Monday, May 8, 2023

The Williams Cancer Difference, intratumoral immunotherapy and Pulsed Electrical Field Ablation

The Williams Cancer Difference, intratumoral immunotherapy and Pulsed Electrical Field Ablation





Targeted approach: Immunotherapy, cryoablation, and pulsed electrical field therapy all use a targeted approach to treat cancer. These treatments are designed to specifically target cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells unharmed. In contrast, conventional treatments like chemotherapy can damage healthy cells along with cancer cells, leading to unpleasant side effects.

Minimally invasive procedures: Immunotherapy, cryoablation, and pulsed electrical field therapy are minimally invasive procedures that require smaller incisions or no incisions at all. This reduces the risk of complications and leads to faster recovery times compared to conventional treatments like surgery.

Outpatient procedures: Immunotherapy, cryoablation, and pulsed electrical field therapy can often be performed on an outpatient basis, allowing patients to return home the same day. This is in contrast to conventional treatments like chemotherapy, which often require multiple rounds of treatment in a hospital or clinic setting.

Fewer side effects: Because immunotherapy, cryoablation, and pulsed electrical field therapy are targeted treatments that spare healthy cells, they tend to have fewer side effects than conventional treatments like chemotherapy. Patients receiving these treatments may experience less fatigue, hair loss, and other side effects commonly associated with chemotherapy.

Longer-lasting effects: Some studies suggest that immunotherapy may have longer-lasting effects than chemotherapy, potentially resulting in better long-term outcomes for patients. This is because immunotherapy can help the immune system recognize and fight cancer cells even after the initial treatment has ended.



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Saturday, May 6, 2023

Kiwi Extract

Kiwi Extract





Kiwis are known for having significant benefits for health; they’re high in vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin E, copper, folates, and fiber, and can help improve heart health, digestive health and immunity, and cholesterol; it has also been shown to have antioxidant, laxative, antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial effects.

They contain carotenoids that may help protect against heart disease and total cancer. They also contain polyphenol compounds like caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid, which have anti-inflammatory effects on the body. All these compounds can be beneficial in cancer care. A meta-analysis concluded that these effects in cancer might be due to the ascorbic acid-mediated reduction of DNA oxidative injury and cytotoxic effect on cancer cell lines.

Kiwifruit consumption has been found to enhance markers of immune response in laboratory mice; kiwi also has a compound called Fisetin which is a flavonol, and it has been found to induce apoptosis of human colon cancer cells, and it can inhibit the migration of ER-, PR-, and HER2- breast cancer cells preventing metastasis.

There are still more studies to be done on kiwi extract and what would be the perfect dose of it daily to have the most benefits in cancer and where it could benefit some immunotherapy agents. Still, it is a good source of multivitamins, fiber, and folates that we already know positively impact everyone’s health.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31387399/



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Friday, May 5, 2023

Why Intratumoral Immunotherapy Doesn’t Weaken the Body or Cause Hair Loss

Why Intratumoral Immunotherapy Doesn’t Weaken the Body or Cause Hair Loss





In this blog post, we’ll discuss how intratumoral immunotherapy differs from traditional cancer treatments in terms of side effects. One of the most significant advantages of this method is that it doesn’t weaken the body or cause hair loss like chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Let’s take a closer look at why this is the case What Is Intratumoral Immunotherapy? Intratumoral immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that involves injecting immune-boosting agents directly into the tumor. The goal is to stimulate the patient’s immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells, without harming healthy tissue.
How Traditional Cancer Treatments Work: Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are traditional cancer treatments that work by killing rapidly dividing cells, including cancer cells. However, these treatments can also harm healthy cells, which can lead to side effects like hair loss and weakened immune function.
Why Intratumoral Immunotherapy Doesn’t Cause Hair Loss: Unlike traditional cancer treatments, intratumoral immunotherapy doesn’t target healthy cells in the body, only cancer cells in the tumor. As a result, hair loss, a side effect commonly associated with chemotherapy, is not a concern.
Why Intratumoral Immunotherapy Doesn’t Weaken the Body: Chemotherapy and radiation therapy can weaken the immune system, leaving patients more susceptible to infections and other illnesses. In contrast, intratumoral immunotherapy can actually boost the immune system by activating T cells and other immune cells to fight cancer cells.
Intratumoral immunotherapy is a promising cancer treatment that offers numerous advantages over traditional treatments. By targeting cancer cells directly, without harming healthy cells, it can reduce side effects like hair loss and weakened immune function. While there are still some side effects associated with intratumoral immunotherapy, they are generally milder than those associated with traditional treatments. As research into this method continues, it’s possible that it could become an even more effective and widely used cancer treatment in the future.



