radiosensitization effect by doing this.  I had to question myself if I could really do it.  Wouldn't I be exceptionally miserable following chemo. and the last thing I wanted to do was start on something, anything else.  Part of my answer was that Vikodin was going to help me.  Why should I suffer with so much terror and leg pain and cancer?  It's hard to fight all three at the same time.    I don't have a good history with Vikodin.  I have, since this medical oddyesy began, passed out two times from Vikodin.  Once the Paramedics were called.  My desire to escape had been greater than my tolerance for the drug.  I think I got the message now finally, Vikodin in anything but very small doses drops my blood pressure.  Much like alchol, one drink is fine.  more than that -  not good.  So this was the third time I took too much in an effort to escape.  I didn't pass out mostly because my wife had the good sense to check my blood pressure when I was balling uncrontrollably about how shitty I felt and load me with fluids.  I am now back to Motrin as my pain killer of choice.

The good part, radiation is not bad.  It is quick, thus far painless,  and most importantly it is having an effect on my pain level.  I may be walking sooner than later. 

Alex's Unexpected Medical Journey

I was losing my hair anyway before I was diagnosed but not like this!  My wife tells me I look good without hair.  I am not so sure.  So now it is official here you see me as a cancer patient.   I am waiting for my 2nd round of chemo to start (4/8/2010).  My spirits are up and I am looking forward to chemotherapy start.  I was also nervous to be sure because I didn't know how I would react.   I am doing much better this round than the first.  The important point is that I chose to Win and this was not an easy to conclusion to come to.  I treat cancer patients but to find myself as a cancer patient was an entirely different thing.  So I will start with how I got my mind around all this chaos. 

First, I have a sarcoma in my leg. I haven't walked since the beginning of March as the tumor is pressing on my sciatic nerve. For weeks I was desperate angry and crying.  But I had to face my fear and mostly what I refer to as "my 1,000 generations of cynicism".  The cancer was still there, I still couldn't walk and I have a long and rough road ahead of me.  For this I have brought on many allies, including my rastafarian healer neighbor.   He taught me to work on mind and not on trying to control things that are out of my control.  I have also brought on a meditation teacher and a healer to reinforce this.  No matter how I thought about it there was still a mass in my leg.   I felt powerless, hopeless and desperate as if this thing could take me in some miserable way to a place where I would be living a diminished life!  But I realized, with help, that I so wanted to go to the negative.  I wanted to find cynicism (not hard) wallow in it and cry, beg god for my life and play this story where I promise god if you can just get me through this I will be good.  I was even thinking about becoming religious as a means out of this hell.  I envisioned myself as a sailor in a storm holding on to small boat waiting for the storm to pass. 

My group of healers reinforced to me that you cannot control many things in this situation but you can control how you think.  And with the help of some strategic acupuncture to open up my liver, which is to say unleash the part of my will and spirit that can see the bigger picture I was able to turn a corner and become clever and strategic about the big plan for winning.  I was no longer just clinging for dear life to that little boat.  Now I feel like I am able to keep the boat pointed into the waves and navigate.

The big plan goes like this:  Chemotherapy is working to kill the tumor and is going to work without serious side effects.  I will recover quickly from the the treatment.  There will be no metastasis.  This is my will.  There hasn't been any metastasis so far and I simply do not think it is in my cards (karma) for that to happen.   This mass is staying in my leg.   Right now I am on my second round of chemotherapy and am feeling pretty good relatively speaking.  The first round had to be cut short due to side effects.

Radiotherapy will start the day I finish this second round of chemotherapy and it will work in the same manner, without side effect and be effective as it is intelligently applied to the best of my skilled physicians ability.  I cannot control the treatment except in my own mind and that is where I work.  I have been told there is a good chance I will be back to walking with the radiotherapy so I am really looking forward to that.  I hope I can make the transition from chemotherapy to radiation without problems.  There will be another round of chemotherapy after radiation that will probably go like the current round I am on and then there will be the surgery that will preserve my mobility.  My excellent surgeon will remove the tumor with easy wide margins because the tumor after all this beating will be largely if not completely dead!.    For all this to go smoothly is the plan.  If it doesn't go as smoothly as described then the plans can change to assure success in a different ways.  No matter what success is assured as long as I can change the plans without going negative (that is the clever part).  So far getting control of my mind has been quite a relief.  It has allowed me and everyone around me to calm down.  That is huge.  It has also given me insight into keeping my own energy from getting bogged down  in others people fear around me or in their sympathy masquerading as fear.  I can only visit cynicism now it is no longer who I am. 

