Battling Cancer

Acupuncture is used as both an alternative and a complementary cancer therapy and is utilized for cancer and associated treatment symptoms.

Alternative therapy is a plan of care that is utilized instead of the traditionally recommended therapy. Complementary therapy works hand-in-hand with traditional therapies. For more information on complementary and alternative therapies for cancer see the Battling Cancer archives.

The American Cancer Society lists important guidelines to understanding these therapies to help the cancer patient make informed decisions.

Mayo Clinic lists acupuncture in it’s list of recommended alternative treatments saying :

“Alternative cancer treatments can’t cure your cancer, but they may provide some relief from signs and symptoms caused by cancer and cancer treatments. Common signs and symptoms such as anxiety, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, difficulty sleeping, and stress may be lessened by alternative treatments.”

In fact many cancer treatment facilities offer acupuncture as part of their complementary and alternative therapy programs.

Check out MD Anderson’s CancerWise for an in depth interview with an acupuncture physician, The American Cancer Society site on acupuncture.

So how does acupuncture work? There are several theories.

The Western culture theory of acupuncture is that it stimulates nerves, muscles and connective tissues also stimulating the blood flow and stimulating the body’s endorphins to relieve pain or relieves pain via the gate theory. The gate theory is that of not removing pain but of blocking pain.

The Eastern theory of acupuncture is that energy flows through the body at meridians. When these meridians are blocked pain and illness ensue. Acupuncture restores this flow and energy harmony. This Youtube video explains this theory.

Acupuncture sessions require the placement of sterile needles which are inserted at key points and remain in place for approximately twenty minutes.

Acupuncture Facts from the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture:

• Non-physician acupuncturists are required by law in most states to use disposable one-time-use sterilized needles. Physicians because of their experience and background in infection control have the prerogative of using re-usable sterilized needles. These needles would need to be sterilized in the same way as any surgical instrument.

• While the degree of beneficial results from acupuncture treatment is dependent on various clinical factors such as presenting symptoms, clinical staging, timing of the encounter in the course of the illness, areas of involvement, the answer to the opening question “can acupuncture help me?” is, in all probability, that it can help in the care of the cancer patient.

• Acupuncture treatments vary because of the wide variations in the styles of acupuncture performed. Generally three to fifteen needles will be placed. Costs vary depending on locale and practitioners training and experience.

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Shark Cartilage Therapy involves the use of shark cartilage as a food supplement. Cartilage is a connective tissue. Found in the head and fins of sharks, it is ground into powder and used in capsule form. Many people prefer the enema form due to the size and taste of the capsules. It can also be injected Bovine cartilage is another type of therapy not to be confused with shark cartilage.

Shark Cartilage Therapy is considered a form of antiangiogenesis.

Antiangiogenesis or anti-angiogenesis is a type of therapy that uses pharmacology or other substances to stop cancer cells from creating new blood vessels.

Antiangiogenesis agents don’t target the cancer tumor; their focus is the blood vessels that nourish the cancer tumors, literally starving the tumors.

Dietary supplements are available and marketed as Carticin, Cartilade, and BeneFin. These supplements are not regulated by the FDA. Per NCCAM (The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) “In the United States, herbal and other dietary supplements are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as foods. This means that they do not have to meet the same standards as drugs and over-the-counter medications for proof of safety, effectiveness, and what the FDA calls Good Manufacturing Practices.”

In 2004 the FDA did order the manufacturers of BeneFin to stop advertising the product as a cancer cure and to refund customers.

Primary side effects of cartilage include alterations in taste.

The National Cancer Institute also reports the following side effects:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal cramps
• Constipation
• Low blood pressure
• Higher than normal blood sugar
• General weakness.
• A higher than normal blood calcium levels

Neovastat (AE-941) is a new drug from highly purified extract of shark cartilage. Neovastat is regulated by the FDA and is not available to the public, as it is still undergoing investigative research. Used as a liquid form it may be more readily utilized by the body than other forms which are thought to be simply excreted.

