There is no question that various natural products offer significant protection against cancer. What is much more controversial is whether natural products have any value in treating cancer. Our first argument to support the use of natural medicines in treating cancer is to simply point out that many conventional drugs used in chemotherapy come from plants, such as vincristine and vinblastine from the periwinkle plant and paclitaxel from the Pacific yew tree. Of course, while our goal is similar (destruction of the cancer), the path that we are choosing to recommend here is a little different. Instead of targeting cancer cell destruction by toxic means like chemotherapy agents, we are trying to engage the body’s own cancer-fighting mechanisms.

We have chosen eight cancer-fighting natural products that we are calling the Super Eight. These are listed in what we believe is their order of overall effectiveness. We based our ranking on five key criteria:

• clinical evidence of effectiveness
• scientific rationale
• safety compatibility with conventional therapies
• our own clinical experience

The Super-Eight Natural Medicines for Cancer Treatment

1. Proteolytic enzymes
2. Curcumin (from Curcuma longa)
3. Quercetin
4. Maitake D- or MD-fraction
5. Fagonia cretica
6. Polyerga
7. Modified citrus pectin
8. Ip6 (inositol hexaphosphate)

While these Super Eight are important, they certainly do not represent the only products that we recommend. Also, it is not necessary in most cases to take all eight. For example, most patients won’t need to take both curcumin and quercetin, or both maitake MD-fraction and PSK. The choice will depend on the type of cancer they have or the conventional treatment. Determining which supplements are best for your needs is discussed in Appendix B, Daily Plan for Beating Cancer.

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 “silkworm” enzyme).

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

In 1906, John Beard, a Scottish embryologist, reported in his book The Enzyme Treatment of treatment of cancer and Its Scientific Basis on the successful treatment of cancer using a pancreatic extract. Proteolytic enzymes have been promoted by numerous alternative cancer practitioners for many years, but most recently by Nicholas Gonzalez.

More than two decades ago, while attending Cornell University medical College, He began researching the use of oral proteolytic enzyme therapy as a treatment for cancer. At that time, he met Wiliam Donald Kelley, a Texas dentist who for twenty years had been treating cancer patients with proteolytic enzymes. Eventually, what began as a student project developed into a two-year formal research effort that He pursued during his formal training in immunology.

He reviewed records of nearly 10,000 cancer patients who had received proteolytic enzymes. He further interviewed and evaluated over 500 patients with appropriately diagnosed advanced cancer. In 1986, he summarized his findings in a monograph, describing in detail 50 patients whose prognoses were poor but who enjoyed long-term survival or apparent regression while following their nutritional regimen. The report met with skepticism by many in the medical community.

He moved to New York, where he continued his investigations. In July 1993, the National Cancer Institute, as part of its effort to evaluate nontraditional cancer therapies, invited He to conduct a pilot study involving treatment with proteolytic enzymes. He chose patients who had inoperable adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. Of the 11 patients followed in the trial, 9 of 11 (81 percent) lived longer than one year, 5 of 11 (45 percent) lived two years, 4 of 11 lived longer than three years (36 percent), and 2 lived longer than four years. In comparison, in a recent trial of the newly approved drug gemcitabine, of 126 patients with pancreatic cancer, not one lived longer than 19 months.

As a result of the pilot study, the NCI and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine approved funding for a large-scale clinical trial at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York, comparing He’s protocol against gemcitabine in the treatment of inoperable pancreatic cancer. Interested patients can learn more about the study and its objectives.

The Power of Proteolytics

Proteolytic enzymes appear to have a number of valuable anticancer of fects. In addition to increasing the manufacture of cancer-blocking antiproteases, they also inhibit angiogenesis and metastasis, enhance the immune response, and promote differentiation of cancer cells.

