Title: Understanding Cancer: Current Scientific Research on Causes, Treatments, and Prevention
1Understanding Cancer Current Scientific Research
on Causes, Treatments, and Prevention
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2- Our mission is to educate you and provide you
with the most current research on the prevention
and treatment of cancer so that you can make the
most informed choice possible and ensure that you
are doing all you can to have a life that is
cancer free.
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3In this presentation well cover
- How cancer develops and the role of genes and
stem cells in its development. - Current treatments, their effectiveness and
limitations.
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4In this presentation well cover
- Diagnostic and imaging options that have been
proven to enhance treatment effectiveness. - The benefits and misconceptions of clinical
trials.
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5In this presentation well cover
- The importance of using nutraceuticals as part of
your cancer treatment and prevention protocol.
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6This presentation consists of two key sections
- 1. Cancer 101 - Understanding Current
- Issues In Cancer
-
- 2. Ensuring That You Are Making Informed
- Choices
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7Cancer 101
- It is now widely accepted that all cancers
- are caused by adult stem cells (or cells with
- stem-cell like properties).
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8What is an adult stem cell?
- The progenitor (originator) of a group of cells
of a specific type - Occur in roughly 1 out of 6 million body cells.
- Used to repair and replace body cells.
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9What is an adult stem cell?
- Exist in regions referred to as stem cell niches,
where they remain in a dormant state (quiescence)
until activated. - Each type of tissue contains its own stem cell
niche.
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10What is an adult stem cell?
- All stem cells have unique features that allow
them to avoid destruction during treatment. - However, it is their ability to exist in a
dormant state (quiescence) until activated, that
is currently inhibiting standard treatments.
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11The 2 stages of stem cell activation
- There are two key stages of stem cell
- activation
- Proliferation.
- 2. Differentiation.
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12The 2 stages of stem cell activation
- In The Proliferation Stage
- The stem cell makes multiple copies of itself.
- In The Differentiation Stage
- The multiple copies are converted into the
- required cell type and given a Hayflick
- number.
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13The 2 stages of stem cell activation
- The Hayflick number is the number of times a
normal cell will divide before it stops and dies.
- The important point here is that once a cell
has differentiated, it has a finite lifespan.
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14Stem cell life cycle
Progenitor cell (proliferation)
Mature cell (differentiation)
Stem cell (dormant)
(Activation)
Self renewal
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15Stem cell life cycle
- There are two imports points here
- A stem cell makes an exact copy of itself, which
remains dormant in the stem cell niche. - A stem cell also produces a large amount of
progenitor cells, which then differentiate into
the required type of cells.
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16Stem cells and cancer
- The problem with stem cells is that sometimes,
due to mutations, a stem cell is not provided
with the cues for differentiation and it gets
stuck in a never ending cycle of proliferation,
making many copies of itself. - This is what we call cancer.
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17Genes and cancer
- There are two key types of genes involved
- in cancer
- 1. Oncogenes.
-
- 2. Tumor suppressors.
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18Genes and cancer
- Oncogenes (tumor causing genes)
- Cause proliferation.
- 2. Are turned on (expressed) or over-expressed
- in cancers.
- 3. Are mutated in such a way that causes them
- to stay on.
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19Genes and cancer
- Tumor suppressors (cancer preventing genes)
- Initiate differentiation.
- Are inhibited or under-expressed in cancers.
- There are common mutations and deletions of
- tumor suppressors that occur in specific
forms - of cancer.
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20Normal stem cell life cycle
Progenitor cell (proliferation)
Mature cell (differentiation)
Stem cell (dormant)
(Activation)
(Oncogenes)
(Tumor supressor genes)
Self renewal
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21Cancer stem cell life cycle
Stem cell (dormant)
Progenitor cell (proliferation)
Mature cell (differentiation)
(Oncogenes)
(Tumor suppressor genes)
(Activation)
Self renewal
Tumor cells
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22Why is this important?
- There are hundreds of documented oncogenes and
tumor suppressor genes in your body. - Only four of these genes need to be altered or
mutated for cancer to develop.
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23Why is this important?
- Therefore, there are many 1000s of possible
combinations of gene alterations that can lead to
cancer in each individual case. It is not the
same for every person. -
- This is why success rates for treatment can vary
so greatly from one person to another.
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24Development of cancer
- Now lets explore how cancer develops once the
unregulated proliferation of stem cells has
begun.
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25Metastasis
- When a cancer cell is stuck in proliferation
- and hasnt differentiated, it can live almost
- anywhere in the body (metastasize)
- But, how is it that cancer cells travel
throughout - the body?
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26Angiogenesis and metastasis
- Cancer cells are constantly growing and
therefore, need to consume a lot of resources. In
other words, they require their own blood supply. - Angiogenesis is a process that cancers use to
recruit their own blood vessels in order to
enable their continued growth.
