Tag: Gawler

Navigating the Cancer Maze Australia | New Podcast Grace Gawler Interviews The Australian’s Richard Guilliatt

To Launch our Australian Podcast site today – who better than Award winning Journalist Richard Guilliatt! Richard has been in the news recently for his controversial investigations of events in the cancer “cure” wellness Industry. After tuning in to his interview with Phillip Adams on Radio National’s Late Night I invited Richard as our first guest on the new Navigating the Cancer Maze Australia.

The Grace Gawler Institute is delighted to announce the launch of our own Australian Podcast website dedicated to helping cancer patients navigate the increasingly complex cancer maze:
www.navigatingthecancermazeaustralia.org

Grace Gawler interviews RICHARD GUILLIATT Walkley Award Winning Journalist & Staff Writer for The Australian Weekend Magazine
RICHARD GUILLIATT Walkley Award Winning Journalist & Staff Writer for The Australian Weekend Magazine

To Launch our Australian Podcast site today – who better than Award winning Journalist Richard Guilliatt! Richard has been in the news recently for his controversial investigations of events in the cancer “cure” wellness Industry. After tuning in to his interview with Phillip Adams on Radio National’s Late Night Live I invited Richard as our first guest on the new Navigating the Cancer Maze Australia.

Now with forty years experience in the field of cancer; I have had an opportunity to consult with and get to know thousands of cancer patients via consultations, workshops and residential programs. I get to know their children, families and friends. I attend funerals, hospital and hospice visits as well as weddings and birthdays. I get to hear first-hand about the choices that patient’s made ……….and the choices they wished they had made.

Many of those thousands of patients have shared with me how they made choices based upon unqualified advice given by cancer theorists and idealists; people who never see cancer patients one on one at the coalface. These patients relied on textbook, social media, cancer authors and Dr Google advisers with whom there is no relationship and an absence of duty of care. Some patients risked their lives by delaying appropriate treatments while others spent thousands of dollars on “one size fits all” treatments that simply don’t work.  How does this happen? After all it is unthinkable; who could possibly dupe a cancer patient?

The story that Richard Guilliatt brings to the table from his investigations, parallells my experience over the past 40 years!

About the Story: In 2012 Richard Guilliatt took an interest in the story of the late Jess Ainscough Wellness Warrior–and her mother the late Sharyn Ainscough who both decided to forgo conventional medical treatment in favour of the Gerson diet and meditation/lifestyle change to treat their cancers. Sadly, both are now deceased.

Mother and daughter The late Jess and Sharyn Ainscough Holding out for Miracle 2012 The Australian Weekend Magazine - Richard Guilliattt
Mother and daughter The late Jess and Sharyn Ainscough Holding out for Miracle 2012 The Australian Weekend Magazine – Richard Guilliatt

Both were thoroughly convinced that they would be cured by their radical lifestyle and dietary changes. Since their deaths, much of their history has been removed from the internet.

The Weekend Australian Magazine, 22 September 2012; published an article about the Aincoughs’ titled Holding out for a Miracle. The same article discussed the cancer cure promises of Dr Abdul-Haqq Sartori.

Richard also reviewed the cases of cancer patients TV Astrology personality, the late Athena Starwoman and Gemma Bond. Bond’s daughter, journalist Laura Bond is now a cancer blogger and self-styled “health coach” providing recycled advice to cancer patients. She is the creator of the misleading cancer info blog: “Mum’s not Having Chemo”.

But it was a young woman by the name of Belle Gibson who captured the interest of Richard Guilliatt. That interest was eventually responsible for lifting the lid on the business of wellness, false claims and “cancer cures”. Belle’s story has helped to lift the lid on what is going on in the Alt-Med Biz-World of cancer cures. Our attention is often drawn to “Big Bad Pharma” – but until now, to my knowledge, no journalist has looked at the big biz of “Alt-Med!” . And yes you heard that from someone who is qualified at distinction level in the naturopathic, botanical sciences and who sees cancer patients daily. What we do need is qualified and experienced complementary medicine practitioners who are trained and who work in liaison with the medical profession. Possible you ask? Yes! Take a look at www.drbrucewhelan.com to see an example of the new model of care.

As I have said before on this blog we must not throw the baby out with the bathwater but rather take a baby-bathwatermiddle path – best of both world’s approach when dealing with cancer. Well – the proof of the pudding is always in the eating – After listening to Richard Guilliatt’s interview, the next time someone offers you unqualified cancer advice – how will you react – what will you do? Will you think more critically about your choices?   I hope so!

Richard authored his most recent article Wellness Inc in the Australian Weekend Magazine 4 April 2015 as a continuation of his investigation into cancer fraud.

By the way – let us not forget the story of Penelope Dingle “Desperate Remedies” as seen on ABC’s Australian Story back in 2011. Despite the National showcase of this very sad story – It seems that little has been learned or much has been forgotten, or both are true. But stories like Penelope Dingle’s often  fade into the background and eventually disappear from the Internet. Penelope Dingle has in fact left us a powerful teaching story about the importance of the choices made in cancer treatments. Unlike many of the entrepreneurial cancer social media biz folk promoting the latest fad cancer diets – Penelope Dingle travelled her road as an individual although heavily influenced by the ideals of her husband and her homeopath. She did not take her personal choice to the world saying “This is how you cure cancer- Follow me”! But – like many before her, when she realised she was on the wrong path and natural therapies had failed her – it was too late to turn back!

Individuals have a right to choose their cancer treatments – but they need to do this in light of sound information and not influence others to join in their personal experimentation.

The video Desperate Remedies makes for compelling viewing for anyone considering taking the solo alt-med path to curing cancer.

When you select the following URL www.navigatingthecancermazeaustralia.org – here is what you will see in the image below: Interviews are live streaming – download for free and send to a friend. You will also be able to listen to some of our most popular and informative interviews from our previous Voice America Recordings. Please share via social media using the Share button. By selecting Read more you will learn more about the episode on my guest.
Navigating the Cancer Maze Australia podcasts for cancer patients

Each week we will feature a new interview. The show is designed to help you make informed choices and to give you access to world experts in oncology, cancer immunology and cancer research that you may never had heard about. As well you will hear interviews from cancer treatment innovators, patients and caregivers, nutritionists, complementary cancer medicine practitioners and researchers, cancer imaging experts and a few celebrities. These pod-casts represent the Australian version of my Voice America weekly show Navigating the Cancer Maze which has successfully been on the airwaves for 2.75 years. Stay tuned – Vodcasts will be coming soon…….

There will be some crossover with guests – but the American version of the show will also continue in its own right with different guests and with sponsorship. To produce and broadcast our Voice America internet radio show in total costs our charity around $30,000 USD per year including the 10+ hours each week involved in time and some travel. To put the show to air we fundraise via the Grace Gawler Institute (a registered not for profit Health Promotion Charity). We see this radio show as a special service and a significant part of our Cancer Awareness and Education Programs.

We believe that cancer patients deserve to know about the innovations in cancer medicine and the potentially life-saving information that we provide at no cost. Feedback on how the show has helped patients find techniques and surgeries that have saved their lives is both heart-warming and uplifting and has inspired this latest Australian podcast site .

We believe that this form of media is imperative for cancer patients who are seeking second opinions, guidance or maybe just simply knowledge about cancer. If you or someone you know would like to consider sponsoring our USA based version of Navigating the Cancer Maze – please contact me via the contact page  or or go the website

http://www.gracegawlerinstitute.com/move-the-world-with-grace/

Please remember to visit our new podcast website and spread the knowledge and uplifting news about Navigating  the Cancer Maze Australia.

Until next time……

Grace

Navigating the Vascular maze in Cancer Medicine | A Vascular Surgeon’s Experience | Clotting Risks and What You Can Do

According to Jean Connors, MD and medical director of Anticoagulation Management Services at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Cancer patients are at a higher risk than the general population of developing serious blood clots, including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the legs or pulmonary emboli in the lungs, which can be fatal.

Navigating the Vascular Maze in Cancer Medicine – Interview with vascular surgeon (now retired) Dr John Singe. To further this conversation I have added a number of resources and what I believe is very helpful information for anyone interested in health and wellbeing and disease prevention.

According to Jean Connors, MD and medical director of Anticoagulation Management Services at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Cancer patients are at a higher risk than the general population of developing serious blood clots, including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the legs or pulmonary emboli in the lungs, which can be fatal.

 DVTheart_dvt1“Of all the blood clots detected, 20 percent of them are detected in people who have cancer,” She says. Individuals over the age of 60 are at the highest risk of developing blood clots.

“There is a balance in the body between pro-clotting and anti-clotting activity,” says Connors. ”Cancer skews the balance in terms of pro-clotting, increases inflammation, and compresses blood vessels, all risk factors for developing clots.”
As well as a tendency to coagulate or clot; treatments for cancer or blood disorders can also affect the balance of pro and anti-clotting factors.
Immobility and increased bed rest during treatment also enhances a patient’s risk of developing a hyper coagulant state this is why many hospital patients are treated with heparin or some form of anti-coagulant medicine. When seated in a car or aeroplane for long periods of time, it is important to change position, take short walks when possible to keep your blood flowing and practice the simple exercise talked about in today’s interview on Navigating the Cancer Maze Select the title to be redirected to my internet radio show on Voice America’s Health and Wellness Channel. (Free to listen live streaming or to download on itunes.)
http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/84200/special-encore-presentation-navigating-the-vascular-maze-in-cancer-medicine-clotting-risks-for
Patient risk of DVT and embolisms increases enormously with air travel to overseas cancer clinics and in my experience; the issue is often not addressed with diagnostic measures or treatment at these clinics. Unfortunately I have seen this scenario many times including when cancer patients are informed of the risks but are dedicated to a “natural cancer therapies” approach. These patients left their Clexane injections in their luggage to be considered for use at a later date. Cancer did not take their lives. Too many died as a result of DVT and resultant embolisms.

