Cancer evolution is an example of competitive evolution. It is a warning that competition (darwinian evolution) is not the way to further evolution. Understand this for the sake of our planet and ourselves...
Many years ago, diphtheria toxin (DT) showed antitumor activity in mice and in humans, but it was unclear whether this depended on the toxicity of the molecule only or on its strong inflammatory-immunological property as well. (Buzzi S., Cancer Res. 1982 May;42(5):2054-8). The same researchers, to deal with this open question, planned to treat a group of cancer patients with cross-reacting material 197 (CRM197).
...The once-weekly injection of minute amounts of Gc-MAF, just 100 nanograms (billionths of a gram), activates macrophages and allows the immune system to pursue cancer cells with vigor, sufficient to produce total long-term cures in humans..."
A report on the creation of a virus obtained genetically modifying a common adenovirus which could constitute a therapy against cancer has appeared recently in the scientific news. This virus would selectively infect cancer cells and force them to express a protein which calls for the intervention of macrophages, additionally stimulating them to multiply. This strategy would therefore help the body mounting a strong immune response against cancer cells.
Cancer can spread only after having won the fight against the immune system. In the years scientists have discovered a number of strategies put in place by cancer cells to sneak out of the control of the immune system or even to counterfight it. Macrophages, a fundamental arm of immunity, should be put off for cancer affirmation.
They are key determinants in autoimmunity but have been indicated to play a crucial role in cancer immune-evasion (Franzke A, Hunger JK, Dittmar KE, Ganser A, Buer J Regulatory T-cells in the control of immunological diseases. Ann Hematol. 2006 Nov;85(11):747-58. Epub 2006 Jul 27). Increasing evidences support the existence of elevated numbers of these regulatory Treg cells in solid tumors and hematological malignancies.
Leukemia cells, like most cancers, are addicted to glucose to generate their energy, but new research shows that these cells also rely on fatty acid metabolism to grow and to evade cell death.
DCA promoters recommend taking caffeine and extra thiamine (vitamin B1), hoping that this will help the DCA work better and reduce potential risks of nerve damage. In a survey conducted by the DCA site (www.thedcasite.com) a certain number of heavy tea or coffee drinkers observed astounding responses, even remissions. Here we propose that it could be the sugar contained in those drinks to have helped the DCA mote than, or maybe instead of, caffeine or theophylline.
In the review paper "Dichloroacetate (DCA) as a potent..." appeared in the Online first session, in September issue of BJP, Prof. Michelakis most interestingly underlines the importance of targeting the peculiar "aerobic glycolytic" metabolic status of tumors. He suggests that the "Warburg effect", as the phenomenon is more commonly known in the literature, can be modulated by unlocking a mitochondrial impairment in cancer cells and that this could be a very promising strategy to fight cancer.
By itself, metformin was ineffective in treating tumors. In a one-two punch, metformin reduced tumors faster and prolonged remission in mice longer than chemotherapy alone, apparently by targeting cancer stem cells, report Harvard Medical School researchers in the Sept. 14 advance online Cancer Research.
In the last issue of Translational Oncology (2009, 2, pp. 138-145) a report appeared confirming that cellular bioenergetics is a central issue of investigation in cancer biology.
DCA is in clinical trials and results are expected with great interest. Meanwhile stories can be heard from people, even read on the internet, that tell us that they or their relatives have benefited from using DCA against cancer expecially when combining it with other treatments.
Recently patients, writing on the DCA site, have reported that adding green tea extracts to their DCA experimental anticancer regimen gave them benefits in term of cure efficacy.
