Prostate cancer is today the most frequent malignant tumour in men, more frequent than lung cancer. It is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Nigerian men but screening is not a common practice. A study carried out at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu on urological cases showed that over a 13year period, urethral cancer – 8 new cases, bladder cancers – 103 new cases, ureteric cancers – 7 new cases, kidney cancers – 74 new cases, and prostate cancers – 847 new cases.
Breast Cancer constitutes a major public health issue globally with over 1 million new cases diagnosed annually, resulting in over 400, 000 annual deaths and about 4.4 million women living with the disease. The five year survival rates for breast cancer patients in the United States exceed 85%, in Nigeria it is a dismal 10%. It also affects one in eight women during their lives and is the most common cause of cancer mortality in women worldwide. It is responsible for 16% of all cancer related death in Nigeria.
Cancer should be likened to a home on fire with about 3 or more rooms involved. If you call a fire brigade, you won’t want a single person to come with a small piston squatting water on the home. You will rather have 3-4 persons with powerful hose squatting water on the fire and if possible sprinklers from the ceiling helping as well. Cancer should be attacked in this manner, from several angles; conventional medicine, diet, detoxification, immune therapy, oxygen therapy, hyperthermia treatment and phytotherapy.
Good news for cancer of the prostate and breast patients, Life Medical Spa and Specialist Centre, which offers a holistic approach to your healthcare with a medical spa offering detoxification services such as colonic irrigation, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, far infrared sauna and therapeutic massage as well as specialist medical services in obstetrics and gynaecology, general practice, fertility and family planning clinics, cancer screening services and aesthetic clinic using Botox and filler services is now collaborating with Prof Ben L Pfeifer, M.D., PhD Professor and Director for Research and Development Aeskulap International Lucerne Switzerland with respect to an integrative treatment approach to prostate and breast cancer.
Prof. Ben Pfeifer of Aeskulap International is combining conventional and complementary oncological treatments to create effective therapies for patients with metastatic and castration resistant prostate cancer and metastatic breast disease. This integrative approach includes; basic complementary treatment measures such as dietary and life style changes, specific physical therapy and exercise programmes, psycho – oncology measures, hyperthermia and fever therapies, detoxifying treatments, enzyme therapy and specifically designed medical treatments utilizing various plant derived preparations (phytotherapy) tailored to individual patients.
Present day potential therapies such as radical prostatectomy, chemotherapy and radiation treatment only make sense as long as the cancer is confined to the prostate and metastasis has not developed. Unfortunately, these treatment methods lead in a high percentage of cases to unacceptable and permanent side effects e.g. erectile impotency in 60 – 100%, urinary incontinence in 10 – 30% of patients etc. Furthermore with regards to cure, the results of treatments by these invasive methods are still unsatisfactory; recurrence rates being between 20 – 30%.
There is presently still no cure for metastatic prostate cancer, castration resistant or hormone refractory prostate cancer and the testosterone ablation therapies such as orchidectomy or the administration of LHRH agonists and anti androgens frequently only achieve short term tumour control (months to few years). Long term results are unsatisfactory and most prostate cancer patients become hormone refractory. At this stage there is often fast progression of the disease and metastasis develops and finally leads to death. Due especially to the unpleasant and often permanent side effects and the high rate of treatment failure, there is an ever increasing demand for complementary therapies by patients with prostate cancer and breast cancer. Often patients’ expectations of such treatments are too high. In particular, complementary treatments should not replace the potentially curative methods such as radical prostatectomy and radiation therapy. During the early stages of the disease when cancer growth is still confined to the prostate, complementary treatments in combination with standard therapy practices leads to good outcome. During the hormone refractory stage of the disease, however, complementary treatments have gained significance due to its low toxicity and better results.
These phytotherapy products have been shown to have the following effects; anti inflammatory, anti oxidative, support immune function, inhibit tumour growth, support normal cell differentiation, promote apoptosis, inhibit metastasis, inhibit formation of new blood vessels, reduce the likelihood of future mutations. Dietary measures are also important as 35%-40% of all cancers are partly caused by poor or insufficient nutrition. Nutritional consultation and education therefore seems a sensible measure within the framework of primary and secondary prevention of cancer in general as well as in the specific example of complementary therapy for prostate cancer.
The so called “Gold -Standard” therapies for breast cancer include cancer removing surgery, usually combined with adjuvant chemotherapy, radiation treatment and/or endocrine therapy afterwards. Although this treatment sequence is effective for most of the patients, about 1/3 or more of the women with breast cancer will see their disease progress and become metastatic. If metastatic bone disease is present, then treatment with bisphosphonates or osteoclast inhibitors will often be added. These palliative treatment measures often help reduce tumour related complaints, however, their efficacy is rather limited, and therefore, the median survival time for metastatic breast cancer patients is reported in the range of 2-3 years in the best centre.
Experience shows that each patient with advanced and metastatic breast cancer responds differently, even if the disease history and the tumour markers are relatively similar. Over the years, Aeskulap International centre has been able to develop a treatment algorithm which considers various patient data and allows to design a tailor made treatment program for each patient, including combinations of the following phytotherapy; Aeskulap-MCP, Aeskulap-CA-Statin, Aeskulap-Artemisinin among others. Sometimes TMAZ Zeolite is added in cases not responding well to the protocol. TMAZ is a powerful mineral supplement that boosts immune function, helps prevent oxidation, detoxifies the body and balances pH.
For patients with a high tumour load, high CA-15-3 and aggressive tumour histology, we usually prescribe our phytotherapy-protocol in conjunction with palliative chemotherapy, radiation treatment, antibody therapy (Herceptin) and/or endocrine therapy. Our protocol medication does not negatively interfere with these standard treatment methods.
