Category Archives: Integrative Cancer Treatment

Neural Stem Cells and cancer

August 13, 2014

Scientists Use Neural Stem Cells To Treat Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Neural Stem CellsBreast cancer has caused lots of fear in women throughout the world. It is one of the most common cancers that are sending our ladies back into their early graves earlier than they ought to. This is a type of cancer that has continued to depopulate the world and rob us of our mothers and sisters leaving behind orphans and widowers.  There is another type of breast cancer that is not known to many but it is the most dangerous than the breast cancer many people are aware of. This breast cancer is known as Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Triple negative breast cancer is the most difficult cancer to treat as these cancer cells are very resistant to drugs. These cancer cells do not have the characteristic receptors for estrogen, progesterone and Her2/neu that are normally targeted by most cancer treatment alternatives. Even the conventional cancer treatments like chemotherapy only serve to make the cancer cells more and more resistant. This makes it very hard to treat a patient with Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) as most treatments especially the conventional cancer treatments target these receptors that are missing in the cells. Without these receptors such treatments do not work completely and this only result in making the situation worse as chemotherapy will only lead to increased levels of free radicals in the body of the patient. The treatments must target receptors to work well. For instance Tamoxifen targets estrogen receptors, in absence of estrogen receptors Tamoxifen cannot work in cancer treatment. For this reason, TNBC is considered the most aggressive, the most likely to be treated with less-targeted (and therefore more toxic) forms of chemotherapy, and the soonest to return when treatment fails. This therefore means that other alternatives must be used to ensure that the Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is treated so that ladies are not condemned to death when they are diagnosed with this disease.

Effective in treatment of TNBC

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) has put doctors on endless pursuit of its cure. However most of the doctors have proposed the use natural herbs, vegetables and fruits as they are rich in anti-cancer properties that can help to fight Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) more effectively. One of the treatments methods that researchers have proposed is the use of neural stem cells.

Karen Aboody, M.D built a platform at city of hope that is now being used by Mooney, Ph.D. who is a postdoctoral CIRM Scholar and a colleague in Aboody’s laboratory to find out how these stem cells can be used to ferry chemotherapy drugs into the breast cells to curb metastasis of the breast cancer. The platform that these doctors are using involves the use of neural stem cells that naturally reach the cancer tumors in the body. In fact cancer stem cells play a vital role in cancer, metastasis. Their approach to killing the cancer cells involves modifying these neural stem cells to secrete an enzyme that activates a benign substance that powerfully works as a cancer killing agent in the tumors.

The use of neural stem cells in fighting the cancerous cells is good ideas as the stem cells will obvious make even the most resistant breast cancer cells to be destroyed. In this pursuit for better cancer treatment by use of the neural stem cells Dr. Mooney is working together withJacob Berlin, PhD to make this platform a cancer targeting delivery systems for nanoparticles which are essentially plastic containers that are ten thousands times smaller than the width of a single human hair. The doctors are using these plastic transporters to ferry the chemo drugs by filling them with the chemotherapy drugs and having them attached to the neural stem cells that thereafter transports them to the tumor sites. This treatment is very effective since the neural stem cells even pass through the blood -brain barrier reaching even tumors that might have spread to the brain. As the neural stem cells reach the tumor they release the chemotherapy drugs that are packed in the plastic vessels which kill the tumors.

The research on the use of the neural stem cells in fighting cancer has been promising so much that Mooney was awarded two-year postdoctoral cancer research fellowship awarded by the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States to focus specifically on breast cancer metastases. This shows that this treatment is effective and may soon be the best option recommendable to breast cancer patients.

“Cancer cells are very dynamic and elusive, mutating so quickly our current drugs cannot find or fight them, by using a living cell to deliver drugs, it can respond to environmental signals in the body – like inflammation – to track the tumors.” said Mooney. She earned her doctorate from the University of Colorado at Boulder and is studying business at Keck Graduate Institute.

Neural Stem CellsThe builder of this platform; Aboody has shown that the neural stem cell are very effective in treatment of some types of brain cancer such as glioma which is characterized by rapid growth and metastasis. This discovery is yet to make the treatment of Triple negative breast cancer more effective.

Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an experienced integrative cancer doctor that has helped many cancer patients in their fight against the disease. She has worked hard not only in treating the disease but also in availing informational support to cancer patients at Awaremed which has become a place called home for many cancer patients. Call on her now and get help on cancer.

Scientists Use Neural Stem Cells To Treat Triple Negative Breast Cancer

 

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Targeting Cancer Stem Cells in Treatment

August 13, 2014

Fighting Cancer Stem Cells Is Key In Effective Cancer Treatment

Cancer Stem CellThe rapid uncontrolled growth and duplication of cells is what leads to cancer. The rapid and uncontrolled division of cells is caused by mutations in the DNA that inhibit the vital functions of natural tumor suppressors while signaling some genes to hasten cell division. Currently in the entire world cancer is among the most feared diseases that are causing millions of people to lose their lives earlier than they should. In the United Kingdom alone, about 275,000 are diagnosed with cancer every year and about 150,000 of this people die. Most of these patients die after attempting many cancer treatments both conventional and other new alternative cancer treatments. Evidently they die because the treatments they opt for are not effective enough to treat this disease. Most of these treatments focus on killing the cancer cells which may only help in extending the lives of the cancer patients but do nothing to treat the patient. Some of the cancer treatments that focus on cancer cells may relieve the patients of the symptoms of the disease and assume treatment within sometimes but the disease will re-occur since the disease is not targeted from the roots. Most of these treatments will control cancer by inhibiting the growth of cancer cells or killing the cancer cells, other treatments may combine both approaches in fighting cancer. These treatments will work in cancer treatments but unfortunately the disease will re-occur. Therefore it is crucial to understand why this disease may re-occur after ‘successful’ treatment so that alternative therapies can be used to completely do away with this disease in the patients.

Cancer often reoccurs after treatment because in a tumor there are very many different cancer cells that might not be destroyed by the treatment. A treatment may target a certain type of cancer cell while the other cells are not targeted. This many lead to the other untargeted cells to grow and divide.

Normal Stem cells are able to renew and regenerate damaged tissues. New research shows that cancer cells may originate from the normal stem cells. Basically just like the normal stem cells the cancer stem cells are able to self renew and duplicate. The stem cancer theory proposes that within the tumors there are some cancer cells that act as stem cells that duplicate themselves rapidly hence sustaining the tumor just like the normal stem cells normally regenerate worn out tissues and renew the health of our organs. This view on cancer cell survival mechanisms shows that cancer cells may attack our bodies but may not be able to sustain the tumor for a long time therefore it is the cancer stem cells that are much of a problem in cancer treatment.

The discovery of the crucial role that cancer stem cells play in the growth and spread of cancer helps a great deal. This helps us realize that using the cancer treatments methods that only focus on the killing and shrinking of tumors may not help in the long run if the cancer stem cells are not targeted and destroyed. It is often quite unfortunate that cancer cells that are reoccurring row with such a resistance to chemotherapy drugs. Therefore cancer therapies that are only evaluated on their abilities to kill cancerous cells and shrink the tumors should be encourage for use if the patients needs to be cancer free – which I guess all cancer patients hopes for. As I have always said farmers may know this better than doctors. The best way to do away with a weed is to uproot it from the ground leaving no root in the soil. However low a weed is cut, if a single root is left in the soil then it will grow again. So treating cancer effectively will only be achieved by doing away with the cancer stem cells. Cancer stem cells are also very important in cancer metastasis hence should be targeted for a more affective cancer treatment.

Foods that inhibit growth of cancer stem cells

Nutrition plays a major role in controlling the growth of cancer cells in our bodies. The foods you eat will either put you at risk of cancer or help you even stay safer from the disease. Cancer stem cells play a great role in tumor growth and metastasis and therefore foods that inhibit the growth of cancer stem cells to be on the safer side. Researchers have done much to avail us best foods that can help us evade the risk of cancer. Most of these foods are nature given and are rich in cancer fighting properties. Here are three dietary compounds that inhibit growth of cancer stem cells.

v  piperine found in black  pepper

v  Curcumin found in turmeric.

v  Sulforaphane found in broccoli and broccoli sprouts.

