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Glioblastoma Multiform (GBM) IV- Integrative Therapies?
“These data indicated that blockage of AKT/mTOR signaling appeared to contribute to the elevated apoptosis of glioblastoma caused by the combination treatment with Curcumin and Temozolomide”
Dear Cancer Coach-My wife has been diagnosed with glioblastoma multiform Stage 4.
She had the tumor surgically removed 3 weeks ago and is due for radiation and chemo therapy. We are aware of the risks involved in radiating the brain, but are willing to take the chances as it is the only conventional option to this kind of cancer.
Although we reluctantly accepted radiation, chemo is a big problem for both of us, as it is not clear how it could be helpful. It depletes the immune system, which at the end of it all has to win the war with the cancer and if it does not, death is inevitable. Chemo is like a declaration of war with the enemy, blowing up foe and friend alike and hoping that kills the enemy only. Has a survivor of glioblastoma opted for radiation without chemo?
Any ideas on the issue will be appreciated! Alan
Hi Alan,
I am sorry to read of your wife’s Glioblastoma Multiform stage 4 diagnosis. I agree with your comments about chemo though I include radiation therapy when talking about the brain. I will be direct.
Conventional oncology offers no curative therapies for GBM stage 4. Surgically removing the tumor is an excellent first step. My bias in cases such as yours is to place quality of life above all else. I will offer evidence-based research, with sources below for you to consider either as complementary to radiation or not.
If you read the studies linked and excerpted below, you will learn that a spectrum of therapies- mechanical, chemotherapy and radiation integrated with antioxidant supplements, together, may result in the most effective combination of quality and quantity of life.
I believe curcumin is a wonder supplement. I have taken it for years. Plain curcumin is notoriously difficult to absorb into the bloodstream. Please scroll all the way down the page to read about the most bioavailable formulas.
Let me know if you have any questions, hang in there
David Emerson
- Cancer Survivor
- Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
FDA Approves New Device for Brain Tumor Treatment
“The FDA has approved a new noninvasive portable device for the treatment of a deadly type of brain tumor. The device uses electrical fields to slow and possibly reverse tumor growth.
The device, manufactured by Novocure, is called the NovoTTF-100A System and is meant for adults with glioblastoma multiforme that recurs or progresses after chemotherapy and radiation treatment…”
Antitumor Effects of Cannabidiol, a Nonpsychoactive Cannabinoid, on Human Glioma Cell Lines
“In conclusion, a cannabinoid-based therapeutic strategy for neural diseases devoid of undesired psychotropic side effects could find in CBD a valuable compound in cancer therapies along with the perspective of evaluating a synergistic effect with other cannabinoid molecules and/or with other chemotherapeutic agents as well as with radiotherapy.”
Curcumin sensitizes glioblastoma to temozolomide by simultaneously generating ROS and disrupting AKT/mTOR signaling.
“Temozolomide (TMZ), a DNA alkylating agent, represents the most important chemotherapeutic option for the treatment of glioblastoma in the clinic. Despite its frequent use, the therapeutic efficacy of TMZ remains very limited due to its frequent resistance in glioblastoma…
These data indicated that blockage of AKT/mTOR signaling appeared to contribute to the elevated apoptosis caused by the combination treatment with CUM and TMZ. In conclusion, this study provided molecular insights into the effects of CUM on the therapeutic response of glioblastoma to TMZ and opened new avenues for optimizing the therapeutic effects of TMZ-based therapies.”
Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in cancer therapy : does eicosapentanoic acid influence the radiosensitivity of tumor cells?
“The observations suggest that EPA is not only a nutritional adjuvant but also may be a potential candidate to enhance the efficacy of irradiation on human cancer cells…”
The Most BioAvailable Curcumin Formulas
“Based on a review of these studies, it is evident that better bioavailability of formulated curcumin (CU) products is mostly attributed to improved solubility, stability, and possibly low first-pass metabolism”
A search of the Pubmed database for the word curcumin yields 601 studies spaning health topics from multiple myeloma and colorectal cancer, to chemotherapies that synergizes with CU, to Alzheimer’s Disease, arthritis and more. Based on years of reading studies and personal accounts, I think it is safe to say that CU supplementation is safe and relatively inexpensive.
I have read about myeloma patients taking daily doses of CU from 400 milligrams to 8 grams (1000 milligrams = 1 gram). By almost any measure, CU is a safe, inexpensive wonder drug.
The only challenge is that CU is famously difficult to absorb in the body. In other words, a person has to mix curcumin with some sort of fat (coconut oil, chocolate, etc.) or take a brand of curcumin capsule that is already formulated to be more “bioavailable” in order to derive the full benefit of CU.
The study linked and exerpted below reviews different formulations of CU. The study itself lists the three most bioavailable formulation/brand of CU and I’ve added an excerpt from a further review from Consumerlab.com that lists four additional bioavailable brands of CU.
Recommended Reading:
- CU versus Turmeric as Cancer Therapy-What’s the Difference?
- CU Suppresses Colon Cancer, Enhances Chemotherapy
- Prostate Cancer: CU Curbs Prostate Cancer Metastases, Study Shows
- CU vs. cancer: The scientific evidence continues to pile up
Curcumin
“CU is a bright yellow chemical produced by some plants. It is the principal curcuminoid of turmeric (Curcuma longa), a member of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is sold as an herbal supplement, cosmetics ingredient, food flavoring, and food coloring.[1]“
Bioavailable curcumin formulations: A review of pharmacokinetic studies in healthy volunteers.
“Curcumin is a widely studied natural compound which has shown tremendous in vitro therapeutic potential. Despite that, the clinical efficacy of the native CU is weak due to its low bioavailability and high metabolism in the gastrointestinal tract. During the last decade, researchers have come up with different formulations with a focus on improving the bioavailability of curcumin. As a result, a significant number of bioavailable curcumin-based formulations were introduced with the varying range of enhanced bioavailability.
The purpose of this review is to collate the published clinical studies of CU products with improved bioavailability over conventional (unformulated) CU. Based on the literature search, 11 curcumin formulations with available human bioavailability and pharmacokinetics data were included in this review. Further, the data on clinical study design, analytical method, pharmacokinetic parameters and other relevant details of each formulation were extracted.
Based on a review of these studies, it is evident that better bioavailability of formulated curcumin products is mostly attributed to improved solubility, stability, and possibly low first-pass metabolism. The review hopes to provide a quick reference guide for anyone looking information on these bioavailable curcumin formulations.
Based on the published reports,
exhibited over 100-fold higher bioavailability relative to reference unformulated CU. Suggested mechanisms accounting for improved bioavailability of the formulations and details on the bioanalysis methods are also discussed.”
According to Consumerlab.com:
“Novasol has the highest bioavailability (185 x compared to unforumulated CU), followed by Curcuwin (136 x), Longvida (100 x), Meriva (48 x), BCM-95 (27 x), Curcumin C3 Complex + Bioperene (20 x), and then Theracumin (16 x).”