Clinical studies have included patients with cancers of the breast lung, stomach, head and neck, ovaries, cervix, and colon, and lymphomas and multiple myeloma. Results suggest that treatment improves the general condition of patients and their quality of life and produces slight-to-modest increases in life expectancy. Since the pa. tients were also undergoing conventional treatment, it appears that prom teolytic enzymes can be used as adjunctive (additional) therapy. They are especially helpful in fighting against viral infections as a result of chemotherapy-induced immune suppression. Table 8-1 summarizes the results of several studies that used the following combination of enzymes:

Table 8-1. Proteolytic Enzyme Studies Patients Receiving Chemotherapy

For years, experts opposed to the use of orally administered proteolytic enzymes claimed that these products got digested before they could be absorbed in the body or that the molecules were too large to be absorbed at all. More recent research has shown, however, that these enzymes are indeed absorbed intact.

Table 8-1. Proteolytic Enzyme Studies (Continued) Patients Receiving Radiation Therapy

How to Pick an Effective Product

To get the most out of proteolytic enzymes, the first step is to use a high-quality product, and the second step is to take an adequate dosage. To judge the quality of an enzyme preparation, it is vital that you know what you are looking for. Most of the proteolytic enzymes have wellestablished guidelines developed by the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) or the Food Chemical Codex (FCC). We recommend avoiding products whose potency is not listed.

Proteolytic enzyme products are often “enteric-coated”-meaning that the pill has a coating around it to prevent the pill from being broken down in the stomach, where the acid would destroy the enzyme. An enteric-coated pill passes into the small intestine, where because of the pH change it will break down there. Non-enteric-coated enzyme preparations appear to be acceptable to use if they are taken prior to a meal for digestive purposes) or on an empty stomach (for anticancer or antiinflammatory effects).

Because the animal- and vegetarian-derived enzymes have slightly different effects, we recommend using a combination of enzymes similar to the mixture used in the clinical studies for maximum benefit such Wobenzyme (Naturally Vitamins) or Zymactive (Natural Factors).

Proteolytic enzymes have an excellent safety profile, but there are situations in which they should not be used. For example, do not use proteolytic enzymes two to three days before or after surgery, because they might increase the risk of bleeding. Afterward, proteolytic enzymes are very important and may be helpful against lymphedema (discussed on page 223).

Also, because the effects of proteolytic enzymes during pregnancy and lactation have not been sufficiently evaluated, do not use them during these times unless directed to do so by a physician.

Although no significant side effects have been noted with any of the proteolytic enzymes, allergic reactions might occur (as they can with most therapeutic agents). Pancreatic enzymes should not be used by anyone allergic to pork; bromelain should not be used by anyone allergic to pineapple; and papain should not be used by anyone sensitive to papaya.

Dosages for Individual Proteolytic Enzymes

A Closer Look at the Proteases

PANCREATIN|Pancreatin is an enzyme prepared from fresh hog pan creas. The two primary proteases of pancreatin are chymotrypsin and trypsin (also available from ox bile). These proteases are also available separately.

The USP has set a strict definition for activity levels of pancreatin Each mg of a 1X pancreatin product has at least

• 25 USP units of amylase activity
• 2 USP units of lipase activity and
• 25 USP units of protease activity

Higher-potency pancreatin is given a whole-number multiple indicating its strength. For example, a pancreatic extract that is 4 times more active than the 1X USP standard is labeled 4X USP. We recommend that our patients take only the full-strength product (8X), however. That’s because lower-potency products (1X or 4X) are often dilured with salt, lactose, or galactose. These products can still be effective, but you will need to increase the dosage.

BROMELAIN| Bromelain refers to a group of sulfur-containing proteases obtained from the pineapple plant (Ananas comusus). Commercial bromelain is usually derived from the stem, which differs from the bromelain found in the fruit. Bromelain has shown anticancer effects in test tube and animal studies. Human research indicates that it might augment standard chemotherapy treatment and might also directly activate key immune functions often deficient in cancer patients.

The activity of bromelain is defined according to two methods: milkclotting units (mcu) and gelatin-digesting units (gdu). Both numerical values are virtually the same (that is, mcu = gdu), and either method is acceptable. For most indications, the recommended mcu or gdu of bromelain range is 1200 to 1800.

