Lung Cancer
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Evidence exists for the metabolic treatment of Lung Cancer. |
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General Information
This is primarily a discussion of non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) which is the most common type of lung cancer. More than 80% of primary lung malignancies are associated with and probably caused by cigarette smoking. Smoking cessation is important for all patients with primary lung malignancies. ScreeningCanadian Task For on Preventative Health Care suggests low dose computed tomography (LDCT) for adults aged 55-74 years with at least a 30 pack-year* smoking history who currently smoke or quit less than 15 years ago. Chest x-ray not be used to screen for lung cancer. |
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Surgery |
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In early stage disease we always encourage patients to undergo surgery: surgery has the chance to be curative if done early enough. Our Naturopaths often support lung cancer patients pre-operatively with various infusions to both target the cancer and improve healing and immune function post-surgery (IV therapy discussed below). We always include Vitamin D prior to or just after lung cancer patients have undergone surgery. There is evidence that Lung cancer patients that have surgery in the summer have dramatically better survival rates than patients where surgery is done in the winter elucidating a strong role for Vitamin D. Hyperbaric Oxygen will likely be of post-operative benefit as it has been used to treat complications arising from lung transplant surgery. Furthermore, Hyperbaric Oxygen's use in wound healing especially management of ischemic, infected, and nonhealing wounds is well known. Jain (2017) suggests "The use of supplemental oxygen is recommended for all patients considered to be at high risk of infection who are either undergoing or recovering from surgery...It is now established that HBO treatments in selected patients can facilitate healing by increasing tissue oxygen tension, thus providing the wound with a more favorable environment for repair." |
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Radiation |
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Radiation therapy is indicated in the following circumstances: patients who are not suitable candidates for surgery, after incomplete resection, significant lymph node spread (N2) and unresectable patients. There is limited evidence for the use of postoperative radiation therapy in the treatment of resectable NSCLC. There is evidence for the use of radiation therapy in the treatment of advanced NSCLC. Preliminary data exists for Hyperbaric Oxygen sensitizing non-small cell lung cancer to radiation treatment (Shen et al. 2015). |
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Chemotherapy |
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Unresectable/advanced disease (stage IIIB/IV) platinum-based chemotherapy regimens are employed. We’ve seen cisplatin commonly used as a first line therapy. Cisplatin is associated with reduced blood counts, nerve toxicity, and kidney damage; we employ a number of natural therapies to augment these side effects however care is taken because a few common natural agents (Milk thistle, Black Cohosh, N-acetyl-cysteine, B6) can actually adversely interact with Cisplatin. For instance, our Naturopathic Doctors often add Vitamin E to Cisplatin because it can offset the Cisplatin induced nerve damage as evidenced in clinical trials. |
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Advanced Therapies: Mistletoe |
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In a 2013 clinical trial patients with advanced Lung Cancer were randomized to receive chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy plus Mistletoe (Iscador – three times weekly). Chemotherapy consisted of 21-day cycles of carboplatin combined with gemcitabine or pemetrexed. Median time to progression was longer in the Mistletoe group. More control patients had chemotherapy dose reductions (44% versus 13%) and severe non-haematological side-effects (41% versus 16%) and hospitalisations (54% versus 24%). This trial is a proof of concept that Mistletoe can be combined with Carboplatin and Gemcitabine which are often used in Ovarian and Pancreatic Cancer respectively. |
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Advanced Therapies: IV Vitamin C and wormwood |
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We no longer offer IV Vitamin C as a standalone treatment for lung cancer; observations in multiple patients suggests to us that it is not an effective standalone treatment. A 2015 case report mirrors our observations, however, there appeared to be synergy with gefitinib and IVC in Lung cancer and a 2017 trial demonstrated synergy of IVC with Platinum based chemotherapy. A 2017 trial combined IV Vitamin C and electrohyperthermia in Stage III and IV hyperthermia. The authors did not comment on efficacy but simply mentioned that plasma levels of vitamin C were greatest when the two therapies were applied simultaneously. Quality of life improved over the four week study period. Lower levels of blood Vitamin C was correlated with more advanced stage of disease. In two review studies by Takahashi (2012) and Bazzan (2018) IV Therapy with Vitamin C was administered to a group of cancer patients, which did include lung cancer, with improved quality of life demonstrated in both studies. However, we would consider its administration if Artemesinin (an off label anti-malarial medication) is administered prior to its administration as these are synergistic therapies and Artesunate has definite activity in Lung cancer. A clinical trial demonstrated clear synergistic compatibility of Artesunate with vinorelbine and cisplatin in lung cancer patients. 120mg Artesunate doses were usedin the study. The disease control rate in the Artesunate + Chemotherapy group was significantly longer than the chemo alone. We work with the parent compound Artemesinin. Artemesinin and IV Vitamin C are thought to be enhanced by Hyperbaric Oxygen as they are oxidative therapies.
We are occasionally asked about Shark Cartilage and Lung cancer. The evidence for this therapy in Lung cancer is weak, with a slight survival advantage in a high dose shark cartilage group. However, we have rationale to support its use in Prostate and Kidney Cancer where the responses were more robust.
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Advanced Therapies: Metabolic treatment |
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A 2010 journal article outlines a metabolic cancer approach in 10 advanced metastatic cancer cases: two of which were lung cancer. In the first patient, she failed four consecutive drug therapies and then with a 3 month prognosis began IV alpha lipoic acid, oral Hydroxycitrate and oral Low Dose Naltrexone. Within four months her next scan showed stabilization of disease and then she was switched to a chemotherapy again and was alive 11 months after beginning the metabolic approach. The second lung cancer patient failed three chemotherapies and radiation and passed away seven weeks after starting the metabolic treatment; however the patient was fairly far gone prior to starting metabolic treatment. Metabolically supported chemotherapy "MSCT" is the administration of chemotherapy following insulin induced hypoglycemia plus a ketogenic diet, and the addition of Hyperthermia and Hyperbaric Oxygen. In a 2019 study, 44 lung cancer patients with distant metastasis received MSCT. Hyperbaric Therapy and Hyperthermia were given the same day or the next day sequentially after chemotherapy. The overall response rate was 61.4%. Mean overall survival and progression-free survival was 42.9 months and 41.0 months respectively.
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