Of course if you have had DVT, embolisms or blood coagulation issues in the past it is essential to inform your treating doctor or oncologist. This is also a trap for patients being treated overseas where their complete medical history is not made available or where there are language and translation issues.

Formation of vascular blood clots is also a leading cause of death in cancer patients because cancer cells create blood_clotting (4)conditions that favour clotting. We know that patients diagnosed with pancreatic, lung cancer, multiple myeloma, or hematologic malignancies are more likely to develop blood clots than other cancer patients due to cancer-specific factors, including their treatment regimens. These patients should receive particular attention in terms of preventative anti-coagulation therapy to decrease risk of events that could be fatal.

Dr Connors states that 10 percent of people diagnosed with DVT who do not have a known cancer will be diagnosed with cancer as part of the clot evaluation or in the next year to two years!
PREVENTION AND AWARENESS:
Having seen so many patients with blood coagulation, DVT and embolisms; it serves as a warning sign that blood should be checked for coagulation problems as a part of wellness and disease prevention program. Did you know that egardless of cancer, if you are over 50; the greatest threat to your continued existence is the formation of abnormal blood clots in your arteries and veins. Even athletes and those who are physically fit can be at high risk.

Dietary management and adjustments can help reduce risk – as well as some plant-based phyto-chemicals that have been proven to decrease blood viscosity. However – self diagnosing blood coagulation problems and taking supplements for “blood-thinning” or even taking excessive amounts of foods known to help “thin the blood” is not recommended.

Could you possibly eat all this in one sitting if it wasn't juiced? Imagine this amount 6 or more times daily!
Could you possibly eat all this in one sitting if it wasn’t juiced? Imagine this amount 6 or more times daily!

Recently I had a patient who experienced massive bleeding during a biopsy procedure. Her surgeon had told her to avoid aspirin and fish oil for 5 days before her procedure – which she dutifully did. However she was juicing large amounts of fresh ginger daily as well as turmeric root and she was making a juice from cabbage, mustard greens and turnip greens broccoli, asparagus an apple.
She almost bled out on the operating table and has had a long recovery due to excessive blood loss. It is not hard to see why specialists say to cancer patients when asked if they can have certain foods and supplements – “TAKE NOTHING – AVOID SUPPLEMENTS AND DON’T CHANGE YOUR DIET TOO MUCH”.

When the famous Hippocrates said “Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food” he did not mean juicing a wheelbarrow load of fruit and veges every day!!!

It is useful to know that several herbal preparations ( natural and supplemental) interfere with the anti-clotting activity of blood thinners and can increase bleeding time or your risk of bleeding. Garlic, ginger, celery seed, ginseng, curcumin and aniseed all carry coumarin effects (meaning that they can prevent your blood from clotting…. the opposite coagulation focussed on in this article.). (NOTE: Avoid combining tumeric (active ingredient curcumin) with anticoagulant and/or antiplatelet drugs. If you take blood thinning medication

  • Due to “blood thinning” side effects of turmeric; cease to take it at least two weeks before any surgical procedure.
    Two other helpful suggestions about taking Tumeric ( cucumin)
  • Caution with Diabetes. Turmeric may lower blood sugar. Avoid turmeric if you take diabetes medications, since turmeric could cause your blood sugar to fall even further. This could result in hypoglycemia.
  • Caution with Gallbladder. The NIH recommends avoiding turmeric if you currently have problems with your gallbladder. If you have gallstones or a bile duct obstruction, turmeric may cause your condition to worsen.
    Foods rich in vitamin E are also natural blood thinners.

Botanical Science and nutritional science knowledge tend to be little adhered to by the current fad that more is better whether in juice, smoothie or supplement. People are flocking to buy machines that will pulverise 10 carrots and 4 blocks of tofu along with bunches of kale and spinach etc in the pursuit of “health and wellbeing”!

In fact these approaches can really have a negative impact of health and wellbeing which I am already seeing in my Practice.
Case managing patients who wish to use complementary medicines and nutritional approaches alongside conventional medicine – presents a challenging management situation to health practitioners.

In our practice I do my best alongside my colleague Dr Whelan to gain patient’s trust in advising on what to take as supplements and foods. With 87 years experience between us – we try to educate and advise simplicity as a targeted approach – rather than trying to “hit a mosquito with a shotgun” – the one size fits all approach. We know they will be tempted and influenced by fellow patients and incorrect information in books and approaches generated by faddist cancer entrepreneurs as well as Dr Google. Experience tells us that our educated patients do very well indeed.

  • As another example of the importance of botanical science knowledge and how a simple food might heal or hinder. While research suggests that tangeretin in mandarin oranges may help prevent cancer, people who already have cancer may not reap any benefits. In fact, a diet rich in mandarin oranges may provide counteractive results in these people as tangeretin appears to interfere with metabolism of some drugs, including the anti-cancer drug tamoxifen. Mandarins and grapefruit are just two of many foods that should be avoided due to interactions with life-saving pharmaceutical treatments.

ASK A HEALTH PROFESSIONAL WHO IS QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED IN CANCER AND HERB/NUTRITIONAL DRUG INTERACTIONS TO DESIGN A PERSONALIZED HEALTH RESTORATION PROGRAM FOR YOU.

Realise that your situation will change as response and treatments change. This is why regular communication and case management is imperative for every cancer patient.

For those cancer patients who live in Queensland – you might like to visit our Gold Coast based consulting rooms where Blood tests and other checks can be organised to increase your wellbeing and lower risks of blood disorders and assist with your cancer management program. More information? Email me via the contact page on this blog or visit www.gracegawlerinstitute.com or www.drwhelan.com

Recommendation – Ongoing Management:
If you are diagnosed with a blood clot, be sure to complete all age-appropriate cancer screenings, including mammograms, Pap smears, and colonoscopies, among others, to evaluate your cancer risk. If all tests are negative, implying no cancer is detected, then it has been recommended that the basic clinical evaluation is repeated every 6 months in the 2 years after the clot occurred. In this way, it is likely that most cancers, if they occur, will be promptly detected. If you know someone who has had DVT without a known cause – please direct them to the following video. We all know that early detection of cancer means better outcomes.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZmT0xgv2Z4&w=560&h=315]

RESOURCES:
http://www.stoptheclot.org/
http://www.stoptheclot.org/documents/fam_test.pdf
http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/84200/special-encore-presentation-navigating-the-vascular-maze-in-cancer-medicine-clotting-risks-for
www.gracegawlerinstitute.com
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dvt/facts.html
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dvt/diagnosis.html

Until next time……
Grace

Which Scan should I have – Navigating the Medical Imaging Maze

Each week in my team consultation practice with specialist GP Dr Bruce Whelan; we hear grave concerns from patients about the radiation risks from diagnostic scans. Unfortunately many cancer patients say no to two imperative diagnostics tools; biopsies and scanning procedures.

Each week in my team consultation practice with specialist GP Dr Bruce Whelan; we hear grave concerns from patients about the radiation risks from diagnostic scans. Unfortunately many cancer patients say no to two imperative diagnostics tools; biopsies and scanning procedures. Usually this is a result of consulting the doctor who never sees a patient and offers a one size fits all approach – yes it’s Dr Google! It is true that medical scans are a source of radiation – however the Health intelligence australiabenefits of knowing as much as possible about your cancer and where it might be located in your body far outweigh the risks. Death from Cancer is not such a great option either I tell my clients.

This is why I interviewed Dr Nevil Chimon on Navigating the Cancer Maze internet radio Select this link to listen

Dr Nevil Chimon researches and develops radio tracers for medical imaging. The science, processes & advances of imaging techniques, & the radio-pharmaceuticals that magically make our inner parts visible to doctors for more accurate diagnosis; is the topic for today’s Navigating the Cancer Maze. Dr Nevil Chimon shares his passion and invaluable information for cancer patients about the different types of cancer & the best medical imaging to assist diagnosis. This is information that you need to know! All patients become intimately involved with the process of cancer imaging, & the relationship often lasts for 5 or more years.

BIOGRAPHY:  Dr Chimon is a medical science graduate of UCLAN, BSc (Hons), Manchester University, MSc & NUS, PhD, with Post-Doctoral training in Molecular Imaging & Radiochemistry completed at the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research & Wolfson Molecular Imaging Centre, UK. Nevil has over 10 years of experience within the pharmaceuticals industry. Holding positions of increasing responsibility within MNCs and SMEs has provided him with broad exposure to projects involving drug discovery & imaging diseases, including cancer & dementia. Strategically, he recognizes an opportunity exists to leverage on molecular imaging technology to both accelerate drug discovery and improve the healthcare of patients by using PET-CT and PET-MRI multi-modality imaging.

Dr Nevil Chimon BSc (Hons), MSc and NUS, PhD,
Dr Nevil Chimon BSc (Hons), MSc and NUS, PhD,

During his 7-years based in Singapore, Dr Chimon has established the first Preclinical CRO imaging facility, obtained GMP licensing for the RadLink cyclotron facility, performed the first clinical trial with a proprietary radio-tracer for Bayer Pharmaceuticals, & manufactured new tracers to detect cancer. To Listen to my interview with Dr Nevil Chimon: CLICK HERE

As a Cancer Patient – You need to Know your imaging options so you make an informed choice:

Different imaging methods use different technology and provide different types of images. This means they have different benefits for showing what is happening inside the body (e.g. for showing bone, soft tissue or tumours). Imaging methods also have different potential advantages and disadvantages, including exposure to radiation.