Cancer Stem CellThese three dietary components have been proved to inhibit the growth of cancer stem cells by interfering with their signaling pathways.  The cancer stem cell pathways have been studied by scientists especially on the ability of these cancer stem cells to renew themselves and these pathways are evident in most types of cancers therefore the use of these dietary compounds that inhibit the functions of these pathways will help in treatment of all cancers.

Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an experienced integrative cancer doctor that has helped many cancer patients in their fight against the disease. She has worked hard not only in treating the disease but also in availing informational support to cancer patients at Awaremed which has become a place called home for many cancer patients. Call on her now and get help on cancer.

Fighting Cancer Stem Cells Is Key In Effective Cancer Treatment

 

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Cannabis and Cancer

August 12, 2014

Safe Use of Cannabis In Cancer Treatment

CannabisNature has always given the best of cancer treatments that are often safe to the users. Integrative cancer doctors, cancer researchers and other nutritionists have recommended the use of natures given herbs and fruits to help in cancer treatment as they are free from chemicals that may cause collateral damage. Most greens are packed with antioxidants that are useful in fighting cancer. Most of the greens are also very good in boosting the immune system and help in fighting disease causing pathogens. Some of the proposed cancer treatment alternatives are not very welcomed by many states and even the cancer patients are afraid to try them. But cancer is a disease that can render anyone helpless and even ready to try the formidable. Use of narcotics in cancer treatments has been met with lots of controversy. It is not only narcotics that have been met with controversy in cancer treatments but even the safe use of marijuana in cancer treatment has been attracting lots of controversy. This is because in most federal states the use of marijuana has been prohibited- even for medical purposes.

Marijuana also known as Cannabis sativa is plant that grows widely in warm tropical climates. This plant has been used in the past for its medicinal value. Due to its ready market and wide use for non medical purposes, this plant has been produced in large scale for commercial purposes. There are 66 biologically active components of marijuana that has been identified by doctors. These are called cannabinoids. However the most noted component as potent is known as the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol often shortened as THC. The potency of this delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol has been discovered to be useful in fighting cancer.

However potent these components are, there has been lots of problems with research on marijuana as the legislators classified marijuana as a narcotic drug denying access to marijuana even for medicinal purpose. This restriction came in 1970 thereby barring reasonable research to be done on the medicinal abilities of this plant.

The use of marijuana in cancer treatment began long ago even before most states allowed it to be used strictly for medicinal purposes. In a research that was done by Harvard Medical School in 1991discovered that nearly 50 percent of doctors in the United States recommended cannabis sativa to their cancer patients as a means of easing their pain and to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy and other conventional cancer therapies.

Use marijuana in cancer treatment got a thumb up after the favorable review of the Institute of medicine that stated that marijuana can be used effectively as an alternative to conventional cancer treatments. . The review reasoned that in some cancer patients that are already experiencing such side effects as nausea and vomiting swallowing pills becomes a problem thereby making it hard to continue with medication.

The release of the Institute of Medicine report seemingly opened ways for many research works to be published on the effectiveness of marijuana as an alternative cancer treatment. A review of clinical studies that was conducted in several states in 2001 found out that in 768 cancer patients marijuana was very effective anti-emetic in chemotherapy. Other studies that have also been done on the effectiveness of cannabis as cancer treatment found that the biologically active components in marijuana helped in preventing nausea, vomiting and pain in cancer patients. These studies also found that it helped improved the appetite of cancer patients.

Through numerous laboratory tests, scientists have been able to prove the tumor-fighting properties of cannabinoids. Researchers have discovered that the cannabinoids inhibit growth of tumors in animal models by modulating key cell-signaling pathways. However there have never been tests on humans. The researchers also reported that the cannabinoids are very well tolerated by the patients and their use do not produce the life threatening side effects that conventional cancer treatments are known for.

