A Blood Test and Support Group Gathering

First, I threatened to write about the blood tests I am having to monitor my cancer. So, here is one:-

Circulating Tumour Cells (CTC) Test

Wikipedia describes CTC's as;

 ...cells that have shed into the vasculature from a primary tumor and circulate in the bloodstream. CTCs thus constitute seeds for subsequent growth of additional tumors (metastasis) in vital distant organs, triggering a mechanism that is responsible for the vast majority of cancer-related deaths.

I was being over-optimistic when I wrote about my CTC test result. Prof Avni was trying to keep me positive. My count had gone UP considerable. The good thing is that my body can "kill" these cells.

The Mayo Clinic says this:

The CellSearch Circulating Tumor Cell (CTC) test is a simple blood test that helps oncologists in assessing the prognosis of patients with metastatic breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer. The CellSearch test is the only FDA-approved test for CTC assessment. 

The good news is that we all have Natural Killer Cells:

Natural killer cells or NK cells are a type of cytotoxic lymphocyte critical to the innate immune system (Wikipedia).

So, how to boost our Natural Killer cells?
  Eat mushrooms, probiotics (fermented foods and yoghurt) etc. According to an American Integrative Oncologist, we need to do more than eat particular food. Again, it is the holistic thing, so in addition to my diet and exercise, it is that stress management again.

This blood test is not known to all doctors in Australia, but is accepted and covered by insurance in some other countries. The purpose is to monitor the number of tumour cells floating around in one's blood and then to do something about it if it is getting worse.

Another comforting thought for me is this. I was told that an eminent doctor in Sydney who has cancer himself said that natural medicine is slower than drugs. It is normal for results in the first 6 months to be worse, to begin to improve in the next 6 months and thereafter to be back to normal. I am clinging to this idea.

Support Group

Yesterday, I attended a "Cancer Pamper Day" at Mt Beauty. It is usually a day of sharing and being pampered. It was spoilt somewhat yesterday as one of the ladies has been told that her breast cancer has spread to her bones. She had the initial breast cancer 2 years ago. We were all very upset for her, but it is also a sobering reminder of the character of this disease. Need I say more.

Examples of nutrient compounds with anticancer activity on the regulatory proteins/receptors above:

• Inhibition of NF-kB: (resveratrol, curcumin, EGCG, isoflavones, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D3, pomegranate extract, ashwagandha, gingerol, milk thistle, lycopene)
• Reduction in 5-LOX: (omega-3 fatty acids, boswellia extract/AKBA, curcumin, lycopene)
• Inhibition of Ras: (curcumin, limonene, vitamin E, garlic extract/diallyl sulfide)
• Reduction in COX-2: (omega-3 fatty acids, berberine, feverfew, gingerol, EGCG, curcumin, resveratrol, milk thistle, gamma tocopherol)
• Inhibition of Caspases: (cucumin)
• Inhibition of PARP: (curcumin)
• Inhibition of AMPK: (curcumin)
• Inhibition of Galectin-3: (modified citrus pectin)
• Inhibition of E-selectin: (alpha-linolenic acid, omega-3 fatty acids)Inhibition of NF-kB: (resveratrol, curcumin, EGCG, isoflavones, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D3, pomegranate extract, ashwagandha, gingerol, milk thistle, lycopene) Reduction in 5-LOX: (omega-3 fatty acids, boswellia extract/AKBA, curcumin, lycopene) Inhibition of Ras: (curcumin, limonene, vitamin E, garlic extract/diallyl sulfide) Reduction in COX-2: (omega-3 fatty acids, berberine, feverfew, gingerol, EGCG, curcumin, resveratrol, milk thistle, gamma tocopherol) Inhibition of Caspases: (cucumin) Inhibition of PARP: (curcumin) Inhibition of AMPK: (curcumin) Inhibition of Galectin-3: (modified citrus pectin) Inhibition of E-selectin: (alpha-linolenic acid, omega-3 fatty acids - See more at: http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/2012/08/food-as-chemo/#sthash.G556uqEc.dpuf