FUNGAL PROTEASES| Aspergillus oryzae is a mold (fungus) that produces enzymes important in the production of fermented soy foods such as soy sauce, tamari, and miso. These same enzymes are also used for medicinal purposes. Proteolytic enzymes derived from A. oryzae offer an advantage over other fungal proteases in that they demonstrate an unusually high stability and activity under a broader range of pH condition. For example, pepsin is active only below a pH of about 4.5, while pancreatin has digestive activity only in an alkaline medium (pH above 7). In contrast, some preparations of A. oryzae enzymes are stable and active at pH levels ranging from 2 through 12.

PAPAIN| Papain is a mixture of protein-digesting enzymes derived from the green, unripe papaya and is used commercially in many meat tenderizers. Papain activity is measured in USP and FCC papain units. (Some products also use the same units as bromelain–mcu and gdu.) We recommend using papain standardized to provide 30,000 USP per mg.

SERRATIA PEPTIDASE | Serratia peptidase is an enzyme naturally present in the intestine of the silkworm. Its role is to help the emerging moth to dissolve its cocoon. Scientists have figured out how to produce the enzyme commercially by enlisting the help of a bacterium called Serratia species E15. Serratia peptidase has been used in Europe and Asia as a medicine for more than a quarter of century. In fact, it is regarded as the most powerful of the proteolytic enzymes. In clinical trials it has been shown to ease pain from sprains, torn ligaments, and other traumatic injuries, and it relieves postoperative inflammation. It also has been shown to improve sinusitis, upper respiratory tract infections, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as a result of its ability to improve the quality of Auid that lines our airways. Serratia peptidase exerts more powerful effects than chymotryspin and trypsin in all of these applications.

Higher quality products are standardized to provide 200,000 Serratia peptidase units per gram.

Curcumin

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric (Curcuma longa), the chief ingredient in curry. In experimental and clinical studies, curcumin has demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects.

The benefits of turmeric and curcumin have been demonstrated at all stages of cancer formation: initiation, promotion, and progression. Evidence also suggests that curcumin causes cancer to regress–that is, to grow smaller. Some of curcumin’s benefits come from its known activity as an antioxidant. Curcumin also

• inhibits the formation of cancer-causing nitrosamines
• enhances the body’s production of cancer-fighting compounds such as glutathione
• promotes the liver’s proper detoxification of cancer-causing co pounds
• prevents overproduction of cyclooxygenase 2 (cox-2), an enzyme that can contribute to the development of tumors

Curcumin has also been shown to inhibit tumor growth in several ways:

• Inbibiting epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor sites. EGF stimulates cells to proliferate by connecting to a receptor on the cell surface. About two-thirds of all cancers produce an abundance of these receptors, which make them highly sensitive to EGE By reducing the number of EGF receptors, curcumin decreases the cell’s tendency to proliferate.
• Inhibiting angiogenesis. Fibroblast growth factor is a protein that promotes the formation of new blood vessels to feed the growing tumor. Curcumin inhibits production of this growth factor.
• Inhibiting nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-kb). This is a protein that many cancers produce to block the signals commanding it to stop proliferating.
• Increasing the expression of the nuclear p53 protein. This protein is essential for apoptosis, the normal process of cell “suicide.”
• Inhibiting growth-promoting enzymes (see discussion of tyrosine kinase in the section on quercetin, below).

Experimental (test-tube) studies have found that curcumin fights tumors arising from prostate, breast, skin, colon, stomach, and liver cancers. These benefits have also been seen in a human study involving 62 patients who had either ulcerating oral cancer or skin cancer and who had not responded to the standard treatments. Patients received either an ethanol extract of turmeric (for oral cancers) or an ointment containing 0.5 percent curcumin in petroleum jelly. The ointment or extract was applied to the affected area three times daily. After 18 months, the ant had effectively reduced the smell of the lesion (90 percent),itching and oozing (70 percent), pain (50 percent), and the size of the lesion (10 percent). These may not seem like spectacular results—but remember, standard treatments had not worked for these patients.

