The current trend in the United State for cancer treatment involve using radiation and chemotherapy. Both have severe and devastating side effects on the immune system leaving the patient vulnerable to the effects of oxidative stress which can result in painful and devastating inflammation and infection. Some of the drugs presented in this article are being developed to lessen some of these side effects.
There are also on the horizon new research for the direct treatment of cancer. Not all have been approved yet by FDA for use and are still in study. Perhaps in the next decade there will be an advent of these and similar medications that minimize side effects and use different and less harsh therapies to destroy and shrink tumors while leaving healthy and normal cells intact. Favorable results have been obtained with humans in preliminary trial studies and in laboratory animals. For more information please see the list of websites at the end of the article.
Superoxide Dismutase mimetics
Galera Therapeutics, a drug development company that focuses on treatments to protect against side effects of cancer treatments, has completed Series I studies with the drug superoxide dismutase mimetics. Dismutase mimetics is an enzyme that destroys the poisonous and highly reactive free radicals form of O2 which is produced in abundance after chemotherapy or radiation treatments. This free radical does immense damage to normal body tissue. One of which is oral mucusitis, a common complication of treatment for head-neck cancers. Dismutase mimetics converts this superoxide into hydrogen peroxide, which normal cells can dispose of easily. Tumor cells are not protected. (genengnews.com)
According to Dennis Riley, Ph.D., who is the inventor of this class of drugs, these compounds should decrease side effects of current Cancer treatments.(genengnews.com)
This drug can provide protection against many of the debilitating complications of radiation treatments. Clearly demonstrated here also are the devastating effects on the body of free radicals, which are produced in large quantities in inflammatory processes in the body. (Free radicals are responsible for aging, diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and many other chronic ailments).
Within the next years, it is anticipated that the drug will enter the 2a phase of human testing. For more information please check genengnews.com.
Kanzius RF (Radio Frequency) Therapy
Kanzius RF therapy attaches microscopic nanoparticles, combined with gold or carbon, to cancer cells and then cooks tumors inside of the body with radio waves. The inventor, John Kanzius, a retired radio and TV engineer (who had cancer himself) states in the article “Cancer therapy without side effects” by Jenny Laloup, that the treatment is 100% effective at killing cancer cells without damage surrounding cells or tissue and is being tested at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX.. Dr. Steve Curley, Professor leading the study states that his research team is looking to coat these nanoparticles with cancer seeking molecules. Once the nanoparticles are within the tumor, the tumor is then blasted from radio frequency generator causing the radio waves to heat and cook the cancer cells. In animal studies this has been done without destroying healthy tissue.
For more information, please see Laloup, Jenny, “Cancer therapy without side effects,” wired.com)
Cancer Immunotherapy treatment
Cancer immunotherapy refers to treating cancer by activating the immune system. Certain cancers respond more readily to treatment but it has also been used to treat metastatic cancer. This seems to be a very exciting avenue of treatment. However, in most cases, the cancer is not cured, but can go into remission. The side effects may be variable from minimal to extensive. But is more readily tolerated by the body than chemotherapy or radiation. (Majia Haavisto, “Immunotherapy in cancer treatment” suite101.com)
Cancer immunotherapy is not new and can be traced back to the late 1800s. Doctors at this time had noted that infections from malaria to gangrene could put cancers in remission. (Maija Haavisto,”Immunotherapy in cancer treatment” suite101.com)
There are two types of cancer immunotherapy treatment: specific and non-specific.
Specific – seems to make the body attack the tumor.
Non-specific – works by up regulating the immune system and consist of a number of immunostimulants such as:
Interleukin-2
Interferon-alpha
Coley’s toxins
Low dose naltrexone
Cancer vaccines
Medicinal mushrooms
Perhaps the new decade will see the arrival of less toxic but effective means to shrink tumors without the nightmarish side effects so common until now.
Terms:
(cancersupportivecare.com)
Oral mucusitis – Is the inflammation and ulceration of mucous membranes that can occur anywhere in the digestive tract but especially in the mouth. Common side effect of radiation treatments.
Hydrogen peroxide – In the body is developed from amino acids being broken down by enzymes. Easily excreted by cells.
Nanoparticles – The smallest unit that can still behave as a whole entity in terms of properties and transport.
Sources:
genengnews.com
hairsite.com
Jenny Laloup, “Cancer therapy without side effects” wired.com
cancersupportivecare.com
Majia Haavisto, “Immunotherapy in cancer treatment” suite101.com
Laloup, J. “Cancer treatments without side effects”wired.com
