Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy | Alternative Cancer Treatments

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for cancer treatments is a treatment which essentially involves providing the body with extra oxygen. Extra oxygen for cancer treatments is the keywords. The word 'Hyper' means 'increased' and 'Baric' refers to pressure. As we all know, Oxygen is one of the gases in the air that we breathe and is essential for life. The air that we breathe normally contains 21% oxygen. Breathing in 100% oxygen under increased pressure within a hyperbaric chamber allows extra oxygen to be forced into the blood stream and dissolved at a much faster rate than if pressure was not used. Another effect is the increased oxygen transport capacity of the blood. Under atmospheric pressure, oxygen transport is limited by the oxygen binding capacity of hemoglobin in red blood cells, which almost reaches saturation at atmospheric pressure, very little oxygen being transported by plasma. However Oxygen transport by plasma is significantly increased under HBO therapy.This extra oxygen can help where healing is retarded due to infection or limited blood supply through tissue damage.

Benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy:

- HBO facilitates the growth of new blood vessels, enabling the transport of additional blood;
- HBO augments the body's natural defence mechanisms to fight infection and kill bacteria;
- HBO helps reduce any swelling that may occur around an area subjected to radiotherapy.

The treatment is normally painfree and is carried out in specially-designed chambers known as "hyperbaric chambers". There are two basic types of chamber: monoplace chambers and a multiplace chambers.

A monoplace hyperbaric chamber for treating one person at a time and involves the patient lying on a padded stretcher that is then slid into a clear plastic chamber about 2ft in width. Once inside, the door is closed and the chamber is pressurised.

Multiplace hyperbaric chambers can treat several people at a time. The multiplace chamber is the type most frequently used. These chambers are big enough to accommodate sometimes as many as a dozen patients at a time and it is possible to walk into them. Patients either sit on benches or lie inside these chambers. 100% pure oxygen is administered via either a mask or a clear plastic hood. HBO sessions usually last from one to three hours depending on the nature of the treatment program. Treatment sessions within the hyperbaric chamber are normally repeated over several days or even weeks.

HBO therapy is increasingly being used for helping patients who have been subjected to conventional radiotherapy treatment for cancer and are now suffering the after-effects. A major problem with radiotherapy is that, since it not only kills cancer cells but also nearby healthy cells at the same time, it can cause changes in the oxygen supply to tissues in the treated area, since less blood is supplied to the area. The result is that it becomes more difficult oxygen and essential nutrients to reach the tissues. Over a period of time these tissues can become very fragile, break down and ulcerate. Sometimes tissue can even completely die (radiation necrosis).

Studies indicate that HBO therapy can be effective in the following conditions:

- Chronic lymphoedema in breast cancer;
- Chronic radiation cystitis;
- Pelvic cancer;
- Bowel cancer;
- Prostate cancer;
- Osteoradionecrosis;
- Chronic radiation proctitis;
- Acute blood loss anemia

I hope that this brief article on Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy has provided a brief insight into the importance of oxygen in the correct functioning of the body, plus its role not only in the treatment of cancer but also how it can be used in overcoming some of the serious adverse side effects of conventional cancer treatments. Perhaps it will encourage you to further investigate this fascinating subject. As always, you should seek the guidance of a professional medical fractioned before taking any medications or undergoing any form of therapy.



Dr. Tavares is a medical consultant experienced in both traditional and complementary medicine. Her writing about prostate cancer can be found at http://www.prostate-cancer-answers.info and her alternative health blog can be viewed at http://alternative-cancer-therapies.blogspot.com

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Insulin Potentiation Therapy | Alternative Cancer Treatments

Insulin Potentiation Therapy, generally referred to by the initials IPT, is an alternative treatment that uses standard, approved cancer-fighting drugs in much lower doses, thereby eliminating many of the debilitating side effects so common with conventional chemotherapy. The side effects are significantly reduced because the chemotherapy doses can be as low as 10-15% of the standard dosage.

IPT was developed by Dr. Donato Perez Garcia (1896-1971) in Mexico, who claimed it to be especially effective with breast cancer. Indeed, that if a cancer can be beneficially influenced by existing chemotherapy drugs, then IPT may also be effective, but without major side effects. Dr Garcia's work is today carried on by his grandson, of the same name.

The first clinical trial of IPT for treating breast cancer was undertaken in Uruguay and published in 2003. For the trial, insulin combined with the chemotherapy drug methotrexate in low-dose form resulted in significantly stabilising the disease, with reduced progressions, as compared with insulin or low-dose methotrexate alone. Other studies have been worldwide, although informal. In fact, although little known, IPT has been in use for approaching seventy years.

How does IPT work?