One of the more interesting things I have done is to stop wearing a watch.  Time is measured differently now as I actively wait for this round of chemo. to be finished or my pain to pass or for the blessing of walking again and I rest a lot.  I was so preoccupied with all that I have described above that I have not had time to read or write or do much of anything.  Yesterday for the first time I started to read, "Lance Armstrong: It Is Not About The Bike". He is an inspiration. 

I have been able for a few weeks now since I made this transition to maintain my mind and this vision of success.  I should also add that there will be a big party at the end of all this.  That is part of the vision to acknowledge the many that have helped me, loved me, cooked and cared for me. 

 

Is Eating a Plant-Based Diet a Cure for Cancer? | | AlterNet

Is Eating a Plant-Based Diet a Cure for Cancer? | | AlterNet

How You Can Change Your Genes

This is a good explanation of epigenetics.  It is very empowering to know that lifestyle and diet can influence gene expression.  

The Structure of Cells

Battling the system: A patient's tale

A cancer patient has saved thousands of dollars by tracking his bills, pleading his case and working the phones, demonstrating how to be a smart medical consumer.  From the wall Street Journal.

Alex comments:  A good article for anyone who wants to know how to handle the bills of medical care.  

There is also a 2nd article from the Wall Street Journal about programs that can help ease the monetary burden of medical care.  The article Help With Medical Bills can be found by clicking here.

A diagnosis of cancer or other serious disease can be devastating to one's financial as well as physical health -- even for people with insurance. But there are a handful of programs that can help ease the monetary burden.

The programs, run mainly by nonprofit and charitable groups, offer financial aid to patients with specific life-threatening or chronic diseases to help cover the cost of co-payments, deductibles and other medical expenses. Patients usually must meet specific income and treatment guidelines.

Patients typically are referred to the programs by the financial counseling or patient-advocate offices of big hospitals and treatment centers. But you also can seek them out online.

Cutting Cancer-Care Costs

The CancerCare Co-Payment Assistance Foundation (at 1-866-552-6729 or CancerCareCopay.org) helps eligible patients cover the cost of insurance co-payments for treatment of specific cancers. The program, founded in April 2008, now lists seven diagnoses eligible for assistance: breast cancer, colorectal cancer, head and neck cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic and renal cancer and glioblastoma.

Some diseases have a $10,000 annual limit on aid, others have a $5,000 limit, says John Rutigliano, chief operating officer of nonprofit CancerCare. Most people who qualify receive between $2,500 and $5,000.

He says these days more employees are bearing a larger share of the cost of care, with higher co-pays and deductibles.

Since the CancerCare program began, about 7,000 people have applied for co-pay assistance, and about 80% of them have received aid. Half of those who received aid were on Medicare and the other half were privately insured.

The foundation rejects less than 7% of applications, mostly because applicants' income exceeds guidelines. The cutoff for assistance is 400% of the federal poverty level -- slightly above $43,000 for an individual and $58,000 for a family of two.

Nancy Francisco of Crystal Falls, Mich., received financial help from CancerCare when she was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a type of malignant brain tumor, early in 2009.

Mrs. Francisco, a 45-year-old registered nurse and electronic medical records technician, became disabled as a result of the illness and treatment. Her husband is her full-time caregiver. She continued her health-insurance coverage under her former employer's Cobra plan, but out-of-pocket expenses for treatment exceeded $10,000. CancerCare helped her with a $10,000 grant, says the mother of three, which helped cover co-pays for chemotherapy and IV transfusions.

"I couldn't believe there was help," says Mrs. Francisco, who learned of the program from her hospital social worker and pharmacist, who also helped her fill out the application.