Here are just a few of the New Scanning devices and procedures  you need to know about:
Prostate Cancer:  PSMA (Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen) PET-CT – A PSMA study, also called a ProstaScint® scan, is an imaging test to locate and determine the extent of prostate cancer. PSMA studies are performed on newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients to determine if the disease has spread to pelvic lymph nodes. The study is also performed on patients who have had their prostate gland removed (prostatectomy) and have an increase in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood levels.

The study involves a special molecule called a monoclonal antibody developed in a laboratory and designed to bind to the prostate-specific membrane antigen on cancer cells. This antibody is paired with a radioactive material called Indium-111 that can be detected by a gamma camera. When injected into the patient’s bloodstream, the radioactive antibody travels and attaches to cancer cells. The gamma camera then produces three-dimensional images of the tumor and its location inside the body. This study is performed over as many as three days. On the first day, the patient first receives an intravenous (IV) injection of the radioactive antibody. Imaging is performed in two sessions, separated by 24 or more hours. Each imaging session will last between two and four hours. The camera rotates around the patient, who remains still.

  • Molecular imaging and prostate cancer? Molecular imaging is used to:
    stage treatment: by determining the exact location of a tumor, the extent or stage of the disease and whether the cancer has spread in the body and plan treatment by selecting the most effective therapy based on the unique molecular properties of the disease and of the patient’s genetic makeup
  • Choline C-11 PET scan is an imaging test used to help detect sites of prostate cancer that have returned despite treatment (recurrent prostate cancer). It may be used when other imaging has not been helpful. Choline C-11 PET scan is a positron emission tomography (PET) scan that uses a special chemical tracer called Choline C-11 Injection.
  • Valuable links:
    11E_The use of Choline PET_CT in prostate cancer imaging_Tara Barwick
    SCANNING FOR PROSTATE CANCER
    Targeted therapies offer new options for prostate cancer treatment
  • Breast Cancer:  MRI:  Some women, particularly those under the age of 50 and who are at high risk of developing breast cancer due to a strong family history or a genetic mutation, are encouraged to undergo annual breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as part of their regular screening routine. MRI is sometimes a more effective screening tool for younger women, especially those with dense breasts. MRI scans are very expensive — up to $700 AUD per scan. There is a Medicare rebate for women at high risk of developing breast cancer.
  • Mammograms A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast and is the most common form of breast imaging. There are two types of mammogram — screening and diagnostic.
    Screening mammograms: Screening mammograms are used for women who do not have any symptoms of breast cancer and who have not had breast cancer in the past. If you are aged 40 or over, have never been diagnosed with breast cancer and currently have no symptoms of breast cancer, you can be screened free of charge at a BreastScreen Australia clinic.
    Diagnostic Mammograms Diagnostic mammograms are recommended for women who have a previous history of breast cancer or who are at high risk of developing breast cancer. Several X-rays are taken in order to obtain views of the breast/s from different angles. You will need a referral from a doctor for a diagnostic mammogram.
  • More info at http://www.bcna.org.au/living-breast-cancer/follow-care/breast-imaging

Diagnosing NETS (neuroendocrine tumours).

  • Ga68 DOTATE is a somatostatin receptor agent used in the imaging of well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumours. For poorly differentiated neuroendocrine tumours; standard F18 FDG-PET remains the imaging of choice for diagnosis. Dr Nevil Chimon discusses NET imaging options and the latest developments in my interview with him on Voice America.

Different types of imaging

  • X-rays (plain radiography) – Uses X-rays to show images of bones, tumours and other dense matter
  • Advantages: Quick, non-invasive and painless
    Can help diagnose various diseases and injuries, including broken bones, cancer and infections
    Disadvantages: Very small increased risk of cancer in future from exposure to ionising radiation (x-rays). Risk is greater for children
  • Computed tomography (CT scans) Uses multiple X-rays to produce cross-sectional layers that show detailed images inside the body, including bones, organs, tissues, and tumours.
    Advantages*Quick and painless
    *Can help diagnose and guide treatment for a wider range of conditions than plain X-rays
    *Can detect or exclude the presence of more serious problems
    *Can be used to check if a previously treated disease has recurred
    Disadvantages*Small increased risk of cancer in future from exposure to ionising radiation (X-rays). Risk is greater for children
    *Uses higher doses of radiation, so the risks (while still small) are in general greater than other imaging types
    *Injection of a contrast medium (dye) can cause kidney problems or result in allergic or injection-site reactions in some people -Some procedures require anaesthesia.
  • Nuclear medicine imaging including positron-emission tomography (PET) Involves injecting, inhaling or swallowing a radioactive ‘tracer’. The gamma-rays emitted by this material are used by the scanner to show images of bones and organs:
    Advantages*Usually painless
    *Can help diagnose, treat, or predict the outcome for a wide range of conditions
    *Unlike most other imaging types, can show how different parts of the body are working and can detect problems much earlier
    *Can check how far a cancer has spread and how well treatment is working
    *Involves exposure to ionising radiation (gamma-rays)
    Disadvantages A PET scan can take 3 to 4 hrs from arrival to departure
  • *Radioactive material may cause allergic or injection-site reactions in some people
    *PET scanners cause some people to feel claustrophobic, which may mean sedation is required
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Uses magnetic fields and radio waves to show detailed images of organs, soft tissues, bones, ligaments and cartilage
  • Advantages*Usually non-invasive and painless
    *Uses no ionising radiation
    *Can help diagnose and guide treatment for a wide range of conditions
    *Can provide similar information to CT in some types of investigations
    Disadvantages*Can be a lengthy and noisy procedure
    *Slight movement can ruin the image, requiring retesting
    *Can make some people feel claustrophobic
    *Sedation or anaesthesia may be required for young children or others who can’t remain still
    *Injection of a contrast medium (dye) if needed can cause kidney problems or result in allergic or injection-site reactions in some people
    Can’t be undertaken in some situations (e.g. when a heart pacemaker is present)
  • Ultrasound Uses high-frequency sound waves to produce moving images onto a screen of the inside of the body, including organs, soft tissues and bones
  • Advantages*Usually non-invasive, safe and relatively painless
    *Uses no ionising radiation
    *Does not usually require injection of a contrast medium (dye)
    *Can help diagnose a range of conditions in different parts of the body, such as the abdomen, pelvis, blood vessels, breast, kidneys, muscles, bones and joints
    Disadvantages*Quality and interpretation of the image highly depends on the skill of the person doing the scan
    *Other factors can affect image quality, including the presence of air and calcified areas in the body (e.g. bones, plaques and hardened arteries), and a person’s body size
    *Use of a special probe (e.g. for the oesophagus, rectum or vagina) is required in some ultrasounds
    *Special preparations may be required before a procedure (e.g. fasting or a full bladder)
  • Bone scan? A bone scan is a diagnostic imaging test used to determine whether cancer has spread to the skeleton. A tiny amount of radio-tracer is injected into the patient’s bloodstream and accumulates predominantly in the bones where it can be detected by a specialized imaging device called a gamma camera. The resulting two-dimensional or three-dimensional images can reveal various processes such as bony fractures, infection or inflammation or the likely presence of cancer cells.

Select the following URL to learn about the impact of radiation from Medical Scanning:
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/safety/?pg=sfty_xray

Medical imaging and Theranostics (developing molecular diagnostic tests in tandem with targeted therapeutics) are medical sciences that are moving forward at a rapid pace.  Ask your oncologist/radiologist for the latest information about new  scanning machines and techniques for your particular type of tumour.

We see many patients who have foregone critical diagnostic scans due to fears about radiation from scanning devices; mainly after reading  poorly researched information on Dr Google. All cancer situations need proper diagnosing and monitoring. Most medical scans carry a small long term risk from radiation exposure – but to not know about a burgeoning cancer is a far greater risk to life and longevity.

If you need assistance and case management – you can consult with myself and specialist GP Dr Bruce Whelan in a team consultation at our Gold Coast, Qld Practice. I am also available for Skype consultations for distance Clients – We are able to offer world-wide referrals. To Contact myself and Dr Whelan:  Email institute@gracegawler.com

Until next Time….

Grace

Cancer Experts Discuss Cancer Vaccines and Immune Cycle Timing of Treatments in Brisbane

Cancer vaccines and immune cycle timing: Hear Prof Brendon Coventry and Martin Ashdown on 612 ABC radio Brisbane, Queensland with Steve Austin today 10.30am Tuesday 13 January 2015. State-wide broadcast. Listen or Download later as a podcast at: http://www.abc.net.au/brisbane/programs/612_morning/

Cancer vaccines and immune cycle timing: Hear Prof Brendon Coventry and Martin Ashdown on 612 ABC radio Brisbane, Queensland with Steve Austin today 10.30am Tuesday 13 January 2015. State-wide broadcast. Listen or Download later as a podcast at:

http://www.abc.net.au/brisbane/programs/612_morning/

A MEETING OF MINDS – EXPLORING FURTHER RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT OF • Cancer Vaccines in

Prof Brendon Coventry Adelaide, South Australia
Prof Brendon Coventry Adelaide, South Australia

Australia & Immune Synchronisation of Cancer treatments is organised by my Institute. The Grace Gawler Institute is always looking for better ways to assist cancer patients to navigate the increasingly complex cancer maze.

