Natural Products for Cancer Pain & Treatment

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Natural Products for Cancer Pain & Treatment

 

For many people the very thought of chemotherapy evokes horrific images of

debilitating nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and weakness. In fact chemotherapy can

induce those symptoms and many more and unfortunately, it is active against any

actively dividing cell whether it is cancerous or not.

 

This means that cells lining the intestines, those in the bone marrow and those

in the hair follicles, all of which are also continuously dividing, will also be

damaged by chemotherapy.

 

Fortunately, there are natural products that can be used to protect against the

damaging effects of chemotherapy. The natural measures that I am recommending

are definitely worth incorporating into your cancer treatment plan and may mean

the difference of life or death.

 

 

Along with some basic dietary guidelines, there are five key supplements that

can be used to support any form of chemotherapy or radiation.

 

 

A high potency multiple vitamin and mineral

 

Regular consumption of " greens " drinks

 

Maitake D- or M,D-fraction

 

Proteolytic enzymes

 

Curcumin

 

 

In addition, it is important to take coenzyme Q10 if you are taking doxorubicin

(Adriamycin) or any other chemotherapy agent known to damage the heart.

 

What are the general dietary guidelines to follow?

 

Because of the problem of nausea and vomiting caused by cancer itself as well as

many chemotherapy agents and/or radiation therapy, many cancer patients develop

anorexia - the loss of appetite or desire to eat. This situation is not good at

all because it can lead to a condition known as cancer " cachexia " - a wasting

syndrome characterized by weakness and a noticeable continuous loss of weight,

fat, and muscle.

 

It is estimated that roughly 40% of cancer patients actually die of

malnutrition rather than their disease itself. The importance of high quality

nutrition in the battle against cancer cannot be overstated. Cancer patients who

have higher nutritional status are better able to stand therapy and its side

effects.

 

Poor nutritional status can lead to progressive wasting, weakness, exhaustion,

lower resistance to infection, problems tolerating cancer therapy, and finally,

death.

The following dietary suggestions can help improve nutritional status in cancer

patients

 

 

Eat small frequent meals (every 1-2 hours).

Drink a high-protein smoothie containing 20 to 30 grams of non-gmo soy

protein twice daily.

 

Get a juice machine and drink 18 to 24 ounces of fresh fruit or vegetable

juice daily.

 

Use extra seasonings, spices, and flavorings, but avoid flavorings that are

very sweet or very bitter. A higher sensitivity to the taste of food may cause

them to taste flavorless or boring.

Eat soft or moist foods while avoiding hard, dry foods.

 

Take small bites and chew completely.

 

Drink at least 48 ounces of pure water daily in addition to the 18 to 24

ounces of fresh fruit or vegetable juice.

 

 

Should antioxidants be avoided during chemotherapy treatments?

 

One of the most controversial recommendations is the recommendation to use

antioxidant nutrients during the active phase of treatment. While there is

little concern with using antioxidant nutrients after the completion of a course

of chemotherapy or radiation treatment the concern that many oncologists have is

that antioxidant nutrients will interfere with the effectiveness of conventional

therapies.

 

Is this fear valid? According to many experts, the answer is no.

 

Dr. Kedar Prasad and his colleagues at the Center for Vitamins and Cancer

Research at the University of Colorado Health Science Center's Department of

Radiology in Denver are among the most knowledgeable experts in this field. Dr.

Prasad has stated that the concerns over the use of high dosage antioxidants

during chemotherapy and radiation " are not valid. " Dr. Prasad feels that " based

on results of our studies and others, we have proposed a hypothesis that

supplementation with high doses of multiple antioxidant vitamins, together with

diet modification and lifestyle changes may improve the efficacy of standard and

experimental cancer therapies by reducing their toxicity on normal cells and by

enhancing their growth-inhibitory effects on cancer cells. "

 

The bottom line is that in addition to countless animal studies, the majority of

human studies have shown patients treated with antioxidants during chemotherapy

and/or radiation tolerate standard treatment better, have a better quality of

life, and most importantly, live longer than patients receiving no supplements.

 

For example, the conclusion in a study in patients with small-cell lung cancer

using combination chemotherapy of cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin (doxorubicin),

and vincristine with radiation and a combination of antioxidants, vitamins,

trace elements, and fatty acids was that the nutritional support significantly

prolonged the survival time of patients.3

 

But, my oncologist told me scientific evidence shows that antioxidants interfere

with chemotherapy, what should I do?

