This week in part one of my Radio Show Navigating the Cancer Maze On Voice America, we are exploring some good news research. This is an information–packed episode with resources to treatments and research aimed at cancer patients being informed of the latest treatments.
Last week on the show I interviewed ethicist Dr Julie Crews where we discussed lack of science, poor research, lask of evidence and the problems with anecdotal Stories. If you missed the interview you can download it. Click here
Today I share some interesting cancer research – not anecdotes – but solid science that is leading the way with realistic hope for cancer patients. Some treatments are already in Clinical practice. I also shed some good news on Chemotherapy and news ways of delivering it to cancer. Click here to listen now
Now to some snapshots and resources from the show:
Researchers and clinicians have focused on ways to minimize side effects without compromising ‘kill capacity’ of drugs. Another focus has been to find different ways to deliver chemotherapy making it effective and less toxic.
German interventional radiologist Professor Thomas Vogl, has published more than 100 papers. Author & co author of many medical textbooks, he uses a wide variety of innovative cancer treatments including TACE & TACP. Via the femoral artery, he finds his way through networks of blood vessels with fine catheters to delivers a payload of chemotherapy directly into tumours or body cavities where difficult to treat tumours exist. The side effects are minimal to none. Having personally watched dozens of procedures; the Professor is a master of his craft. He is one of the few, successfully treating Mesothelioma (asbestosis), significantly extending lives. http://www.germancancertreatments.com/drs-treatments/
A Recent Australian discovery in medicine EDV technology had a heart-warming beginning. Having made a solemn promise to a dying colleague, two scientists devoted their lives to finding a new way to treat cancer and in the past decade have made a lot of progress. The website is must see for all Australians in particular. The new technology is explained. I suggest you navigate the menus and in particular view the videos to get an understanding of this amazing and ingenious technology. www.engeneic.com
The couple responsible for EDV technology Dr Himanshu Brahmbhatt and Dr Jennifer MacDiarmid were featured on ABC Australian story some time ago. Also a must watch for anyone interested in targeted cancer treatment:
http://www.abc.net.au/austory/specials/holygrail/default.htm
*From a funding viewpoint – this Group – EnGeneIC is worthwhile of your philanthropic input*.
Chemotherapy often gets bad press. Some tolerate it better than others. Have you ever wondered why some patients who have chemotherapy and never change their diet or lifestyle or taken supplements – get through cancer and have long remissions – sometimes for their entire life time? Having worked with cancer patients for 40 years, I have seen thousands of them!
A group of Italian researchers recently published a paper that may shed some light on why people respond differently to chemotherapy – is it dependent upon the robustness of their immune system? They are also suggesting that we should not throw the baby out with the bath water in terms of chemotherapy use. They say it is now becoming evident that standard chemotherapy agents can deeply have an impact on both tumour and host immune system.
Conventional anticancer chemotherapy has been historically thought to act through direct killing of tumour cells. This concept stems from the fact that cytotoxic drugs interfere with DNA synthesis and replication. However we now know that Chemotherapeutic agents stimulate both the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system. The ensemble of results discussed in their research paper contributes to pave the way towards mechanism-based, rather than empirical, rationales for combination of specific chemotherapeutic agents with selective immunotherapeutic interventions, opening novel horizons for more effective management of cancer patients.
Data obtained in both animal models and humans suggest that immunotherapy should immediately follow chemotherapy (1–2 days interval) to achieve the best synergism between the two treatments!
Immune-based mechanisms of cytotoxic chemotherapy: implications for the design of novel and rationale-based combined treatments against cancer is published in:
Cell Death and Differentiation (2014) 21, 15–25; doi:10.1038/cdd.2013.67; published online 21 June 2013 http://www.nature.com/cdd/journal/v21/n1/abs/cdd201367a.html
This blog will be continued later today with part 3 & 4 with more information about new treatments for ovarian cancer, dendritic cell vaccination and brain tumours plus…. some Prevention and risk reduction suggestions from a new book published by an oncology physician…… Informed weekend reading for all who are interested in How to Navigate the Cancer Maze. Until then…
Enjoy the weekend!
Grace