We have invited a group of Medical scientists and clinicians to come together in Brisbane to discuss new ways to tackle the issue of improvements in the medical treatments of cancer. Conventional cancer treatments often get bad press, but the fact is they save lives, true not all lives; but significant enough particularly in some areas of medicine. As one solution to the growing swell of alternative cancer treatments; this group are looking at what can be done to improve conventional cancer medicine by extending the scientific knowledge of our immune system; utilising its inbuilt power and ability to “remember” pathogens, and invaders like cancer cells and proactively destroy them.

GG and Martin AShdown 31 Oct 14 interview - Copy (2)
Martin Ashdown Melbourne University & Grace Gawler

Immune therapies and the discovery of the immune cycle in cancer patients to help better time delivery of treatments with potentially better outcomes and less side effects; is worthy of attention and research funding in the current climate.

Jeffrey Deslandes – recovered patient using cancer vaccines after 4th recurrence stage 4 lymphoma and now 8.5 years clear will also be in Brisbane this week. His book “From Cancer Good things Grow” tells his story of recovery using cancer vaccines made from his own tissue. All proceeds from the book go to research & Development and clinical application of cancer vaccines in Australia.

I will also be interviewing Prof Brendon Coventry on this weeks Navigating the Cancer Maze internet radio show.
Stay tuned for more updates…..

Until next time…

Grace

Can Fibre Diffraction Diagnosis Detect Cancer Years Before its Onset | Yes says Professor Veronica James

Navigating the Early Detection Maze! Just imagine if cancer could be detected long before the process of a mammogram or PSA test or scan discovered advanced disease? According to Physicist, Professor Veronica James who has devoted her life to Scientific Research in the area of early diagnosis; the answer is a resounding YES!

Navigating the Early Detection Maze! Just imagine if cancer could be detected long before the process of a mammogram or PSA test or scan discovered advanced disease?

Fibre Diffraction Diagnosis
Professor Veronica James

According to Physicist, Professor Veronica James who has devoted her life to Scientific Research in the area of early diagnosis; the answer is a resounding YES! Just imagine if she is right and there is a strong probability she is; earlier cancer diagnosis than we currently have access to, is possible! Interview Voice America:

Prof James has worked on breast cancer since the 1980s & developed “Fibre Diffraction Diagnosis”, a method to detect cancer using x-rays of nail clippings, hair or skin. An unusual concept; but this almost 80 year old Australian scientist has the science and credibility to back up her research results.

One of the fears and anxieties amongst cancer patients I see, is their concern that they may have somehow passed on their cancer genes to the children or grandchildren. Wouldn’t it be wonderful for them to know there was a test that could lead to a clean bill of health or an early diagnosis?

Prof Veronica James is not a name that one recognizes unless you are in the academic research field; and so the question that begs to be asked is – Why Not? What happened to her research and findings and why hasn’t she had the funding to continue her work? These questions that require an answer.

I visited Veronica at her home this week to record an interview for my Voice America Internet Radio Show that aired today on Navigating the Cancer Maze. I was horrified to hear about her battles to get this invaluable contribution to cancer research recognised. Despite her credentials, she has had to fight tremendous battles to assert her research findings in Science. A snippet of the issues she has had to endure are to be found in the Herald-Sun article January 06, 2010!  Titled Professor Veronica James’s quest to shield others by Olga Galacho.  Well worth a read! Here is someone who I consider is a Grand Dame of Science in Australia, a National Treasure. Please contact me via the contact page on the menu if you would like to support Prof James research.

Her research and results from studying early diagnosis of breast cancer using Fibre Diffraction Diagnosis, is astounding.

This story of discovery is amazing and somewhat serendipitous. In 1996, Veronica reported to the medical personnel at Christie’s Hospital Manchester, the 4 changes she had observed in the collagenous ductal tissue of the breast that precede breast cancer noting that, in the final stage, the breast tissue had reversed to foetal tissue.

Rings identified by Prof Veronica James as disease states
Rings identified by Prof Veronica James as disease states

Veronica was asked whether she had observed similar foetal tissue in the skin as had been reported in breast cancer. A subsequent study at the local Daresbury synchrotron of 14 skin samples did show a possible foetal-like change similar to the penultimate change in the breast. Christie’ Hospital Oncologists agreed to provide 200 samples to confirm these results but when she arrived in England to collect them, the samples had disappeared from their freezer. As Veronica had already studied changes in hair in insulin dependent diabetes and was due in Japan the following day, she asked if a clinic was in progress and being told that it was asked if a hair sample could be taken from each of the participants. With hoots of laughter they agreed asking her what she thought she would find. Veronica told them nothing but that she would not be in disgrace in Japan for arriving without any samples. They were still laughing when she collected these samples the next day. When Veronica started to look at the samples the following day in Japan, she found strange rings superimposed on the normal hair patterns and after blaming and reassembling the machine she finally found out that only 8 of the 19 samples showed this ring.

Veronica sent back to England the numbers of these samples thinking that they might have something in common – same family, same shampoo, same hairdressers etc. Their return email stated simply that Veronica had picked out all the breast cancer patients. This was confirmed by taking these and further blinded sets to other synchrotrons. The changes relating to other cancers and Alzheimer’s Disease, were found in the 4000 subsequent blinded tests from 14 different international sources when patients with other cancers were included to prove that the discovered change was specific to breast cancer. As each new change was identified, further studies were undertaken to verify the specificity of each new change.

Professor Veronica James maintains that her results can be easily duplicated if the correct procedures are followed. Basically what Veronica is doing is taking a sample of skin, nail or hair and shining an x-ray beam through it. Upon examination of the x-ray one can observe rings which in their various positions indicate if the patient is developing a particular type of cancer. An absence of rings indicates the patient is healthy. Veronica claims that cancer can be detected very early using her method.

To see a short video with explanations of the test; Fiber Diffraction Diagnosis (FDD) with Prof Veronica James-Please visit the link below. ABC TV – Australia -“The Inventors”.

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/newinventors/txt/s2919200.htm

Research Gate – a portal for academic research lists 52 Publications for Professor James. Her areas of expertise include: Biological Physics, Medical Biochemistry: Proteins And Peptides (Incl. Medical Proteomics), Structural Chemistry And Spectroscopy, Physical Chemistry Of Materials, Medicinal & Bio-molecular Chemistry, Oncology & Carcinogenesis.

AWARDS: Prof James has an Order of Australia Medal for her services to the deaf. 1992 Quota South Pacific Breast Cancer Research Award, 1999 American Biographical Institute Woman of the Year and 2004 International Scientist of the Year IBC Cambridge. She has recently been awarded an honorary doctorate of Science from Cambridge.

There is an annual two day camp called the Veronica James Science Challenge for Hearing Impaired Children supported by the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Medicine through its department of pathology.

DOWNLOAD PUBLICATIONS:

1. extremely early diagnosis of prostate cancer veronica james – Prof Veronica James

2. The Connection Between Presence of Melanoma and changes in Fibre Diffraction Patterns Prof V James

Prof James has had a distinguished university teaching career progressing to Associate Professor, UNSW. She has been Visiting Fellow, Research School of Chemistry ANU, Visiting Fellow, Dep’t of Pathology UWA. Semi retired, she is presently Adjunct Professor, Research School of Chemistry ANU and wishes to continue cancer research to further develop her methods to help humanity. Thank you to Prof James for her permission to use her research and  images on this blog.

Until Next Time……..

Grace

Cancer Vaccines | A survivors story|From Cancer Good Things Grow Grace Gawler

I encored a recent interview with Jeffery Deslandes on my Voice America Internet radio show today for the Christmas period for a special reason. Because his story is both true and inspirational.

I encored a recent interview with Jeffery Deslandes on my Voice America Internet radio show today for the Christmas period for a special reason. Because his story is both true and inspirational. As Jeffrey quotes in his recently released ;  book; “From Cancer Good Things Grow”;  there are about 4,000 new cases of NHL each year in Australia. 1600 Australian die from NHL each year. If this were our road toll and there was an effective way of preventing deaths of even half of that number – there would be campaigns and lots of public and political interest. Why is there such little  interest in cancer immunotherapies? Jeffrey Deslandes is just one of many who have had success with vaccine treatments.

The questions begs – Have we become so conditioned to believing that cancer is a one-way ticket and there’s nothing we can do apart from try alternative medicine and throw out the “conventional medicine” baby with the bathwater?  Have we been convinced that conventional cancer medicine doesn’t work and that all big Jeffrey Deslandes Book 001pharma wants you to do is stay sick to garnish the pockets of doctors?  Have we bought into the rumour that the war on cancer is lost?  These are common statements from the Google cancer entrepreneurs whose aim is to convince patients to follow them, buy their “one size fits all” cancer products and……… take no responsibility for patient outcomes.

I know of far too many  patients who are not here to be with their families this Christmas because they used “faceless” advice from books, CDs or the internet – leaving aside treatable and potentially curable treatments for their cancer until it became obvious that their attempts to replicate the “cures” they have read about; ultimately failed them. This year I have experienced a new phenomenon, receiving many emails from parents who have taken the natural cancer “healing” path with their children using bizarre nutritional regimens, GcMAF, Budwig and Gerson Diets to name a few – most read about these treatments on blogs. Some of these children have been 3 and 5 years of age.  I try my best to influence them towards excellent sources of conventional medicine – but after a few emails – I never hear from them again. This is truly exasperating!!

