I have been hearing alot about the use of IP6 and formulations including Mistletoe as effective treatments for cancer.My wife has been recently diagnosed with secondary triple negative breast cancer in both lungs.Does anybody have experience of using these treatments.I have read a couple of newspapers reports with miraculous results but it’s difficult to find any scientific tests or decent websites,best wishes to you all.
Hi husband
This seems to suggest IP6 is worth further study:
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17044765
But I haven’t been able to find any solid evidence supporting the mistletoe - the couple studies that do find it works have generally been disparaged by academics. Sorry.
finty x
Hi.
This is interesting. Thx for bringing it up Husband230 nd thanks for the link finty. Can you get IP6 supplements? Or, is there a list of foods available?
Thx to both,
Will be watching this thread with interest!!
Sadie Xx
It’s a long story but a family member has links to a religious group with affiliates all over the world.When one of their order was diagnosed with cancer and less than 3 months to live,the group scoured the world for a natural answer and they found this company in either Germany or Holland.If you PM me i can give you the details.I don’t know what cancer the women had but the cancer was completely eradicated and that was 17 years ago!(the company is no part of the religious group).
Hi Sadie
I’m wondering what to make of the IP6 info. There are certainly some very promising in vitro and in vivo studies (ie test tube and rats/mice studies) which show dramatic affects on breast cancer cells and their motility. There was also a very small human clinical trial on patients having chemo which was analysing side effects rather than clinical outcomes - it showed that those on the IP6 arm had significantly fewer side effects and much improved quality of life, particularly their blood counts didn’t drop during chemo. But I haven’t been able to find a good clinical trial in breast cancer patients that looks at outcomes - I know these things take years to run and this is a fairly new discovery, so maybe one is under way - who knows, I’ll keep digging though.
As far as I can tell it also has proven benefits for the liver, heart, kidney stones etc, but I haven’t looked at those in any detail.
IP6 is a natural substance found in high fibre foods (rice bran, oats etc), but not in the quantities required to replicate the animal studies. Dr Shamsuddin (University of Maryland medical School) has conducted most of the research and claims that it is harmless and one of the few instances when a supplement is preferable to the food. He has made recommendations on supplement dosages if you’d like them.
It’s interesting - I’m quite tempted to give it a go if my onc is ok with it.
finty x
Just as a different perspective:
Your family member did not just take an herb, she had faith and vast numbers of people deeply praying and meditating for her. There really is a difference.
(I am currently in Bali on a meditation fast and surrounded by amazing people with years and years of expereince in diet, yoga, meditation and healing. It is a beautfiul and life changing experience. I have not eaten for 6 days and have never felt so happy and peaceful.)
There are no miracle cures and I doubt it take a few herbs/remedies will work if not in conjunction with diet, and meditation or prayer.
xx
Dear Husband,
It’s wonderful to be so proactive in finding out everything you can to help your wife, but I’m sure you know that you know that much of the information re alternative treatments on the net is hokum- so please talk to the excellent helpline, your medical team etc about treatment options. Complementary therapies can be useful along side conventional treatment, and I have used acupuncture in the past as well as getting aromatherapy from my local hospice. There is a good thread here called wierd wacky and wonderful that has several lnks.
I hope you both are able to get the information and support you need.
Best wishes,
nicky
I think the title of this thread is misleading and complementary therapy would have been better - Husband’s wife is having the usual conventional treatment.
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In answer to all the comments concerning this tread,i think everybody needs to calm down a little.My wife is not currently proposing to take any alternative/complementary therapies as there is no scientific proof that any work.I was merely relaying a discussion i have had and a news article from the Daily Mail written some time ago,i was enquiring whether anybody had any knowledge of either IP6 or treatments containing Mistletoe.As for my wifes current treatment which has not even been agreed yet,it seems strange that someone would know what treatment my wife is going to have as we don’t!I am not even going to bother going near the question of faith!I joined this website to find help at a very difficult time and to have discussions concerning other peoples experiences in the hope of learning enough to try and help my wife stay alive,best wishes to you all.
Hi Husband
What as lovely man you are, I have one at home just like you (currently taking on the Onc known as Dr Nasty!) as he upset me so much at our last meeting.
Never heard of IP6 so will give it a look, thanks for highlighting it!
Don’t give up on us, we are all on drugs!!!
DaisyGirl
There is a tendency to immediately dismiss any therapy that doesn’t come directly from an onc as worthless or dangerous. Many complementary therapies undoubtedly are both, and should be treated with great scepticism, and none should be considered without careful scrutiny and with an onc’s permission. I personally believe very few complementary therapies have any merit at all. But the beauty of the internet is that it enables us to check things out for ourselves and then make an informed choice.