 

Integrative Strategies with Radiotherapy

  Integrative Strategies with Radiotherapy
By Alex Berks L. Ac. FABORM

Life Cycle Health Center Clinical Director, Oncology

How does Chinese Medicine (CM) improve the efficacy of radiation treatment?

The literature on integrative cancer care from China consistently finds that combining Chinese Medicine (CM)--herbs, acupuncture, therapeutic exercise, diet, etc.--with biomedicine is superior to using either a single biomedical therapy or relying solely on CM.  Results indicate improved survival rates and quality of life, as well as prolonged life expectancy.

Chinese Medicine (CM) classifies radiation as "toxic heat".  Based on the concepts of restoring balance to the body, CM can mitigate the side-effects of radiation, while at the same time making radiotherapy more effective. 

Acupuncturists knowledgeable in cancer support prescribe Chinese herbal formulas designed with a base combination of herbs to address primary signs and symptoms and add additional herbs to address the particulars of a condition.  For example, a basic formula for a radiation patient will strengthen digestive function, improve fluid absorption, improve white and red blood cell counts, improve blood microcirculation, protect vital organ systems and reduce inflammation. Patients receiving radiation to the lungs may require additional herbs to address dry cough and possibly blood in the sputum.

Radiosensitivity can be improved by increasing microcirculation within the tumor through the use of "blood-activating" herbs.  Many of these herbs have anti-coagulant, anti-platelet, and anti-inflammatory properties, as do supplements such as Omega-3 fatty acids.

Research from China shows that treating the side effects of radiation (and chemotherapy) by rebalancing various body systems improves conventional treatment efficacy, while improving long-term survival.


For the rest of the article including footnotes click here

The Role of the stress hormone cortisol: in maintaining vitality and wellness

The Role of the stress hormone cortisol: in maintaining vitality and wellness

By Alex Berks  L. Ac
Director of Chinese Medicine Oncology

Cortisol is known as the "stress" hormone.  It is produced in the adrenal gland and controlled through a feedback mechanism (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis) between the brain and the adrenal gland located above the kidney. Research has shown that abnormal cortisol levels effect a broad array of physiologic changes from mood instability, to immuno-suppression, sugar cravings and even cancer development.(1) (2) (3). This can be caused by prolonged emotional and physical stress as well as infection, inflammation or oxidation.  Prescription steroids, for their anti-inflammatory and immunosuppresive properties, can also significantly impact cortisol (and a whole lot more!).  To treat a stress hormone imbalance, whether with a disease like cancer or in a condition like insomnia, the basic principles of lifestyle management, diet and appropriate activity and rest remain the same.  Depending on the severity and complexity of the condition additional supplementation may be needed.  Regulating cortisol levels is not only a way to get a better night's sleep but also a way to promote vitality and wellness. 


Normal Stress Responses

Elevated cortisol is a natural response to fear and emotional stress. Its purpose is to provide:

• A quick burst of energy
  
• Heightened memory functions
  
• A burst of increased immunity
  
• Lower sensitivity to pain
  
• Helps maintain homeostasis in the body
  
• Anti-inflammatory (4) 

This stress response has important survival functions. 

Diurnal Cortisol Rhythm

The red line represents cortisol or stress hormone release. The blue line represents melatonin and growth and repair hormones. (5)

Normal cortisol should be highest in the morning and taper off as the day progresses reaching its lowest level 3-5 hours after falling asleep. 

Dysregulated Cortisol
When cortisol levels chronically shift from a normal diurnal pattern symptoms begin.  If the pattern is low in the morning and getting lower throughout the day, the patient will present with chronic fatigue symptoms.  However before one gets to that severe level of energy deficiency one experiences more mild dysregulations of cortisol rhythmns.   For example, if breakfast is skipped, the brain needs to mobilize the stored form of sugar (glycogen) for its energy by elevating cortisol.   Some people are very sensitive to this hypoglycemic rise in cortisol.  Symptomatically, they often present with lack of focus, food cravings, and irritability.  This situation of hypoglycemia can also occur if one exercises too hard and does not replenish frquently.  Chronic psychological stress such as worry, fear and anger can also shift the normal pattern so that there are peaks of cortisol in the evening leading to insomnia, salt or sweet cravings and weight gain around the middle. 