Genuine, well documented  stories of cancer treatment successes are much needed. Such is the story of how Melbournian Jeffery Deslandes recovered from Stage 4 recurrent lymphoma that had grown resistant to conventional treatment found his remission – now eight and a half years clear. Jeffery did not seek Alternative medicine treatments when his lymphoma recurred again and again; rather he looked outside the conventional box to see what else science-based medicine could offer.

By purchasing Jeffrey Deslandes book (soft Cover /eBook) – you can help to promote the immune therapy he had right here in Australia. All proceeds go toward making this treatment more available for those in our region. PLEASE spread the good news. Vaccine therapies as immunotherapies go wider than just lymphoma. Successes are appearing from many cancer types including melanoma, prostate cancer and many more. If these therapies can be investigated alongside immune cycle research; we may indeed have a two incredibly power non invasive cancer treatment allies. Scroll to end of blog to see the effect of melanoma vaccine.**

Excerpts from Jeffrey Deslandes book “From Cancer Good things Grow”.

 

Chapter 7 -The cancer Returns Again and Again

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a bit like buffalo grass; it is hard to get out all of the roots and it tends to grow back. I had been informed that my cancer was incurable. It was a real shock at the time.
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) is Australia’s fifth most common cancer, yet has a very low profile, compared to more publicised cancers such as breast, ovarian, bowel, melanoma and leukaemia. There are about 4,000 new cases of NHL each year in Australia, with about 1,600 deaths each year. That’s about the same as the National Road Toll in this country. Each year we spend billions trying to stop idiots killing each other on the road, yet comparatively little on a disease which is poorly understood. While Australia’s economy is soon to be taxed with the introduction of a Carbon Tax to combat Climate Change. Funny that, I have never known anyone who has died from Climate Change, but I have known scores and scores of people who have succumbed to cancer. We need Governments to spend serious money on cancer research.

After my cancer had returned for the fourth time in 2006, the next mainstream cancer treatment outlined by my specialist, was an autologous stem cell transplant. An autologous stem cell transplant, refers to your own body’s stem cells being first harvested, you are then given high-dose chemotherapy to hopefully kill all cancer in your body, and your stem cells

Jeffrey Deslandes
Jeffrey Deslandes

are then re-infused to build up your white cells, which have been decimated by the chemotherapy. The other option was an allogeneic stem cell transplant; the same procedure but the stem cells are used from a matched donor who is obviously free from cancer. However, for this we would need to find a matched donor, since my brother Ron was not a match, and other brother David was no longer with us. I decided not to take the recommendation of my highly trained lymphoma specialist. I decided that I would need to take charge of my treatment, and find something with a different mode of attack. If something is not working, you don’t keep hitting it with the same old stick! Read on,,,,,,,,

Chapter 8 – Vaccine Therapy–The New Beginning

Through my association with Lymphoma Australia, a fine not-for-profit organisation dedicated to raising awareness and supporting lymphoma patients, I became aware of work being done on vaccines for cancer treatment. This work was still experimental or being proven in clinical trials, but it was not quackery, it was being carried out by highly qualified haematologists and scientists.

My diseased lymph node, and my immature dendritic cells, were processed in the laboratory to manufacture a dendritic cell idiotype vaccine to fight the cancer. It is termed idiotype, because the vaccine is grown from my own cancer cells, and is thus specifically tailored to the idiosyncrasies of my cancer. It is worth noting that there are over 30 sub-types of lymphoma alone, and it is my understanding that each and every lymphoma is going to be somewhat different in its individual characteristics. By using my own lymphoma, we got a perfect match, the exact antibody to my cancer. The laboratory grew the vaccine formulation to make 33 doses of vaccine, which were stored at minus 196 °C in liquid nitrogen, and could be kept for perpetuity. Each dose of vaccine is about 1 ml, about a fifth of a teaspoon, but it contains about five million cells. Yes, that’s five million cells, each with a message for my immune system. The message was “this is what the cancer looks like, now do your job like you are supposed to, and go seek and destroy”.  Excerpt: “From Cancer Good Things Grow”

Help save a life ……… Readers of this blog – please help us to help others through cancer education. By passing on this blog or an episode from Voice America – you could also help cancer patients to re-frame their cancer experience and learn about the nature of cancer and how to outsmart it with science-based medicine.

May your Christmas season be filled with joy, love, passion and compassion….

Until next time….

Grace

**Warning:  Below – graphic image melanoma – positive results from repeated vaccine cancer treatments.

Conclusions: Prolonged, repetitive VMCL vaccination immunotherapy appears to be a clinically effective means
of generating relatively high CR rates, useful clinical responses and long-term survivals, with little toxicity, but
remains notably under-explored. Successive immunomodulation might explain the results. Closer analysis of
repetitive dosing is required.

Melanoma vaccines
Successful application of repeated dosing with Melanoma vaccines. Research- Brendon Coventry

From Cancer Good Things Grow – A Survivor’s Story|Grace Gawler Interviews Jeffrey Deslandes

Jeffrey Deslandes thought he had it all. The father of five children, he had his whole life ahead of him. But on one fateful day in 1999, he believed it was all over when he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. He was wrong. His life had just begun!

from cancer good things growA true story of survival: Share the good news. Listen to Navigating the Cancer Maze: From Cancer Good Things Grow.  If you know someone with lymphoma, leukaemia, melanoma or other cancers – you need to tell them about Jeffrey Deslandes and how he survived and thrive thanks to cancer vaccines. They need to read his story.

Jeffrey Deslandes thought he had it all. The father of five children, he had his whole life ahead of him. But on one fateful day in 1999, he believed it was all over when he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. He was wrong. His life had just begun!

His diagnosis, B cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, follicular mixed small and large cell, Stage IV, with bcl-2 gene translocation, with spleen and bone marrow involvement. His prognosis; poor.

His is an inspiring, positive, and true story about surviving cancer—and the things it teaches you. You grow as a person. You learn what is really important in life. You discover who your true friends are. Listen to my interview with Jeffrey on Voice America’s Health & Wellness Channel – Navigating the Cancer Maze: From Cancer Good Things Grow.  (Note: The show is sponsored by the Grace Gawler Institute. Free to listen – live stream on demand – select link above or download and listen another time – share with friends and fellow patients. Live broadcast 12 noon Friday – USA time(PST) – Australia – 6 am Qld time.

After traditional treatments, such as chemotherapy, failed to control his cancer, Jeffrey started looking for emerging therapies. When he learned of an experimental treatment involving a personalised vaccine protocol, he pursued it. It is now feasible to have something good—a personalised cancer vaccine—created from something bad—your cancer. This one-of-a-kind vaccine reeducated his immune system so that it could identify and destroy his cancer.

Jeffrey’s story is not a gloom-and-doom tale of yet another poor soul enduring cancer treatment. Instead, he shares his story in the hope of reaching and inspiring other cancer patients who may have given up. Some of the stories in this book come from his deep spiritual core, but he is not a “religious” man. He doesn’t require you to believe these stories, only to know that everything detailed in this book is true.

See Press pass info – share this link to others.

ABOUT Jeffrey Deslandes: Jeffrey is a native of Melbourne, Australia. He has a Masters in Engineering Science, and is a Doctor of Philosophy, attained at the University of Melbourne. He has been married twice and has five children.  His is an inspiring, positive, and true story about surviving cancer—and the things it teaches you. You grow as a person. You learn what is really important in life. Compelled to write about his experience. “From Cancer Good Things Grow” was published recently. Available as ebook and soft cover.(Balboa Press) BUY online at: Balboa Press:

All proceeds from the sale of this book go directly to cancer vaccine research in Brisbane where Jeffrey had his treatment. He wants more people to know about his doctor and the the hope that vaccines bring for recovery. For more information about Jeffrey’s treatment – please contact me via the contact page on this BLOG or via www.gracegawlerinstitute.com

Note: Dendritic cell vaccines are highly technical and need rigorous quality control and expertise. Ask me for further information on how to access this treatment.

VOICE AMERICA LINK to listen to audio:

http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/82217/from-cancer-good-things-grow-a-survivors-story

Until next time…… Grace

Options, Choices and Treatments for Cancer Recovery| Navigating the Cancer Maze

New cancer treatments are always controversial; BUT – this method is not a treatment. It’s a smart approach. A Smart approach that utilizes all that we know so far about cancer. It works because ultimately; our innate immune system knows what to do.

Options, Choices and Treatments for Cancer Recovery: De mystifying the oscillating the immune cycle.

When my ex husband and I had the idea for starting support groups for cancer patients in the early 1980’s. cancer organizations, patients and doctors were initially not supportive. In fact they were skeptical. They could not see any possible therapeutic benefit could come from people attending a support group.  How wrong they were! Move forward Body rhythms diagram40 years! Yes this December marks my beginning working with cancer patients 40 years ago in a time when there was no support in the health system and no support groups. Now, the benefit of patients attending structured supports and the well being benefit is indisputable.

There are still many new areas to explore, which leads me to discussing the immune cycle. It would seem that during 2014 on Navigating the Cancer Maze – we uncovered and delivered some significant “missing” pieces of the cancer treatment puzzle. It is my hope that as 2014 comes to an end – that 2015 will truly usher in a new paradigm in cancer treatments. The foundation has been laid, extensive research already done, the concept has been introduced worldwide – the  immune cycle measurement is here – NOW!
Now it is up to cancer patients to prove Martin Ashdown and Brendon Coventry right….or wrong. I liked it when Martin Ashdown said – “We believe this is so, a breakthrough – but we are open to being proven wrong!” As in the early days of my first charitable  foundation – it was people power – patient power that made a difference to the success of the Cancer Support Group Movement. Once told there would likely be a measured benefit from attending a support group – the press broadcast the news and the patients came on board en masse!