 

When oncologists cite " scientific evidence " that antioxidants interfere with

chemotherapy and radiation, they tend to ignore the fact that the majority of

these sorts of studies show predominantly beneficial effects.

 

The scientific evidence that oncologists often refer to consist primarily of

animal studies where they fed animals (usually via an injection into the

intestines) dosages of an antioxidant that far exceed the amount normally

recommended or in vitro (test tube) studies that used concentrations of

antioxidants not achievable in living systems.

 

For example, when vitamin E is given to mice at dosages not likely to be

achieved with normal supplementation in humans (e.g., dosage greater than 35,000

IU) it can reduce the effectiveness of radiation therapy.4

 

However, based upon human and animal studies, vitamin E at commonly used dosages

does not interfere with radiation therapy or chemotherapy and actually appears

to enhance the success of these treatment.5,6

 

The same can be said with CoQ10 and many other antioxidants. The only real

exception is N-acetylcysteine - a derivative of the naturally occurring amino

acid cysteine. NAC has not been shown to significantly effect treatment outcome

and carries with it some risk of inhibiting chemotherapy agents (e.g.,

cisplatin).7,8 So, I do not recommend it being used during active treatment with

any chemotherapy agent. After chemotherapy is over, then NAC may be of benefit

in reversing kidney or nerve damage.

 

As far as what to do, I think that it is extremely important to develop a

relationship with an oncologist or cancer treatment center that you have

confidence in and that you can communicate with. That may seem like a difficult

task, but it can be done. I encourage you to discuss any supplement use with

your physician. If your physician is not familiar with the scientific literature

that supports the use of antioxidants during chemotherapy and radiation

treatments, then I would refer them to the review article written by Dr. Kedar

Prasad and his colleagues: High Doses of Antioxidant Vitamins: Essential

Ingredients in Improving the Efficacy of Standard Cancer Therapy published in

the Journal of the American College of Nutrition (see reference #1). Hopefully,

when your oncologist becomes more familiar with the facts they will support your

use of the recommendations I am making here.

 

Why is it important to take a high potency multiple vitamin and mineral if you

are on chemotherapy?

 

Since the immune system requires a constant source of virtually every nutrient,

it only makes sense that a high-potency multiple-vitamin and mineral formula is

the first step in supporting the immune system with nutritional supplementation

in patients on chemotherapy. Deficiencies of virtually any nutrient can result

in significantly impaired immune function especially deficiencies of vitamins C,

E, A, B6, B12, and folic acid. Minerals that are especially important are zinc

and selenium.

 

What do you mean by regular consumption of " greens " drinks?

 

Green drinks is the term that we are using to describe green tea and a number of

commercially available products containing dehydrated barley grass, wheat grass,

or algae sources such as chlorella or spirulina that are then " rehydrated " by

mixing with water.

 

The product that I recommend, Enriching Greens, is packed full of

phytochemicals, especially helpful in fighting against cancer. Greens drinks

should not be used in patients taking coumadin (Warfarin) - a drug that blocks

blood clotting by interfering with the actions of vitamin K. Since greens drinks

can be a good source of vitamin K, it is important for people taking coumadin to

avoid the drinks.

 

What is Maitake D- or M,D-fraction?

 

The maitake mushroom (Grifola frondosa) is the source of immune enhancing

compounds that are being shown to offer significant health benefits. In the

early 1980s, Dr. Hiroaki Nanba of Japan was researching the immune enhancing

properties of mushrooms when he came to the conclusion that maitake extracts

demonstrated more pronounced antitumor activity in animal tests than other

mushroom extracts.

 

One of the key benefits to maitake was the ability to be quite effective when

given orally. In contrast, the other mushrooms Dr. Nanba was studying such as

shiitake were only effective when injected into the bloodstream.

 

In 1984, Dr. Nanba identified a fraction of maitake that possessed a significant

ability to stimulate white blood cells known as macrophages (literal translation

" big eaters " ). These specialized white blood cells phagocytize or engulf foreign

particles including cancer cells, bacteria, and cellular debris. Dr. Nanba

termed his discovery maitake D-fraction. Further purification of the D-fraction

yielded the M,D-fraction (U.S. Patent #5,854,404), which is even more bioactive

than the D-fraction.