While more human studies are needed on the use of curcumin in cancer treatment, the experimental and preliminary evidence is quite encouraging

What forms of cancer can be treated with curcumin?

Curcumin appears to be useful in virtually all types of cancer, because of its fundamental mechanisms of actions against cancer progression. In particular, preliminary studies suggest that curcumin is likely to inhibit prostate, breast, skin, colon, stomach, and liver cancers and is suitable for use in conjunction with chemotherapy,

What is the proper dosage for curcumin?

The recommended dosage for curcumin is 200 to 400 mg one to three times a day. The body does not absorb curcumin all that well. To enhance absorption we recommend taking curcumin along with proteolytic enzymes (discussed above). This combination is best taken on an empty stomach 15 to 20 minutes before meals or between meals.

Is curcumin safe?

Curcumin has an excellent safety profile. In fact, no lethal dose has been reached in animal studies. Curcumin at a dosage of 2.5 g/kg fed to mice, rats, guinea pigs, and monkeys produced no mortality or genetic mutations in offspring.

Quercetin

Quercetin is the most common flavonoid in the human diet. The estimated average daily intake in the United States is 25 mg. It’s also the most active of the flavonoids. Many medicinal plants owe much of their activity to their high quercetin levels.

Many flavonoids have been shown to inhibit tumor formation, but quercetin has consistently proved itself the most effective. Quercetin doesn’t attack tumors directly. Instead, it works by keeping cancer cells from dividing. Here’s one example. In human breast cells, the presence of mutant p53 protein—a common cancer mutation leads to uncontrolled cell growth and cancer. But quercetin suppresses the production of mutant p53 protein to nearly undetectable levels.

Quercetin also works by inhibiting a family of enzymes known as tyrosine kinases. These proteins are located in or near the cell membrane When activated, tyrosine kinases send powerful signals to the nucleus telling cancer cells it’s time to divide. In one study, intravenous administration of quercetin inhibited tyrosine kinase in 9 out of 11 patients with advanced cancers. The effects were still being seen up to 16 hours after administration. Drugs targeting tyrosine kinase activity (tyrophostins) are thought to represent a new approach to chemotherapy. They inhibit cancer growth, but because they don’t actually kill cells (including healthy cells), they appear to be free of toxic effects. Quercetin was the first tyrosine kinase-inhibiting compound tested in a human trial. Further research is needed to determine which types of cancer are most likely to benefit from this nontoxic therapy.

As a possible treatment for breast cancer, quercetin appears to work in a unique way. It causes cancer cells to produce type II estrogen receptors (ER II), and then it binds (attaches) to those receptors. By blocking ER Il receptors, quercetin stops growth signals from being generated, thereby keeping the cell from dividing. The more ER II the cell produces in response to quercetin, the more sites there are for quercetin to attach itself to, and the greater the degree of tumor suppression.

What forms of cancer can be treated with quercetin?

In experimental models, quercetin has demonstrated significant antitumor activity against a wide range of cancers, including those of the breast, lung, skin, ovaries, colon, rectum, and brain, and also enhances the effects of chemotherapy while reducing its side effects.In humans, ER II sites are found in normal tissue and on many tumors, in cluding those just mentioned, and in leukemias and melanomas. This suggests that quercetin may be helpful against these cancers as well.

What is the proper dosage for quercetin?

The recommended dosage for quercetin is 200 to 400 mg one to three a day. We recommend talking it with proteolytic enzymes to enhance absorption.

Is quercetin safe?

Human studies have not shown any adverse effects associated with oral Iministration of quercetin in a single dose of up to 4 g or after one month of 500 mg twice daily.