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Thursday, May 4, 2023

The Benefits of Using Yervoy (a CTLA-4 Inhibitor) for Intratumoral Immunotherapy

The Benefits of Using Yervoy (a CTLA-4 Inhibitor) for Intratumoral Immunotherapy





Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment by harnessing the power of the immune system to fight cancer. Yervoy (Ipilimumab), a CTLA-4 inhibitor, is a type of immunotherapy that has shown great promise in treating various types of cancer. When used in intratumoral immunotherapy, Yervoy has several benefits that can enhance its effectiveness.
  1. How Yervoy Works: Yervoy works by blocking the activity of CTLA-4, a protein found on the surface of immune cells. By blocking CTLA-4, Yervoy enhances the immune response against cancer cells. This approach has been effective in treating various types of cancer, including melanoma, bladder cancer, and lung cancer.
  2. Benefits of Intratumoral Yervoy: When Yervoy is administered intratumorally, it has several benefits. By injecting Yervoy directly into the tumor, higher concentrations of the drug can be delivered to the tumor site, which can enhance its effectiveness. Additionally, this approach can help overcome the immunosuppressive environment created by cancer cells and enhance the immune response against the tumor.
  3. Clinical Trials: Intratumoral Yervoy is currently being tested in clinical trials for various types of cancer. The results of these trials have shown promising results, with some patients experiencing complete tumor regression. In one study, patients with melanoma who received intratumoral Yervoy had a higher response rate and longer progression-free survival than those who received Yervoy systemically.
  4. Future Implications: The use of Yervoy in intratumoral immunotherapy has the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment. As more research is conducted, this approach may become a standard treatment option for various types of cancer. Additionally, combining intratumoral Yervoy with other types of cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, may enhance the overall effectiveness of cancer treatment.Yervoy is a CTLA-4 inhibitor that has shown great promise in treating various types of cancer. When used in intratumoral immunotherapy, Yervoy has several benefits that can enhance its effectiveness. As more research is conducted, this approach may become a standard treatment option for patients with cancer, ultimately leading to better outcomes and a higher quality of life.


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Tuesday, May 2, 2023

ANTICANCEROUS PROPERTIES OF CINNAMON

ANTICANCEROUS PROPERTIES OF CINNAMON





Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the bark of branches of the cinnamon tree, which is a tropical and humid climate plant with yellow flowers. Its generic name Cinnamomum means “sweet wood”. Although it is originally from Sri Lanka and India, it is currently cultivated in several tropical countries. Cinnamon is one of the most used spices in Mexican cuisine due to its versatility and variety of uses.

Cinnamon is rich in calcium, manganese, fiber, and antioxidants (polyphenols), which help strengthen bones and combat free radicals, which cause aging, DNA alterations, and various diseases. Therefore, its consumption reduces the risk of heart disease and some types of cancer, strengthens the immune system, and slows down the aging process.

American scientists have shown that therapy with cinnamon extract (CE) results in lower migration of invasive breast and ovarian cancer cells, followed by reduced levels of expression of both VEGF and HIF-1 proteins. In addition, significant suppression of blood vessel formation and tumor growth was demonstrated after CE treatment in a mouse model with a human ovarian tumor, which is a deadly malignancy in women.

Therefore, it is recommended to include cinnamon in the daily diet to prevent cancer or as a supplement during immunotherapy treatment.

Reference

Nimisha_agarwal. (2023). Efectos anticancerígenos de la canela.

ZenOnco.io. https://zenonco.io/es/las-c%C3%A9lulas-cancer%C3%ADgenas/canela-para-combatir-el-cancer/



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Monday, May 1, 2023

Vitamin D and PD-1 Inhibitors

Vitamin D and PD-1 Inhibitors





A new study suggests that vitamin D supplementation may improve treatment outcomes in patients with advanced melanoma undergoing anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. The study titled “Vitamin D supplementation increases objective response rate and prolongs progression-free time in patient with advanced melanoma undergoing anti-PD-1 therapy. The study included 200 patients with advanced melanoma who were receiving anti-PD-1 immunotherapy as first-line treatment. Vitamin D levels were measured in these patients both before and during treatment.

The study found that patients who had normal vitamin D levels at baseline or achieved normal levels with supplementation had a higher response rate and longer progression-free survival compared to those with low vitamin D levels who did not receive supplementation. Specifically, the response rate was 56.0% in the normal/supplemented group compared to 36.2% in the low vitamin D group, and progression-free survival was 11.25 months in the normal/supplemented group compared to 5.75 months in the low vitamin D group.

The authors of the study suggest that maintaining normal vitamin D levels during anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in advanced melanoma patients should be a standard procedure to improve treatment outcomes. However, it is important to note that further research is needed to confirm these findings and to determine whether vitamin D supplementation may be beneficial in other types of cancer or in combination with other therapies.

Clearly, this information is not new to our patients, as Vitamin D is one of our recommended supplements.  However, add Vitamin D to microbiome supplements  (Akkermansia, etc.) and natural Vitamin E as the foundation to help promote a better immune response when taking cancer immunotherapy, like Opdivo and Keytruda.



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Thursday, April 27, 2023

Cetirizine

Cetirizine





You may have heard about cetirizine and maybe even use it when you have some allergies as it is an anti-histaminic agent well known for years. It is a second-generation histamine antagonist with a higher affinity for histamine H1 receptors; but, what’s its role in immunotherapy?

Research done in The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found that treatment with antihistamines was associated with improved responses to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICI) therapy. They found that histamine receptor H1 (HRH1) are highly expressed not in cancer cells but in certain types of tumor-associated macrophages that contribute to immune suppression; HRH1 acts in tumor-associated macrophages to suppress T cell activation in the tumor microenvironment. So, blocking HRH1 on macrophages decreased the immune-suppressive activity of the macrophages leading to an increased T cell activation and inhibition of tumor growth. This study suggests that the histamine HRH1 axis could serve as a potential biomarker of T cell dysfunction and immunotherapy response as well as promising therapeutic targets for enhancing immunotherapy response; implying that patients who have high levels of histamine in plasma that respond poorly to immunotherapies may particularly benefit from antihistamine treatment.

So by the evidence, targeting HRH1 may be useful in combination with checkpoint blockade therapy to overcome immunotherapy resistance and improve the outcomes.
There’s left to be done more studies that show or prove the efficacy of combining more antihistamine drugs with more immune checkpoint inhibitors for it to be a standard treatment and to have the best results when using immunotherapy for cancer treatment.

https://www.cell.com/cancer-cell/fulltext/S1535-6108(21)00602-4



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