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27Angiogenesis and metastasis
- The process of angiogenesis is controlled by
oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. - Oncogenes are responsible for the development of
angiogenesis while tumor suppressor genes inhibit
it.
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28Epithelial To Mesenchymal Transition (EMT)
- Epithelial cancer stem cells interact with a type
of cell derived from bone marrow called
mesenchymal stem cells in a process called
epithelial to mesenchymal transition.
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29Epithelial To Mesenchymal Transition (EMT)
- In the EMT process, cancer stem cells send out
signals that attract the mesenchymal stem cells
from the bone marrow into the tumor where these
cells interact and stimulate the growth of cancer
stem cells. - Also provides the primary tumor cells
(epithelial) to metastasize to bone.
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30Epithelial To Mesenchymal Transition (EMT)
- The process of EMT is controlled by oncogenes and
tumor suppressor genes. - Oncogenes are responsible for the development of
EMT while tumor suppressor genes inhibit it.
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31Summary
- Stem cells remain dormant until activated.
- Cancer is a disease of the stem cells caused by
reduced differentiation and increased
proliferation.
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32Summary
- The recruitment of blood vessels (angiogenesis)
allows the tumor to grow and to metastasize. - EMT allows the primary tumor cells to metastasize
to bone. - Proliferation, differentiation, angiogenesis and
EMT are all controlled by genes.
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33Standard treatment methods
- The standardized approach to cancer treatment
- utilizes the following three techniques
- Surgery Removes diseased tissues.
- 2. Radiation Creates DNA mutations in rapidly
dividing cells. - 3. Chemotherapy Chemical interference of
rapidly dividing cells.
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34Limitations of surgery
- Surgery is localized
- Limited to treatment of localized disease.
- Potential to miss stem cells, cells that are in
pre-cancerous stages, or cells that have already
metastasized.
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35Limitations of radiation
- Radiation is localized
- Non-selective, affects all rapidly dividing cells
and is very toxic. - Only affects active cells during course of
treatment (not dormant cancer causing stem
cells).
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36Limitations of radiation
- Radiation is localized
- Angiogenesis (cancer cell recruitment of blood
vessels) occurs directly after treatment. - Radiation can create new DNA mutations that may
lead to new cancers.
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37Limitations of chemotherapy
- Chemotherapy (generalized)
- Non-selective, affects all rapidly dividing cells
and is very toxic. - Only affects active cells during course of
treatment (not dormant cancer causing stem
cells). -
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38Limitations of chemotherapy
- Chemotherapy (generalized)
- Angiogenesis occurs directly after treatment.
- Chemotherapy can create new DNA mutations that
may lead to new cancers. -
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39Radiation and chemotherapy
-
- The main difference between radiation and
chemotherapy is that radiation is used locally
and limited to specific regions of the body,
while chemotherapy affects all of the cells in
the body.
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40Additional concerns Surgery Radiation
- In order for surgery and radiation to be
effective, the following concerns need to be
addressed - Doctors need to target the stem cell niche as
well as the malignant tissue (tumor). - Doctors need to ensure they have accurate imaging
prior to surgery and treatment to differentiate
between normal and tumor tissues.
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41Making informed choices Imaging
- PET/CT
- Combines CT imaging with positron emission
tomography. - Shows biological activity within organs and
detects cancer in the earliest stages. - Uses a cancer-specific glucose solution and a
radioactive tracer agent that lights up cancerous
hot spots.
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42Making informed choices Imaging
Imaging PET-CT According to the BC Cancer
Agency In 87 of cases in which a patient has
had a PET-CT scan, the results of the test lead
to changes in the initial decisions made by
oncologists for planned cancer treatment.
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43Making informed choices Imaging
Imaging PET-CT In other words, without a
PET-CT scan, current detection methods are only
accurate 13 of the time! PET-CT not only
ensures proper targeting of the tumor during
surgery and radiation treatments, it helps avoid
over-treatment or under-treatment.
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44www.ctoam.com
45www.ctoam.com
46Additional concerns Chemotherapy
- Issues
- In order for chemotherapy to be effective, we
need to accurately determine the dosage and
combination of drugs that provides maximal
benefits with minimal side effects. -
- Need to affect stem cell niche as well as
malignant tissue.
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47 Making informed choices Diagnostics
- Chemotherapy Sensitivity Tests
- Performed on a patients tumor sample to identify
personalized dose and drug combinations
(optimized chemotherapy). - Allows for lower doses, less side effects, and
faster recovery times -
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48Clinical trials
- Clinical trials represent leading-edge medical
science. However, less than 5 of adults
diagnosed with cancer each year are enrolled in
clinical trails. - While there are a number of various treatment
approaches being offered through clinical trials,
8 out of 10 patients are not aware that this is a
viable option for them.
