The Best Answers for Cancer Conference was held in West Palm Beach, Florida with an amazing group of expert integrative oncologists presenting and attending. Of great interest the first evening was a round table of physicians who treat patients in their clinics with a variety of methodologies and protocols. The panel consisted of David Minkoff, MD; Leigh Erin Connealy, MD; Juergen Winkler, and Sean Devlin.

Minkoff presented a case study using fractional chemotherapy with a bioreponse modifier. The panel was then asked to discuss what therapies would be appropriate for the patient to follow after this aggressive therapy. There was a long list of suggestions which follow:

• Visit a biological dentist to address infections, gum disease, root canals, amalgams, etc.
• Use repurposed drugs such as Ivermectin, Fenbendizole, fungus drugs
• Test for appropriate immune therapy
• Use IV Vitamin C
• Do spiritual and emotional work with NeuroEmotional Technique (NET), etc.
• Do gene testing to determine methylation detox pathways
• Do genetic testing for DNA of the tumor
• Measure circulating tumor cells looking for tumor cell DNA
• Create a sleep sanctuary including removing sources of EMFs
• Do chemotherapy cleanup with chelation, infrared sauna, C60, zeolite, liver cleanse, rectal ozone, IV vitamin C, breath work, grounding and sunlight
• Test for micronutrient deficiency
• Check the stool for microbes
• Do various blood tests for LDH, platelets, fibrinogen
• Have the patient practice forgiveness

Nalini Chilkov, Lac, OMD: Cognitive Impairment and Accelerated Brain Aging - The Insult of Cancer and Cancer Treatments on the Brain

Cognitive impairment from treatment and disease impacts up to 75% of the patients with non central nervous system cancers. Cancer related cognitive impairment can range from mild to severe. Brain cancers that involve cytokine storms from cancer therapy can be directly impacted. One reason for this is the fact that the brain has a higher concentration of mitochondria in the brain cells. The therapy can cause loss of tight junctions in the Blood/Brain Barrier resulting in leaky brain. The microglia can become inflamed. Typically this involves executive function and processing speed. There are comorbid factors that come into play as well including sleep issues, depression, anemia, fatigue, inflammation, age related cognitive decline and circulatory disorders. Patients with single nucleotide polymorphisms are at even higher risk. Occasionally cognitive impairment can last twenty years post therapy. So what can a patient do? There are various supplements to help heal the brain including melatonin. This is a pineal neurohormone, is anti-inflammatory and is an anti-oxidant. Astragalus can be helpful but is contraindicated for immunotherapy or if the patient has any autoimmune diseases. Omega 3 supplements that are high in DHA definitely help with blood/brain barrier integrity.

Oxidative stress from the therapy causes neuronal death due to the cytokine influence. Polyphenals (eating the rainbow) and green tea are beneficial. Honkiol slows the metabolism of the tumor cells and can cross the blood/brain barrier. This supplement can be bitter so it is best to take it with food and combine with ginger tea or cinnamon.

Neuroinflammation can be measured from biomarker testing. With this information a personalized immunotherapy can be created. With this damage patients are more prone to depression and fatigue. The neuroinflammation is pushed by IL-6 and cytokine storms creating a reactive microgliosis resulting in neuronal damage. Again, what to do? Supplements include green tea, curcumin, Omega 3, probiotics, baicalein, berberine, mushrooms, resveratrol, and Boswellia. Baicalein is very impactful as it can cross the blood/brain barrier and addresses multiple pathways of inflammation. Pterostilbene (blue berries) calms the microglia.

The microbiome directly influences the brain. The goal of the patient should be to support the bacteriosides and lower the chlostridales with probiotics to help recolonize the gut.

Breast and prostate cancer patients live longer in general so brain deficits can become and issue causing accelerated aging of the brain especially if hormonal blockade therapies are part of the therapy. There blockade therapies can have significant impact on the hippocampus and limbic structures in the brain. However, it is not cut and dried as there are many conflicting studies for and against hormonal blockades. Apps with brain exercises that get progressively more difficult can help.

