Learning Never Ends

It’s only Wednesday, but I’ve already done so much learning this week! It has raised a ton more questions, which is a bit frustrating but also motivates me to learn more. It all started with news from the Melanoma Institute Australia on their clinical trials of COMBI-AD: Dabrafenib (Tafinlar) with Trametinib (Mekinist). It’s a BRAF inhibitor, and that’s the tumor gene mutation I have. Most research is done on the NRAS mutation because it’s more common. They’re also doing a trial called CheckMate 238 which compares Nivolumab (Opdivo) to Ipilimumab (Yervoy). Those are the two drugs I’m currently taking. “These clinical trials show we now have ammunition to prevent melanoma spreading and progressing, which until now was a critical area of disease behaviour where we had no control,” Professor Georgina Long, the institute’s conjoint medical director, said (http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2017/09/11/we-now-have-ammunition-breakthrough-fight-against-melanoma).

There’s another study, KEYNOTE-022, in Phase 2 that is testing Pembro (Keytruda) with the addition of  Dabrafenib and Trametinib: see http://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/JCO.2016.34.15_suppl.TPS9596 and https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02130466. So, thank goodness for continued research!

Also this week I started watching Square One modules from https://www.chrisbeatcancer.com/. Module 1 opened last night and a new one (10 modules in all) opens each night at 9pm and is only available for viewing for 24 hours. Module 1 basically boiled down to this – your body (and your diet, lifestyle, environment) created cancer and your body can heal it. Your choices matter. Make your internal terrain inhospitable to cancer. You are what you eat. There’s no magic bullet – small changes will not lead to big results. You need to commit to at least a 2-year hard core life change to heal and reduce the risk of recurrence.

In addition to Chris’s testimony (13 years cancer-free), there are other patient testimonies on his site with links to resources, products, etc. I was especially interested in the story of Bailey O’Brien who beat Stage IV melanoma (also my stage). She has her own website here: https://www.baileyobrien.com/. After she reached a dead-end with traditional therapies, she looked into alternative therapies and traveled to Mexico for treatment. She is now 6 years cancer-free! I have followed her links to Gerson Therapy and Coley Fluid. Although she went to CHIPSA hospital, it closed in 2013 and has since reopened under new management. She seems to be recommending the St. Andrews Clinic now, also in Tijuana, Mexico.

Other resources I’m still reading include:

http://gerson-research.org/

Beta Glucan (supplement) – supercharges your immune system?

The Truth About Cancer

Believe Big

I’ll have a few new questions for my oncologist next week, and then it might be time for a phone consult with the Block Center. I think it’s been 2 1/2 years since our initial visit. Here’s to learning!

The Block Center visit

After much research, we decided that the Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment was a center we needed to visit. Dr. Keith Block wrote Life Over Cancer, which I’ve now read twice and it has become my cancer “bible.” We drove to Evanston, IL, last week for my appointments on April 30th at the Block Center. We were there all day with appointments with a medical assistant, dietician, biobehavioralist, medical oncologist, and finally with Dr. Block. They took lots of blood for extensive lab work, and I’ll have a consultation regarding those results in two weeks. In the meantime, a lot of change is happening:

• My diet is now a vegan diet (no dairy, no meat except cold water fish).
• I need to emphasize whole grains and limit refined grain and white flour products.
• I need to get my protein from plants such as legumes, soy foods, seitan, deep-ocean cold-water fish, and organic eggs.
• I need to replace all dairy products with soy, rice, almond, or oat equivalents.
• I need to limit my fat intake and choose healthier fat sources such as ground flax seeds, walnuts, olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds.
• For sweeteners, I need to switch to agave, rice syrup, barley malt, or stevia.
• I’m gathering recipes, and the Block Center keeps adding new ones on their FaceBook page and the Life Over Cancer Blog.
• If I divide my body weight in half, that’s the number of ounces of fluids I need to drink each day, including green tea, filtered water, and herbal tea.
• I take a long list of supplements every day:
  • ArcticBlox – The Block Center’s highly concentrated omega-3 fish oil inhibit some steps in the carcinogenic process, which helps maintain the noncancerous nature of human cells and tissues.
  • Curcu-Essentials – Curcumin is derived from the Indian curry spice turmeric which possess potentially powerful antioxidant capabilities.
  • D-Essentials – Essential for the development of a healthy bone structure, and can aid in cancer treatment.
  • Essential Whey – This protein is a rich source of the essential amino acids needed by the body. It contributes to general wellness and provides immune support. I add this to my morning smoothie.
  • Maximum C – This time released vitamin is a very powerful antioxidant.
  • Melatonin PR – I’m taking this to try and resolve my fitful sleeping, but it also supports normal immune function.
  • Nutri-Essentials – This contains a wide range of ingredients that support the body’s natural intake of nutrients.
  • Pantothenic Acid – Vitamin B-5 is a coenzyme that plays an important role in energy production.
  • Probiotic Essentials – Used for gastrointestinal health.
  • Resveratrol – This compound, found primarily in red wine, has important functions of antimutagenic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. It is strongly associated with inhibiting tumor growth.
  • Turbo Greens – This is a powerful green food supplement made with primarily organic vegetables, and provides a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, essential amino acids, and many other important phytonutrients. I add this to my morning smoothie.
  • UBQH – CoQ10 provides immune support.
  • Ultra Reishi – This supplement is a combination of green tea and Chinese medicinal mushrooms, intended to enhance immune function. One dose has the medicinal effect of 46 cups of green tea stripped of its caffeine. Green tea has antioxidant and anti-proliferative properties and has been shown to induce chemical changes that could potentially cause harmful cells to commit “suicide.” The mushrooms, Red Reishi and Chaga, are both known as possible immune boosters.
• I need to adjust my bedtime routine to turn off all electronics 1 hour prior to bedtime, have the bedroom temperature a steady 68 degrees, and have the room completely dark. I also need to set a bedtime and rise time that I can stick to most days of the week.
• I need to be sure that I get the three essential components of physical fitness: cardiovascular conditioning, strength training, and flexibility.
• I need to use meditation twice a day to relieve daily stressors.

Dr. Block agrees with my oncologist’s plan for my next treatment (Keytruda). He is available for a consultation if anything changes to discuss my options. He suggested that I keep track of the clinical trials for melanoma, and not rely solely on my oncologist. For example, he gave me the contact information for a clinical trial at the National Institutes of Health. I’ve already been in contact and have completed the in-take form. If nothing changes I’ll have another round of lab work and a consult in August~September.

These are a lot of changes, but I’m motivated to do them all so I can finally get back into remission and beat this. Bill is open to trying anything with me, and we’re already on our way.

Thanks again to all the support we continue to receive from our friends and family! It means SO much and helps me to remain strong!

note: The info about each supplement above came from Dr. Block’s information sheets provided for each supplement I’m taking.