Hi Daniel (and all),
We have recently done my mother's 6 month comprehensive labs, and all looks "good", except her CBC. Since chemo ended in 2015 for fallopian tube carcinoma, her White Blood Cell Count has had trouble bouncing back but was slowly improving. However, most recent labs showed:
- Acanthocytes 1+ (second time in a row - a Red Blood Cell issue)
- Lowered WBCs
- Lowered Neutrophils
- Zero Eosinophils
Her cancer markers and other labs (inflammation, etc.) all seemed great. It was just her CBC that was perplexing, and we have narrowed down the culprit to one (or a combination of the following issues):
- Supplement Excess, or Interaction (possibly stressing her liver or causing immuno-suppression)?
- Heavy Metal Toxicity?
- Autoimmune?
- Viral?
- Other?
Because her protocol since diagnosis, and leading up to these labs had been so comprehensive (i.e. she was on TONS of stuff, all purposeful, but just a LOT), we felt the most likely culprit for the Acanthocytes 1+ and WBC issues was Supplement Excess / Interaction, or at least the best place to start!
So we reduced her protocol, but our dilemma: What to cut to see if it favorably impacts her CBC, without cutting too much and accidentally leaving out a key anti-cancer supplement!
I have attached a copy of her REDUCED protocol - if you don't mind having a look at it! But most notably, it has cut the following things specifically:
- Berberine
- Metatrol (fermented wheat germ extract)
- ALAMax (Alpha Lipoic Acid)
- Beta Glucan / Mushrooms - this was specifically cut from the potential autoimmune perspective, and a few other things like Fucoidan, D-Limonene, Holy Basil, Green Tea Extract, etc.
I am concerned about cutting the first three specifically, because of my (somewhat limited) understanding on their favorable interplay with cancer cell metabolism. ALAMax was cut specifically because of concerns around Heavy Metal Toxicity, and possibly improperly chelating things.
So, after all this explanation, my question is...
- In your opinion, do you feel like her now REDUCED protocol (attached) covers all of our bases in terms of cutting off cancer-cell pathways / metabolic pathways? I've greyed out what is repeated, or taken more than once a day.
- Or do you feel that one or all of these - Berberine, Metatrol, and/or ALAMax - should be added back in for the concerns I mentioned above?
- Out of curiosity, do you have any input on supplementing with Thyroid Replacement in the case of hypothyroidism? Is this okay, or any risk with cancer?
- Do you have any input on the best form of selenium?
Thank you so much!
Leora
Hi Leora,
About your last question, on Selenium.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5755498/
Sodium Selenite appears to be most effective.
Regards
Johan
Hi Leora,
About your last question, on Selenium.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5755498/
Sodium Selenite appears to be most effective.
Regards
Johan
Hi Daniel! Just wanted to check back in on this, if you have time. Thanks!!
Hi Leona,
Since you are more focussed on supplements, here is a list of supplements that I like:
Curcumin, EGCG, Melatonin, Silibinin, Genistein, Selenium, Vitamin D, Berberine, Piperine, Lycopene, Apigenin, Omega 3, Honokiol, Artemisinin, HCA, Alpha Lipoic, Coriolus Vesticolor, Baicalein or Scutellaria Barbata, Boswellia, Black Cumin Oil, Sulforaphane, Quercetin, Boron, Luteolin, Oleuropein, Berberine.
You asked whether I think your protocol covers most of the relevant aspects, I guess from a prevention point of view. In general, from a preventive point of view, next to the diet and juicing I would think about using supplements or drugs from the following categories:
1. anti inflammatory drugs and supplements
2. drugs and supplements with a anti metastasis actions
3. anti cancer stem cell
Other categories that could be addressed are:
4. drugs and supplements addressing metabolic aspects
5. drugs and supplements with known direct anti cancer action
6. drugs and supplements supporting organs
7. drugs and supplements supporting the immune system
The diet and juicing is nicely addressed on the page of Chris https://www.chrisbeatcancer.com
There are many that could be discussed here Leora, but 3 drugs that I would consider adding as a preventive measure are:
1. Aspirin (anti inflammatory)
2. Cimetidine (anti metastasis)
3. Metformin (anti cancer stem cells)
Zinc doesn't make sense to use without a Zink ionophore since cancer cells have low expression of zinc transporters. B12 is debatable as well.
One supplements I like a lot is Propolis Bio100 from Manuka, as it is high in CAPE, but that is relatively expensive.
You could also take a break from IVC and see how blood profile behaves. That can have sometime strong impact on the blood profile.
Johan kindly asked the question on Selenium
Regarding thyroid hormones, you probably saw this post I wrote sometime ago https://www.cancertreatmentsresearch.com/induced-hypothiroidism-hypothyroxinemia/
Daniel
Thanks so much for your thorough response. I’ll take more time to go through your input... but quickly noted you mentioned:
Zinc
B12
Are you suggesting they can be contraindicated (or problematic) with cancer? Or simply, not that beneficial? I wasn’t sure about your comment on zinc especially.
Also - we just did a repeat CBC after this reduced protocol and noticed improvement in counts, and also the disappearance of the problematic acanthocytes, for which we are grateful! Some good progress.
But continue to fine tune everything, and as always appreciate your input so much.
Thank you,
Leora
B12 can indeed be problematic:
http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/early/2018/10/19/1055-9965.EPI-17-1198
Zinc on the other hand not, but as Daniel mentions you need to combine with (a) zinc ionophore(s) to bind to zinc and transport it into the cancer cells.
Thanks Johan! I didn't know that about zinc... interesting. We are using it to reduce copper, which drives angiogenesis. For B12, we work with a a specialist in methylation - my mom has several genetic SNPs that means she has a greater need for B12. We see this as issues in homocysteine and things like MCV, MCHC. Having her take the hydroxo form of B12 has driven these numbers down successfully. It's a tough balance, keeping everything in the body matrix working. Thanks for your insights!
Do you know of a natural supplement that works on the same pathways as Cimetidine? Or is anti-metastases in the way that Cimetidine is? I know it probably won't be quite as effective, but just curious...
Thank you!!! 🙂
Also - I know that with Folic Acid and B12, there's a difference between Folic Acid and Folate (L-5MTHF) and the 4 forms of B12:
Cyanocobalamin
Adenosylcobalamin
Methylcobalamin
Hydroxocobalamin
And that depending on your methylation SNPS, like COMT, MTHFR, etc., will help you determine the most appropriate form of B12? I know that cyanocobalamin is always contraindicated, and I wonder if these studies (like what you linked to), used inferior forms which was part of the problem?
Hi Leora,
Consider supplementing EGCg, quercetin and/or molybdenum, these are natural zinc ionophores.
EGCg is also part of Dr.Rath's micronutrient mixture:
AVEMAR is another anti-metastasis supplement:
Effect of Avemar and Avemar + vitamin C on tumor growth and metastasis in experimental animals.
Ashitaba:
Antitumor and antimetastatic activities of Angelica keiskei roots
This is all so helpful - thank you!
Regarding EGCG, she takes Green Tea Extract, about 800mg daily (50% EGCG). Is this a decent dosage, and is there any concern with the liver toxicity that we see cautions about from an EGCG perspective?
She also takes Metatrol, which is the Gluten Free version of Avemar, so glad to hear it's anti-mets.
You're obviously taking expectional care of your mother! ?
That's a good dose, of course as she's taking cimetidine you need to be careful, it's a drug that can increase absorption(which is often times exactly what we want but it does require more vigilance when taking cocktails of many supplements and drugs).