Psycho social stress can cause sleep issues, cortisol imbalance, anxiety, depression and mood swings Adaptogens can be helpful including Rhodiola, Siberian ginseng, panax ginseng, schizandra chinensis, and Ashwagandha. Sleep is vital to help with memory and repair. Acupuncture, meditation, vagal tone, vitamin D, citicholine (found in lions mane), and curcumin can help clear the brain fog.

Perfect Balance: Salicinium

Salicinium is only taken up by anaerobic cells. It destroys nagalase which is a coating produced by the tumor to confuse the immune system. Nagalase keeps the immune system from attacking the tumor so in the absence the tumor is vulnerable. It is possible to test for nagalase as a biomarker for cancer and progress of the therapy. Salicinium is helpful for many conditions in addition to cancer. It has shown benefit for Lyme disease, cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein barre (EB). It does conflict with therapies such as ozone, high vitamin C and high anti-oxidants but is compatible with mistletoe.

Henning Saupe MD, PhD: Hyperthermia, Neutraceuticals and IPT - A Gentle Way to Treat Cancer

Henning Saupe MD, PhD, runs the Arcadia Praxis Klinik in Germany. His clinic offers a variety of therapies. It houses nine patients at a time as live in patients. He views medicine as the art of getting the flow of energy back in balance when it is blocked. This had been the approach for 2000 years prior to the modernization of medicine ushering in reductionist theory (disease is sick cells) Some aspects of modern medicine are good but much of the holistic aspects have been lost. In his view, look at what went wrong in the body when disease happens. Look at the vital health fields.

1. Control inflammation as silent inflammation is at the core of cancer.
2. Detoxify the body from outside toxins and toxins within the body.
3. Look at nutrition
4. Drink clean water
5. Breath. Oxygen is vital as cancer grows in the absence of oxygen
6. Have healthy gut flora and microbiome
7. Manage your stress
8. Keep the blood sugar low and insulin low
9. Maintain a smart immune system
10. Assure mitochondrial function
11. Keep an alkalinity/acidity balance
12. Have infection defense as infection always leads to inflammation

Cancer is a mitochondrial disease. The mitochondria in a cancer cell is 1/18th as effective. The cell lives in the absence of oxygen and survives on sugar. However, there are fields that actually attract the development of cancer.

1. Silent inflammation
2. Nutritional deficiency
3. Toxicity
4. Intercellular water deficiency
5. Oxygen deficiency
6. Unhealthy gut
7. Psychomental stress
8. High blood sugar and high insulin
9. Misled immune system
10. Mitochondrial damage
11. Over acidity
12. Chronic infections as in the gums, gut, root canals, etc.

If these are in existence, cancer results.

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is relevant in all diseases and specifically in cancer. To quote Professor Schubert from the Institute of PNI at Insbruck University in Austria “There is no difference between our feelings and our immune system.” This includes our perceptions, feelings and beliefs.

Every German center for cancer has a psychooncologist. If cancer knocks at your door, first understand the diagnosis which can mean get clarity and/or biopsy. Determine the body weakness through exams and lots of sophisticated biological tests and analysis. Look at tumor markers, nutritional deficiencies, etc. Tests can determine which agents will deter specific tumor growth.

Saupe recommends surgery for early stage cancers (not so much with stage 3 or 4). Patients can do hyperthermia, ozone, mistletoe and Vitamin C to prepare for surgery. After surgery complete adjuvant systemic treatments to reduce recurrence. Where the disease is systemic such as lymphoma or metastasis or stage 3 or 4, act holistically from the beginning with often no surgery. Accept the diagnosis but not the prognosis. There is so much to be said about the placebo effect. The “nocebo” effect results from a practitioner telling a patient there is no hope for a recovery where as a “placebo” effect can be extremely powerful if the patient hold to hope.