Maitake D-fraction and MD-fraction

The maitake mushroom (Grifola frondosa) is the source of immuneenhancing compounds that offer significant health benefits. In the early 1980s, Hiroaki Nanba of Japan discovered that maitake extracts demonstrated more pronounced antitumor activity in animal tests than other mushroom extracts. One of maitake extract’s key benefits is that it can be taken by mouth, while other mushroom extracts (such as shiitake) are only effective when injected into the bloodstream.

In 1984, He identified a specific component of the mushroom (which he called maitake D-fraction) that possessed a significant ability to stimulate white blood cells known as macrophages (whose name translates literally as “big eaters”). These specialized white blood cells engulf foreign particles, including cancer cells, bacteria, and cellular debris. Further purification produced a more potent version called the MD-fraction. The MD-fraction appears to be about 30 percent more active than the D-fraction.

Maitake fractions consist of complex sugar compounds (polysaccharides known as beta-glucans) and protein. Beta-glucans appear in many forms. Those in the maitake fractions have a unique and complex structure that makes them different from the glucans found in other foods. The biggest difference is a greater number of branching side chains. Scientists believe that the more branches the beta-glucan molecule has, the better the chance that it will reach and activate a greater number of immune cells. The unique branching pattern of maitake MD-fraction makes it the ideal beta-glucan source. In contrast, beta-glucans from other foods, such as oats and barley, tend to form a viscous gel. When consumed with a meal, beta-glucans from oats and barley act as a good source of soluble fiber in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels but they really don’t have much of an impact on the immune system Purified beta-glucans from common baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) possess benefits similar to those of maitake fractions but may not be as well absorbed.

Researchers have identified four primary mechanisms by which maitake fights cancer:

• By protecting healthy cells from becoming cancerous
• By enhancing the immune system’s ability to seek out and destroy cancer cells
• By helping the cell regain control of cell division and programmed cell death (apoptosis)
• By helping to prevent the spreading (metastasis) of cancer

Because maitake MD-fraction is purer than its D-fraction cousin, it is more likely to provide superior results. In a study described in the patent application for the product, both fraction forms were administered to mice who had carcinomas. Tumors in the group receiving the MD-fraction showed significantly more inhibition growth than the tumors in the group given the D-fraction. The researchers also found that MD-fraction had greater effects on white blood cells (macrophage and killer T-cell activity) and on immune system potentiation. Both the D- and MD-fractions are considered to have low toxicity and high safety.

Maitake fractions exert profound effects on immune function. In a nutshell, it appears that the beta-glucans in the MD-fraction bind to receptors on the outer membranes of macrophages and other white blood cells, including natural killer (NK) cells and cytotoxic T cells.These immune cells are very important in protecting against and fighting cancer because they can attack tumor cells directly. Like a key inserted in a lock, the binding of the beta-glucan literally turns white blood cells on, triggering a chain reaction that ultimately results in increased immune activity. Macrophages are better able to engulf and destroy cancer cells, microbes, and other foreign cells. Immune cells step up production of important signaling proteins such as interleukin-1, interleukin-2, and lymphokines. In a kind of chain reaction, these immune activators further ramp up your body’s defenses by activating other parts of the immune system.

Beta-glucans from maitake also stimulate the production of white blood cells within bone marrow, where most of your white blood cells are produced. Increased bone marrow production means higher white cells counts and better protection against infection and cancer. This benficial effect of the beta-glucan can be put to good use in cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy or chemotherapy-treatments that often destroy white blood cell production.

What forms of cancer can be treated with maitake fractions? Preliminary studies in animal models have shown that maitake fractions inhibit the growth of tumors in the colon, lungs, stomach, liver, prostate, cervix, bladder, and brain, as well as inhibiting leukemia. Whether similar results occur in humans is not clear at this time.