 

Maitake beta-glucan fractions appear to help reduce the side effects of

conventional chemotherapy (and radiation) while at the same time enhancing its

effectiveness. In 1994, a group from China published findings from a pilot study

on 63 cancer patient reporting a total effective rate against solid tumors at

higher than 95% and the effective rate against leukemia higher than 90%.9

 

In a preliminary study conducted by Dr. Nanba, 165 patients with advanced

cancer were given maitake extract.10 In the patients who were also on

chemotherapy, 90% of the patients experienced a reduction in the side effects

common to chemotherapy including hair loss, decreased white blood cell counts,

nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite.

 

 

 

Maitake was shown to effectively reduce pain levels in 83% of the patients.

 

 

 

The results were best in breast, lung, and liver cancers. Dr. Nanba reported

significant improvement in symptoms or regression of tumors in 73.3% of patients

with breast cancer, 66.6% in lung cancer, and 46.6% in liver cancer.

 

The dosage of maitake extracts is based upon the level of the D- or

M,D-fraction. The therapeutic dosage range is based upon body weight, 0.5mg to

1.0 mg for every 2.2 pounds (1 kg) of body weight per day. That translates to a

dosage of approximately 35-70 mg of the D- or M,D-fraction. The dosage

recommendation for prevention is typically 5 to 15 mg of the D- or M,D-fraction.

For best results take 20 minutes before meals or on an empty stomach.

 

What are proteolytic enzymes?

 

Proteolytic enzymes (or proteases) refer to the various enzymes that digest

(break down into smaller units) protein. These enzymes include the pancreatic

proteases chymotrypsin and trypsin, bromelain (pineapple enzyme), papain (papaya

enzyme), fungal proteases, and Serratia peptidase (the " silk worm " enzyme).

 

Proteolytic enzymes have a long history of use in cancer treatment. The clinical

research that currently exists on proteolytic enzymes suggests significant

benefits in the treatment of many forms of cancer. Clinical studies have shown

improvements in the general condition of patients, quality of life, and modest

to significant improvements in life expectancy.11

 

 

 

Studies have consisted of patients with cancers of the breast lung, stomach,

head and neck, ovaries, cervix, and colon; and lymphomas and multiple myeloma.

 

These studies involved the use of proteolytic enzymes in conjunction with

conventional therapy (surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation) indicating that

proteolytic enzymes can be used in conjunction with these conventional

therapies.

 

Proteolytic enzymes should be taken on an empty stomach when being used for

effects other than as a digestive aid. The following recommendations reflect

dosages for cancer patients undergoing active treatment for their cancers. For

maintenance, use the lowest dosage. I recommend starting at the lower dosage

level and working up to the upper dosage level in weekly increments.

 

 

Pancreatin: The dosage recommendation for full-strength 8X USP pancreatic

enzyme is typically 300-900 mg three times a day immediately before meals.

 

Chymotrypsin (1 mg = 1,000 USP units): 180 to 540 mg three times a day

immediately before meals.

 

Trypsin (1 mg - 25,000 USP units): 3-9 mg three times daily immediately

before meals.

 

 

Bromelain (1,200- to 1,800-mcu): 250 to 750 mg three times per day between

meals.

 

Fungal proteases: The dosage is based upon the activity based upon the USP

method: 15,000-45,000 USP three times daily.

 

Papain (1 mg = 30,000 USP units): Papain is rarely used alone as a cancer

adjunct, it is normally combined with other proteolytic enzymes at a dosage of

50 to 150 mg three times daily.

 

Serratia peptidase: For Peptizyme SP®, 50 to 150 mg three times daily.

 

 

Because the animal and vegetarian-derived enzymes have slightly different

effects, I recommend using formulas such as Zymactive and Wobenzyme that contain

a combination of both pancreatin and vegetarian enzymes for maximum benefit.

 

What is curcumin and how does it help the cancer patient?

 

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric (Curcuma longa) - the chief

ingredient in curry. It has demonstrated significant activity in many

experimental and clinical studies involving inflammation and anticancer

properties. It exerts a complex set of actions beneficial for the prevention and

treatment of cancer.

 

 

The anticancer effects of turmeric and curcumin have been demonstrated at all

steps of cancer formation: initiation, promotion, and progression.12 The

protective effects of curcumin are only partially explained by its direct

antioxidant effect. Other anticancer effects noted include the ability to:

inhibit the formation of cancer-causing nitrosamines; enhance the body's levels

of anticancer compounds such as glutathione; promote the proper detoxification

of cancer-causing compounds by the liver; and prevent the over expression of the

enzyme cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2). This enzyme produces pro-inflammatory and

cancer promoting derivatives of essential fatty acids (prostaglandins of the 2

series).

