European Mistletoe or Viscum Album has been used as a medicine since the time of Hippocrates for disorders of the heart and circulatory disorders, arthritis and even neurological disorders like epilepsy. At the turn of the 20th century Mistletoe was postulated to have anticancer effects by anthroposophy creator Rudolf Steiner. In 1916 a preparation made from mistletoe was tested in cancer patients successfully and since then tens of millions of doses have been administered to patients across Europe. It has a long history of safe and effective use in solid tumors like breast, prostate and colorectal cancer along with systemic cancers like leukemia and multiple myeloma. It has become the most commonly used natural cancer therapy in Europe and has been validated by hundreds of clinical trials.

European mistletoe is a safe non-toxic therapy.

European Mistletoe has been widely studied both for its mechanism of action and its clinical effects on cancer patients. Current research has shown the following therapeutic mechanisms of action for mistletoe:

• Direct cytotoxic (cancer cell killing) effect
  – several components (most notably mistletoe lectins) have strong effect on cancer cells. These components have been shown to cause apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells.
• Inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis
  – several animal and human studies have shown an improvement in overall survival and reduced disease progression in individuals receiving mistletoe treatment
• Strong Immunostimulant
  – almost all studied components of mistletoe have strong immune stimulating effects well beyond that of other botanicals.
• Selective Cytoprotection
  – components of mistletoe have been shown to protect the DNA of healthy immune cells. It is believed that this is why patients taking mistletoe alongside standard chemotherapy have fewer side effects and a generally better quality of life.
• Strong Neuro-Endocrine Support
  – patients receiving treatment with European mistletoe were shown to have improved quality of life in several studies. This translated to improved energy, sleep, appetite and reduced pain.

Mistletoe preparation is a fresh aqueous extract that is sterile filtered. Both “male” and “female” mistletoe plants are used in this preparation. In addition, the mistletoe plant is harvested four times during the year and combined to make the single extract. Mistletoe is a parasitic like plant whose unique properties are derived, in part, on the host tree which it is grown on. Your naturopathic doctor will select the type most effective in your care.

Treatment always begins with a low 1 mg dosage and increases in a gradual fashion depending on how individual patient tolerance and response. For more information on how mistletoe is administered and effects/ side affects you might experience please contact our office.

Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid (AA) was first implicated as an anti-cancer agent through the research of nobel Prize Winner Dr. Linus Pauling PhD and Dr. Ewan Cameron MD. Their first clinical trial began in 1971 and the results of this and other research was published in the book “Cancer and Vitamin C” in 1979. In their clinical trial they found a four-fold increase in survival time by those individuals treated with 10,000 mg of AA intravenously. A later trial done by the Mayo clinic could not repeat these findings leading to a dismissal of AA’s potential role in Oncology. Dr. Pauling’s subsequent work in this field led to him being widely criticized as a “quack”. Due to his ongoing research and years of anecdotal evidence from naturopathic and medical doctors alike there is a renewed interest and research into high doses of AA.

High dose Intravenous AA is gaining acceptance around the world as an additive treatment in cancer therapy. New research from the National Institutes of Health in the United States has determined several mechanisms of actions leading to its anti cancer effects. Intravenous treatments with vitamin c can be used to enhance the effectiveness and reduce side effects of conventional treatments while also acting as a chemotherapeutic agent. Oral AA is absorbed through the intestinal lumen in an energy and dose dependant process. However, AA rapidly peaks so that at doses over 2g orally, less than 20% is actually absorbed. The AA not absorbed will result in attracting water into the intestinal tract, causing gastrointestinal discomfort and diarrhea. Recent research has shown that high doses of AA have significant cytotoxic effects.

These doses can only be achieved in humans by high dose intravenous AA administration where absorption is not a factor. The mechanism of action of high dose AA in cancer are various. AA is an important extracellular anti-oxidant and plays a role in a host of biochemical reactions in the body.

AA has been validated as supportive therapy in case studies, preclinical trials and cancer cell research. The results of these studies show that AA acts in the following ways:

1. Selective Cytotoxicity (cancer cell killing) Effect
– vitamin C in high doses leads to the production of large amounts of hydrogen peroxide in the connective tissue of the body. Hydrogen peroxide is an important oxidative molecule involved in many immune reactions in the body. In healthy cells the hydrogen peroxide is absorbed and then quenched with intra-cellular anti-oxidants, but in cancer cells they often lack sufficient levels of anti-oxidants so hydrogen peroxide will build up. As levels of hydrogen peroxide rise in cancer cells they eventually go through apoptosis (programmed cell death).