Today several studies have revealed that the active components of marijuana inhibit the growth of cancer cells and promote apoptosis; which is the programmed cell death in tumors. These components are able to accomplish all this by inhibiting angiogenesis. Without angiogenesis it becomes impossible for cancer metastasis. Researchers also noticed that unlike the haphazard chemotherapy that works by producing toxic free radicals, the active marijuana components work better by targeting the cancerous cells thereby evading the grave side effects.

Possible Danger

Cannabis is a drug that when used without observation of a qualified doctor can result in serious health problems. Smoking cannabis can result in such problems as irritating throat while increased exposure to such smoke can result in development of many cancers. To avoid the danger of smoke other ingestion methods such as capsules, food products and tinctures should be used.

CannabisMarijuana also increases the rate of heart beat which may beckon other diseases. Other complications that may arise from unsafe use of cannabis include; mental confusion, lack of concentration, anxiety, paranoia, panic, fear of loss of control, alienation or detachment, dry mouth, and reddened eyes. Excessive use of marijuana may also cause loss of memory and other grave complications. It is therefore advisable that no patient should try using marijuana as an alternative cancer treatment without the help of a doctor.

Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an experienced integrative cancer doctor that has helped many cancer patients in their fight against the disease. She has worked hard not only in treating the disease but also in availing informational support to cancer patients at Awaremed which has become a place called home for many cancer patients. Call on her now and get help on cancer.

Safe Use of Cannabis In Cancer Treatment

 

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Alcohol the substance of Early Death

August 12, 2014

Alcohol the substance of Early Death – Drug Addiction

Alcohol

The display in alcohol shops are very glittering but the effects of alcohol content in them is very fatal. Do i say it is the business of death!

The title of this article should not scare you in any way because it is not a fiction in any way. Alcohol is not only the number one addictive substance but also number one killer. It is leading because it does not only kill its abusers but also very innocent people who have never tasted alcohol in their entire life time. The magnitude of alcohol effects are so real and many that researchers have had difficult time determining exactly what are the consequences of drinking this substance which has been associated with earlier death. The health complications associated with alcohol consumption include heart attack, diabetes, heart failure and stroke or lung disease. Therefore those who drink regularly are subjecting their life into several risks including:

  • People who drink regularly have a higher rate of death from injury, accidents or violence triggered by alcohol consumption.
  • Alcohol overdose may lead to death. The danger is so particular with young people in the adolescence stage of life. Young people may want to impress their peers with their ability to drink alcohol, the feelings of belonging motivates them into taking alcohol even though they may not be able to gauge its effects. However it is important to note that alcohol overdose doesn’t only occur from any one heavy drinking incident, but may also occur from a constant infusion of alcohol in the bloodstream.
  • Severe withdrawal and delirium tremens. Delirium tremens occurs in about 5% of alcoholics. It includes progressively severe withdrawal symptoms and altered mental states and in some cases, it can be fatal.
  • Frequent, heavy alcohol use directly harms many areas in the body and produce dangerous health conditions like liver damage, pancreatitis, anemia, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, nerve damage, and erectile dysfunction.
  • Alcohol abusers who need surgery have an increased risk of postoperative complications, including infections, bleeding, insufficient heart and lung functions, and problems with wound healing. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms after surgery may impose further stress on the patient and hinder recuperation.

Alcohol the substance of Early Death – The Effects of Hangover

  • Although not traditionally thought of as a medical problem, hangovers have significant consequences that include changes in liver function, hormonal balance, and mental functioning and an increased risk for depression and cardiac events.
  • Hangovers can impair job performance, increasing the risk for mistakes and accidents.
  • Hangovers are generally more common in light-to-moderate drinkers than heavy and chronic drinkers, suggesting that binge drinking can be as threatening as chronic drinking.
  • Any man who drinks more than five drinks or any woman who has more than three drinks at one time is at risk for a hangover.

