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LIFE EXTENSION UPDATE SEPTEMBER 29 2000
OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH!
IN THIS ISSUE SEPTEMBER 29 2000: LIFE EXTENSION UPDATE EXCLUSIVE:
Computer technology aids mammogram screening ; WHAT'S HOT: Breast cancer
detection breakthrough; FEATURED PRODUCTS OF THE WEEK: Vitamin A liquid
drops, Vitamin D capsules
LIFE EXTENSION UPDATE EXCLUSIVE
Computer technology aids mammogram screening
Widespread use of mammograms are in large part to thank for earlier breast
cancer detection, however, according to a study published in the May 2000
issue of the journal Radiology, up to 21 percent of early stage breast
cancers are missed by routine mammography. A new service called CloserLook
can help radiologists diagnose 15 to 20 percent more of these cancers.
CloserLook, which will be available through many mammography centers in
this country and via internet through iMammogram.com, provides computer
aided detection (CAD) analysis of mammograms. This technology marks
suspicious areas, aiding radiologists in their examination of the
mammogram. The Radiology study examined prior mammograms from women whose
current mammograms resulted in a biopsy that confirmed cancer. The CAD
system correctly indicated cancer in 89 of 115 of the prior mammograms
determined by a panel of radiologist to indicate early cancer, and which
were missed by the patient's original radiologist.
Women who wish to have their mammograms evaluated by CloserLook can go to
the www.imammogram.com and arrange to have their mammogram films released.
The mammogram is computer analyzed, and the mammogram returned to the
center that performed it. The patient's radiologist can then compare his
diagnosis to the computer analysis.
iMammogram.com founder Larry Chespak MD commented, " CAD is becoming
widely recognized in the medical community as an effective means of
identifying subtle abnormalities that the naked eye might miss. Mammograms
are very difficult to interpret, and CAD is a tool to help radiologists
decrease errors due to oversight . . . At iMammogram.com, we want to make
CAD technology available to women everywhere.The earlier breast cancer is
detected, the earlier treatment can begin and the more lives we can save."
WHAT'S HOT
Breast Cancer Detection Breakthrough
A few drops of blood can now tell if a woman has the most aggressive type
of breast cancer and to what extent metastasis has occurred. In only a few
hours, an automated test can tell breast cancer patients how much of a
particular protein shed by cancerous cells exists in the blood, which
greatly aids physicians in their treatment approach.
One third of the 900,000 breast cancer patients worldwide have aggressive,
invasive breast cancer. The new test, which even detects free floating
cancer cells in the body, will help to determine the extent of treatment
that will be used after the primary tumor has been surgically excised. The
test will also enable physicians to monitor the progress of patients'
chemotherapy treatments, so that they may alter the dosage or medication
if it is not providing the desired anticancer effect.
The test works through the use of cloned mouse antibodies to Her2/neu
proteins, which are fragments of cancer cells. Test developer Bayer
cultures the antibodies and adds iron to part of them, to the others is
added a colored marker. If the patient's serum (the liquid portion of
blood which is separated from red blood cells) contains Her2/neu proteins,
the antibodies to these proteins will adhere to them, both color-marking
them and making them magnetic by the presence of iron. The cells to which
the antibodies have adhered can be separated from the serum by a magnet
and the color intensity is examined which when evaluated can indicate the
total amount of cancer cells in the blood.
"This blood test will help the physician to detect the breast cancer
earlier, and will allow the physician to tailor the treatment for each
individual woman differently and specifically," commented Dr Walter P
Carney, of Bayer.
(put URL here)
Fewer mastectomies needed
The July 19 issue of The Journal of the National Cancer Institute
published the long term results of a randomized multicenter trial in which
868 women with breast cancer were given either breast conserving therapy
(BCT) or a modified radical mastectomy. Breast conserving therapy
consisted of a lumpectomy with removal of a margin of one centimeter
around the tumor and radiation. The trial was conducted between 1980 and
1986 and the patients were followed up for a median of 13.4 years. Eighty
percent of the women in the study had tumors measuring between 2.1 and 5
centimeters. At the present, only women with tumors 2 centimeters or
smaller are routinely given breast conserving therapy, while women with
larger tumors are advised to undergo mastectomy. Prior research has
demonstrated BCT to be as effective as mastectomy in women with these
smaller tumors.
After ten years, survival was 65% in those who received BCT and 66% in
those receiving the mastectomy, considered to be statistically the same.