The negative effects of chronically elevated cortisol are numerous: 

• Impaired cognitive performance
  
• Depression
  
• Suppressed thyroid function
  
• Blood sugar imbalances
  
• Decreased bone density
  
• Decrease in muscle tissue
  
• Bloating and gas, possibly constipation
  
• Higher blood pressure
  
• Lowered immunity and inflammatory responses in the body, slowed wound healing
  
• Increased abdominal fat, which is associated with a greater amount of health problems than fat deposited in other areas of the body. Some of the health problems associated with increased stomach fat are heart attacks, strokes,  (6), (7), (8)
  

CASE STUDY
Karen (not her real name) came to my office complaining of fatigue, inability to lose weight, muscle aches, bloating with meals, constipation and hair loss.  She had been on thyroid hormone replacement therapy for 4 years from a diagnosis of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and was taking anti-depressants.   She is a 38 year old single female who exercises daily and intensely, works long hours and often sleeps about 6 hours per night, yet still gets up to work out hard daily. She is fastidious and educated about her diet, weighing her food and sticking to a low calorie diet.  She reports drinking 1 cup of coffee in the morning to help her go to the bathroom. 

Concerned that her hair was falling out,  she went to her MD who ran blood tests and thought she might have Cushing's Syndrome, an autoimmune failure of the adrenal gland. Two endocrinologists later she was eventually diagnosed as having exercise induced hormonal fluctuations.  After all the fear of a serious disease like Cushing's had passed and her MD increased the dosage of her thyroid medication, she still felt fatigued, constipated and that she couldn't lose weight.  Her thyroid was stable but her C-reactive Protein, a marker of inflammation, was elevated. 

Diagnosing her with Chronic elevated cortisol leading to adrenal fatigue,  I put her on a comprehensive supplement regimen to regulate her adrenal glands and control her insomnia as  away to restore her vitality and wellness.

Early Morning	Before Exercise Smoothie	After Exercise	Afternoon	Evening
Armour Thyroid Rx. Medication	whey Proten Fruit	Inflammatone™1	Wellbutrin RX. Medication (1:00)	Magnesium, potassium, Ca powder2
	PaleoGreens3	Adrenotone Plus™ 4	Armour Thyroid  Rx. Medication (3:00)	Adrenotone Plus™
	carbohydrate for energy ie... Orange Juice, or agave syrup	Adrenacalm cream™5		Inflammatone™
		Detox Antiox™6		Adrenacalm cream™
		Vitamin C
		Larger Meal with some fat and protein

After 1 month on this regimen Karen reported that she was sleeping better and lost 6lbs. doing the same amount of activity, was eating more and her aches and pains bloating and constipation had resolved. 

The morning regimen is designed to give her a base of high quality protein (whey) with minerals and vitamins and phytonutrients in a green powder made into a smoothie with a small amount of a carbohydrate so that she will have energy to burn during her workout.  D-Ribose, can also be added to improve aerobic performance. 

Karen was exercising too hard and not getting enough rest.  Her adrenal glands, I reasoned, were in a chronic alarm state.  To rebalance her I focused on reducing her elevated cortisol after exercise and in the evening. Post exercise, cortisol can remain elevated for an extended time especially if one exercises hard or does not eat sufficiently for the level of activity.  Additionally, exercising  causes oxidation as it is an increase in cellular activity.   This is why I recommended the formula Detox Antiox™.  The post-exercise supplementation and meal allowed Karen to reduce hypoglycemic inducement of cortisol.  Inflammatone™ is a natural anti-inflammatory containing herbs and proteolytic enzymes.  Her CRP being elevated is a sign of the oxidative and inflammatory pressure she is under.  Vitamin C, Magnesium and potassium are all excreted by elevated cortisol levels and are useful to replenish a stressed adrenal gland. (9)

I treated the insomnia as elevated evening cortisol due to the fact that she works late and was probably over-stimulated in the evening.  Karen was on her way to chronic fatigue if she did not do something about it.  Now she is able to restore herself better and get a good night's sleep. 

