Curcumin, the active component of the Curcuma longa plant, has been shown to potentiate the effect of the immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) thalidomide and Bortezomib against human myeloma cell lines and a nude mice model…
Hi David- Hope you can help me here? I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma 2 weeks ago after having radiotherapy for plasmacytoma 2 years ago. Am getting Velcade, Dexamethasone and Thalidomide (multiple myeloma therapy). Have got curcumin and CBD oil as to enhance the Velcade. But oncologist asked me not to take it as there was no evidence on better results?
I live in Glasgow, Scotland were multiple myeloma is very, very rare and oncology is not up to scratch with it.
Would really value your opinion on this David and thanks for your time. James
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Hi James-
I am sorry to read of your MM diagnosis. It is unfortunate that your MM was not diagnosed two years ago. A single plasmacytoma is considered to be “pre-MM” and depending on your other diagnostic markers (such as m-protein, size of lesion, etc.) easier to treat long-term. Not sure about Scotland but in the US, pre-MM is considered to be a “blood disorder” and not cancer. Therefore, oncologist does not treat it.
As for your question about “evidence on better results” I will link studies below. The issue is what you and/or your oncologist consider “better results” to be. The studies linked below use words like “enhance,” “synergy” and “cytotoxic” when they cite curcumin and C-B-D oil and they effect on chemotherapy and MM.
The studies linked below are not clinical studies and therefore do not report that MMers live longer. It is up to you to decide if enhancing your chemo is good for your treatment.
Lastly, you are correct. MM is a rare cancer. In the US, annual MM diagnoses comprise only 1% of all cancer diagnoses. I imagine the percentage is similar in Scotland. While radiation and Velcade are standard multiple myeloma therapy, I believe we MM survivors must think outside the box.
Studies show how overall survival of newly diagnosed MM patients live longer when treated by an oncologist who is experienced in the treatment of MM. I do not mean to sound critical of your oncologist. I am simply saying that experience matters to us.
Let me know if you have any questions. Hang in there, David Emerson
“Conclusion- A total of 644 cases of plasma cell dyscrasia were registered at the Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital between 2000 and 2012. Of these, 10.25% were diagnosed with SP, including 45 cases of SBP and 21 cases of EMP. The vertebral column and upper respiratory tract were the most common sites of SBP and EMP, respectively.
SBP was more inclined to progress to MM than was EMP, and the statistical analysis indicated that SBP had a poorer prognosis. Because of the high sensitivity to radiation, an effective modality of treatment of SP appears to be radiotherapy. In the present study, we found that for SBP patients, larger tumor sizes (≥5 cm), positive serum M protein, and serum β2microglobulin were factors affecting prognosis. Radiotherapy and serum β2 microglobulin levels were also found to have an influence on LC and MMFS for EMP patients. For this reason, patients with risk factors require close follow up, and more investigation into the use of novel therapeutics should be used to prevent disease progression. More large clinical studies must be performed to improve the understanding of SP.
“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.
I consult the independent evaluation service Consumerlab.com frequently. For one low annual payment, I can read about and evaluate all of the nutritional supplement that I take.
David Emerson
- Myeloma Survivor
- Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
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“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]“
“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).”
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