Metabolism and Bioavailibility

Eating well and moderately has been the mantra for cancer patients. But nobody talks about metabolism and bioavailability. Especially the latter. I have been asked many times what food is good for this cancer and that cancer? And there are tons of marketing of good foods for cancers. Some even “cures” cancer. The quality of food has changed the food-scape somewhat. There are adulterated and fake food scams to entice the uninformed.

I have no answer to these fierce marketing of food. I have since begun to go back to basics and that is metabolism and bioavailability. That is the whole reason why cancer is an individualized disease. No two person has the same levels of metabolism and bioavailibility. Then again age compounds to the problem. Metabolism slows down with age.

My personal food regime comprised animal protein rich food, thermo-genetic food, Omega 3 fats, berries, yogurt, oils and resistant starched foods. Protein rich foods increases thermogenic burn by at least 30%. As I am also diabetic, I opt for resistant starched food mainly also to control my blood sugar. The many properties of resistant starched food include improved metabolism, pre-biotic effects and reduces fat storage. Below are some prepared resistant starched food :

Green, unripe bananas.

Uncooked, rolled oats.

Potatoes that have been cooked then cooled.

Rice that has been cooked then cooled.

White beans that have been cooked then cooled.

Lentils that have been cooked then cooled.

Eating well makes the difference to enhance metabolism and bioavailability.

Take care.

Allen Lai

Prostrate Cancer Treatment Regimens

Below is the link to treatment regimens by Cancer Therapy Advisor. These treatments are the recommended gold standards for participation in clinical trials. Good to read up and be able to discuss with your Oncologist on whats next.

Do note that secondary hormone treatments are also an option for patients with castration- resistant PCa.

http://www.cancertherapyadvisor.com/prostate-cancer/prostate-cancer-treatment-regimens/article/218186/?DCMP=OTC-cta_regasset



Take care

Allen Lai

Further therapies

As our line of defenses in treatments fail, PCa advances into a new state of growth. This is generally known as advanced PCa. Advanced PCa is known to be in any one of these state:

Metastatic, asymptomatic, hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

Metastatic castrate-resistant (mCRPC).

Androgen-independent (AI) prostate cancer.

Our Oncologist will have to determine the state of our advanced PCa in order to prescribe the next line of defense. Drugs and protocols for advanced PCa are actively on-going. Immunotherapy leads in this area of treatment.

Cancer patients need to know that Radiotherapy can be done after Prostatectomy, but Prostatectomy cannot be done after Radiotherapy. How ever Hormone Therapy is the standard treatment protocol after either treatment fails.

The following FDA approved drugs may be prescribed in addition to hormone therapy:

Abiraterone (Zytiga) and prednisone.

Enzalutamide (Xtandi).

Radium-223 (Xofigo) for men with cancer that has spread to the bone.

Docetaxel (Docefrez, Taxotere) and prednisone.

Sipuleucel-T (Provenge) for men who have few or no symptoms from the cancer

Cabazitaxel (Jevtana) and prednisone for men with prostate cancer that has worsened while receiving docetaxel.

Mitoxantrone (Novantrone) plus prednisone.

Bicalutamide (Casodex), flutamide (Eulexin), nilutamide (Nilandron), which are all types of anti-androgens.

Ketoconazole (Nizoral, Xolegel).

Low-dose corticosteroids.

Take care

Allen Lai

Blocking Angiogenesis

Angiogenesis is the body’s process of creating new blood vessels, generally controlled by some chemicals in our bodies. At the same time our body can also generate angiogenesis inhibitors to interfere with blood vessel formation. Cancer cells rely on angiogenesis to grow, that’s where it draws its blood together with its supply of oxygen and nutrients to grow and spread.

The following are known to have natural angiogenesis inhibitors properties or as anti-angiogenesis food:

Red wine,

Turmeric.

Berries.

Tomato.

Lemon.

Dark Chocolate.

Green tea.

There many types of drugs that block blood vessel growth, namely drugs that block the vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) from attaching itself to the receptors on the cells lining the blood vessel to drugs that block signaling within the cell. Drugs like Avastin are used block VEGF and Sunitinib is used to block signals inside the cell.

There are also drugs that interfere signals between cells. These type of drugs include Revlimid.

There is so far only one anti angiogenesis treatment for PCa. The FDA has approved Provenge (Sipuleucel-T) to be used for advanced PCa. However Provenge is only approved for asymptomatic metastasis PCa.

Hopefully FDA will approve more drugs for advanced PCa in the near future as there are many on -going clinical trials at its ending phase.

Take care

Allen Lai