There is vast potential of using “off label” medications to enhance the treatment of many forms of cancer. I have Stage 1V Breast Cancer, thus I am focusing on what I have found out about this. Extensive research has discovered the vast potential of using “off-label” medications and focusing on specific low-toxic non-cancer drugs that have been “re-purposed” for use by breast cancer patients, to reduce their risks of recurrence and mortality.Today, I am concentrating on one of these common and inexpensive drugs – Beta Blockers. The data these two researchers present on Beta Blockers (normally used for hypertension) is nothing short of mind-boggling and they have manageable and generally minimal side effects. The findings incredibly show that taking Beta Blockers can reduce mortality and cancer relapse.  The older type Beta Blocker namely Propranolol (with the brand name Inderal) blocks both Beta-1 and Beta-2 Adrenergic Receptors, which is key – because many of the new Beta Blockers only block Beta-1 – which is clearly insufficient for stopping cancer. In other words, it is only the old style beta blocker Propranolol because it also blocks Beta-2, which is the linchpin for stopping breast cancer growth., (Please note that Atenolol – one of the new Beta Blockers that only inhibits Beta-1, has not reliably been shown to reduce breast cancer mortality.)The effects are incredible, as has been shown in cell studies; animal studies, and – most importantly – human population studies in which researchers looked back at who took Propranolol for blood pressure to see how they fared compared to the rest of the patients. The most remarkable study drew from research on 5,333 breast cancer patients from the Irish National Registry; the researchers found that 590 of […]

One of the many easy and inexpensive recipes for immune boosting nutrition I am always trying to give myself a varied yet healthy diet that boosts my immune system and is easy to prepare, which leads me to bone broth. Bone broth is a giant leap ahead of what we know as stock. Lets not get confused. Stock is made from animal carcasses and simmered for a couple of hours. But bone broth is in an entirely different league all together and is now being recognized for it’s incredible health benefits. And the best of all – it is so easy and inexpensive to make – you just need to have a butcher nearby!They say chicken soup is good for the soul, and bone broth is just that with the addition of being good for the body too. It helps with many health issues and the following are just a few of them: – overcomes food intolerances and allergies (including asthma) – good at improving joint health – reduces inflammation, arthiritis – reduces cellulite – boosts the immune system That’s because bone broths are nutrient-dense, easy to digest, rich in flavor and–they boost healing. Gently simering the bones – not boiling – causes the bones and ligaments to release magical healing compounds like collagen, proline, glycine, and glutamine. And with the minerals it contains are easily absorbed by your body. Minerals such as: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and others. It also contain chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine – which are compounds in expensive supplements bought to reduce inflammation, arthritis and joint pain. Crucially, convenience store bought “broth” is often not real broth at all. It is literally chemically produced meat flavouring and preservatives with […]

On my way to the Tumour Vaccin Group at Medical Center.  Note to myself: I must remember to take my strong painkillers to make the vaccinations less painful. The vaccinations are not ‘jabs’ like we give our children for Measles. They are 3 sets of injections, where the go in just under the surface of your skin and then they wiggle the needle, to spread the serum, around that area under the skin. It is so HORRIBLE – and this happens three times……….off I go ……..  Luckily I  remembered the pain killers.  I was greeted by the lovely nurses and administrators again – which reminds me so much of chemo – you just can’t be sad or tired when you are surrounded by such positive people.  After blood tests and  the usual long questionnaire of any symptoms or reactions are talked through and a thorough physical check up  (very happy to see that my blood pressure was 94/62).  It was all over in a matter of minutes – and I was observed for an hour and then the delightful Ismail took me to the airport bound for NY. So its all over for this month and I come back next month.  It has been a very easy thing to partake in but what disturbs me somewhat is that they do not have their full quota for this trial.  If anybody knows anybody who has Stage IV Her + Breast Cancer and is currently on Herceptin, but is in Remission then please contact the Tumour Vaccine Group for information about partaking in this trial.  There is no down side – but a huge upside – basically it could keep that person tumour free for many many […]

By the way UDub is the cool name for the University of Washington Hospital which is where I am being treated.
Well – I am alive – no life threatening reactions.! Just similar ones to my regular chemo – hot and cold fluy feelings and fatigue – exactly what I thought I’d get Its difficult to tell as today is Day 5 since I had my chemo in London and that is when I get the symptoms from that – bone ache etc.   Definitely getting a tummy ache after the twice daily tea drinking sessions though – I wonder whats in it???
This morning I checked in with the team to have another blood draw and drink my tea.  What a fabulous group of people they are – Stephanie who I have been talking to for 2 years, but never met until now, is a mine of information – she coordinates everything – and I can tell you, it is a well run ship.  There is nothing that Stephanie doesn’t know.  
Its another unusually sunny day and following the hospital visit, Carletto and I went to the Space Needle. From 520 ft you get a 360 degree view of Seattle – I was very impressed until we then went on a Seaplane – now, that is where you get the really fantastic views.  We flew all around Seattle – over Bill Gate’s Estate, the first Amazon headquarters, the floating houses (where Sleepless in Seattle was filmed) and over all the different lakes and stunning areas of Seattle.  I thought Seattle was beautiful from the ground but it was awesome from the air.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We have done many other fun and interesting things – but these few […]

I am going to try and explain in  layman’s terms what I am actually doing.  I am taking part in a Tumour Vaccine Trial.  It really is cutting edge.  In order to be eligible for this trial I have to fit a particular range of criteria.  That criteria is hard to fit, but luckily I do.  There are many types of breast cancers and mine is called “Her 2 positive”.  This is a hormone driven  cancer and is a protein that we all have in our bodies and it is used for many important things and then once it is used for that important function (for example, helping your body to make breast milk when breast feeding) it then sort of shrinks away.  But for some reason with me my T cells didn’t destroy it because they didn’t recognise it as no longer needed and foreign so it kept growing and growing, forming a mass  and that became my cancer.

In your body you have these things called FBI cells that travel around you and  they travel around looking for things that are foreign in any way, shape or form.    I was given the vaccine interdermally on the skin because this  is where the FBI cells like to live.  This is where they look for things first because your skin is your first mechanism and defence system for the outside world,.  When these cells are given the vaccine, they take the pieces  of the vaccine, and they recognise that it is something foreign  and they bring it back to your lymph nodes under your armpit usually.  This is  is where your memory T Cells live.  The memory T Cells look at the cells that […]