Category: Integrative Cancer Support

Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is a type of ultraviolet blood irradiation that is being studies extensively right now for a variety of conditions such as cancer, infections, pain and inflammation. As we noted earlier we are enrolling patients in a study on this treatment. STUDY: Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2015 Jul;31(4):184-94. doi: 10.1111/phpp.12175. Epub 2015 Mar 28. The effect of extracorporeal photopheresis alone or in combination therapy on circulating CD4(+) Foxp3(+) CD25(-) T cells in patients with leukemic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Shiue LH(1,)(2), Couturier J(3,)(4), Lewis DE(3,)(4), Wei C(5), Ni X(1,)(2), Duvic M(1,)(2). Author information: (1)Department of Dermatology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. (2)Graduate Program in Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA. (3)Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA. (4)Graduate Program in Virology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA. (5)Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. PURPOSE: Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) alone or in combination therapy is effective for treatment of leukemic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (L-CTCL), but its mechanism(s) of action remain...

Metformin is a drug that is used primarily to lower blood sugar in prediabetes or diabetes. In recent years research continues to show benefits for arresting cancer cell growth as well.  Metformin affects multiple key processes related to cell growth, proliferation, and survival through a number rof pathways. Metformin decreases the amount of glucose produced by the liver and reduces the bloodstream level and cellular uptake of insulin. The reduced insulin stimulation results in reduced activation of insulin receptors on cell membranes, triggering a cascade of intracellular molecular pathways that may be activated in different types of cancer cells. At this point we recommend it to most cancer patients.  

Brief History The predecessor of naturopathy may have been the great Jewish philosopher Maimonides (1135-1204) who, in contrast to many of his medical colleagues, downplayed the importance of drugs and surgery and argued that diet, exercise, and mental outlook were the keys to vibrant health. A court physician to the royal family in Cairo, Egypt, his book Preservation of Youth, espoused completely natural methods. Written for a dissolute young prince who suffered everything from depression to indigestion he warned, “overeating is like a deadly poison to any constitution and the principle cause of all diseases.”    The German Christoph Wilhelm Hufeland (1762-1836), who served as royal physician to the King of Prussia, is regarded as one of the founders of holistic medicine. A prolific author and proponent of “Nature Cure,” which consisted of hydrotherapy (cleansing the colon with a water flush), air and light baths, vegetarian diet and herbal remedies, Hufeland was also a great fan of mineral springs and “Water Cure” (popularized by Sebastian Kneipp). His most successful written work, The Art of Prolonging Human Life (1796), became one the most widely read books on preventive medicine and was the first natural health best seller. Hufeland coined the phrase...

We have all heard it so many times, exercise is good for the heart, keeps you slim, and makes you feel good. But I find that people forget just how good exercise is at slowing down aging. Have you ever wondered if your intense exercise program was shortening your life? Could raising your metabolic rate over time lead to accelerated aging? According to the medical literature…apparently not. In fact most of the research indicates that sports such as XC skiing, bicycling and running extend life span.  There are over thirteen thousand papers in the medical literature on exercise therapy. It is one of the most powerful tools we have for changing physiology and modifying disease progression. I have found that people don’t exercise regularly enough and get lazy in the winter or summer depending on his/her preferred sport. Taking too much time off can be a disaster for your conditioning as well as your waistline. In this article I will discuss how exercise can slow down aging and keep you living a longer and healthier life.   Exercise Increases Antioxidant Defense Enzymes A leading theory in the study of how we age is the “free radical theory.”  The upshot of...

Each patient's cancer has a specific genetic and molecular signature that may dramatically affect how it will respond to different treatments. These test are availible through our clinic in Boulder, CO. Tumor cell analysis N-of-One www.n-of-one.com (biopsy specimen needed). Caris Diagnostics http://www.carislifesciences.com/ (biopsy specimen needed).These may help determine any specific signaling molecules evident on the surface or interior of the cancer cell. This can then lead towards the appropriate targeting agents, agents that are targeted directly at the mutation or the finding. This can be very valuable in the naturopathic setting as well however many “small molecules” or targeting agents are only available under clinical trial but we have developed methodologies to interface with such if necessary. It may be reimbursable via Medicare or just covered expense Chemo sensitivity testing on Circulating tumor cells Ok if you are open to chemotherapy based on the results.... also known as the Greek test. The only lab that does this complete job is RGCC Gen-Lab in Athens, Greece. http://www.rgcc-genlab.com. We have sent there before and have had good results when our patients undergo the chemotherapies that the test suggests.