Fulda 2013 conference #5: Oxidative stress and the EDIM (tumour-marker) test (Dr Michael Schoenberg)

(This talk was given in Fulda in Dec 2013, and delivered in German, with a simultaneous English translation, so apologies if I misunderstood any of the translation, and for the sparseness of my notes)

The Christmas market at Fulda

Dr Schoneberg studied Roman Catholic Theology and philosophy in Halle and Erfurt, and was a Catholic Priest in Erfurt.  He subsequently studied medicine at Martin-Luther University in Halle-Wittenberg.  He is a medical specialist in surgery in Frankfurt, and holds a doctorate in medicine.  He is medical director for emergency medical services, and also senior emergency physician.  He runs a private medical clinic for alternative medicine.

http://www.dr-schoneberg.de

*****

The aim of the talk was to show the relationship between a set of diagnostic tumour-marker tests, the EDIM, and oxidative stress in the human body.  These tests are not the usual conventional markers.  They enable the practitioner to track whether or not treatments are successful in reducing oxidative stress in the body.

What is the EDIM tumour-marker test?

EDIM is an acronym for Epitope Detection In Monocytes.  It is a set of two diagnostic tests that are alternatives to conventional tumour markers.  These two EDIM tests are the TKTL1 and Apo10 blood tests.  Research conducted into these tests seem to indicate that they can show early signs of metastasis even when established tumour markers and clinical signs and imaging (like Pet Scans) do not do so.

image credit: tarvarlin.com

Apo10 is a specific tumour protein that is not normally detectable in normal cells.  TKTL1 stands for Transketolase-like 1 enzyme.  Cancer cells display high levels of glycolysis (rapid fermentation of glucose) a process which is also known as the Warburg effect – it’s what enables cancer cells to survive in the absence of oxygen.  Lactic acid is also produced by cancer cells, even in the presence of oxygen.  The lactic acid also protects the cancer cell from the body’s immune system.  The TKTL1 enzyme is responsible for this effect.

http://www.tktl1.de/?Introduction

http://www.tavarlin.com/downloads/2009PosterFIGO.pdf

http://www.tavarlin.com/downloads/FutureOncology.pdf

What is oxidative stress and its relation to redox reactions? (adapted from wikipedia)

A Redox reaction is an amalgamation of two processes:  a reduction and oxidation.  Substances that have the ability to reduce other substances (cause them to gain electrons) are said to be reductive or reducing and are known as reducing agents, reductants, or reducers..  Substances that have the ability to oxidize other substances (cause them to lose electrons) are said to be oxidative or oxidizing.

An example of oxidisation is rusting (oxygen causes the iron to rust).

An example of a redox process is photosynthesis in plants which involves the reduction of carbon dioxide into sugars and the oxidation of water into molecular oxygen.

Free radical reactions are redox reactions that occur as a part of homeostasis and killing microorganisms, where an electron detaches from a molecule and then reattaches almost instantaneously. Free radicals are a part of redox molecules and can become harmful to the human body if they do not reattach to the redox molecule or an antioxidant. Unsatisfied free radicals can spur the mutation of cells they encounter and are, thus, causes of cancer.

What is the relationship between oxidative stress and redox reactions?

Oxidative stress reflects an imbalance between a system’s ability to manage redox and any resulting damage. Disturbances in the normal redox state of cells can cause toxic effects through the production of peroxides and free radicals that damage all components of the cell, including proteins, lipids, and DNA. Thus, oxidative stress can cause disruptions in normal mechanisms of cellular signaling.

*********

According to Dr Schoneberg, therapies to correct oxidative stress include:

• High dose Vitamin C and Alpha-Lipoic Acid
• Polyphenols
• Yoga, Tai Chi, meditation

There is a special type of oxidative stress called Nitrosativer Stress involving free radical nitric oxide (NO) and peroxynitrite derived product.