It is important to understand that elevated cortisol levels are not Karen's primary problem.  Elevated cortisol is always secondary to another process - unsustaining lifestyle habits or physiological problems. Therefore to treat the cortisol problem one must get at the root to rebalance the body and mind.  Then with the proper lifestyle changes and supplementation the body can restore itself.  Each person is unique.  Some people will present with more hyperactivity and others with more fatigue.  Others will combine an energy imbalance with digestive disturbances such as sugar/saltcravings, bloating, gas and constipation others will present with more anxiety, depression and insomnia, still others will have frequent colds.   They can all have the same root.

Nearly all of us have stress hormone imbalances caused by age-related hormone changes starting in our mid 30's or younger if significantly out of balance.  Lifestyle stresses, inflammation, infections and oxidation also contribute to the aging process.  In other words if we do not attend to our cortisol balance than the aging process can be accelerated. 

Asking The Right Question To Get On Track
What part of your life do you need to modify to maintain a grounded connection to your needs?

• Do you eat sugary or "comfort foods" to calm yourself down?
  
• Do you skip meals in an effort to lose weight?
  
• What is the role of coffee and other stimulating drinks and foods?
  
• What is the role that anxiety plays in your life?
  
• Is there a emotional cause to your insomnia?
  
• Are you too tired to exercise?  or do you feel excessively depleted after exercise?
  
• Does stress affect your digestion?

In a future article I will discuss the literature on cortisol as it relates to cancer. 

Footnotes:
1 -  Sephton et. al. oxfourd journals Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2000 92(12):994-1000 Diurnal Cortisol Rhythm as a Predictor of Breast Cancer Survival
2 -  Cortisol and Stress: How to Stay Healthy
3 -  How Sleep Affects Cancer Poor Sleep Alters Hormones That Influence Cancer Cells
5 -  Sleep and Your Circadian Rhythm
6 -  Adrenal Weakness
7 -  Cortisol and Stress: How to Stay Healthy
8 -  How Sleep Affects Cancer Poor Sleep Alters Hormones That Influence Cancer Cells
9 -  Adrenal Weakness

The information contained in this article is for informational purposes.  it is not intended to diagnose, cure or prevent disease.  If you are having a medical problem please consult a qualified health care practitioner for your needs. 

For more information about Alex Berks L. Ac., FABORM go to Naturalhealingacupuncture.com

notes

¹ Inflammatone is a combination of herbs, nutrients and proteolytic enzymes for promoting the breakdown of inflammatory proteins like kinins and fibrin and for healing damaged tissue. The herbs in Inflammatone provide protection from free radicals and are safe to use in high doses. This formula is extremely effective, as a natural antiinflammatory and alternative to NSAID medication.

² A magnesium-potassium- calcium formulation. formulated with 3 parts magnesium to 2 parts calcium, which will prevent a surplus of calcium robbing the body's vital magnesium supply and avoid the symptoms associated with depleted levels of magnesium. This superior formulation includes potassium, boron and vitamin D for better absorption of these key minerals, building strong bones, regulating hormones 

³ PaleoGreens is a greens food powder made with over 85% organic ingredients. The vegetable, fruit, and berry ingredients are brightly colored and non-oxidized, as the powders are protected from heat, UV light and moisture from start to finish. These greens have a paleo profile; they contain no grains, legumes, alfalfa, corn, gluten, fructose or artifi cial sweeteners.

⁴ Adrenotone Plus is a combination of standardized herbs and nutrients which are known for rejuvenating the adrenals. This product is designed to balance cortisol levels, promote healthy hypothalamic and pituitary function (HPTA axis), and replenish depleted catecholamines (dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine). This product does not contain glandulars.

⁵ AdrenaCalm is a gentle, soothing cream that contains herbs and nutrients to support the management of adrenals. This broad spectrum cream contains phosphatidyserine and key B vitamins.

phosphatidylserine modulates and blunts the neuroendocrine response to stress.

