Dietary Agents & Cancer Prevention

Shanmugam et al. (2011) review the evidence of dietary agents influence in the prevention and treatment of cancer.  Experimental and epidemiological research suggests that diet may have a dramatic effect on health, and contribute to the development cancer. The exact mechanisms of dietary products are unknown, and published literature demonstrates that some active constituents alter pathways involved in intracellular signaling.  Dietary agents that inhibit inflammation alter many of these pathways, such as NF-kB.  Additionally, dietary agents have demonstrated inhibition in carcinogenesis, cellular proliferation, and angiogenesis.

Shanmugam, M. K., Kannaiyan, R., & Sethi, G. (2011). Targeting cell signaling and apoptotic pathways by dietary agents: role in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Nutrition and Cancer, 63(2), 161–73. doi:10.1080/01635581.2011.523502

Ubiquitin-Proteasome Degradation Pathway

 In a review completed by Yang et al. (2012) the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation pathway is discussed as a powerful and natural sensitizer for chemotherapy and radiotherapy.   The conjugating system of the ubiquitin pathway acts as a cascade that controls cellular protein degradation.  Utilizing proteasome inhibitors has demonstrated inhibition of the cell cycle by preventing proteolysis of cyclin-dependent kinases and tumor suppressing proteins.  Bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor, has been extensively studied and demonstrated inhibition of the NF-kB pathway in solid and hematological cancers.  Green tea polyphenols also appear to be potent proteasome inhibitors, which activate and stabilize tumor suppressor genes.

Yang, H., Landis-Piwowar, K. R., Chen, D., Milacic, V., & Dou, Q. P. (2008). Natural compounds with proteasome inhibitory activity for cancer prevention and treatment. Current Protein & Peptide Science, 9(3), 227–239.

The Business of Health. What are we missing?

 We are missing a lot of signals about the future of our health and our determinants of health.  In a journal article written by Asch et al. (2012) the evolution of healthcare and what determines our health is discussed.  Three specific signals are mentioned in the article and include the often overlooked social determinants of health such as social circumstances.  Second, healthcare institutions and insurance are no longer producing outcomes consumers’ desire.  There is a trend showing that there is interest in what happens to the population and the individual.  The third signal we are missing is that reimbursement for services is changing, and eventually the successful healthcare providers will offer a broad range of services to deliver health.

See the entire article in The New England Journal of Medicine

Asch, A.D., Volpp K. (2012). What business are we in? The Emergence of Health as

the business of Health Care.  The New England Journal of Medicine, 367; 10. pp. 888-889.

What is Naturopathic medicine & Integrative medicine?

In an article written by Dr. Walter Lemmo (2012) Naturopathic supportive cancer care is described.  Most people may have never heard of a Naturopathic doctor, and what kind of training must be done to obtain a license to practice.  Naturopathic doctors complete the standard pre-medical school courses and subsequent 4-5 years of naturopathic medical education.  Naturopathic medical education includes physical medicine, botanical medicine, nutrition, and diet and life-style counseling in addition to conventional care and diagnostics.

What is the role of a naturopathic doctor in cancer care?  Naturopathic medicine treatment modalities and philosophy are utilized to assist and/or treat patients with cancer.  Lemmo writes that enhanced survival and quality of life is the main focus of treatment.

See the entire article here.

See more information at Dr.Lemmo's website.

Walter Lemmo (2012).  Naturopathic oncology: a chapter in integrative cancer care. January 2014. Accessed from www.dreamhealer.com.

FDA Approves Bastyr Turkey Tail Mushroom Clinical Trial for Cancer Patients

The research teams at Bastyr University are studying the efficacy of medicinal mushrooms and cancer.  Recently, the FDA has approved a plan to begin clinical trials in 2013 for prostate cancer and the use of medicinal mushrooms.  See more information on this very exciting research @ Bastyr University

Torkelson et al (2012) published research in a phase 1 clinical trial of Trametes versicolor, also known as Turkey Tail, in women with Breast Cancer. The findings of the study suggest that  Tramets versicolor may improve the immune status in immunocompromised breast cancer patients following chemotherapy and radiation.  See the entire article @ Phase 1 Clinical Trial of Trametes versicolor in women with Breast Cancer

How Aging Influences Immunity

Adaptive immunity declines as we age, and our innate immunity increases in activity.  One example includes thymic involution altering the population of T cells.  While innate immunity activity increases, there is a subsequent rise in pro-inflammatory cytokines resulting in a pro-inflammatory phenotype. The ancient signaling pathway found in both insects and vertebrates is the NF-kB system, which regulates our innate immune system.  The NF-kB pathway organizes intracellular immune responses, thus controlling the aging process, and age-related diseases.

Salminen et al (2008) review the role of innate immunity signaling in this journal article. 

View the abstract @  Activation of innate immunity system during aging: NF-kB signaling is the molecular culprit of inflamm-aging

Salminen, A., Huuskonen, J., Ojala, J., Kauppinen, A., Kaarniranta, K. & Suuronen, T., 2008, Activation of innate immunity system during aging: NF-kB signaling is the molecular culprit of inflamm-aging, Ageing research reviews, 7(2), pp. 83-105