In 1994, Chinese scientists conducted a pilot study on 63 cancer patients. They reported a total regression rate against solid tumors at higher than 95 percent and a regression rate against leukemia higher than 90 percent. In a preliminary study conducted by He, it was reported that 165 patients with advanced cancer experienced significant improvement in symptoms or regression of tumors: 73 percent of patients with breast cancer, 67 percent with lung cancer, and 47 percent with liver cancer. In contrast to the high response rates reported in the Chinese study, in He’s study less than 50 percent of the leukemias and cancers of the prostate, brain, stomach, and bone seemed to respond.

These preliminary studies need to be followed up by larger, bettercontrolled studies. In 1998 the FDA approved an Investigational New Drug Application for researchers to conduct a more detailed pilot study on maitake D-fraction’s potential effects on advanced breast and prostate cancers.

What is the proper dosage for maitake D- or MD-fraction?

The dosage of maitake extracts is based on the level of the D- or MD-fraction and is calculated based on body weight: 0.5 to 1.0 mg for every kg (2 pounds) of body weight per day. That translates to a dosage of “approximately 35 to 70 mg of the D- or MD-fraction. For best results, take 20 minutes before meals or on an empty stomach.

What about the safety of maitake D- or MD-fraction?

The safety of maitake is well established, as it has been used as food in Japan for hundreds of years, in amounts up to several hundred grams per day, without significant adverse effects.

PSK/PSP

PSK (also known as Krestin) and PSP are closely related protein-bound polysaccharides from the cloud fungus mushroom (Coriolus veriscolor). >They are among the products most widely used by cancer patients in Japan and China. As in maitake D- and MD-fractions, the active components of PSK and PSP are beta-glucans that significantly enhance immune function.

It is not necessary to take both PSK/PSP and maitake MD-fractionone or the other can be used. We rank maitake MD-fraction over PSK PSP because it has shown greater immune-enhancing effects over PSK and PSP in animal studies, but there is a mountain of evidence on PSK/PSP-more than 400 scientific studies, including several clinical studies confirming their benefits.

In one of the human studies, 111 colon cancer patients who were treated with surgery alone were given PSK or a placebo. The patients were followed for the next ten years. Compared with the placebo group, the number of patients in remission (or disease-free) was twice as high in the PSK group. Their survival rate—the number of patients still alive after a decade was more than double. In addition, white blood cells in the PSK-treated patients showed remarkably greater activity, such as the ability to move and engulf foreign materials.

What forms of cancer can be treated with PSK/PSP?

Preliminary animal studies show that, like other immune-enhancing compounds containing beta-glucans, PSK/PSP can inhibit the growth of virtually every type of tumor. Clinical studies have also shown that PSK/PSP enhances the positive effects of chemotherapy while reducing their side effects.

What is the proper dosage for PSK/PSP?

The typical dosage for PSK and PSP is 1 to 3 g per day.

Is PSK/PSP safe?

No side effects have been reported with PSK or PSP.

Polyerga

Polyerga is a highly purified extract of peptides (small proteins) obtrained from the spleens of pigs. The discovery that these proteins might have medicinal value came about as the result of a happy accident. Prior to the late 1980s, the only source for therapeutic insulin (a hormone secreted by the pancreas and used in the treatment of diabetes) was from pigs. But in Germany after World War II, there was a shortage of pigs and consequently of insulin. Scientists scrambling to find new sources for the hormone studied other organs, including the spleen. A medical doctor and researcher, Walter Kuhlmey, found that pig spleen extract did have some insulin-like activity. But the substance also boosted energy and enhanced a person’s general sense of well-being. He began selling the product, which he called Polyerga (from Latin words meaning “multiple” and “power”), as a kind of tonic.

But in 1951 the situation changed. An oncologist named Heinrich Pophanken was treating his patient, Julia Meir, for advanced pancreatic cancer-a condition that usually has a very poor prognosis. Her case was considered hopeless, and she was expected to die any day. To ease her suffering, He gave her injections of Polyerga. The results astounded the physician: Her pain abated, her fatigue lifted, and she felt alive again. She received three to six injections a week for two months, then two per month after that. The patient lived for another three years and died from causes unrelated to cancer. At autopsy, pathologists discovered that the pancreatic tumor-once the size of an egg-had disappeared entirely. This case stimulated interest in Polyerga as a possible cancer treatment.

