Vitamin D Deficiency and Breast Cancer

We've heard a lot from medical researchers and from the media about the importance of Vitamin D. New research is revealing how important it is for breast cancer. A new study from the University of South Carolina found that women with aggressive and late stage breast cancer were more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency than women with less severe types of breast cancer. The researchers looked at vitamin D levels in 107 women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer in the last five years. Of this group, 60 women were African-American and 47 were Caucasian. The blood tests showed that African-American women had Vitamin D levels about one third lower than the white women. A probable reason for the lower levels may be that darker skin, which is higher in melanin, resists sun light instead of absorbing it, which will decrease production of Vitamin D.  The study's results have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed medical journal. However, given what we know about melanin and vitamin D production, I think Vitamin D supplementation for all women, and especially African-American women, is very important for promoting overall health.

Exciting New Cancer Research Using Nanotechnology!

Dr. Lorenzo Berti, a UC Davis researcher, recently received a grant for $450,000 from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation for his new research on nanotechnology and cancer treatment. Berti is developing nanoparticles to target and destroy tumor cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed.

The concept is to have nanoparticles reach a tumor and deposit chemotherapy drugs directly into cancer cells. The nanoparticles, which act as transportation for the medication, travel through the blood stream. Once they reach a cancerous tumor, they will actually fall out of the bloodstream and onto or near the tumor, as the blood vessels that feed malignant tumors have much larger holes in them than normal blood vessels. By this theory, there would be an accumulation of nanoparticles on and around a tumor.

"What we want to put on these nanoparticles is a combination of two drugs," he said.

The first weakens cancer cells and makes them more susceptible to medication, he said. The second is a classic chemotherapy drug called doxorubicin. "Very effective but also very toxic," he said.

Traditional chemotherapy affects all cells, causing terrible side effects throughout the whole body. The nanoparticles are magnetic and therefore easily traceable using MRI scans. They are also nontoxic and easily broken down by the body.

Further research into nanotechnology and cancer treatment is being done at MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Researchers have developed a nanoparticle that can deliver precise doses of two or more drugs to prostate cancer cells.

In a study appearing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers tailored their nanoparticles to deliver two common kinds of chemotherapy drugs, cisplatin and docetaxel. The researchers developed nanoparticles that could carry different drugs with different physical properties, which had been impossible with previous technology because the drugs on the nanoparticles had to be similar to each other in order to have the most success.

The new nanoparticles also contain a receptor that binds to a molecule called PSMA, which is located on the surfaces of most prostate tumor cells. This allows the nanoparticles to hone in on the cancer cell and ignore the healthy cells. This treatment will help to reduce the negative side effects caused by most chemotherapy drugs. With the drugs affecting mostly just cancer cells, a patient may be able to receive much higher doses of the required drug, thereby receiving more potent and precise treatment.

The delivery of chemotherapy drugs via nanotechnology is currently being tested on animals.

Sources: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/08/02/2929639/uc-davis-scientist-wins-grant.html#ixzz11WWVcO6f; http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2010/nanoparticle-chemotherapy-1005.html

8 Simple Tips For Fighting Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting American women and may lead to more than 38,000 deaths this year. Here are 8 simple tips for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so you can learn more about treating and preventing breast cancer.

• Choosing organic, unprocessed foods:  Follow a diet primarily made up of unprocessed, organic whole foods that are free of inflammation-inducing additives such as excess salt, sugars and trans-fats, as well as pesticide residues which are known to contribute to cancer.
• Maintaining a healthy body weight: Maintain a BMI (body mass index) of less than 25, as an elevated BMI may increase the risk of post-menopausal breast cancer.   
• Doing your own research: Every person is different when it comes to prevention and treatment of breast cancer. Listen to your doctor, but take advantage of cancer information available to you outside of the doctor's office! Read my free health report, "Beat breast cancer with nature's help"
• Exercising regularly: Participating in physical activity for 30 minutes per day provides powerful protection against breast cancer.
• Consuming the right fats: Consume adequate amounts of omega-3 fats (salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, and herring) and monounsaturated oils (canola, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados), as these healthy fats have powerful anti-cancer properties.
• Eating fruits and vegetables: Fruits such as strawberries, blueberries and grapes, and vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower contain antioxidants including vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and other phytochemicals (beneficial plant compounds).
• Lowering stress levels: Mind-body approaches such as healing meditation and other stress-relief measures can improve clinical outcomes.
• Taking your supplements: There are a number of dietary supplements and nutrients that have been scientifically researched and proven effective against breast cancer.

Based on the principles of integrative medicine, I recommend a multi-dimensional treatment plan to fight and prevent breast cancer from all angles.

Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP) is essential in the treatment and prevention of breast cancer. Research over the last decade shows MCP directly attacks cancer cells, and prevents metastasis. Even greater anti-cancer results  have been found with another important new study, conducted by researchers at the Cancer Research Laboratory at the Methodist Research Institute, IN, and Indiana University Cancer Center. They analyzed the synergistic effects of MCP and my breast care formula, with extremely positive results. The findings suggest that the combination of the two greatly enhanced suppression of breast cancer cells.