Alcohol the substance of Early Death – Accidents, Suicide, and Murder

Majority of deaths on our roads are facilitated by drink driving giving alcohol lead role in accidents, suicide, and crime therefore:

  • Alcohol plays a major role in more than half of all automobile fatalities across the globe.
  • Alcohol-related automobile accidents are the leading causes of death in young people.
  • When it comes to alcohol we do not have favorable limits for safe drinking because two drinks can impair the ability to drive and even one drink may double the risk of injury, and more than four drinks increase the risk by 11 times therefore the only safe way is not drinking at all.
  • Alcoholism is the primary diagnosis in a quarter of all people who commit suicide.
  • Alcohol is implicated in over half of all murder cases, with this ratio of one to one you can only desire to stop drinking.

Alcohol the substance of Early Death – Domestic Violence

If you have been to the alcoholic residence, you may have notice the elusiveness of peace and poor or no communication, conflicts and suspicion. The members of such households are not independent and expressive than non-alcoholic households or even recovering alcoholic parents. Domestic violence is a common consequence of alcohol abuse.

Effect on Women – women often are the victims of domestic violence, they incur serious injuries from their male partners who are abusing alcohol

Effect on Children – alcoholism in parents also increases the risk for violent behavior and abuse toward children. Children of alcoholic parents tend to do worse academically than others, have a higher incidence of depression, anxiety, and stress and lower self-esteem than their peers. In addition to their own inherited risk for later alcoholism, many children of alcoholics have serious coping problems that may last their entire life. Adult children of alcoholic parents are at higher risk for divorce and for psychiatric symptoms.

Alcohol the substance of Early Death – Other Addictions

Recent studies are finding some relationship between genetic factors in alcohol and nicotine addiction relationship which may explain partially why alcoholics are often smokers. Alcohol consumption combine with smoking can be life threatening some studies have established that people who are alcohol-dependent and also smoke at the same time are more likely to die of smoking-related illnesses than alcohol-related conditions. Abuse of other drugs is also common among alcoholics. For more you can make reference in our previous article mixing alcohol with other drugs-dual diagnosis

Alcohol the substance of Early Death – Liver Disorders

Alcoholic Hepatitis and Cirrhosis – Alcohol is absorbed in the small intestine and passes directly into the liver, where it becomes the preferred energy source thereby endangering the functions of the liver where alcohol is converted to toxic chemicals like acetaldehyde, which trigger the production of immune factors called cytokines when these appears in large amounts they can cause inflammation and tissue injury. Even moderate alcohol intake can produce pain in the upper right quarter of the abdomen — a possible symptom of liver involvement. In many cases, such symptoms may be an indication of fatty liver or alcohol hepatitis, which are reversible liver conditions. Many alcohol consumers often drink on an empty stomach this increases the risk for liver damage.

Hepatitis B and C – People with alcoholism may have lifestyles that put them at higher risk for hepatitis B and C. Chronic forms of viral hepatitis pose risks for cirrhosis and liver cancer, and alcoholism significantly increases these risks. People with alcoholism should be immunized against hepatitis B. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C. the dangers of not having a vaccine can only mean that if you are alcoholic then more health problems. You can recover from all these by visiting AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. This facility is founded by doctor Dalal Akoury is well known for her commitment in eradicating addiction and other related health complications. She is an expert of several decades and administers treatment efficiently and naturally by focusing on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE. The unity of these elements will be the much needed breakthrough for your addiction problem.

Alcohol the substance of Early Death – Drug Addiction

 

 

 

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Treatment for Alcoholism

August 11, 2014

Treatment for Alcoholism – Drug Addiction

Alcoholism

Alcoholism treatment can be done in various ways. group therapy and support from family and friends is also very essential

It has been established that alcohol is one of the most addictive and abused substance the world over and the most surprising point is that despite its known dangers to human life, it is not listed among the illegal drugs thereby allowing its consumption freely. All the efforts the authorities are putting in place to put control to the usage of alcohol has not yielded much because today alcohol still remains the number one abused drug globally. Because of the magnitude of health complications associated with alcohol consumption, we will be discussing in our subsequent articles about various effects of alcohol to human life but for the purpose of this article we will look at the possible treatment available to those who have been considered to be alcoholics. There are many medical options for treating alcohol use disorders which generally depends partly on the intensity and the duration of the patient has been drinking. The treatment options may include:

  • Behavioral therapy like individual sessions with a health professional and support groups
  • Medications

In administering treatment for alcoholism your doctor will do a brief intervention to help the patient to reduce or stop their drinking. During this process your doctor will give you an action plan for working on your drinking. The action plan may include:

  • Keeping a daily diary of how much alcohol you consume
  • Setting targeted goals for your drinking
  • If you’ve reached alcoholism stage then anti-craving or aversion medication may be recommended.