Since then, Polyerga has been evaluated in several clinical studies involving cancer patients.57-61 In one of the largest trials, 158 breast cancer patients were divided into two groups. The women in the Polyerga group received injections three times per week while the women in the control group received placebo injections. The Polyerga group showed Shificant improvements in the percentage of white blood cells, various measures of immune function, body weight, and general sense of wellbeing compared with the control group.

Polyerga contains substances that bind to receptors on white blood cells.In response, the white cells release chemical messengers that stimulate other immune responses. Messages to the bone marrow, for example, trigger the production of more white cells an important effect in the fight against cancer, particularly if a person is taking chemotherapy drugs that suppress white blood cell formation.

Many of the effects of Polyerga are thought to result from increased output of a protein called gamma-interferon. This chemical acts as a communications link between the macrophages and lymphocytes. A low gamma-interferon level a common problem among cancer patients–significantly impairs immune function. Polyerga may also have other beneficial effects, such as

• preventing some of the side effects of chemotherapy
• enhancing the effectiveness of conventional chemotherapy and radiation treatment
• preventing metastasis
• enhancing the general sense of well-being, improving energy levels, and preventing weight lo
• increasing both the quality of life and the survival time of cancer patients.

What forms of cancer can be treated with Polyerga?

According to a study of 248 cancer patients, the best results were obtained in breast cancer patients and patients suffering from colon and other carcinomas. In contrast, lung cancer patients and patients with metastases did not seem to respond as well to Polyerga. In patients with breast cancer and colon cancer, Polyerga given orally for four months improved appetite, reduced pain, increased energy and activity levels, and improved the general sense of well-being.

What is the proper dosage for Polyerga?

Each Polyerga tablet contains 100 mg of polypeptides. People who weigh under 140 pounds should take one tablet three times a day. For every additional 40 pounds of body weight, add an additional tablet. For example, a 220-pound person would take five tablets daily at even intervals. There is no toxicity with Polyerga, so there is no concern about overdosage, but taking more than recommended does not necessarily produce more effect. For best results, take Polyerga on an empty stomte ach before meals.Also, do not take Polyerga at the same time you take digestive enzymes like pancreatin, bromelain, or papain.

We recommend starting treatment with Polyerga as soon as possible diagnosis of cancer. Continue using it as directed, especially if you are also taking chemotherapy or undergoing radiation therapy.

Is Polyerga safe?

Since the “mad cow” scare hit the headlines, some of our patients are concerned about taking products derived from animal tissue. We reascure these people that no mad-cow-like diseases have ever been found in pigs.. Polyerga has been used for over 50 years. During this time, no adverse side effect has ever been reported with use of either the injectable or the oral preparation. No allergic reactions have been reported, because all potentially allergenic proteins are removed during manufacture.

Modified Citrus Pectin

Modified citrus pectin (MCP), also known as fractionated pectin, is a complex sugar (polysaccharide) obtained from the peel and pulp of citrus fruits. Modified citrus pectin is rich in short, nonbranched, galactose-rich carbohydrate chains. These shorter chains dissolve more readily in water and are better absorbed and utilized by the body than ordinary, long-chain pectins.

MCP appears to reduce the risk of metastasis–the spread of cancerous cells from one tumor to other sites in the body. For metastasis to occur, cancer cells must first clump together. Protein molecules called galectins appear on the surface of cancer cells. The more galectins present, the easier it is for the cancer cells to clump together and metastasize. According to preliminary research, MCP binds to the galectins. By doing so, it blocks the cancer cell’s ability to clump and spread.

Although MCP has no significant direct anticancer effect, we feel that it can be an important natural anticancer strategy.

What forms of cancer can be treated with modified citrus pectin?