The next step is to create a team. Accept the limitations of a conventional oncologist and put together additional practitioners who will help in your healing. In this case, you are the boss which can be done diplomatically but yet allows you to make choices that feel right to you. This is done with full attention and gratefulness. Studies show that patients who believe in their therapy have a 30% more effective outcome. Of course, for every therapy there is a risk/benefit ratio. Write these ratios down and analyze whether a therapy’s risk outweighs the benefit. Budget your healing journey. Use his Vitality Map which can be found in his book "Holistic Cancer Medicine." Determine your inner conflicts. Acknowledge them and get a coach to assist. Carl Simonton’s books can also be helpful. Practice mindfulness, be grateful, don’t judge, be openminded. Saupe believes that healing is a spiritual concept. Work with your emotions and avoid fear. Change fear into acceptance and befriend it. In addition to mindfulness, EFT, physical exercise, and art.

His clinic uses a variety of therapies including Insulin Potentiated Therapy (IPT) and local hyperthermia using radio waves. IPT is the process of lowering the blood sugar, weakening the cancer cell of its energy source, and making the cell longing for sugar. Then the patient is given a lower dose of chemo therapy (15 to 25% of the normal dose) The tumor absorbs the chemo to a much greater extent. Several supplements assist with this therapy. These include Vitamin C, Taurolidin, artesunate, turmeric, DCA, phosphadityl, glutathione, cannabidiol, resveratrol, MSM, Methylen Blue, and Mistletoe extract. The Hyperthermic therapy involves using heat directly over a tumor. It can also be used as a whole body therapy raising the body temperature to 103-105 degrees and sustain this for an hour. Saupe can be reached at info@arcadia-praxis.de.

Zubin Marolia, MD: Immuno-Modulatory Properties of Mistletoe

Mistletoe has treated many disease of hundreds of years. It is a parasitic plant that grows on the host trees such as pine, apple and fir. Lectins in the mistletoe contain glycoproteins which promote apoptosis and a positive cytokine production Mistletoe primarily stimulates an immune response at the cellular level. There is hypertrophy of the T cell dependent paracortical zones in the lymph nodes. The full Mistletoe plant extract acts as a biological whole having both immunostimulant as well as cytostatic potential in cancer therapy. The immunological effects of Mistletoe extracts include activation of antigen-presenting cells, stimulation of phagocytosis and NK cell activity, increase of granulcytes (neutrophils and eosinophils), increase and activation of lymphocytes, increase of NK killer cells, modulation of cytokine release, and induction of antibodies to mistletoe antigens. The indications for Mistletoe therapy include palliative therapy, adjuvant therapy, supportive therapy and prophylactic therapy. Often Mistletoe is delivered subcutaneously. Redness around the injection site and an overall feeling of warmth systemically is common. The benefits of Mistletoe therapy include improvement in quality of life, inhibition of tumor growth with no damage to healthy cells, improvement of immunological parameters, better tolerance of chemotherapy, radiation, and other targe therapies, prevention of relapses and metastasis, stimulation of bone marrow function, overall improvement in survival of cancer patients, and better palliative care. Research has shown change in the microcirculation in tumors.

In addition to the use of Mistletoe, Marolia uses homeopathy, bach flowers, and emotional healing in his clinic. He first started his journey in learning outside the conventional system by attending the Klinik Arlesheim of Anthroposophy and Integrative Oncoloday at the Filderklinik in Germany. He has a systematic approach to help the patient begin the healing process. The patient must understand their own lifestyle and the practitioner helps the patient accomplish this by going above and beyond with questions and answers. In a way it is looking at ancient medicine wisdom in comparison to new technologies and documentation. This current approach only allows a short time for the doctor to be with the patient resulting in Doctor Detachment. No time is taken to hear the story from the patient and learn how and when the patient lost their wellness. Clinical data can be beneficial but the most important thing is to go deeper, to observe the patient, listen to their story and then determine an individual treatment plan that is congruent. The patient story actually comes from the heart creating a healing partnership. Marolia recognizes this story process has three common actions. First, venting from the patient. Second is the vulnerability that is the result of bearing their soul. They realize they are not alone. Through this process the patient learns to accept their situation creating the third element, validation. Often the practitioner will tell the patient’s story back to them to further validate. After the story, a complete history is taken including all aspects of the patient's being. This healing partnership makes it much easier to get to the root of the problem. Marolia makes it a habit to tap the patient on the shoulder three time and say “you will be well”.