New cancer treatments are always controversial; BUT – this method is not a treatment. It’s a smart approach. A Smart approach that utilizes all that we know so far about cancer. It works because ultimately; our innate immune system knows what to do. It is just in temporary overwhelm. So doesn’t it make perfect sense that to find the best time to work in synch within the cycle of each person’s immune system to add the best chemotherapy or monoclonal antibody or other targeted treatment. Isn’t this the personalized approach we have been searching for? We all thought it would come in a pill – not an approach and that’s a paradigm shift that some in the world of science and medicine are struggling with.

measuring immune cycleKnowing how one’s immune cycle oscillates holds a clue, “the missing link” that can direct doctors to seek the best time to treat patients in their personal window of opportunity. Then within the parameters of what we know they will have the best chance of a good response or complete response to treatment. (CR)

When cancer cells challenge us – they are also smart. They are a part of us created by our internal systems. You could define cancer as an internal systems error!  These cancer cells cleverly recruit our intelligent mechanisms using them for their own growth and survival. It seems a bit crazy that something that wants to survive – kills its host. But – that’s life! To listen to the latest Voice America related to this blog visit:
http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/82056/options-choices-and-treatments-for-cancer-recovery

So – I believe as do Ashdown and Coventry – that if there is enough of the immune response left in a patient – that the cycle can still be measured and timed so administer the right treatment at the right time. It is simple enough – the only real cost being a series of blood tests. Then finding a doctor who will look at the science and research and say yes – they administer treatment during the 12 hour window of opportunity. The Grace Gawler Institute is keen to let you know and experience the immune cycle for yourself. Please Read more below or join the immune cycle registry at:

http://www.gracegawlerinstitute.com/immune-cycle-registry/ also see our Next “Survivor Academy” Course!

Martin Ashdown and Brendon Coventry have built upon earlier excellent work in the study of chronobiology: Below are references given on Navigating the Cancer Maze today: I have provided abstract content as well as links.

Until next time……Grace

  • Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 2010;50:377-421. doi: 10.1146/annurev.pharmtox.48.113006.094626.
    Circadian timing in cancer treatments.
    Lévi F1, Okyar A, Dulong S, Innominato PF, Clairambault J.
    Author information
    Abstract
    The circadian timing system is composed of molecular clocks, which drive 24-h changes in xenobiotic metabolism and detoxification, cell cycle events, DNA repair, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. The cellular circadian clocks are coordinated by endogenous physiological rhythms, so that they tick in synchrony in the host tissues that can be damaged by anticancer agents. As a result, circadian timing can modify 2- to 10-fold the tolerability of anticancer medications in experimental models and in cancer patients. Improved efficacy is also seen when drugs are given near their respective times of best tolerability, due to (a) inherently poor circadian entrainment of tumors and (b) persistent circadian entrainment of healthy tissues. Conversely, host clocks are disrupted whenever anticancer drugs are administered at their most toxic time. On the other hand, circadian disruption accelerates experimental and clinical cancer processes. Gender, circadian physiology, clock genes, and cell cycle critically affect outcome on cancer chronotherapeutics. Mathematical and systems biology approaches currently develop and integrate theoretical, experimental, and technological tools in order to further optimize and personalize the circadian administration of cancer treatments.
    PMID:
    20055686
    [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20055686

Ann Pharm Fr. 2008 Jun;66(3):175-84. doi: 10.1016/j.pharma.2008.05.003.
[The circadian-timing system: a determinant of drug activity and a target of anticancer treatments].
[Article in French]
Lévi F.
Author information
Abstract
Cellular proliferation and drug detoxification are controlled over the 24h by the circadian-timing system, whose disruption can favor malignant processes. Thus, prolonged shift work appears to increase the risk of breast, colon or prostate cancer. Alterations in circadian physiology and/or molecular-clock genes accelerate cancer progression in experimental models and in cancer patients. In addition, anticancer treatments can also dampen or reinforce the circadian-timing system, as a function of dose and time of administration. The adjustment of anticancer-drug delivery to the circadian-timing system (chronotherapeutics) has allowed to reduce five-fold the incidence of severe adverse events as compared to constant rate infusion or wrongly-timed chronomodulated delivery in cancer patients. In experimental models, the best antitumor efficacy is usually obtained following treatment delivery near the least toxic time, a statement that also seems to apply to patients. Dedicated technologies include programmable in time pumps and rhythm monitors and are required for chronotherapeutics. Recent results have revealed that the optimal chronotherapeutic schedule could differ as a function of gender and circadian physiology. In conclusion, the circadian-timing system was shown to negatively control malignant proliferation via partly identified molecular mechanisms. The components of the circadian-timing system thus constitute new potential therapeutic targets in oncology. Mathematical models help toward a better understanding of the role of variability for the determination of the optimal chronotherapeutic schedule and constitute useful tools for the personalization of cancer chronotherapeutics.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18706346

Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2013;(217):261-88. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-25950-0_11.
Cancer chronotherapeutics: experimental, theoretical, and clinical aspects.
Ortiz-Tudela E1, Mteyrek A, Ballesta A, Innominato PF, Lévi F.
Author information
Abstract
The circadian timing system controls cell cycle, apoptosis, drug bioactivation, and transport and detoxification mechanisms in healthy tissues. As a consequence, the tolerability of cancer chemotherapy varies up to several folds as a function of circadian timing of drug administration in experimental models. Best antitumor efficacy of single-agent or combination chemotherapy usually corresponds to the delivery of anticancer drugs near their respective times of best tolerability. Mathematical models reveal that such coincidence between chronotolerance and chronoefficacy is best explained by differences in the circadian and cell cycle dynamics of host and cancer cells, especially with regard circadian entrainment and cell cycle variability. In the clinic, a large improvement in tolerability was shown in international randomized trials where cancer patients received the same sinusoidal chronotherapy schedule over 24h as compared to constant-rate infusion or wrongly timed chronotherapy. However, sex, genetic background, and lifestyle were found to influence optimal chronotherapy scheduling. These findings support systems biology approaches to cancer chronotherapeutics. They involve the systematic experimental mapping and modeling of chronopharmacology pathways in synchronized cell cultures and their adjustment to mouse models of both sexes and distinct genetic background, as recently shown for irinotecan. Model-based personalized circadian drug delivery aims at jointly improving tolerability and efficacy of anticancer drugs based on the circadian timing system of individual patients, using dedicated circadian biomarker and drug delivery technologies.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23604483

Chronobiol Int. 2002 Jan;19(1):1-19.
From circadian rhythms to cancer chronotherapeutics.
Lévi F.
Author information
Abstract
Mammalian circadian rhythms result from a complex organization involving molecular clocks within nearly all “normal” cells and a dedicated neuroanatomical system, which coordinates the so-called “peripheral oscillators.” The core of the central clock system is constituted by the suprachiasmatic nuclei that are located on the floor of the hypothalamus. Our understanding of the mechanisms of circadian rhythm generation and coordination processes has grown rapidly over the past few years. In parallel, we have learnt how to use the predictable changes in cellular metabolism or proliferation along the 24h time scale in order to improve treatment outcome for a variety of diseases, including cancer. The chronotherapeutics of malignant diseases has emerged as a result of a consistent development ranging from experimental, clinical, and technological prerequisites to multicenter clinical trials of chronomodulated delivery schedules. Indeed large dosing-time dependencies characterize the tolerability of anticancer agents in mice or rats, a better efficacy usually results from treatment administration near the least toxic circadian time in rodent tumor models. Programmable in time multichannel pumps have allowed to test the chronotherapy concepts in cancer patients and to implement chronomodulated delivery schedules in current practice. Clinical phase I and II trials have established the feasibility, the safety, and the activity of the chronotherapy schedules, so that this treatment method has undergone further evaluation in international multicenter phase III trials. Overall, more than 2,000 patients with metastatic disease have been registered in chronotherapy trials. Improved tolerability and/or better antitumor activity have been demonstrated in randomized multicenter studies involving large patient cohorts. The relation between circadian rhythmicity and quality of life and even survival has also been a puzzling finding over the recent years. An essential step toward further developments of circadian-timed therapy has been the recent constitution of a Chronotherapy cooperative group within the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer. This group now involves over 40 institutions in 12 countries. It is conducting currently six trials and preparing four new studies. The 19 contributions in this special issue reflect the current status and perspectives of the several components of cancer chronotherapeutics.
PMID:
11962669
[PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11962669
Cancer Causes Control. 2006 May;17(4):611-21.
Chronotherapeutics: the relevance of timing in cancer therapy.
Lévi F.
Author information
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Cell physiology is regulated along the 24-h time scale by a circadian timing system composed of molecular clocks within each cell and a central coordination system in the brain. The mammalian molecular clock is made of interconnected molecular loops involving at least 12 circadian genes. The cellular clocks are coordinated by the suprachiasmatic nuclei, a hypothalamic pacemaker which also helps the organism adjust to environmental cycles. The rest-activity rhythm is a reliable marker of the circadian system function in both rodents and man. This circadian organization is responsible for predictable changes in the tolerability and efficacy of anticancer agents, and possibly also in tumor promotion or growth.
METHODS:
Expected least toxic times of chemotherapy were extrapolated from experimental models to human subjects with reference to the rest-activity cycle. The clinical relevance of the chronotherapy principle, i.e. treatment administration as a function of rhythms, has been demonstrated in randomized multicenter trials.
RESULTS:
Chronotherapeutic schedules have been used to safely document the activity of the association of oxaliplatin, 5-FU and leucovorin against metastatic colorectal cancer and to set up a new medicosurgical management of this disease which achieved unprecedented long term survival.
CONCLUSION:
The chronotherapy concept offers further promises for improving current cancer treatment options as well as for optimizing the development of new anticancer or supportive agents.
PMID:
16596317
[PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