Lab studies suggest that MCP is best used in preventing the metastasis of breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, and melanoma. There is not a lot of human data available yet. In one of the few humans studies, MCP was shown to decrease the cancer growth rate in 4 of 7 men with prostate cancer as measured by a reduced rate of increase in PSA leavels (a sign of prostate cancer severity).

What is the proper dosage for modified citrus pectin?

The typical dosage recommendation for adults ranges between 6 and 30g daily in divided doses (e.g., 6 g one to five times daily). The MCP powder is usually dissolved by blending in water or juice.

What about the safety of modified citrus pectin?

MCP is regarded as exceptionally safe. As with any dietary fiber, MCP at high doses may result in mild cases of loose stool, but this is usually only a temporary inconvenience.

Ip6 (Inositol Hexaphosphate)

For years experts have recommended eating a high-fiber diet as a way of protecting the body against cancer. It now appears that a component of fiber, called Ip6, may be responsible for the protective effects.

Ip6 is found mainly in the fiber from whole grains and legumes. It might be better, however, to take supplements containing purified Ip6 plus inositol. The supplement form offers several advantages. First of all, in grains and beans, Ip6 binds to molecules of protein and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, or potassium to form a salt. The body has trouble absorbing this complex. Studies have shown that pure Ip6 is significantly more bioavailable than the Ip6 found in foods.

Taking Ip6 along with additional inositol may actually enhance its cancer-fighting properties. To help you understand why, here’s a quick chemistry lesson. Inositol is a vitamin-like substance that forms the “backbone” of the Ip6 molecule. Each of the six carbon atoms in a molecule of inositol can bind with another molecule called a phosphate. When all six carbons are “occupied” by phosphates, Ip6 is the result. But phosphates don’t like to feel too crowded. When there are extra inositol molecules in the neighborhood, the phosphates make room for themselves: Three of them leave the Ip6 and attach to the inositol molecule, thus yielding two new molecules (now called Ip3). As reported by A.K.M. Shamsuddin, of the University of Maryland, it appears that Ip3 is better is better able to make its way into cancer cells and immune cells.Where it exerts its beneficial properties. To ensure optimum Ip3 formation, He recommends a ratio of 4:1 of Ip6 to inositol.

Ip3 plays an important role inside the cells of our bodies. When Ip3 levels are low (as they are in cancer cells), the cells replicate out of control.But when cancer cells are bathed in a broth with Ip3, they literally turn themselves off.

The combination of Ip6 and inositol has also been shown to be an effective antioxidant and immune function booster. The combination is especially helpful in stimulating the activity of white blood cells known as natural killer (NK) cells, so called because they literally kill cancer cells ,viruses, and other infecting organisms. Adding Ip6 and inositol enhances the NK cells’ killer instincts.

What forms of cancer can be treated with Ip6?

Lab studies show that the combination of Ip6 and inositol exerts anticancer effects against virtually all types of cancers, including cancers of the breast, prostate, lung, skin, and brain, as well as lymphomas and leukemia.Unfortunately, at this time there are no results available from human studies.

What is the proper dosage of Ip6?

In patients who have cancer or who are at high risk for cancer, the recommended daily dose is 4800 to 7200 mg of Ip6 along with 1200 to 1800 mg of inositol. To ensure the best absorption, Ip6 and inositol should be taken on an empty stomach.

Is Ip6 safe?

Ip6 is extremely safe, according to extensive animal testing. Even in high doses, there are no reported significant negative effects on body weight, mineral content, or any internal organ. High doses have been given intravenously to humans without causing adverse effects.

Can Ip6 and inositol be used along with conventional cancer treatments?

Yes. Animal studies confirm that this combination can be used in combination with conventional cancer treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy. In fact, according to these studies, Ip6 has been shown to enhance the effects of these therapies.

Final Comment

The Super Eight should in no circumstance be used as “magic bullets” to fight cancer. Although these compounds exert significant benefits on their own, they are best utilized in the context of a truly comprehensive approach to cancer that includes the other components of Part 2 of this book along with the recommendations given in Part 3 as well.