Women who retained their breasts had a somewhat higher rate of recurrence,
but this still had no effect on their survival rate. The two groups also
experienced approximately the same rate of metastasis, with 66% of those
undergoing a mastectomy remaining free of metastasis in distant locations
as compared to 61% of those who received breast conserving therapy.
http://www.lef.org/whatshot/index2.html#fmn
PROTOCOL
Breast cancer
Like most other cancers, once breast cancer has been detected there is
already the chance that the disease has spread. Once a lump has been
discovered on the breast or even discovered early on a mammogram, there
may already be an average of 45 billion cancer cells present, and some of
these malignant cells may have metastasized to other parts of the body. As
in other types of cancer, conventional medicine stages the disease based
on certain factors including tumor size, presence of lymph node
involvement, or distal spread. Depending on the stage, the oncologist may
recommend a number of options and combinations ranging from simple
lumpectomy to complete mastectomy, radiation, and chemotherapy.
Although the cause of breast cancer has not been found, it has become
clear that hormonal manipulation may have a therapeutic impact on the
course of the disease. This is why the tumors, when removed during
surgery, are studied to find whether or not they are so-called
estrogen-receptor positive or negative. If the cancer is estrogen-receptor
positive, theoretically there should be a response to manipulation of
estrogen. This is exactly the role tamoxifen has played as an adjuvant
drug therapy in the treatment of the disease.
Melatonin and vitamin D3 have been shown to synergistically enhance the
beneficial effects of tamoxifen, and for this reason, women taking
tamoxifen should also take 4000 to 6000 IU of vitamin D3 and 3 to 50 mg of
melatonin nightly. While tamoxifen's side effects may limit its use to 2
years, most people can take melatonin and moderate doses of vitamin D3
indefinitely. A few people experience kidney toxicity and abnormal calcium
metabolism when taking high doses of vitamin D3, and breast cancer
patients are also at a high risk for developing blood calcium disorders.
For all these reasons, breast cancer patients who use therapeutic doses of
vitamin D3 (4000 to 6000 IU a day) should have a regular blood chemistry
panel that will reveal kidney toxicity and calcium imbalances while these
problems are still reversible.
Vitamin A and vitamin D3 inhibit breast cancer cell division and can
induce cancer cells to differentiate into mature, noncancer cells. Vitamin
D3 works synergistically with tamoxifen (and melatonin) to inhibit breast
cancer cell proliferation. Breast cancer patients should take 4000 to 6000
IU of vitamin D3 every day on an empty stomach. Water-soluble vitamin A
can be taken in doses of 100,000 to 300,000 IU every day. Monthly blood
tests are needed to make sure toxicity does not occur in response to these
relatively high daily doses of vitamin A and vitamin D3. After 4 to 6
months, the doses of vitamin D3 and vitamin A can be reduced.
http://www.lef.org/protocols/prtcl-022.shtml
FEATURED PRODUCTS OF THE WEEK
Vitamin A liquid drops
Cancer patients whose doctors will not prescribe Vitamin-A analog drugs
often turn to a liquid emulsified Vitamin-A. Vitamin-A and its analogs
have shown specific cancer cell differentiation enhancing properties and
inhibitory effects on the proliferation of some cancer cell lines,
especially leukemia and certain head and neck cancers. Cancer patients
often take four to eight drops a day, six out of seven days. Cancer
patients are urged to follow the Vitamin-A precautions to help guard
against potential Vitamin-A overdose and toxicity. Vitamin-A precautions
are available by calling 1-800-544-4440 and are automatically sent with
each bottle of Emulsified Vitamin-A Drops. Thyroid cancer patients, or
anyone with severe thyroid hormone deficiency should not take Vitamin-A
supplements.
Each drop of Emulsified Liquid Vitamin A contains: 20,000 iu of vitamin-A
(palmitate).
http://www.lef.org/prod_hp/php401.html
Vitamin D capsules 1000 iu
Vitamin D is necessary for the utilization of calcium and phosphorous, and
for the assimilation of vitamin A. This synthetic form of vitamin D has
been used to prevent and treat breast cancer and prostate cancer.
When taking more than 1300 IU of vitamin D3 a day, periodic blood tests
should be done to make sure too much calcium is not being absorbed.
http://www.lef.org/prod_hp/php424.html
Please email me if you have questions concerning this ezine or other life
extension topics,
For longer life,
Dayna Dye
ddye@lifeextension.com
Life Extension Foundation
www.lef.org
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