Mol Med. 2012 Dec 6;18:1249-60. doi: 10.2119/molmed.2012.00077.
Circadian rhythm disruption in cancer biology.
Savvidis C1, Koutsilieris M.
Author information
Abstract
Circadian rhythms show universally a 24-h oscillation pattern in metabolic, physiological and behavioral functions of almost all species. This pattern is due to a fundamental adaptation to the rotation of Earth around its own axis. Molecular mechanisms of generation of circadian rhythms organize a biochemical network in suprachiasmatic nucleus and peripheral tissues, building cell autonomous clock pacemakers. Rhythmicity is observed in transcriptional expression of a wide range of clock-controlled genes that regulate a variety of normal cell functions, such as cell division and proliferation. Desynchrony of this rhythmicity seems to be implicated in several pathologic conditions, including tumorigenesis and progression of cancer. In 2007, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) categorized “shiftwork that involves circadian disruption [as] probably carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2A in the IARC classification system of carcinogenic potency of an agent) (Painting, Firefighting, and Shiftwork; IARC; 2007). This review discusses the potential relation between disruptions of normal circadian rhythms with genetic driving machinery of cancer. Elucidation of the role of clockwork disruption, such as exposure to light at night and sleep disruption, in cancer biology could be important in developing new targeted anticancer therapies, optimizing individualized chronotherapy and modifying lighting environment in workplaces or homes.
PMID:
22811066
[PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
PMCID:
PMC3521792
Free PMC Article

Chronobiol Int. 2012 Apr;29(3):227-51. doi: 10.3109/07420528.2012.658127.
Clock genes and clock-controlled genes in the regulation of metabolic rhythms.
Mazzoccoli G1, Pazienza V, Vinciguerra M.
Author information
Abstract
Daily rotation of the Earth on its axis and yearly revolution around the Sun impose to living organisms adaptation to nyctohemeral and seasonal periodicity. Terrestrial life forms have developed endogenous molecular circadian clocks to synchronize their behavioral, biological, and metabolic rhythms to environmental cues, with the aim to perform at their best over a 24-h span. The coordinated circadian regulation of sleep/wake, rest/activity, fasting/feeding, and catabolic/anabolic cycles is crucial for optimal health. Circadian rhythms in gene expression synchronize biochemical processes and metabolic fluxes with the external environment, allowing the organism to function effectively in response to predictable physiological challenges. In mammals, this daily timekeeping is driven by the biological clocks of the circadian timing system, composed of master molecular oscillators within the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus, pacing self-sustained and cell-autonomous molecular oscillators in peripheral tissues through neural and humoral signals. Nutritional status is sensed by nuclear receptors and coreceptors, transcriptional regulatory proteins, and protein kinases, which synchronize metabolic gene expression and epigenetic modification, as well as energy production and expenditure, with behavioral and light-dark alternance. Physiological rhythmicity characterizes these biological processes and body functions, and multiple rhythms coexist presenting different phases, which may determine different ways of coordination among the circadian patterns, at both the cellular and whole-body levels. A complete loss of rhythmicity or a change of phase may alter the physiological array of rhythms, with the onset of chronodisruption or internal desynchronization, leading to metabolic derangement and disease, i.e., chronopathology.
PMID:
22390237
[PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

Listen to Your Body Clock – Cancer and Your Health – Grace Gawler

We have knowledge of many cycles in our world. The tides, day and night are the most obvious. All creatures great and small are subject to these unseen forces that ultimately shape our life and our experience of it.” The circadian clock in mammals drives many physiological processes including the daily rhythms of sleep–wake behaviour, hormonal secretion, and metabolism. Less known, is that the clock also drives our immune cycles; an important factor in cancer treatment and recovery says Melbourne University Research Fellow Martin Ashdown, who has studied the phenomena for a long time. The science of taking advantage of the body’s own immune rhythm to improve efficacy of treatments is worth paying attention to whether its surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapies, radiation/cyberknife; one thing is now clear – timing of treatment matters!

Research work of Synchronizing cancer treatment with the patient’s immune cycle has been recently launched into our awareness by Martin Ashdown and Brendon Coventry – and hopefully this blog, and my radio show Navigating the Cancer Maze on Voice America’s Health and Wellness Channel. Please spread the news!

With regards to timing – Did you know that majority of best-selling drugs in the United States target circadian gene products? Consider the case of statins, a class of drug that lowers cholesterol by inhibiting HMGCR (HMG-CoA reductase). HMGCR is the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis and its activity peaks during the night. Statins with short half lives showed maximal efficacy when taken in the evening (when their target gene was most active).This is just one example of chronotherapeutic practices positively impacting drug treatment. In other words – it’s all in the timing. (see resources below for more information on this).

In terms of Circadian rhythms and body clocks – simply reconsider an old message for good health. “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise!”

Take a look at the following diagram ( source Scientific American) to see what your body clock is doing – and at what time!

Circadian-rhythm-chart-on-physiologyBody clocks–-circadian rhythms—health; has been a hobby–horse of mine for some years. I am widely read on the subject and back more than 20 years ago – it became clear to me that there were tremendous health connections and implications for health and wellbeing and disease prevention – not only treating disease once it is evident.

So here is a Window of Opportunity for you
Readers of this blog – I invite you to stop for a moment and consider how your body clock affects your life. Is it possible to make some simple changes IN TERMS OF TIME & TIMING?

Do you listen to your body clock or constantly override it? Those of us who are disease free have the luxury of change and can enjoy the consequences-improved health. We don’t even have to have an immune cycle test – we SIMPLY NEED TO BECOME MORE AWARE of living in synch with ourselves and who and what is around us. It is the only real power that we have.

Being aware of your body clock and timing in your world, has one enormous benefit and this is also useful for anyone GG and Martin AShdown 31 Oct 14 interview - Copy (2)dealing with a diagnosis of cancer – It brings you more into conscious connection with your body. Many patients over the past 40 years have told me that this is an unexpected gift that cancer brought to their lives. Some could view it as an opportunity for changing lifestyle, jobs etc…In terms of timing – the question begs what has happened in this person’s life that has perhaps interfered with their personal body clock? What could have caused a highly synchronized system to go into cellular chaos? These are big questions – but then again cancer is a big illness!
Left  Martin Ashdown and me – Grace Gawler.

Visit http://www.gracegawlerinstitute.com/immune-cycle-registry/ to join our exploratory pilot study -Measure your immune system.

A paper published by Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, UT Health Science CenterSan Antonio, Texas, USA; 2Department of Internal Medicine, Thuringia, Saalfeld, Germany; 3Department of Physiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Cracow, Poland states:

“There is a vast amount of literature suggesting that the photo-periodic environment (day/night) influences the incidence of cancer. While an association of chrono-disruption was initially proposed only for breast cancer, we recently suggested a more general theory, i.e., chrono-disruption may aggravate the development of many cancer types.”

Knowledge is power and knowledge of not only your body clock – but that of other mammals and nature. It’s all in the timing! Women’s’ menstrual cycle is perhaps the obvious one we know about. In nature – just watch a David Attenborough documentary to see the wonder of timing in nature!

We have knowledge of many cycles in our world. The tides, day and night are the most obvious. All creatures great and small are subject to these unseen forces that ultimately shape our life and our experience of it.” The circadian clock in mammals drives many physiological processes including the daily rhythms of sleep–wake behaviour, hormonal secretion, and metabolism.

Less known, is that the clock also drives our immune cycles; an important factor in cancer treatment and recovery says Melbourne University Research Fellow Martin Ashdown, who has studied the phenomena for a long time. The science of taking advantage of the body’s own immune rhythm to improve efficacy of treatments is worth paying attention to whether its surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapies, radiation/cyberknife; one thing is now clear – timing of treatment matters! There is a window of opportunity within the 7 day cycle, Listen to Martin Ashdown to hear the story of how TIMING MATTERS!
Following on – some interesting articles and resources that relate to our body clock.

  • Complete clinical responses to cancer therapy caused by multiple divergent approaches a repeating theme lost in translation
    Coventry BJ1, Ashdown ML.1Discipline of Surgery, University of Adelaide, Royal Adelaide Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Australia.
    SOURCE: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22740774
  • Window of Opportunity – Martin Ashdown and Brendon Coventry:

          SOURCE:   http://www.immunaid.com.au/download/pressreviews_2014053001.pdf

  • The Clock Is Off: Bipolar Disorder and Circadian Rhythm – Scientific American – Apr 1, 2010 By Monica Heger
    Bipolar disorder may be linked to mutations affecting circadian rhythm
    |By Monica Heger
    “An off-kilter body clock can throw off our sleep-wake cycle, eating habits, body temperature and hormones—and mounting evidence suggests a malfunctioning clock may also underlie the mood cycles in bipolar disorder. In a new study led by psychiatrist Alexander Niculescu of Indiana University, researchers found that children with bipolar disorder were likely to have a mutated RORB gene, which codes for a protein crucial to circadian clock function.”
    Source: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-clock-is-off/

Circadian gene expression atlas in mammals: Implications for biology and medicine
Ray Zhanga,1, Nicholas F. Lahensa,1, Heather I. Ballancea, Michael E. Hughesb,2, and John B. Hogenescha,2
Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104; and bDepartment of Biology, University of Missouri, St. Louis, MO 63121

“We generated high-resolution multi-organ expression data showing that nearly half of all genes in the mouse genome oscillate with circadian rhythm somewhere in the body. Such widespread transcriptional oscillations have not been previously reported in mammals. Applying pathway analysis, we observed new clock-mediated spatiotemporal relationships. Moreover, we found a majority of best-selling drugs in the United States target circadian gene products. Many of these drugs have relatively short half-lives, and our data predict which may benefit from timed dosing.”