So the question is, what is wellness? It is ever changing and has many dimensions. Emotional/mental, occupational, social, spiritual, financial, environmental, and physical. All of these aspects should be addressed for a comprehensive analysis. In each dimension, how are they feeling? What are their energy levels? How is it working? Are they fulfilled? Marolia helps the patient understand wellness with the acronym FOCAL. F:Fresh O: open C: calm A: active and L: light.

He looks for the tipping point as to what happened before the onset of illness. This can be as simple as anxiety about a life event. Some causative factors could be lack of sleep, nutritional deficiency, dehydration, the weather, or grief to mention a few. His motto is: One Caregiver with one Patient in one Room with one Story.

Andre Williams, MD: Gonzalez Protocol for Pancreatic Cancer

Andre Williams, MD is from Jamaica and is one of the few practitioners who has been trained in the Gonzalez Protocol. He was introduced to Integrative Oncology after learning about Gerson Therapy and was intrigued when he learned of the Gonzalez approach.

Gonzalez equated the process of pregnancy to that of cancer, determining that at day 56 tryptophan is secreted by the mother and the trophoblasts stop. From this he determined that super therapeutic amounts of pancreatic enzymes turn off the trophoblast signaling apoptosis. He also determined that in order to have success it was necessary to determine the metabolic process of the patient. He learned that patients that were predominately in sympathetic mode resulting in an acidic metabolism. These patients thrive on an alkaline diet consisting mainly of plant. Patients who are largely in the parasympathetic state have a more alkaline metabolism thrive on an acid diet with animal protein. He also determined that these metabolic archetypes can be predicted. Patients from the tropics tend to be sympathetic dominant and patients from colder climates tend towards parasympathetic dominance.

Williams reviewed Gonzalez’ books including "Conquering Cancer I," "Conquering Cancer II," "Proof of Concept," and "What Went Wrong?". There are also non-cancer protocols for Lyme disease, severe allergies, environmental sensitivities and Parkinson’s. More can be learned by going to The Gonzalez Protocol website.

Veronique Desaulniers, DC: Seven Essential Systems, Get to the Root Cause of What Allowed Breast Cancer to Show Up

Veronique Desaulniers, DC prefers to go by Dr. V. After getting a cancer diagnosis, one must make major transformation. Understanding cancer gives you freedom from fear. She has developed 7 Essential Systems.

1. Food. Avoid sugar, GMO, glyphosate, fish with mercury, commercial dairy, seed and plant oils and roasted nuts. She recommends intermittent fasting and fasting 48 hours before and after chemo. It is possible to do genome testing for nutrition. Also the Gonzalez Metabolic Survey will help determine if a vegan, vegetarian, mixed diet, keto etc. is best for an individual.
2. Toxic exposures. Avoid xenoestrogens found in plastics, EMFs, lotions and potions, and test for internal toxins from parasites. Detox with coffee enemas, sweating, lymph drainage and cleanses.
3. Energy. Balance energy through chiropractic. Calm the vagal nerve. Balance heart energy with heart rate variability. Use acupuncture, PEMF, and grounding. Balance the hormones by testing to know methylation processes in the body. Get enough quality sleep.
4. Emotions. Heal emotional wounds. She feels this is the most important essential. Nurture yourself, reduce stress and embrace community. With there aspects in your life a person has a 75% decreased risk of dying from cancer. This includes resolving past trauma.
5. Biological Dentistry. Remove amalgam fillings, root canals which harbor infection, gum disease, cavitations and test for heavy metals. Keep in mind that the teeth are each connected to specific meridians and impact the flow of energy therein.
6. Repair with plants and herbs. There are nourishing essentials including broccoli sprouts, curcumin and DIM. Test iodine levels and magnesium levels through the RBC mag test. Also EGEC, matcha green tea, selenium, and zinc. Immune essentials include Ivermectin, mushrooms, mistletoe and sodium ascorbate. Basic Targes include apricot kernels, berberine, Haelan 95, melatonin, maragen, onkobel pro, salicinium, HBOT, IPT, and Ozone.
7. Test. Use thermography for breast health as well as ultrasound. Blood work can help determine metabolic needs. The bottom line is to Do or Do Not. There is no “try”.