Husband asked the reasonable question if anyone had any knowledge of two treatments/supplements. In the case of IP6 a search of pubmed reveals that it has been the subject of 76 published research trials in the last few years:
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=IP6%20and%20cancer
I hadn’t heard of IP6 until Husband raised the subject, and I’m very glad that he did because I am intrigued by what I found. I haven’t had the time to read all 76 papers - but I have read about half of the abstracts and every single one of them so far shows a marked (the word “striking” is used in some of the reports)ability for IP6 to attack many types of cancer,(prostate, breast, colon, throat,lung and more) to improve the efficacy of chemo and to boost natural killer cells that are our bodies own defence against cancer. Some of the animal trials with human cancers showed total tumour regression with no toxicity. That is quite remarkable and very promising, but of course by no means proof it would work in a human model. I think at the very least though it takes it out of the category of dangerous hokum.
I don’t know whether full human clinical trials are now taking place - some of the abstracts say that is the next planned phase, but I fear that with a non-patentable food derivative no drug companies would be interested, and I’m not sure where the funding would come from for expensive human trials.
But - IP6 is a carbohydrate in fibre that exists naturally in all our cells, is non-toxic and cheap. I haven’t been able to find any reported side effects other those one would expect when adding significant amounts of fibre to the diet - and a therapeutic amount can be had from simply eating a large serving of certain grains, or a daily supplement.
I think asking our onc’s about supplementing with IP6’s is perfectly reasonable, and in the case of Husband’s wife with triple negative secondaries, I think I would need a very good reason not to give it a go. I am certainly going to pursue it.
finty
I can’t see any harm in trying stuff, as long as it doesn’t interfere with meds you are on already. A high fibre diet is a good thing I have found. When tax robs me of my tastebuds the best thing to eat for me is fruit. Particularly apples and oranges. mangoes taste like soap…
x sarah
I agree cromercrab - unfortunately those like us with secondaries don’t have the luxury of relying solely on chemo and hormonals. I will be quizzing my onc very carefully on IP6 and forwarding some of this research to her.
I’ve been following your posts on the other threads - hope you get good news from your scan - it must seem like you’ve been on chemo for ever. xxxx
I think it’s important to keep your mind open. A lot of medical research is also very debatable, and the scientific community are constantly amending opinion.
This is an overview on IP6 from the American Cancer Society:
Hi finty
I look forward to hearing what your Onc says about this, Dr Nasty has a completely closed mind so I do not feel I can bring it up with him. Hopefully, I will be seeing a different Onc soon and they may be more receptive!
Your research is great, thanks so much to you and the others who take the time to investigate and sharing it with us all.
DaisyGirl
Glad you found it interesting Daisy Girl - and sorry to hear your onc is not approachable, hope you soon get one that is easier to discuss things with.
finty xx
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Hi husband 220
I’ve used Iscador, sourced from the Homeopathic Hospital in London in 2003. (Dr Sosie Kassab was the Director of Cancer Services at that time.)
See iscador.com/clinical-studies/index.aspx
I asked my GP to refer me to the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital a couple of months after diagnosis, and he did. There was no cost to him or the practice, and referral to another consultant is my right. The appointment arrived within the 6 weeks allowed.
Was assessed by the homeopathic doctor, and prescribed Iscador. There are several ways of taking it, and I chose that considered most effective, ie injection (I was taught how to do this safely). Two strengths were provided, and they are injected on alternate weeks, for three days each week. The first prescription did not create the desired reaction (slightly raised swelling about size of 50p. Sometimes this may itch, and a slight rise in body temperature may occur.)
Was called back for review, and the strength was increased. This produced the desired reaction. It is thought that this reaction is that which increases the power of the immune system.
Eventually my GP prescribed the Iscador himself.
I have also taken IP-6. It has a reputation for reducing inflammations, and as cancer produces many proteins associated with inflammation, this may be how it works. Follow instructions and take on an empty stomach. Straight after getting up was my option, then breakfast did not interfere with absorption.
My sister lives in the USA and she was/is able to either bring it over or post it.
You might wish to look at supplementing with vitamin D, to very large amounts. There is excellent science to show that it increases survival time in bowel cancer, melanoma, and is suitable for pretty well any cancer. Aim to get blood levels up to 80 nmols or more. It is very difficult to overdose. A blood test can be organised by your doctor - they are not expensive. I take 10,000 iu a day and also spend time in the sun. If you want papers, I can send you plenty but if you read this, it will give you a good idea.
cancernexus.co.uk/papers/lecture_Gillie.pdf
If your wife is HER2 positive, you might want to check out the use of GLA (borage oil, starflower oil) to downrate the activity of the HER2 gene expression. Google Drs Menendez and Lupu for info.
her2support.org/vbulletin/archive/index.php/t-25323.html
Remember there are many vested interests in modern medical science, the expensive drugs cost ££££s. Just because the research has not been done doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. Old science is also good science.
The above do not interfere with chemo, rads etc should you decide to use them. see canceractive.com for more.
I was diagnosed HER2++ in 2003. Had WLE, and again in 2004. But that was expected because I chose surgery only, no chemo or RT.
There’s lots you can do. By the time I’d finished with my vegan and very limited diet, supplements, yoga (I hate the gym!) I felt incredibly well and healthy. Good luck. Keep well.