Insulin, which is created naturally in the pancreas, regulates many of the body's functions at the cellular level, the most well-known being the level of glucose in the blood. It is suggested that insulin also modifies the receptivity of cancer cells to being penetrated by chemotherapy agents. Cancer cells grow by secreting their own insulin-like growth factor and insulin itself which draw on the body's nutrients to multiply. In fact they possess many times more insulin receptors than do normal cells, and these receptors will respond to administered insulin, which in turn makes them hungry for glucose and thus more susceptible to chemotherapy medication. The chemotherapy drugs are thus able to target more precisely the cancer cells, leaving the normal cells relatively unaffected.

What's wrong with traditional chemotherapy?

It is generally recognized that, over time, regular chemotherapy dosages may so compromise a patient's immune system and organ functions as to prevent further treatment or even cause organ damage resulting in the patient's death. Cancer cells are highly active in fighting for the glucose found in the blood stream. With sixteen times the number of insulin and insulin-like receptors found in healthy cells, cancer cells absorb essential nutrients from the blood stream before normal cells can get to them. This is the reason that, in advanced stages of cancer, tumors continue to grow and multiply while the patient appears to waste away. In addition, because of the cancer cell's internal protection against toxins, normal chemotherapy doses need to be sufficiently large to force their way into the cancer cells. The result is the killing of many healthy cells in addition to the cancerous ones, frequently inducing in the patient nausea, vomiting, fever, hair loss, etc.

Benefits of IPT

* IPT works vigorously against cancerous tumors whilst being gentle on the patient, who continues to live a normal lifestyle during treatment.

* Standard chemotherapy medications are considered to work better in combination with IPT. As a result of the low dosage requirement and much reduced toxicity, the treating physician has greater freedom and flexibility in selecting and combining the various chemotherapeutic agents, resulting in a more highly optimized treatment.

* Due to the lower dosage requirements, treatments costs are significantly less than with standard chemotherapy.

* Side effects are relatively minor. There is no vomiting, no high fever, no vomiting and no hair loss. However, there can sometimes be a little initial nausea and occasional constipation.

IPT Side Effects

IPT causes a reduction in the blood glucose level. This is known as hypoglycemia and is an expected side effect of insulin therapy. Be in no doubt, hypoglycemia is a potentially dangerous state for the body, however it is a condition that is quickly and effectively controllable through the administration of intravenous glucose infusions. This is a standard component of the IPT protocol.

The information presented here is intended simply as that - to make you aware of available treatments which might be worthy of further and more detailed investigation. Readers should note that, whilst there are many individual anecdotal cases and studies over many years that suggest that IPT may be effective, there is at present no collection of scientific data to validate Insulin Potentiation Therapy as a treatment for malignant neoplastic diseases or cancer to the satisfaction of the United States FDA. As always, you should seek the guidance of a professional medical practitioner before taking any medications or undergoing any form of therapy.



Dr. Tavares is a medical consultant experienced in both traditional and complementary medicine. Her writing about prostate cancer can be found at http://www.prostate-cancer-answers.info and her alternative health blog can be viewed at http://alternative-cancer-therapies.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://www.directorys.uniquearticles.info

How to estimate your chances of breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer found in women. However, men can also become prey to breast cancer but it is very rare in men. Knowing the risk factors can help you in preventing this cancer from developing and affecting your life.

Breast consists of many lobes divided into lobules which incorporate milk glands. Small ducts connecting with tiny glands make nipple. Even a small tissue in the breast can cause great problem and it can also affect nearby tissue also. Breast cancer generally arises from tissue forming milk ducts. Also the cancer commonly occurs in the left breast than right and also in outer upper quadrant.

Early detection of breast cancer can help in treating this disease. The following are the risk factors for breast cancer:

Heredity: Women are at risk for breast cancer on account of hereditary reasons.

Hormonal changes: Even change in hormones can be the reason behind breast cancer. Drugs and supplements containing higher amount of estrogen can however develop the chances of breast cancer in women.

Lifestyle: Women who are in the habit of smoking and taking alcohol frequently are at risk.

Overweight: Increased body weight of women can also increase the risk of cancer.

Age: Once you reach the age of more than 50 you have more chances of breast cancer in comparison of chances in the age of 20 to 25 years. Advancing age is greatly responsible for this disease and hence you are supposed to take great care of yourself in this age.

Reproductive history: Delay in giving birth to first child is also considered a risk factor in women for breast cancer.

The perfect way to keep yourself away from breast cancer is to know if you are at risk. Consult your doctor if you find any sort of change or pain in your breast. Maintain the schedule of regular healthy diet. Try to include more and more quantity of food full of vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants such as cauliflower, broccoli and any type of citrus food. Healthy diet combined with regular exercise and positive can definitely lead to reduced chances of breast cancer risk in women.



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