The Coy protocol uses the EDIM tests to monitor the effectiveness of treatments.  The Coy diet includes:

• Tocotrienol (natural Vitamin E)
• Carbohydrate reduction in the diet (1g/kg of bodyweight)
• Omega 3 (10g/kg)
• MCT oil
• Lactate (to dissolve the coat around the tumour)
• Polyphenols

Best of Breast: news for week ending 28 March 2014

Updated March 2016 – For more information on GcMAF, please join the GcMAF and GcMAF Cancer forums on Facebook – they are closed groups, so you have to wait for your membership to be confirmed.  They contain up-to-date information on sources of GcMAF, and also feedback and contributions  by people who are using GcMAF.

The news round-up from Google Alerts for Breast Cancer and Cancer, for the week ending 28 March 2014.

It’s an exciting week if you are a fan of peaches.

Yes, peaches are the latest drum roll in cancer-busting foods!  If we are to believe the research, eating peaches could help inhibit breast cancer.  Of course the study was conducted using (as usual) mice, and peach extract (i.e. more concentrated than the whole fruit itself), but the scientists claim the equivalent for a human would be a mere 3 peaches a day.  I’m not convinced that the high sugar content of peaches is good for cancer patients, but if you’re already eating peaches, this is a good reason not to stop.  It’s cheap, and you can find it in your supermarket aisle.

I had a hunt round for peach extract, and the only sources were peach powder and peach flavouring – I wonder which is the right one?

I’ve also discovered a study on peaches and breast cancer:  “Polyphenolics from peach (Prunus persica var. Rich Lady) inhibit tumor growth and metastasis of MDA-MB-435 breast cancer cellsin vivo” 

The other piece of news that caught my eye was about altering gut bacteria to minimise the side-effects of abdominal radiotherapy.  Scientists suggest that faecal transplants might be one way of doing this.  My interest in probiotics and gut flora, and in particular, Bravo Probiotic (which contains GcMAF) suggests that there are other less icky ways, and I think it’s a case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing.  Please read my posts on Bravo Probiotic (Maf314) and find out how it can maintain levels of immune cells CD4 and CD8 even through chemotherapy.

Other news of significance – two more pieces of research on triple-negative breast cancer, unfortunately still at the trial/mouse testing stage.

Rich Lady Peaches. This peach variety has a very firm interior compared to other peaches. This allows them to be harvested at near tree ripe maturity and still maintain good storage quality. Rich Lady Peaches are very juicy with a superlative natural sweetness. Image credit: http://www.fallfruitbasket.com/

1.  Could eating 3 peaches a day help you beat cancer?

GcMAF (Maf314, Bravo Probiotic) ice-cream

Updated March 2016 – For more information on GcMAF, please join the GcMAF and GcMAF Cancer forums on Facebook – they are closed groups, so you have to wait for your membership to be confirmed.  They contain up-to-date information on sources of GcMAF, and also feedback and contributions  by people who are using GcMAF.

Updated 20 Feb 2014 – please note, freezing Maf314/Bravo Probiotic kills the GcMAF so this is more of a dessert, then a live culture.

For more information on GcMAF and the GcMAF clinic in Switzerland:  http://www.gcmaf.eu/

As mentioned in my last post on GcMAF, I had a glut of Maf314 over the festive season (because each batch makes enough for two people for a week).

Rather than pour it down the drain, I turned some of it into a soft strained yoghurt/cheese which I mixed with chopped chives and garlic.

It was so good that someone in the household finished the whole bowl in one sitting (and then proceeded to get the squits – that’s how potent it is).

This week I cover how to make Maf314 ice-cream.  When I say ice-cream, it’s not exactly ice-cream.  Real ice-cream is made from a custard that’s made with egg yolks and cream.

Best of Breast: news for week ending 24 January 2014

Updated 26 Jan 2014 re. folic acid

A summary of Google Alerts for Breast Cancer and Cancer for the week ending 24 January 2014.

Each week, mice and rats have been the main source of cures for cancer (a good time to be a rat or a mouse!) and last week a naked mole rat kindly stepped up to the starting line.

This week, the sloth (or rather, its fur) has joined the queue as as the latest weapon in the fight against cancer.  I make no apologies for featuring it as the top article even if it may not be the most earth-shaking – sloths are cute, and in the fight against cancer, we need some cuteness and light to ameliorate the dark impersonal reality that is the disease.

Anyone fancy a bra woven from my fur?

