Fwd: THE MOSS REPORTS Newsletter (12/13/03)

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Cancer Decisions

THE MOSS REPORTS Newsletter (12/13/03)

 

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Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D. Weekly CancerDecisions.com

Newsletter #112 12/13/03

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In the weeks and months following a cancer diagnosis

there are few things more vital to patients and their

families than to have a reliable source of unbiased,

accurate information concerning all the available

treatment options, both conventional and alternative.

With more than 216 different reports on various kinds

of cancer, there is a Moss Report for almost every

cancer diagnosis, from the most common to the most

rare. Reports can be ordered online, via our Web site

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research assistance for people who need help in

gathering information, narrowing down treatment choices

or finding appropriate clinical trials. Meanwhile we

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charge, with the aim of keeping our growing readership

up to date with new ideas in cancer research and

treatment. We encourage you to pass along to friends

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Instructions for signing up can be found at the end of

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http://www.cancerdecisions.com.

 

 

 

CLT (Cytoluminescent Therapy®) PAPER PUBLISHED

 

 

 

Dr Moss' article on CLT (Cytoluminescent Therapy®) was

recently published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

The article appears in the December 2003 issue of

Integrative Cancer Therapies (volume 2, number 4).

Copies should be available from the publisher, SAGE

Publications, Thousand Oaks, California

(http://www.sagepub.com).

 

 

 

ANOTHER BOOST FOR ANTIOXIDANTS

 

 

 

Reports on the benefits of using antioxidants to fight

cancer continue to emerge from scientific laboratories

around the world. One of the latest comes from Giovanni

Montovani, MD, Chief of the Division and Laboratory of

Medical Oncology at the University of Cagliari, and his

colleagues, writing in the August (2003) issue of the

Journal of Molecular Medicine.

 

 

These Sardinian scientists took blood samples from 120

patients with advanced cancer, as well as from 60

healthy controls, and then cultured the samples in

separate batches along with three different

antioxidants. Two of the three antioxidants were the

supplements alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) and N-acetyl

cysteine (NAC), generally available in health food

stores. The third was a prescription drug, amifostine

(AMI), which is sometimes used to counteract the free

radical damage caused by radiation and chemotherapy.

The scientists found that the addition of any of these

three antioxidants significantly enhanced the

progression of patients' white blood cells through

their normal cell cycle. Cancer patients' sluggish

white blood cells became highly activated and able to

progress once they were cultured with these

antioxidants. The greatest degree of activation,

boosted by 150%, came with use of the supplement NAC.

But ALA and AMI were almost equally effective.

 

 

The Italian scientists also studied the patients' blood

to gauge the levels of damaging free radicals and

innate antioxidant systems. They found that the level

of free radicals was significantly higher in cancer

patients than in normal volunteers, while beneficial

antioxidant systems were " significantly lower in cancer

patients than controls. "

 

 

They also looked at the levels of pro-inflammatory

cytokines, which are hormone-like chemicals that can

sometimes cause pain and discomfort in patients with

advanced cancer. Examples of these 'bad' cytokines are

IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha. The researchers found

that levels of these substances were all significantly

higher in cancer patients. Another key sign of

inflammation, C-reactive protein (CRP) was also

elevated. At the same time, a 'good' cytokine, IL-2,

was " significantly lower in cancer patients than

controls. "

 

 

" Patients with advanced cancer thus exhibit both a

high-grade OS [oxidative stress, ed.] and a chronic

inflammatory condition, " the Italian doctors wrote.

Meanwhile, the antioxidant agents ALA, NAC, and

amifostine, " enhanced significantly " the progression of

white blood cells through their normal cell cycle,

" thus providing evidence of their potential role in the

functional restoration of the immune system in advanced

cancer patients. "

 

 

The Italian scientists called for further investigation

with adequate clinical trials. They join other Italian

scientists, such as Milan's Dr. Paolo Lissoni, in

pointing to the beneficial effects that natural and

inexpensive agents can have in treating cancer. Cancer

patients should speak to their doctors about the

advisability of adding antioxidants to their current

regimens.

 

 

 

GREEN TEA CREAM PREVENTS SKIN DISEASE

 

 

 

A doctor in Alabama has recently shown that green tea,

either taken as a drink or rubbed on as a cream, can

protect the skin from developing cancer. Certain

substances in green tea (such as EGCG) possess

" antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic

properties, " according to Santosh K. Katiyar, PhD, a

researcher in the Dermatology Department of the

University of Alabama. It is particularly useful

against the harmful effects of the sun.

 

 

Solar ultraviolet (UVB) light is a " complete

carcinogen, " which means that it can both initiate and

promote the growth of skin disorders, including basal

and squamous cell cancers and melanomas. However, both

topical treatment and the oral consumption of green tea

polyphenols have been found to inhibit the formation of

skin cancer in several laboratory animal models.

 

 

Green tea may also help to prevent the typical

inflammatory response, immunosuppression and oxidative

stress caused by UVB light. Experiments in mice have

shown that certain ingredients of green tea are

associated with a decrease in the 'bad'

immune-suppressive cytokine IL-10 in the skin and also

in the lymph nodes that drain the areas of skin exposed

to UVB. Meanwhile, production of the 'good' cytokine

IL-12, which stimulates natural killer cells, has been

shown to be significantly enhanced by green tea

components.

 

 

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of green

tea have also been observed in human skin. These

studies strongly suggest that polyphenols from green

tea, such as EGCG, can protect skin from sunlight, and

can be used as to prevent UVB damage including

photo-aging, melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers.

While clinical trials are certainly warranted, skin

creams containing green tea are already available for

sale (including over the Internet). Drinking more

green tea might also be an inexpensive and effective

strategy for reducing the risk of skin damage.

 

 

 

--Ralph W. Moss, PhD

 

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Katiyar SK. Skin photoprotection by green tea: antioxidant

and immunomodulatory effects. Curr Drug Targets Immune

Endocr Metabol Disord. 2003 Sep;3(3):234-42.

 

Mantovani G, Maccio A, Madeddu C, Mura L, Gramignano G,

Lusso MR, Massa E, Mocci M, Serpe R. Antioxidant agents are

effective in inducing lymphocyte progression through cell

cycle in advanced cancer patients: assessment of the most

important laboratory indexes of cachexia and oxidative

stress. J Mol Med. 2003 Aug 19.

 

 

 

 

 

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IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER

 

 

 

The news and other items in this newsletter are

intended for informational purposes only. Nothing in

this newsletter is intended to be a substitute for

professional medical advice.

 

 

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