Cancer – Breast

Monthly blood testing for breast cancer patients is mandatory.

Every patient responds differently to both conventional and alternative cancer therapies. The results of blood tests provide critically important data to evaluate the effectiveness of whatever therapies are being used. The blood tests commonly used by doctors to evaluate progression or regression of breast cancer are CA 27.29, CEA, prolactin, GGTP, and alkaline phosphatase. If, for instance, the CA 27.29 tumor marker were to continue to elevate 30 to 60 days after initiating soy extract supplementation, discontinue its use and seek another therapy immediately.

Monthly blood tests should include a complete blood chemistry with tests for liver function and serum calcium levels, prolactin levels, parathyroid hormone levels, and the tumor marker CA 27.29 as well as cancer profile tests (CA Profile) that include the CEA and GGTP tests. These tests monitor the progress or failure of whatever therapies are being used, and also are able to detect toxicity from high doses of vitamin A and vitamin D3. The patient should insist on obtaining a copy of her blood workups every month.

Conventional Therapies
Surgery, radiation, and cytotoxic chemotherapy are conventional treatments for breast cancer that have statistically increased survival rates in published studies. Despite the known short- and long- term toxicities of chemotherapy, it is difficult to argue against it since breast cancer cells have such an exceptional propensity to metastasize. The high failure rates associated with conventional breast cancer therapy has motivated most educated women to integrate alternative therapies into their treatment program. Few conventional oncologists, however, have sufficient knowledge of these alternative therapies, and it is often up to the patient to stay fully informed.

A nontoxic conventional drug called Arimidex (anastrozole) may be prescribed to suppress estrogen synthesis in the body. Arimidex works by inhibiting the aromatase enzyme that is responsible for the conversion of androstenedione to estrone in the peripheral tissues (such as adipose tissue). Estrone further converts to estradiol, the more potent form of estrogen that patients with estrogen-receptor positive cancer cells want to suppress.

Summary

• Take 3-50 mg of melatonin at bedtime.
• Take indole-3-carbinol. Take one 200-mg capsule twice a day if you weigh under 120 pounds. Take three 200-mg capsules a day in two divided doses if you weigh over 120 pounds.
• Vitamin D3, 4000 to 6000 IU taken daily on an empty stomach with monthly blood testing to monitor for toxicity. Reduce dosage at 6 months.
• Take water-soluble vitamin A, 100,000 to 300,000 IU daily with monthly blood testing to monitor for toxicity. Reduce dosage at 6 months. (Refer to vitamin A precautions.)
• Take vitamin E succinate, 1200 IU daily.
• Take quercetin, 400 mg 3 times a day. (Water- soluble form will have a different dosage.)
• Take curcumin, 900 to 2700 mg daily.
• Take dostinex, 0.25 to 0.50 mg twice a week to suppress serum prolactin to under 3 nanograms a milliliter, if elevated.
• Mega Soy, five 700-mg capsule taken 4 times a day. Note cautions stated in this protocol.
• CAUTION: Pregnant women should not take indole-3-carbinol because of its modulation of estrogen.
• Take CoQ10, 100 mg 3 times a day. Note cautions stated in this protocol.
• Take decaffeinated green tea extract, 4 to 10 capsules daily.
• Take organic selenium (selenomethionine), 200 mcg 2 to 3 times a day.
• Take conjugated linolenic acid, ten 500 mg or five 1000 mg capsules a day.
• Take flax seed in the form of Udo’s Choice Wholesome Fast Food 2 to 5 tablespoons a day.
• Take Garlic Caps, 900 mg 5 times a day.
• Consider 1 to 2 tablespoons of Phyto-Food vegetable complex each day.
• Consider whey protein, 20 to 30 grams taken a day.
• Consider Spes, 2 to 3 capsules, twice a day, 2 hours before meals. Individuals over 150 pounds should take 3 capsules and those under 150 pounds should take 2 capsules.
• Consider conventional therapies such as tamoxifen and Arimidex. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy have been proven effective in improving survival.

(For a basic introduction to the nature of cancer, please see the Cancer protocols.