⁶ Detox Antiox synergistically combines many nutrients that have a positive effect on the immune system. This formula contains multiple ingredients known to raise glutathione levels making it helpful for supporting phase II liver detoxification. It also combats free radicals and helps detoxify harmful chemicals including heavy metals. L-Leucine when taken with NAC prevents mercury from being reabsorbed into the central nervous system. It is designed to aid the production of metallothionein. The vitamin E is 60% gamma, mixed tocopherols. Lipoic acid regenerates vitamins E and C and supplies sulfur for detoxification. Two capsules daily of this powerful formula also provides the well-researched antioxidants green tea, grape seed extract and curcumin.

Meditation, Stem Cells and Telomeres

I have been coming across telomeres from many different sources in my studies as of late.

Telomeres are sections of genetic material at the end of each chromosome whose primary function is to prevent chromosomal “fraying” when a cell replicates. As a cell ages, its telomeres become shorter. Eventually, the telomeres become too short to allow cell replication, the cell stops dividing and will ultimately die - a normal biological process.  for an animation about telomeres click here

Telomere degradation can be controlled by low calorie diets, reducing oxidative stress, and getting optimal amounts of sleep.  For more on how to preserve telomere length click here.

Telomerase is an enzyme that helps protect telomeres:

Telomerase, also called telomere terminal transferase, is an enzyme made of protein and RNA subunits that elongates chromosomes by adding TTAGGG sequences to the end of existing chromosomes. Telomerase is found in fetal tissues, adult germ cells, and also tumor cells. Telomerase activity is regulated during development and has a very low, almost undetectable activity in somatic (body) cells. Because these somatic cells do not regularly use telomerase, they age. The result of aging cells is an aging body. If telomerase is activated in a cell, the cell will continue to grow and divide. This "immortal cell" theory is important in two areas of research: aging and cancer. 

Telomerase has been detected in human cancer cells and is found to be 10-20 times more active than in normal body cells. This provides a selective growth advantage to many types of tumors. If telomerase activity was to be turned off, then telomeres in cancer cells would shorten, just like they do in normal body cells. This would prevent the cancer cells from dividing uncontrollably in their early stages of development. In the event that a tumor has already thoroughly developed, it may be removed and anti-telomerase therapy could be administered to prevent relapse. In essence, preventing telomerase from performing its function would change cancer cells from "immortal" to "mortal".   To watch an animation of telomerase click here.

In the interview below stem cell researcher Dr. Taylor talks about Telomeres.  See the Radio Program  Stem Cells Untold Stories  that is interesting and exciting all by itself.  Now there is an affordable blood test to measure telomeres.   But wait....

Stem cells are even more fascinating and are another front in aging and cancer research.

Stem Cells are cells found in most, if not all, multi-cellular organisms. They are characterized by the ability to renew themselves through mitotic cell division and differentiating into a diverse range of specialized cell types.

Dr. Taylor has gained renown for regrowing rat hearts.  Just to give you a little tidbit from the interview:  She tells the story of the research she did with a long-time meditator in the Tibetan buddhist tradition.

"...[Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard] and a number of his colleagues meditate, and as they meditate they measure differences in their brainwaves. Right? And I basically said I would predict that those very same things that when you meditate and you have positive brainwave changes would also have an effect on your stem cells. He very graciously, and this is an N of one, let us measure cells in his blood before and after meditation. And what we found was a huge increase in the number of positive stem cells in blood. Largest increase I've ever seen after 15 minutes of meditation."

I found this absolutely stunning!  It says to me we are in control of far more than we think we are!  Not only with telomeres but now with stem cells! Intrigued by all this I dug a little deeper (as I do)  and  found a most interesting blog post by a man who cured himself of 4 bouts of bone cancer including having 2 stem cell transplants.  All this occurred in the early 1990's and he wrote this post in early 2009.   This man appears to be able to effect his stem cells with his practice and probably his telomeres too.  He writes:

"When I was diagnosed with Stage Four bone lymphoma cancer in 1991, I read everything I could about people who had survived supposedly hopeless cases of the deadly disease. One common thread ran through the survivor stories: People who had beaten aggressive, late-stage instances of the disease had found ways to use their minds to help their bodies heal. So I learned how to meditate, and how to use visualizations to help my immune system attack the cancer cells. And against all odds, I survived six months of an intense regime of chemotherapy and came out cancer free."  For the rest of his story click here.

The science of cancer and the experience of meditation, qi gong and yoga can have an amazing impact, far more than one would think. 