Special cases
A 70 year old patient in Switzerland became ill in autumn 2009. His symptoms were a therapy resistant cough. Lung x-rays showed multiple round lesions. Biopsy revealed PSA productive cells. Large core needle biopsy of the prostate confirmed the diagnosis of metastatic prostatic carcinoma. Initially, the patient refused any treatment due to the very advanced stage. However, when his PSA increased to almost 1000ng/ml and in the meantime bone metastasis were revealed, the patient decided to proceed with the above described phytotherapy in combination with the antioxidative and immune supportive therapy. During this process his PSA values dropped to <0.1ng/ml within 10months and even now 4 years after commencing therapy have remained constant.
In Abuja, a 79 year old patient was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer in 2011. His symptoms were bone pain and frequency in urinating. Prostate biopsy confirmed the prostate cancer. He has received LHRH analogues, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. His metastatic prostatic cancer became hormone refractory and LHRH analogues were discontinued in 2012 and so was chemotherapy in April 2015 on patients choice due to the unpleasant effects. He presented to us in May 2015 with a PSA of 1228ng/ml, serious bone pain and was commenced on the above phytotherapy, zometa, diet therapy, detoxification; Near and Far Infrared Sauna, Colonic Irrigation and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. Six weeks after commencement of the above, his bone pain has resolved and PSA value is 215ng/ml with an improved quality of life.
In Abuja, a 54 year old patient was diagnosed with metastatic prostatic cancer in the USA in 2013. His symptoms were that of gross haematuria and retention. A prostate biopsy confirmed an adeno carcinoma. His PSA on presentation in the USA, was 417ng/ml, he has been receiving several injections of LHRH analogues with fluctuating PSA values. Due to metastasis to bone, he started experiencing bone pain. He presented to us in May 2015 with the bone pain, PSA value of 130ng/ml and was commenced on phytotherapy, LHRH analogues, zometa and diet therapy, due to financial constraints wasn’t able to commence detoxification.
After 4 weeks of commencement, his PSA values has dropped to 12.5ng/ml, resolved bone pain and improved quality of life.
Patient consultations and management are made in conjunction with Prof Pfeifer and Aeskulap International, personal consultations with Prof Pfeifer can also be arranged via Skype conference calls or in person in Switzerland.
Aeskulap International and Prof Ben L Pfeifer are located in Lucerne Switzerland; hence in its efforts to reach a wider population, Life Medical Spa and Specialist Centre will serve as its liaison in Nigeria as the two organizations have a memorandum of understanding.
Where and when do your physical consultations hold.
Many doctors are quick to test for prostate cancer, but unfortunately few tell their patients how to prevent prostate cancer from developing in the first place. Diet is a very good place to start. Here are three foods that can help to keep your prostate healthy.
1. Lycopene-rich foods found primarily in cooked tomatoes (tomato paste), watermelons, and pink grapefruit, have been shown to reduce PSA levels (the glycoprotein that becomes elevated if the prostate enlarges), and slows the growth of prostate cancer.
2. Flaxseed can be instrumental in reversing pre-cancer of the prostate gland. In a study at Duke University Medical Center, researchers placed 15 men with suspected early-stage prostate cancer on a low-fat diet that included 30 grams of flaxseed a day. All of the men were scheduled to undergo repeat prostate biopsy. At the six-month point, PSA levels completely normalized in two of the men, and no biopsy was deemed necessary. The other 13 men also saw significant decreases in their PSA levels—and only one was suspected of having cancer following his biopsy.
Unfortunately, few men with suspected prostate cancer are told just how beneficial it can be to quickly switch to a low-fat diet (20 percent or less of total calories) and begin supplementation with flaxseed (30 grams a day). This simple, inexpensive program can often reduce the growth rate and aggressiveness of the tumor in a relatively short time. Even patients awaiting prostatectomy have seen positive results. In just over 30 days, men who make these simple changes have experienced significant drops in cholesterol, testosterone, and PSA levels.
3. Pomegranate juice. At the University of California at Los Angeles, researchers discovered that pomegranate juice can have a significant effect on the recurrence of prostate cancer. The study involved 46 prostate cancer patients who underwent surgery or radiation treatment. Those whose PSA levels were detectable following treatment were given 8 ounces of pomegranate juice daily. The pomegranate juice prolonged the time it took for PSA levels to double in these men by almost fourfold. The doubling time went from an average of 15 months to 54 months, which is nothing short of amazing.
This study clearly indicates that pomegranate juice can inhibit the progression and growth of active prostate cancer. It didn’t focus on actual prevention, or on the use of pomegranate juice as a cure for prostate cancer. However, based on other research studies I would have no problem recommending its use as part of a program to prevent prostate cancer. And while it might on its own be an agent that could cure prostate cancer, again I would certainly recommend it as part of an overall program.
As a complete nutritional supplement, I recommend Forever Living’s Vitolize Men’s.
Vitolize Men’s is formulated with a blend of saw palmetto, pygeum and pumpkin seed. It also includes vitamins C, D, E and B6 in combination with the minerals selenium and zinc. Quercetin and Lycopene have also been added in levels that are properly balanced with these critical nutrients to provide and encourage optimal prostate health.
Other benefits of Vitolize Men’s include:
– Production of male hormones
– Supply of highly effective blend of herbs, vitamins and minerals to help maintain normal urinary flow
– Ideal for urinary tract infections
– Promotes healthy testicular function
– Provides polyphenols (anti-oxidants) equivalent to eating an entire pomegranate fruit.
For more information please reach me on +234-8034065551 or checkout my website http://www.thebodymatters.flp.com