Treatment for Alcoholism – Overall Treatment Goals

The ultimate goal for goal for alcoholism treatment is to secure patients total abstinence. When this is achieved it offers a better survival rates, mental health and sound marriages. Patients who attain this often become good and responsible parents, employees or employers compared to those who keeps relapsing. Achieving this may not be an easy task and therefore the patient will need to avoid high-risk situations and interchange the addictive patterns with much more useful and satisfying activities and behaviors. Many professionals may choose to treat alcoholism as chronic disease where patients will be expected to accept relapse even as they purpose for a long remission period as possible. Every step taken is an achievement because even very small reduction of alcohol intake is significant enough to lower the risk for alcohol-related medical problems.

It is highly regarded that achieving total abstinence and a voiding high risk situations are the optimal goals for alcoholics. This should also be supplemented by involving family members and friends by way of educating them on how to offer social support to the addicts. When it is approached from different directions like that then some level of success will be achieved.

Treatment for Alcoholism – Inpatient and Outpatient Treatment

Inpatient Treatment – this is usually a reserved for patients whose conditions of alcoholism places them in danger normally this is done in a general or psychiatric hospital or in any other facility dedicated to treatment of alcohol and other substance abuse. Factors that indicate a need for this type of treatment include:

  • Coexisting medical or psychiatric disorder
  • Delirium tremens (a neurological condition associated with withdrawal that involves uncontrollable trembling, sweating, anxiety, and hallucinations or other symptoms of psychosis)
  • Potential harm to self or others
  • Failure to respond to conservative treatments
  • Disruptive home environment

A typical inpatient regimen may include the following stages:

  • A physical and psychiatric work-up for any physical or mental disorders
  • Detoxification – this phase involves initiating abstinence, managing withdrawal symptoms and complications, and ensuring that the patient remains in treatment
  • On-going treatment with medications in some cases
  • Psychotherapy, usually cognitive behavioral therapy
  • An introduction to AA

Some studies have established better success rates with inpatient treatment of patients with alcoholism. However resent studies strongly suggest that alcoholism can be effectively treated in outpatient settings as opposed to the inpatient.

Outpatient Treatment – People with mild-to-moderate withdrawal symptoms are usually treated as outpatients. Basically treatments methods are similar to those in inpatient situations and may include:

  • Psychotherapy or counseling
  • Medications that target brain chemicals involved in addiction
  • Social support groups such as AA
  • Cognitive therapies
  • Involvement of family and other significant people in patient’s life

The current approach to outpatient treatment uses medical management a disease management approach that is used for chronic illnesses such as diabetes. With medical management, patients receive regular 20-minute sessions with a health care provider. The provider monitors the patient’s medical condition, medication, and alcohol consumption.

After-Care and Work Therapy – this kind of care uses services to help maintain sobriety. For example, in some cities, sober-living houses provide residences for people who are trying to stay sober. They do not offer formal treatment services, but the people living there offer each other support and maintain an abstinent environment.

The treatment of alcoholism is a process that involves many stages and serious commitment to the recovery process. When an addict makes the first and most important step of seeking for help the journey will be along one and a difficult one for that matter. Like indicated earlier treatment process may be complicated and fall back or relapsing may be the order of the day. But in all this you must take courage because you have chosen a worthy course for your life and that of people around you. Seeking for professional help along the way would be a good idea. For instance you may visit AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center a medical facility established by doctor Dalal Akoury who is a medical doctor of over two decades of practice. Doctor Akoury has been helping many people overcome their addiction problems across the state and the world over in the most natural and efficient way. Your addiction condition will be professionally handled in her care while focusing on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE and you will have your life back and live it to the fullest.

Treatment for Alcoholism – Drug Addiction

 

 

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