 

Curcumin has demonstrated significant antitumor results in a number of

experimental models of prostate, breast, skin, colon, stomach and liver cancers.

Its effects are thought to be the result of several mechanisms:

 

 

Inhibiting angiogenesis. The growth of tumors is dependent on developing new

blood vessels to feed it.

 

Inhibiting epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor sites. About two-thirds of

all cancers overproduce EGF receptor sites thereby increasing the sensitivity of

the cancer cells to this substance that stimulates cellular proliferation.

 

Inhibiting fibroblast growth factor. (BGF). This growth factor promotes

angiogenesis - the formation of new blood vessels to feed the growing tumor.

 

Inhibiting nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-kb). Many cancers over produce this

growth factor to escape arrest of cellular proliferation.

 

Increasing apoptosis (cellular suicide) of cancer cells.

 

Inhibiting enzymes within tumor cells that promote growth.

 

 

The recommended dosage for curcumin is 200-400mg three times a day.

 

Why do you recommend coenzyme Q10 for people taking doxorubicin?

 

This drug is especially harmful to the heart and can produce serious damage to

the heart (cardiomyopathy). In fact, the damage to the heart is often life

threatening. A number of studies have shown CoQ10 can prevent the cardiac

toxicity associated with doxorubicin without reducing the anti-tumor

effect.13,14 For best results, I recommend using Clear Q™ by Natural Factors. In

order to enhance the absorption and utilization of CoQ10, some manufacturers

have looked to synthetic compounds to enhance the solubility of CoQ10. Instead

of following this approach, Natural Factors has chosen to utilize nature

instead. Using a patent pending process known as Lipcom® (short for lipid

compression), they dissolved CoQ10 in the purest form of natural vitamin E

(Clear Base™ Vitamin E; pure, 100% natural d-alpha tocopheryl acetate). The

result is that the CoQ10 is biologically enhanced due to increased absorption,

utilization, and function. In a preliminary study, blood levels of CoQ10 at six

hours

after taking Clear Q produced an increase that was 235% greater than the

increase achieved with standard CoQ10. Equally impressive is the fact that blood

levels of CoQ10 after six hours from taking a loading dosage of Clear Q can

reach above 2.5 mcg/ml - considered the blood level required in order to achieve

consistent results with CoQ10.

 

By providing the CoQ10 dissolved in the vitamin E, absorption is not only

enhanced, but also the likelihood that the CoQ10 will remain in its active form.

CoQ10 is present in the blood in both oxidized (inactive) and reduced (active)

form. During times of increased oxidative stress or low vitamin E levels, more

CoQ10 will be converted to its oxidized (inactive form). Thus, by providing high

levels of pure vitamin E the biological activity and function of CoQ10 is

enhanced. In addition, the CoQ10 actually enhances vitamin E activity as well.

For people on doxorubicin, I recommend taking two capsules of ClearQ daily. Like

CoQ10, vitamin E prevents the negative effects of doxorubicin without decreasing

its therapeutic effects.6,15

 

Do you have any special supplement recommendations for breast and prostate

cancer?

 

Yes, there are two other supplements that I recommend to these patients:

indole-3-carbinol (I3C) at a dosage of 300 to 400 mg daily and calcium

D-glucarate at a dosage of 400 to 1,200 mg daily. IC3 is one of the chief

anticancer compounds from cabbage family vegetables. IC3 is especially

protective against breast, prostate, and cervical cancer because of a number of

actions including an ability to increase the breakdown of estrogen. Preliminary

studies have also shown that taking I3C as a dietary supplement significantly

increased the conversion of estrogen from cancer-producing forms to non-toxic

breakdown products.16,17

 

Calcium D-glucarate is also important because it inhibits an enzyme in the gut

that interferes with the elimination of excess estrogen.18 One of the key ways

in which the body gets rid of estrogen is via attaching glucuronic acid to the

estrogen in the liver and then excreting this complex in the bile. Glucuronidase

is a bacterial enzyme that uncouples (breaks) the bond between excreted estrogen

and glucuronic acid. By inhibiting this enzyme calcium D-glucarate promotes the

excretion of estrogen.

Another important recommendation in breast or prostate cancer is to consume

ground flaxseeds. Flaxseeds contain an important group of anticancer compounds

known as lignans. Flaxseeds are easy to grind with a coffee grinder, food

processor or blender. I recommend one or two tablespoons daily added to foods

such as hot cereals, salads, or smoothies.