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Gerson Therapy is an alternative cancer therapy based on the theory and practise of removing toxins from the body, and cleansing the body, particularily the liver, utilizing treatments such as coffee enemas. The use of organic foods and supplements then boosts the metabolism.

Considered a holistic, nutrition based, metobolic therapy it was created by Max Gerson, a German physician.

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Today’s post is in response to a reader email.

Laetrile, also known as amygdalin, Vitamin B 17, sarcarcinase and nitriloside, was first promoted as a vitamin supplement; however it is not a true vitamin. The substance is created from crushed pits of apricots, peaches, plums, cherries, nectarines, apples, and almonds. There is no disease that is associated with a deficiency of Vitamin B 17. In the body this substance is metabolized into cyanide.

It is utilized for arthritis pain relief, to lower blood pressure and as an anti cancer agent. None of these are proven treatments.

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The Mayo Clinic lists 11 alternative cancer therapies, three of which are exercise, yoga and Tai Chi. Per the Mayo Clinic: “Alternative cancer treatments won’t play any role in curing your cancer, but they may help you cope with signs and symptoms caused by cancer and cancer treatments. Common signs and symptoms such as anxiety, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, difficulty sleeping, and stress may be lessened by alternative treatments. ”

What’s Yoga? Yoga is a mind and body therapy that includes gentle stretches, breathing practices, and progressive deep relaxation. Visit the Yoga Center site for information on the many types of yoga.

What’s Tai Chi? A form of exercise that utilizes slow gentle movements and deep relaxed breathing. A weight bearing exercise it builds strength, muscle tone, improves circulation, balance, flexibility, posture, coordination and range of motion. For more information on Tai Chi and cancer and limited research studies see the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center site. While there are only minimal differences between yoga and Tai Chi; Tai Chi is also a martial art.

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Gene Therapy is an approach to treating diseases or genetic abnormalities at the genetic level. This therapy uses DNA as a medicine to treat disease.

Gene Therapy may involve replacing an abnormal or absent gene with a normal one, removing a malfunctioning gene or introducing a new gene to fight disease or for other reasons. This is considered an experimental therapy which is currently being conducted in clinical trials.

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Nutrition therapy for cancer patients runs a spectrum of definitions which include:

• maintaining the body’s immune system to keep a cancer patient in optimal condition, which will prevent an increase in hospital time while implementing traditional therapies

• a nutritional cancer prevention plan and post cancer nutrition plan

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How come Sherlock Holmes never paid any income taxes?

Brilliant deductions.

Laughter therapy is one of my personal favorite complementary and alternative medicine therapies.

Laughter has been proven through clinical trials to boost endorphins, our natural pain killers, and suppress epinephrine the stress hormone. The result is less pain and less stress. Less pain and less stress is an obvious boost for the immune system. A very good thing.

Once again the healing power of the mind comes into play here. Laughter is not proven to cure but it certainly is a tool, part of your arsenal in the battle against cancer.

Laughter the Best Medicine, Research Points to the Power of a Good Giggle. This report by ABC News shares that “a study of 20 men and women conducted at the University of Maryland School of Medicine found that 95 percent of the volunteers experienced increased blood flow while watching a funny movie, such as There’s Something About Mary, while 74 percent had decreased blood flow during a heavier picture, such as Saving Private Ryan. The results lasted about 12 to 24 hours.”

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Who remembers playing Pac-Man? Come on, ‘fess up. Basically Pac-Man moves through the maze eating the dots.

If you need a refresher, here’s a Tribute to Pac-Man from YouTube.

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Score one major point for alternative cancer care: Dr. Judah Folkman, widely considered the father of anti-angiogenesis cancer therapeutics, recently gave the keynote address to a standing-room only crowd of complementary medicine supporters at the 8th annual lecture series for the Lenny Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies.

His talk, which covered his research interests and the emerging role of nutritional supplements in anti-angiogenic therapy, helped further validate the importance of integrative approaches alongside traditional cancer care. Dr. Folkman gave even more encouraging news to practitioners who gathered at Boston’s Dana Farber Cancer Institute by describing recent research that connects moderate exercise to the release of natural anti-angiogenic factors that may inhibit some tumor growth.

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