The patient survived nearly 4 years after diagnosis (pancreatic cancer), with PAA as his sole treatment, and he achieved objective regression of his disease.
Hi David. Please help me. My mom (78) was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer last November which has spread to her liver. She is currently on her second line of chemotherapy. Folfirinox (1st line) made her loose a lot of weight due to the side effects. We have been using Tumeric/Curcumin, Moringa occasionally. We have also tried a few rounds of High-Dose Vitamin C (pharmacologic ascorbic acid).
However we have not tried Bitter melon (Karela Juice) yet. She has a few mutations that clinical trials may be beneficial in targeting.
You had mentioned to Tania in your comments last year of a pancreatic cancer integrative therapies guide. Is this something that you provide to all? Also do you think increasing Curcumin and implementing Bitter Melon would be beneficial?
Thank you,
Tom
Hi Tom-
I am sorry to read about your mom’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis. The focus for the majority of the Pancreatic Cancer Coaching program is to provide evidence-based, non-conventional therapies, supplements, integrative therapies, nutrition, etc. because conventional oncology (FDA approvided therapies) has little to offer patients like your mom.
For example, gemcitibine, by itself, is very difficult for the body to manage. Too much toxicity. However, as the study linked below explains, gemcitibine with curcumin can be an effective integrative pancreatic cancer therapy.
I think your mom is experiencing muscle wasting disease from folfirinox and should include omega-3 fatty acids and curcumin in order to slow/stop this side effect by reducing the inflammation her body is experiencing.
Yes, the integrative therapies guide is one of the 16 guides in the PCCP. Yes, I think curcumin and bitter melon would be helpful. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hang in there,
David Emerson
- Cancer Survivor
- Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Recommended Reading:
“Curcumin has a potent antiproliferative activity and can also potentiate the antitumor effect of gemcitabine. This study was undertaken to evaluate the activity and feasibility of gemcitabine in combination with curcumin in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer…
“Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) has a dismal prognosis and is often discovered at an advanced stage with few therapeutic options. Current conventional regimens for PDA are associated with significant morbidity, decreased quality of life, and a considerable financial burden…
This pharmacologic difference appears to be critical for its role in oncology. Here, we report the use of PAA in a patient with poorly differentiated stage IV PDA as an exclusive chemotherapeutic regimen. The patient survived nearly 4 years after diagnosis, with PAA as his sole treatment, and he achieved objective regression of his disease. He died from sepsis and organ failure from a bowel perforation event. This case illustrates the possibility of PAA to effectively control tumor progression and serve as an adjunct to standard of care PDA chemotherapy regimens.
“A new study shows that bitter melon juice restricts the ability of pancreatic cancer cells to metabolize glucose, thus cutting the cells’ energy source and eventually killing them…”
“Here, we determined BME effects on anticancer activity and bioavailability of doxorubicin (DOX) in colon cancer cells. BME enhanced the effect of DOX on cell proliferation and sensitized the cells toward DOX upon pretreatment. Furthermore, there was both increased drug uptake and reduced drug efflux. We also observed a reduction in the expression of multidrug resistance conferring proteins (MDRCP) P-glycoprotein, MRP-2, and BCRP…”