Did you know: because sloths spend so much time with their legs above their bodies, their hairs grow away from the extremities to provide protection from the elements while the sloth hangs upside down. image credit: http://www.apogeephoto.com

Folic acid:  There’s news that too much folic acid can stimulate breast cancer cells to grow (in mice trials).  This, however, only applies to synthetic folic acid/folate.  Intake of natural folic acid is found to lower the risk of breast cancer.  Folic acid is found in spinach and other vegetables like broccoli as well as fortified foods (such as bread).  So carry on with the green juices!

Radiotherapy:  Scientists are also proposing that irradiating the non-cancerous breast can prevent breast cancer.  Hokaaay … but what about the other side-effects of radiotherapy like heart conditions (if left-sided irradiation) and immune-system depression and creating treatment-resistant breast cancer cells?  And as another article shows, standard radiation therapy for breast cancer can actually make it worse … .  A case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing?

Best of Breast: news for week ending 8 November 2013

A summary of the latest medical developments in breast cancer from Google Alerts, for the week ending 8 November 2013.

It’s a strange mix this week, with the usual search for the causes of cancer in DNA and food and cholesterol, and drug therapy mixed with robots!

photo credit: 123rf.com

1.  Diet rich in bread after the menopause can raise risk of breast cancer

OK, I know this is not the most earth-shaking news, but I’ve always been interested in nutrition and cancer.  When I was first diagnosed I was told to avoid anything with gluten.  Fortunately, I don’t need bread to survive, so I was able to tolerate the diet.  But it was just one of these blanket dietary bans, with no rationale behind it except that it caused inflammation in the body and gummed up the digestive system.  As for pasta – well, that was carbohydrate which would convert to sugar and fuel the cancer cells.

If we’re going to use GI to measure whether or not a food is appropriate, surely pasta (which is refined carbohydrates) is as bad as bread?

Raw vegan diet for healing cancer

If you’re thinking of going on a raw vegan diet for helping your body heal, then please go to a workshop conducted by Jill Swyers of Living Foods for Health.

Update on juicers

Update – December 2012

My last post on juicers was in March 2012.

I have since seen the Samson juicer in action and also used it.  It is a single auger juicer and it works fine.  It is also easier to use and accepts soft fruit without creating a mushy mess.  It takes a lot less effort to push in the veg (even hard veg like beetroot) than with my Green Kempo.

I have come a long way since this initial post, and basically, it is:  let’s not get our knickers in a twist over juicers.  As long as it juices, that’s fine.  If it’s a centrifugal juicer, that’s fine.  The main thing is to juice and let’s not waste minutes and hours over trying to squeeze more enzymes out of veg.  Life is too precious to waste!

You’re buying a juicer, not buying a car!

Updated 9 December 2013:  It doesn’t matter what juicer you buy – as long as you will use it.  The main thing is to juice, not to make it some sort of burdensome task.

One of the recommendations for an anti-cancer diet is juicing.  The juice is prepared from vegetables, and not fruit, as fruit is high in sugar which feeds the cancer.  So the need for a good juicer to extract separate juice from the vegetable is crucial.

Fresh vegetable juice is full of vitamins, minerals and living enzymes which is easily absorbed.  The alternative is to eat the vegetables themselves, but that’s a lot of chewing.

The problem about selecting juicers is that it’s easy to get trapped in the maze of which juicer to get.

The IV C files #3 – What an intravenous vitamin C infusion feels like

If you’ve ever had an intravenous infusion of anything, you probably know what intravenous vitamin C feels like.

An intravenous needle is just a way of breaking the skin into a vein, and the needle acts as a guide for the cannular (or fine tube) that allows the fluid to flow into the vein.  After the needle is inserted, the cannular follows and the needle is withdrawn.  Sounds simple?

The IV C files #2 – Intravenous Vitamin C treatment – the first week

The clinic I was receiving the intravenous vitamin C treatment had a regime of 18 sessions delivered over three weeks.   This would be followed by twice-weekly follow-up sessions for three months.

When I asked why three weeks and then three months, I was told that this replicated the protocol used by the alternative cancer treatment hopsital, the Oasis of Hope in Mexico.

I would also be having daily sessions of hyperthermia and ozone therapy.