Source:  http://www.pnas.org/content/111/45/16219.abstract

For the more scientifically minded – don’t be put off by the title!

The Photoperiod, Circadian Regulation and Chronodisruption: The Requisite Interplay Between The Suprachiasmatic Nuclei and The Pineal And Gut Melatonin:

1Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, UT Health Science CenterSan Antonio, Texas, USA; 2Department of Internal Medicine, Thuringia, Saalfeld, Germany; 3Department of Physiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Cracow, Poland

“Part of their conclusion is that “Circadian rhythmicity is an integral component of normal and optimal physiology. Not only the SCN, but cells throughout the organism are equipped with internal clocks that control the molecular events that occur during each 24-hour period. These events appear to be precisely timed and in modern societies the intrinsic time keepers are provided with misinformation which, when prolonged, likely has ramifications in terms of increased pathologies.

It would seem judicious to take better care of the circadian network by providing appropriate photoperiodic cues, which currently seemed to be almost totally ignored. In addition, large amounts of this indoleamine (melatonin) is produced in the mucosa of GIT that seems to serve as local antioxidant and protective substance for the gut and liver against a variety of noxious agents, particularly the bacteria and their toxins, introduced into the gut with each meal.

There is a vast amount of literature suggesting that the photoperiodic environment influences the incidence of cancer. While an association of chronodisruption was initially proposed only for breast cancer, we recently suggested a more general theory, i.e., chronodisruption may aggravate the development of many cancer types.”
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21893686

Happy reading! Remember to visit our website: http://www.gracegawlerinstitute.com/immune-cycle-registry/

Until next time ………Grace

Grace Gawler|What you Need to Know to Safely Navigate the Complementary Medicine Maze

With 30 years experience as a botanical medicine practitioner, I know that complementary medicines are very popular with cancer patients. Some believe they are an alternative to conventional medicine, rather than a complement or adjunct to other treatments. Patients tend not disclose natural medicines they are taking when seeing their oncologist. Some oncologists don’t ask. Some patients take an each way bet and use both conventional and “natural medicines”, but in most cases; they will likely never tell their doctor what they are doing.

Grace Gawler | What you Need to Know to Safely Navigate the Complementary Medicine Maze – October 31, 2014

LISTEN TO TODAY"S VOICE AMERICA AUDIO - GRACE GAWLER
CLICK HERE FOR TODAY”S VOICE AMERICA AUDIO – GRACE GAWLER

Today’s Navigating the cancer Maze will give insights With 30 years experience as a botanical medicine practitioner, I know that complementary medicines are very popular with cancer patients. Some believe they are an alternative to conventional medicine, rather than a complement or adjunct to other treatments. Patients tend not disclose natural medicines they are taking when seeing their oncologist. Some oncologists don’t ask. Some patients take an each way bet and use both conventional and “natural medicines”, but in most cases; they will likely never tell their doctor what they are doing. Why? Because they expect a prejudiced attitude, either ridiculing their choice or telling them to stop everything else they are taking or doing that is not considered real medicine. Herein lies an enormous modern-day dilemma because many alternative & complementary medicines are indeed REAL medicines with active phyto-chemical contents.In today’s episode and on this blog – I also share useful information about Curcumin as a adjunct medicine for cancer patients.

 

First of all Vitamin C

I often see patients in my practice who refuse to have pharmaceutical drugs….they are often shocked when I explain to them that so called “natural medicines” they are using may not be natural at all – These substances actually become a drug or pharmaceutical product once they are administered by intravenous injection or intramuscular. It doesn’t mean they wont work – but the fact is they are NOT natural as is often marketed. They may have natural origins or have active principles of natural origin that has been synthesized in the laboratory.
Perhaps the best example here is vitamin C – there is no way we could use ascorbic acid as an i/v infusion….It must be modified in the laboratory.

  • Now this may come as a shock to those to love all things natural…..but Unfortunately, nearly all the dietary supplements marketed as vitamin C these days are synthetic isolates, made with genetically modified (GMO) corn from factories in China. Ascorbic acid is theoranges-and-lemons product most often paraded as “vitamin C,” but it’s really only a laboratory-produced synthetic “isolate”—meaning it is a single component of vitamin C. Mother Nature knew what she was doing when she created vitamin C-rich fruits, berries and plants. Scientists now know that vitamin C isolates such as ascorbic acid do not provide the health benefits that whole food forms of vitamin C do.

    This subject is so important that I will be inviting an expert on to the show soon to discuss the topic…. so sign up to receive an ecard notification for details of when this show will go to air.Join this blog to be updated and informed about complementary medicines and cancer – select Follow or join in the form in the widget bar on the right. The blog will be delivered weekly to your email address.

  • Curcumin – Tumeric

Multiple Molecular Targets of Curcumin
Curcumin attacks multiple targets, providing the scientific basis for its effectiveness in many different diseases. Extensive research shows most diseases are caused by dysregulation of multiple signaling pathways–casting doubt on the effectiveness of monotherapy, which is limited to a single target.
Studies show curcumin modulates numerous molecular targets, including: regulating several cytokines and fibroblast growth factor-2 (gene expression), growth-factor receptors including modulation of androgen receptors (protein kinases), transcription factors, pro-inflammatory enzymes (including supression of COX-2, 5-LOX and iNOS and regulation of NF-κB), modulation of cell-cycle-related gene expression, blocking the adhesion molecules, downregulating anti-apoptic proteins and inhibiting multi-drug resistance.

curcumin.2jpgCurcumin is the most important active ingredient in turmeric, and makes up about 2-6% of the spice.

While therapeutic properties of turmeric have been known for centuries, modern science has identified the curcuminoids (phenolic compounds found in turmeric) and provides a scientific basis for many clinical uses of standardized curcumin.

Since turmeric contains very small concentrations of curcumin, look for standardized 95% curcumin (curcuminoids). Why? Hundreds of scientific and technical papers confirm: clinical results were obtained using curcumin (curcuminoids).Most Curcumin Products Contain 3 Curcuminoids
Commercial curcumin typically contains curcumin I (~77%), curcumin II (~17%) and curcumin III (~3%) as its major components.
For convenience, all curcuminoids are often referred to simply as “curcumin” even though turmeric contains a variety of different curcuminoids. Unfortunately, pure curcumin (including all known curcuminoids) is very poorly absorbed into your bloodstream after oral ingestion due to rapid metabolism in the liver and intestinal wall, and rapid systemic elimination.

Many curcumin products add piperine to improve absorption of curcumin. But piperine is a problem for many consumers because the additive should be taken cautiously (if at all) by anyone taking medications. According to the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental curcuminTherapeutics, piperine is a potent inhibitor of drug metabolism, which means piperine spikes blood levels of many prescription medications.
A review of published research articles reveals piperine is toxic in experimental animals. Some research suggests piperine is safe in small amounts but large amounts of piperine could be damaging to the liver or other organs. Experts advise against consuming more than 15 mg of piperine per day. Piperine has known central nervous system (CNS) depressant effects. Finally, since piperine is a component of black pepper, consumers with a known allergy or hypersensitivity to black pepper should avoid piperine.

Check out BIOMOR Cucumin       READ MORE at: http://curcumin-turmeric.net

 

ALSO HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: SEE DR LUDWIG JACOB’S: Curcumin K2

dr-jacobs-curcumin-k2-kapseln-60-stk

Available from Dr. Jacob’s Medical GmbH

Platter Str. 92

65232 Taunusstein

GERMANY            E-Mail: info@drjacobsmedical.de

Cheap versions of complementary medicines manufactured in countries with poor manufacturing and quality control standards are best avoided…….contamination is a big issue as well as growing, harvesting and all that happens to a the material before it gets to production. A recent example in May 2013 was the outbreak of symptomatic hepatitis A virus infections across 10 US states associated with pomegranate arils imported from Turkey and manufactured in the USA by an organic group. The source was traced to imported frozen pomegranate arils. These were identified as the vehicle early in the investigation by combining epidemiology—with data from several sources—genetic analysis of patient samples, and product tracing. There were 165 cases known to have been affected.Hepatitis A is spread when human feces contaminate food or when an infected food handler prepares food without using proper hygiene. Human feces are expected as the cause of the outbreak, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Remember – it’s best to ask for professional help when selecting products from the internet: Not only is it important to know the source of raw material – but the technique used in the manufacturing process and efficacy of the end product. Sometimes the pseudo-science that surrounds a product can be misleading.
Medicines and supplements purchased on the Interne need to be carefully scrutinized, especially if you are have cancer. Countries that have raw materials processed and manufactured with inadequate standards and poor quality control can be an issue.

Listen to today’s episode:Select the URL:

http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/81372/what-you-need-to-know-to-safely-navigate-the-complementrary-medicine-maze

TO BE CONTINUED: