There are a number of cancer therapies that have shown real cancer killing properties yet are not researched enough to instill confidence in the average cancer patient.
Hi David. Thank you for being a Multiple Myeloma coach and posting this quite instructive website. I received a multiple myeloma diagnosis in May of 2018 after over a month of excruciating vertebral and costal pain. I underwent chemotherapy and an autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) but…
I immediately started a ketogenic and anti-angiogenic diets even before starting any chemo, and stuck to it strictly for 3 months (apparently cancer cells can switch metabolic pathway and ketogenic no longer effective)
Since June 1, 2018, I have received about 7 different chemo treatments all without any lasting improvement, but also without any drastic side effects (except episodic heart fibrillation with dexamethazone, bad tolerance to daratumumab, and general deterioration of my hematopoietic system).
I had an autologous stem cell transplant in March of 2019 with slow recovering but somewhat OK response. I did not achieve remission. I restarted chemotherapy 1 month later. Never close to remission (M-spike between 1.5 and 4.3).
Currently pretty low red blood cells, hemoglobin and platelets that any chemotherapy I undergo will make worse (up to transfusion of RBC and platelets after ASCT).
In the fall of 2019, I came across the book by Jane McLelland: ” How to starve cancer without starving yourself” which provided me with pretty good insight for a series of supplements and diet that lead her to current cervical cancer remission receiving a non survival prognosis of of only a weeks in 1999 in the UK.My current high doses of daily supplements include:
- Oral Vit-C (up to 25g),
- Vit b12,
- folate,
- iron,
- multivitamins,
- omega-3, omega-6,
- magnesium,
- red beet powder,
- papaya leaves power (sometimes fresh papaya leaves),
- Turmeric/curcumin,
- Berberine,
- Quercetine,
and independent of MM: Saw Palmetto and Resveratrol.
That a lot and, even though I checked, some may even be antagonist to any improvement.
Your opinion? Thanks, Douglas
Hi Douglas,
I will excerpt your questions, comments below in order to address each.
1) “I was diagnosed with MM since 05/2018 after over a month of excruciating vertebral and costal pain.”
I am sorry to read of your MM diagnosis. Based on your comments, I have to believe that you have healed your bone pain. Further, based on your comments, I also believe that you have no kidney involvement.
2) “Autologous Stem Cell Transplant in 03/2019 with slow recovering but somewhat OK response but not remission, and chemo restarted 1 month later. Never close to remission (M-spike between 1.5 and 4.3).”
You mean that you did not achieve complete response/remission after your ASCT. If your m-spike, for example, was higher at diagnosis, you may have experienced at least a partial response/remission. A percentage of MM patients do not respond to ASCT. I didn’t respond to my ASCT in 12/95.
3) “In Fall 2019, I came across the book by Jane McLelland: ” How to starve cancer without starving yourself” which provided me with pretty good insight for a series of supplements that lead her to current cervical cancer remission receiving a non survival prognosis of of only a weeks in 1999 in the UK.”
I know of “How to starve…” But I have not read it.
4) “Oral Vit-C (up to 25g), Vit b12, folate, iron, multivitamins, omega-3, omega-6, magnesium, red beet powder, papaya leaves power (sometimes fresh papaya leaves), Turmeric/curcumin, Berberine, Quercetine, and independent of MM: Saw Palmetto and Resveratrol.”
- Oral vit. C- shown to by cytotoxic to MM- good but intravenous vitamin C has been shown to be stronger as MM therapy. More ascorbic acid gets into the blood.
- B vitamins- depending on your blood levels before MM diagnosis, B12, folate can be helpful, essential.
- Omega-3 fatty acids- shown to be cytotoxic to MM-
- Magnesium- heart and bone healthy but I have never found any research about mag. and MM-
- Curcumin/turmeric- curcumin has been shown to be cytotoxic to MM- how much gets into your blood depends largely on the formula you use- I will link a post about the most bioavailable formulas- see below
- Red beet powder- I don’t know much about this beyond general nutritional benefits-
- papaya leaf extract- supposed to enhance platelet production- don’t know about anti-MM properties-
- Quercetin and resveratrol both have been shown to be cytotoxic to MM-
- Berberine- I have not studied berberine but my basic understanding is that is is similar to blueberries- pterostilbene, component of both blueberry and quercetin, has been shown to be anti-MM-\
- Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) has been shown to be cytotoxic to MM cells-
5) “That a lot and, even though I checked, some may even be antagonist to any improvement.
Your opinion?”
My opinion, Daniel, is that you are working hard to manage your MM. When I say that you are working hard, I mean that you are employing both evidence-based conventional therapies (chemotherapy, ASCT) as well as evidence-based non-conventional therapies, and your MM is not responding as well as you and I would expect.
I also supplement with all on your list above except berberine, saw palmetto, red beet powder and papaya leaf extract. Yes, we both take many supplements but I believe that this is necessary for MM survivors.
Managing your MM and your blood myelosuppression are your two main challenges if I understand you. More chemo, more toxicity will not help your blood health, I think. Or at least low doses of chemo and combine with integrative therapies. For example, curcumin has been shown to enhance the efficacy of both Velcade (bortezomib) and Revlimid (lenalidomide).
Other that pursuing integrative therapies, the only other thing I can propose is trying other therapies- not well-researched but anti-cancer such as artemisinin. I hesitate to even mention this therapy because I know of no studies supporting artemisinin as MM therapy.
I wish I could offer more information. Let me know if you have any questions.
Hang in there,
David Emerson
MM Survivor
MM Cancer Coach
Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Recommended Reading:
“There are a number of cancer therapies that have shown real cancer killing properties yet are not researched enough to instill confidence in the average cancer patient. Artemisinin is one of these therapies. Sourcing and dosing are two of the most important aspects of a therapy that is not thoroughly researched.
I often ask myself what I would do if my cancer, multiple myeloma, returns. Also, I ask myself what I would do if I developed a treatment-related, secondary cancer. Conventional chemotherapy didn’t work the first time around so why would it work this time…”
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.”
“These data supported that Pter might be a promising natural compound for relapsed/refractory myeloma therapy, especially against myeloma resistant to bortezomib chemotherapy…”
“According to the article linked below, I can now cite papaya leaf extract for it’s ability to stimulate the body’s production of both platelets and RBC’s. This evidence-based, non-toxic therapy can be added to the host of non-toxic, anti-MM therapies that can both fight MM as well as enhance the efficacy of MM chemotherapy regimens…”
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