 

While it is better known that flaxseed lignans can prevent and even shrink

breast cancer, flaxseed lignans also bind to male hormone receptors and promote

the elimination of testosterone. In a study of men with prostate cancer, a

low-fat diet (= 20% of total calories) supplemented with 30 grams of ground

flaxseed (roughly two tablespoons) reduced serum testosterone by 15%, slowed the

growth rate of cancer cells, and increased the death rate of cancer cells after

only 34 days, according to a study conducted at the Duke University Medical

Center and Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center.19

 

References:

 

 

Prasad KN, Kumar A, Kochupillai V, Cole WC. High doses of multiple

antioxidant vitamins: essential ingredients in improving the efficacy of

standard cancer therapy. J Am Coll Nutr 1999;18(1):13-25.

 

Lamson DW, Brignall MS. Antioxidants in cancer therapy; their actions and

interactions with oncologic therapies. Altern Med Rev 1999;4(5):304-29.

 

Jaakkola K, Lahteenmaki P, Laakso J, et al. Treatment with antioxidant and

other nutrients in combination with chemotherapy and irradiation in patients

with small-cell lung cancer. Anticancer Res 1992;12:599-606.

 

Sakamoto K, Sakka M. Reduced effect of irradiation on normal and malignant

cells irradiated in vivo in mice pretreated with vitamin E. Br J Radiology

1973;46:538-540.

 

Kagreud A, Peterson HI. Tocopherol in irradiation of experimental neoplasms.

Acta Radiol Oncol 1981;20:97-100.

 

Perez Ripoll EA, Rama BN, Webber MM. Vitamin E enhances the chemotherapeutic

effects of adriamycin on human prostatic carcinoma cells in vitro. J Urol

1986;136:529-531.

 

Olson RD, Stroo WE, Boerth RC. Influence of N-acetylcysteine on the antitumor

activity of doxorubicin. Semin Oncol 1983;10:S29-S34.

 

Roller A, Weller M. Antioxidants specifically inhibit cisplatin cytotoxicity

of human malignant glioma cells. Anticancer Res 1998;18:4493-4497.

 

Nanba H. Maitake D-fraction: healing and preventive potential for cancer. J

Orthomol Med 1997;12:43-49.

 

Nanba H. Results of non-controlled clinical study for various cancer patients

using maitake D-fraction. Explore 1995;6:19-21.

Leipner J and Saller R: Systemic enzyme therapy in oncology: effect and mode

of action. Drugs. 2000;59:769-80.

Li JK, Lin-Shia SY. Mechanisms of cancer chemoprevention by curcumin. Proc

Natl Sci Counc Repub China 2001;25(2):59-66.

Dorai T, Cao YC, Dorai B, Buttyan R, Katz AE. Therapeutic potential of

curcumin in human prostate cancer. III. Curcumin inhibits proliferation, induces

apoptosis, and inhibits angiogenesis of LNCaP prostate cancer cells in vivo.

Prostate 2001;47(4):293-303.

Shaeffer J, El-Mahdi AM, Nichols RK. Coenzyme Q10 and adriamycin toxicity in

mice. Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol 1980;29;309-315.

Iarussi D, Auricchio U, Agretto A, et al. Protective effect of coenzyme Q10

on anthracyclines cardiotoxicity: control study in children with acute

lymphoblastic leukemia and non-hodgkin lymphoma. Molec Aspects Med

1994;15:S207-S212.

Sonneveld P. Effect of alpha-tocopherol on the cardiotoxicity of adriamycin

in the rat. Cancer Treat Rep 1978;62:1033-1036.

Wong GY, Bradlow L, Sepkovic D, et al. Dose-ranging study of

indole-3-carbinol for breast cancer prevention.Cell Biochem Suppl

1997;28-29:111-6.

Bell MC, Crowley-Nowick P, Bradlow HL, et al. Placebo-controlled trial of

indole-3-carbinol in the treatment of CIN. Gynecol Oncol 2000;78(2):123-9.

Walaszek Z, Szemraj J, Narog M, et al. Metabolism, uptake, and excretion of a

D-glucaric acid salt and its potential use in cancer prevention. Cancer

Detection Prevention 1997;21:178-90.

Demark-Wahnefried W, Price DT, Polascik TJ, et al. Pilot study of dietary fat

restriction and flaxseed supplementation in men with prostate cancer before

surgery: exploring the effects on hormonal levels, prostate-specific antigen,

and histopathologic features. Urology 2001;58(1):47-52.

 

 

 

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