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49Benefits of clinical trials
- In order to be offered to the human population,
each clinical trial must show that the approach
being tested is superior to standard treatment. - Patients are also provided with superior imaging
and diagnostics not typically offered in public
medical facilities. -
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50Benefits of clinical trials
- They do not replace standard treatment, they are
a form of adjunct therapy, and as such are
offered as an additional treatment to standard
treatment. - In most clinical trials the standard treatment is
typically used in place of the placebo (control
group).
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51Benefits of clinical trials
- Clinical trials are typically FREE.
- But best of all, their success depends
- on your survival!
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52Nutraceuticals
- A nutraceutical is a naturally occurring
component of a food group that has scientifically
proven cancer fighting activity.
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53Nutraceuticals
- Nutraceuticals can be used to regulate
cancer-specific pathways and genes during and
between treatment regimes.
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54Nutraceuticals
- Nutraceuticals have the ability to continually
regulate cancer causing stem cells, unlike toxic
drug based approaches. - Nutraceuticals can also enhance cancer cell
sensitivity to standard chemotherapy and
radiation therapy, improving treatment outcomes.
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55Nutraceuticals
- Nutraceuticals are inexpensive and non-toxic.
- Nutraceutical combinations can be used to create
a personalized diet based on the unique genetic
signature of your cancer. - You can start today.
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56Nutraceutical based gene targeting PTEN
- PTEN is a tumour suppressor gene that normally
initiates stem cell differentiation. -
- PTEN is down-regulated (diminished) or mutated
in a variety of cancers.
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57Nutraceutical based gene targeting PTEN
- Subtle variations in PTEN levels have been
proven to determine cancer susceptibility. - In other words, the amount of PTEN in a cell can
determine susceptibility to certain cancers.
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58Nutraceutical based gene targeting PTEN
PTEN LEVEL CANCER RISK
100 - 75 - 50 - 25 - 0 -
Normal
- This level found in 40 of Breast cancers
PTEN Level
- This level found in 57 of Breast cancers
- This level found in 75 of Breast cancers
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59Nutraceutical based gene targeting PTEN
-
- Even a small decrease in PTEN levels can create
a greater chance of cancer. - More importantly, even a small increase in PTEN
levels can reduce your susceptibility to certain
cancers!
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60Nutraceutical based gene targeting PTEN
- There are a variety of easily accessible
Nutraceuticals that can reactivate PTEN - Sulforaphane (broccoli).
- Genestein (soy).
- Resveratrol (red wine).
- EGCG (green tea).
- Curcumin (tumeric).
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61Nutraceutical based gene targeting Concerns
- One of the largest hurdles in the therapeutic
- use of nutraceuticals is their low
bioavailability. - The bioavailability of a nutraceutical refers to
- its ability to remain in the body at a
- concentration that has cancer fighting activity.
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62Bioavailability Example Curcumin Absorbance
A component of pepper named piperine greatly
increases the oral bioavailability of
curcumin. Piperine increases the absorbance of
curcumin by 2000 .
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63Nutraceutical Issues
- Factors affecting the outcome of nutraceutical
- clinical trials
- Variations in the amount of the nutraceutical
used in the different clinical trials. - The amount and form of the nutraceutical differs
between the strain and type of plant that it was
obtained from.
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64EGCG of Various Green Teas
EGCG CONTENT () TYPE OF GREEN TEA
6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1
-
Sencha Uchiyama
Gyokuro 1
Sencha 1
Sencha 2, Gyokuro 2
Pilo Chun Emperor, Gyokuro 3, Gyokuro 4
Matcha
Yunnan, Yuzan, Paimutan
Meng Ding, Lung Chin
Dong Ding
Pou Chong, Tikuan Yin
65Nutraceuticals Issues
- Longer steeping times increase amount of EGCG
released. - Drinking 1 cup of Sencha-Uchiyama steeped for 10
mins results in an equivalent amount of EGCG
(1.35mg) as drinking 60 cups of Pou Chong or
Tikuan Yin green tea steeped for 2 mins!
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66Further Reading
- For more information on the issues covered in
- this presentation, please visit our web site
- Educational Articles
- New Advanced Treatments
67How we can help you
- Remember, when you hire CTOAM, you are hiring
your own personal team of experienced cancer
researchers to advocate for you and assist you in
your treatment and recovery. - We will ensure you are maximizing the potential
in every aspect of your treatment. -
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68Thank you
- Please visit us at
- URL www.CTOAM.com
- E-mail Contact_at_CTOAM.com
- Phone (778) 999-5463
- FAX (866) 264-1619