2. Inhibition of Tumor Growth and Metastasis
– most tumors require the activity of various enzymes in order to invade and metastasize. Ascorbic Acid inhibits the activity of these enzymes and promotes the production of collagen which may play a role in stabilizing the tumor and preventing local tissue invasion.

3. Chemosensitization
– Ascorbic Acid has been tested in tissue cultures and animal models in combination with many different chemotherapeutics to evaluate a combined effect on tumors. Most well designed studies have shown a generally positive enhancement of chemotherapeutic success in studies where chemotherapy is combined with Ascorbic Acid. There are only a few select studies that show a negative interaction and we avoid concomitant therapy in those cases.

One of the most crucial aspects in treating cancer is diet. Diet is a critical factor in the development of cancer and its prevention. Conventional treatments for cancer focus solely on treating the tumor or cancer cells with little emphasis on the whole health of the individual including their diet. Most patients undergoing treatment are either not advised on what to eat or are told eat as much as you can regardless the type of food. It is important to undertake specialized dietary changes that take into consideration current conventional treatments, your state of health and progression of the disease.

All cancer patients at Core Health Naturopathic Wellness Centre spend time with the centre’s nutritional consultant to ensure successful adoption of dietary recommendations. Our consultant will not only review the dietary advice prescribed by naturopathic doctors at the centre, but also provide added detail on how to make the diet work in your lifestyle. Items reviewed are menu plans, recipes, shopping assistance, dealing with cravings, and much more.

1. Maintaining a healthy weight – Weight loss in cancer patients is common and can lead to serious consequences. The diets at Core Health Naturopathic Wellness Centre are aimed at maintaining a healthy weight. Unfortunately, many other diets purported to assist in fighting cancer can cause patients to become malnourished and lead to immune inhibition and overall reduced treatment response.

2. Inhibits cancer growth – We know that most cancer cells require sugar for growth and invasion. At Core Health Naturopathic Wellness Centre we provide aggressive dietary intervention aimed at starving the cancer of its main fuel source while providing adequate nourishment to the rest of the body.

3. Diets to Support Conventional Treatments – Many conventional therapies have significant side effects which can result in malnourishment and immune suppression. Our dietary approach can be tailored to support whichever conventional intervention patients are receiving and help improve tolerance and increase treatment success

4. Reduce Toxic Burden – Over time, our bodies can accumulate toxins from the foods we eat and from our surrounding environment. These toxins can act as carcinogens, or cancer causing agents. By improving our diet, we can reduce the number of toxins individuals exposed to and reduce the likelihood of cancer progression and recurrence.

5. Boosts the immune system – Foods are our fuel. Without the proper nutrients, the immune system cannot work at its peak and effectively attack cancer processes from within.

Diet therapy at Core Health Naturopathic Wellness Centre can lead to a better quality of life, improved tolerance to chemotherapy and radiation, and a greater chance of overall survival. There are three general diet recommendations we make at Core Health Naturopathic Wellness Centre.

Melatonin is highly involved in hormonal secretion or the sleep-wake cycle (circadian rhythm). Melatonin is released by the pineal gland in times of darkness and suppressed by light. Disruption of these processes can lead to various conditions including seasonal affective disorder and jet lag. Since melatonin is involved in hormonal regulation, it is especially relevant to hormonally related cancers such as breast and prostate. Melatonin increases GABA receptor stimulation and reduces neurotransmission, thus promoting sleep and inadvertently promoting immune function.

Immunomodulation by melatonin has also been established by its ability to activate monocytes, increase interleukin-2 activity, prevent apoptosis of bone marrow cells induced by chemotherapy, and reduce levels of insulin-like growth factor and prolactin. Melatonin has also demonstrated potent antioxidant effects by reducing cell proliferation, reducing cellular transformation, and DNA synthesis changes. Clinical trials in cancer patients have shown the anticancer effects produced by melatonin. It works well as an adjunct to cancer therapy, enhances the effects of certain other anticancer agents including chemotherapeutics, interleukin-2 and interferon. Melatonin supplementation has also proved to increase the survival time of cancer patients.