As Benjamin Franklin said,  "Energy and persistence conquer all things."

Medicines to Deter Some Cancers Are Not Taken

Medicines to Deter Some Cancers

 Are Not Taken

 

by Gina Kolata

New York Times - November 12, 2009 

 

Many Americans do not think twice about taking medicines to prevent heart disease and stroke. But cancer is different. Much of what Americans do in the name of warding off cancer has not been shown to matter, and some things are actually harmful. Yet the few medicines proved to deter cancer are widely ignored....................

Read full article

Dr. Abrams responds:

Hi Gina, I am here in NYC becoming President of the Society for Integrative Oncology. I had just enough time to scan your front page article before heading to the NY Academy of Medicine for the meeting. And I was at the American Institute for Cancer Research Nutrition and Cancer meeting in DC last week. Not surprisingly I was disappointed with your article, especially as we try to move to a system of health care delivery that might promote health and well-being as opposed to disease management. Your observations that the only things that work to reduce cancer risk are pharmaceutical prescription drugs and that lifestyle modification is futile is a real blow to the attempt to have the American public become more responsible for their health. Studies of diet, and exercise as well, are much more difficult and problematic to conduct than a randomized, placebo-controlled intervention involving a swallowed pill! Nonetheless, to only highlight the negative when just last week the Journal of Clinical Oncology ran an article on how lifestyle (nutrition and physical activity) decrease the risk of second breast cancers. Meyerhardt from the Dana Farber has been very prolific writing articles which clearly demonstrate the detriment of the "Western" diet and the benefits of physical activity - especially in colon cancer! Even though I disagree with your thrust, hopefully your article will stimulate the same sort of questioning that you aroused in me so that there may be a net benefit. To lull your readership into believing that what they eat or how much they move won't affect their cancer risk reduction is unfortunate! Especially at this critical juncture in our health care reform attempt. We have disagreed in the past as well. I was just struck by the timing of your article which I will critique during my acceptance speech this afternnon! Good to communicate again anyway! With all due respect, I remain, Donald I. Abrams, MD Chief, Hematology-Oncology San Francisco General Hospital Integrative Oncology

The Use of Chinese Herbs With Radiotherapy

By Alex Berks L. Ac. Dipl. Herbs, FABORM
Clinical Director of Chinese Medicine Oncology

Integrating Chinese herbal medicine with conventional radiotherapy can be of immense benefit to a cancer patient. In the scientific literature it is reported across many studies from China that the integration of both medicines is better than either one alone.

This article addresses the prescription of Chinese herbs for a radiation patient. Chinese Medicine includes acupuncture, qi gong, tai qi, massage and diet therapies, all of which are of great value to a cancer patient.

Radiation therapy can injure surrounding healthy tissue, damage fragile mucosal barriers in the lungs and intestines, injure salivary production, cause digestive problems, dryness, inflammation and even scorching depending on location, intensity and duration of the treatment. Radiotherapy can also injure the bone marrow. While the targeting of radiation therapy has vastly improved to protect surrounding tissue, radiation therapy is still a significant challenge.

From a Chinese Medicine perspective the heat from radiotherapy that is intense enough to destroy tissue generates a "toxic heat". Cancer is itself a toxin. Radiotherapy is a toxin to fight a toxin.

Herbs that rebalance the body can prevent side effects of radiotherapy, restore health and vitality, and prevent relapse and metastasis. Rebalancing is a concept of Chinese Medicine that is a fabulous complement to the cure seeking of Western Medicine.

Rebalancing against radiation toxicity is done along a continuum of signs and symptoms. For example, toxic heat depletes the moistening properties of the blood and injures the mechanisms of energy production. Then the body, in an effort to compensate for the heat, dryness and depletion of fluids, produces phlegm as a substitute lubricant. This phlegm, when combined with heat, can injure the elimination pathways in the bladder and large intestine, stagnate and deplete the blood and cause further weakness. At late stages the vital essence is injured and there is very poor energy production and compensation. Applying Chinese Medicine diagnostic principles and appropriate treatment at each stage is a way to prevent this degeneration and many side-effects.

