Understanding Cancer: Current
Scientific Research on Causes,
Treatments, and Prevention
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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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In this presentation we’ll 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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In this presentation we’ll cover:
• Diagnostic and imaging options that have
been proven to enhance treatment
effectiveness.
• The benefits and misconceptions of clinical
trials.
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In this presentation we’ll cover:
The importance of using nutraceuticals as part
of your cancer treatment and prevention
protocol.
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This 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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Cancer 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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What 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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What 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 it’s own stem cell
niche.
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What 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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The 2 stages of stem cell activation
There are two key stages of stem cell
activation:
1. Proliferation.
2. Differentiation.
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The 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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The 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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Stem cell life cycle
Stem cell
(dormant)
Progenitor cell
(proliferation)
(Activation)
Self renewal
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Mature cell
(differentiation)
Stem cell life cycle
There are two imports points here:
1. A stem cell makes an exact copy of itself,
which remains dormant in the stem cell
niche.
2. A stem cell also produces a large amount of
progenitor cells, which then differentiate
into the required type of cells.
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Stem 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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Genes and cancer
There are two key types of genes involved
in cancer:
1. Oncogenes.
2. Tumor suppressors.
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Genes and cancer
Oncogenes (tumor causing genes):
1.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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Genes and cancer
Tumor suppressors (cancer preventing genes):
1. Initiate differentiation.
2. Are inhibited or under-expressed in cancers.
3. There are common mutations and deletions of
tumor suppressors that occur in specific forms
of cancer.
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Normal stem cell life cycle
Stem cell
(dormant)
Progenitor cell
(proliferation)
(Activation)
(Oncogenes)
Mature cell
(differentiation)
(Tumor supressor genes)
Self renewal
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Cancer stem cell life cycle
Stem cell
(dormant)
Progenitor cell
(proliferation)
(Activation) (Oncogenes)
Mature cell
(differentiation)
(Tumor suppressor genes)
Self renewal
Tumor cells
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Why 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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Why is this important?
Therefore, there are many 1000’s 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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Development of cancer
Now let’s explore how cancer develops once
the unregulated proliferation of stem cells has
begun.
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Metastasis
When a cancer cell is stuck in proliferation
and hasn’t 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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Angiogenesis 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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Angiogenesis 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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Epithelial 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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Epithelial 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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Epithelial 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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Summary
• 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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Summary
• 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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Standard treatment methods
The standardized approach to cancer treatment
utilizes the following three techniques:
1. 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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Limitations 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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Limitations 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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Limitations 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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Limitations 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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Limitations 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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Radiation 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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Additional 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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Making 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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Making 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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Making 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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Imaging: Normal CT scan
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CT Alone
PET/CT
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Additional 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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Making informed choices: Diagnostics
Chemotherapy Sensitivity Tests:
• Performed on a patient’s 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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Clinical 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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Benefits 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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Benefits 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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Benefits of clinical trials
• Clinical trials are typically FREE.
• But best of all, their success depends
on your survival!
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Nutraceuticals
A nutraceutical is a naturally occurring
component of a food group that has
scientifically proven cancer fighting
activity.
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Nutraceuticals
Nutraceuticals can be used to regulate
cancer-specific pathways and genes during
and between treatment regimes.
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Nutraceuticals
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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Nutraceuticals
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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Nutraceutical 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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Nutraceutical 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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Nutraceutical based gene targeting:
PTEN
PTEN LEVEL
Normal
CANCER RISK
100% - This level found in 40% of Breast cancers
PTEN
Level
75%
-
50%
- - This level found in 57% of Breast cancers
25% - - This level found in 75% of Breast cancers
0%
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Nutraceutical 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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Nutraceutical 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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Nutraceutical 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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Bioavailability 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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Nutraceutical: 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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EGCG of Various Green Teas
EGCG CONTENT (%)
6%
TYPE OF GREEN TEA
Sencha Uchiyama
5%
-
Gyokuro #1
Sencha #1
4%
-
Sencha #2, Gyokuro #2
3%
-
Pilo Chun Emperor, Gyokuro #3, Gyokuro #4
Matcha
2% -
Yunnan, Yuzan, Paimutan
Meng Ding, Lung Chin
1%
-
Dong Ding
Pou Chong, Tikuan Yin
Nutraceuticals: 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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Further Reading
For more information on the issues covered in
this presentation, please visit our web site:
• Educational Articles
• New Advanced Treatments
How 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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Thank you
Please visit us at:
URL: www.CTOAM.com
E-mail: Contact@CTOAM.com
Phone: (778) 999-5463
FAX: (866) 264-1619