Phytomedicine In Cancer Treatment
Phytomedicine and DIM Can Effectively Be Used In Triple Negative Breast Cancer Treatment
Phytomedicine refers to the application of scientific research and the highest standards of professionalism to the herbal medicine practice. The use of phytomedicine is not new though. It has been in practice for quite a long time in fact the name phytomedicine is derived from the word used in other parts of Europe, where plant based medicines are provided by doctors and pharmacists as ‘phytomedicine’ to their patients. Phytomedicine is more advanced in herbal medicine as it involves scientific research to ascertain the potency of the natures given herbals before they are prescribed to be used by any patient. The doctors who use phytomedicine are called phytotherapists and they treat their patients with the best herbs that fit their king of diseases. Phytotherapists choose the best herbs from the most effective herbs ensuring that very patient get the best combination of the phytomedicine.
Phytomedicine is practiced in clinical treatment of diseases in most parts of the world and is a growing field as it involves scientific research and information on the use of plant medicinal components and their safety in use. There are methods that are used to evaluate the effectiveness of plant medicines which are similar to the evaluation of orthodox medicine. Herbs unlike the orthodox medicine that focus on given chemicals contain very many bioactive components. The phytomedicine may involve use of a combination of herbs to come up with a therapy that will heal the body and strengthen its immune system to fight diseases better.
Phytomedicine are safe for use for many diseases and cancer is no exception. After very many clinical trials of phytomedicine the use of phytomedicine in treatment of various conditions have been recognized in most countries through the world. Section 12 (1) of the 1968 Medicines Act permits Phytotherapists to make and dispense herbal remedies to individual patients following a consultation.
As used in cancer treatment, Phytomedicine involves selection of plant medicines to stimulate or strengthen the body’s own functions and immune system, hence support the body to heal itself. The phytotherapist knows that each cancer patient is a unique individual and hence diagnoses and assesses the needs of the cancer patient uniquely. The patient will thereafter be given a prescription of combined plant products that work best in healing them.
Some of the natural plants components that have been used in phytomedicine to treat cancer include; resveratrol, saponins, silymarin, curcumin, peach compounds, green tea extracts, coffee enemas and grape seed extracts. These phytomedicine are rich in anticancer properties and are even safer for use in cancer treatment. The use of chemotherapy in cancer treatment may fail to work and if chemotherapy is done repeatedly the tumors only become more resistant to the drugs that are supposed to be killing them. The scientists have found out that the use of natural products work better in cancer treatments as they target multiple pathways thereby inhibiting growth and spread of the cancer cells in the body. Some of this phytomedicine help in killing cancer cell by inducing apoptosis in tumors.
EGCG and GSE are two popular plant extracts that have attracted much attention in recent years due to their antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) 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. 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. 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. For Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) target therapies are not the best options for treatment.
Today it is approximated that between 15-25% of all breast cancer cases are triple negative. Being that the conventional cancer treatments cannot be used in treatment of Triple negative breast cancer it is important to seek effective treatment through other means. Phytomedicine can effectively be used in treatment of Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) as it works better here than any other target therapies.
DIM
Recent research has shown that diindolylmethane (DIM) promotes production of beneficial interferon gamma by breast cancer cells. With reference to scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, the anticancer effect of DIM is evident as the interferon gamma is known to play an important role in inhibiting the development of primary tumors. It has also been proven that DIM increases cellular stress response pathways in breast, prostate and cervical cancer cells. The increase of cellular stress increases the vulnerability of cancer cells to destruction. Studies have shown that DIM induces apoptosis in both breast and prostate cancer cells.
According to a study done by Scientists at Wayne State University School of Medicine, DIM affects the functions of genes that control carcinogenesis, cell survival, and physiologic behaviors. It also inhibits the growth of new blood vessels that are necessary for spread and growth of tumors. In a the study that was conducted by University of California, Berkeley it was found that DIM inhibited angiogenesis on both cultures assays as well as animal models. It is therefore effective and can be used in treatment of Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).
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.
Phytomedicine and DIM Can Effectively Be Used In Triple Negative Breast Cancer Treatment
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