Research has also shown that Chinese herbs improve the sensitivity of the tumor to radiotherapy. A tumor's sensitivity to radiation is in part dependent on blood supply and oxygenation of the tissues. Herbs can improve both. It is reported that tumors have a ratio of anoxic cells which have poor radiation sensitivity. Radiation therapy may reach only about 1/3 of cells with a low oxygenic state. Low tumor infiltration by radiation is considered one of the factors causing cancer relapse.

Research studies done on single herbs, though not representative of how herbs are most beneficially applied, are illustrative of the efficacy and principles of multi-herb formulas. An example of this is a study done on a Liguistrazine extract of the common Chinese herb Chuan Xiong (Radix Liguistici Wallichi). This herb is known in the Chinese pharmocopeia as a blood activator. The results of this study showed that the rats responded to the herbal extract with increased microcirculation in caliber, flow speed, flow status and capillary count. It is not hard to see that a formula with this and other synergistic herbs could improve the microcirculation of peri-tumor tissue and the tumor body, increase blood perfusion in the tumor body, improve cell's anoxic state and could elevate the sensitivity for tumor tissue to radiation therapy. (1)

The following studies demonstrate the value of Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) in conjuction with radiotherapy (RT) to improve survival rates, lessen the impact of depletion of white blood cells, and improve the ability to finish the full course of treatment.

This study from Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences included 197 nasopharyngeal cancer patients who were treated with Chinese herbs plus radiation therapy compared to radiotherapy alone. The combined therapy group had twice the number of patients survive to five or more years than the radiotherapy alone group. The tumor was killed in more patients in the combined therapy group and the remote metastatic rate was less in the combined group. These findings imply that Chinese herbal medicine could enhance the radiosensitivity of tumors. (2)

Survival Rate N =197

	1 year	3 Years	5 years
CHM + RT	91.3%	67.4%	52.4%
RT	80%	33.3%	24%

Disappearance of the tumor

CHM + RT	95.7%
RT	88.6%

Cause of Death

Primary lesion relapse or metastatic lesions

CHM + RT	34.8%
RT	52.4%

In another study researching the efficacy of herbs to prevent and treat side effects of radiation therapy, 71 patients were in an active treatment group with herbs and radiation and the control group was given a placebo herbal formula plus radiation.
The results showed 84.5% were able to finish the full course of radiotherapy versus 63.3% in the control group. The type and staging of the cancer was not revealed.(3)

In another small study, white blood cell counts did not go as low in a combined treated group as they did with radiotherapy alone. One particular formula Fu Zheng Xiao Formula (FZZX), was shown to moderate T-lymphocyte subset. (4)

Another combined herb-radiation study was conducted with nasopharyngeal cancer patients who continued taking herbs for 6 months after the radiation was finished. The 5 year survival rate was 75%. The authors indicate that Chinese medicine combined with radiation improved the effectiveness of radiation therapy while minimizing its toxicity in both the short and long term. In this study there was no mention of a control group. (5)

Mice studies have also showed improved efficacy when radiation and herbs were combined both on white blood cell counts and survival rate. Interestingly, the survival rates were even higher in the mice that were given the herbal mixture 1 week before beginning treatment with radiation. (6)

Many studies, repeatedly show that Chinese herbal medicine formulas can be combined efficaciously and safely to improve life expectancy and prevent adverse side effects of radiation treatment. Herbs should be started 1 week before starting radiotherapy and continue for at least 6 months after treatment to achieve maximum benefit.

Please consult with a trained Chinese Medicine practitioner who is knowledgeable in the integrative support of cancer recovery.

Footnotes:

1. Zhang Dai-Zhao An Integrated Clinical Approach with Chinese Medicine: Alleviating The Side Effects of Cancer Treatment 2nd Edition (Beijing: Peoples Medical Publishing House, 2007) p. 86.

2. Donald Abrams, Andrew Weil, Integrative Oncology (New York: Oxford University Press, 2009) chapter 13 p. 269.

3. Zhang Dai-Zhao p. 83.

4. Zhang Dai-Zhao p. 83.

5. Zhang Dai-Zhao p. 85.

6. Zhang Dai-Zhao p. 86.