@Sinker This is how I brought it up once with a colleague - not as a treatment or an approach, but just as a possible adjunct to traditional therapy since fasting seems to reduce nausea and fatigue from chemo (see Valter Longo’s work). If he looks into it and sees even more that’s appealing, that’s great - but in the meantime you’ve reduced the chance that he’ll dismiss it out of hand because it sounds like quackery.
Cancer in a remission!
JEY100
(Janet)
#22
I only follow a few FB pages, and this is only one about Cancer because it is well managed and has good info posted. Remembered when checked it this morning that its creator is a colon cancer survivor. https://www.facebook.com/KetoCancerDiet/
There is an interview with Louis Cantley, https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ok4GoGZllI. he was also interviewed in 2012 on 60 minutes. https://youtu.be/pxG3YiBMMZE
Article on Cancer and sugars. https://bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1741-7007-12-8
sks23cu
(Steve Stephenson)
#23
There may be another factor that contributed to my remission. I love coffee and drink ~six 12 oz cups (K-cup brewed) every day. This study indicates that the coffee may have helped:
Large epidemiological studies involving large cohorts of individuals have demonstrated that coffee consumption is inversely associated with total and cause-specific mortality, both in males and in females. The consumption of coffee is associated with a reduction of cancer, heart disease, respiratory disease, stroke, diabetes, and infections (both in males and females). These effects are dose-dependent (with a plateau of 6 cups per day) and do not depend on caffeine content, because both decaffeinated and caffeinated coffee were similarly associated with improved health. Independent surveys revealed that coffee consumption might have protective effects, among many, on highly penetrant tumors such as endometrial, mammary hepatocellular, colorectal, and prostatic cancer. Although such studies cannot differentiate between causal and associational findings, they do suggest that chronic coffee consumption might have broad health-improving effects.
Here, we report that both natural and decaffeinated coffee similarly induce a broad organism-wide autophagic response.
Autophagy induced by coffee is accompanied by the inhibition of mTORC1, which represses autophagy in conditions of nutrient availability (particularly amino acids and lipids).
Caffeine and Autophagy
Caffeine and Autophagy
sks23cu
(Steve Stephenson)
#24
is supported by this paper: The Insulin Receptor: A New Target for Cancer Therapy
Last week’s DEXA bone scan showed worsening osteoporosis due to very low testosterone; in spite of 6 hours of exercise classes and miles of walking / week for the past year.
So, since my “high volume metastatic prostate cancer” is in remission, I’ve decided to STOP Lupron Depot shots! My oncologist’s response:
Certainly we could consider intermittent therapy. You do have a very aggressive cancer, successfully controlled, so we would have to be very careful.
Note…it may take 6 - 12 months for testosterone to rise.
So now my only therapy will be my carnivorous diet. An ultimate n=1 experiment!
sks23cu
(Steve Stephenson)
#25
I recently posted the following on a few Facebook group pages as well as mine:
https://www.facebook.com/sks23cu/posts/10157499145359377
Remission !!!
June 2018
I am in remission from high volume aggressive metastatic prostate cancer as well as type 2 diabetes.
Summer 2011: diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer (Gleason score of 10 out of 10).
Fall 2011: hormone therapy (androgen deprivation) + external radiation treatments (prostate removal not possible because cancer had spread a little beyond the prostate - T3N1)
Summer 2016: chemo therapy because cancer had metastasized to bone sites, mostly on spine.
At this time I was also following a low carbohydrate high fat diet (LCHF) that had successfully put my type 2 diabetes in remission. I experienced no nausea during chemo, so took no medication for it, due to my LCHF diet I think.
Type 2 diabetes is caused by too much insulin being secreted by the pancreas; a metabolic disease. An alternate school of thought in cancer theory and research is that cancer is also a metabolic disease, not caused by genes.
So I decided to double down on my diet / lifestyle and remove essentially all carbohydrates from my diet (no foods from plants - like our ancestors before agriculture).
After a few months my oncologist declared my cancer in remission, saying it was “remarkable” and to “keep doing what you’re doing.”
One side effect of hormone therapy is bone loss; osteopenia to osteoporosis. Lately mine has gotten worse. So, since I’m in cancer remission, I’ve gotten my oncologist to agree to intermittent hormone therapy and have stopped getting the injections (so now I’m getting NO “standard of care” treatments or medications). My oncologist wrote,
“Certainly we could consider intermittent therapy. You do have a very aggressive cancer, successfully controlled, so we would have to be very careful. … Note: it may take 6 - 12 months for testosterone to rise.”
All cells express appropriate hormone receptors on their surface membranes. Prostate cells express testosterone receptors and hormone therapy drives testosterone levels very low. But all cells express insulin receptors and cancer cells express an over abundance of insulin receptors because they need to collect a huge amount of glucose to use as building blocks to drive their growth. That’s what I’m now targeting with my no-plant (zero carbs) diet, an extremely low insulin level to deprive cancer cells of their building blocks.
Meanwhile, normal cells can get their energy requirements from fatty acids and ketones (which cancer cells can’t use because of their uniquely deranged / damaged metabolism).
I hope others can learn from my n=1 experiment, but they should expect only negative reactions, sometimes very emotional, from their doctors and dietitians. The best you will probably get, as did I, is “keep doing what you’re doing.”
sks23cu
(Steve Stephenson)
#26
Latest update of MyStory/Cancer: https://www.facebook.com/sks23cu/posts/10157643764729377 :
I am in remission from high volume aggressive metastatic prostate cancer, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.
Summer 2011: diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer (Gleason score of 10 out of 10) at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Burlington, MA, USA. Eligard treatments were started immediately (androgen deprivation). Eligard is a trade name for the generic drug leuprolide; later I would be switched to Lupron Depot another trade name for the same drug and stay on it until February 2018.
12/6/2011: First external radiation treatment, repeated every weekday for 8.5 weeks. Prostate removal not possible because cancer had spread a little beyond the prostate - T3N1.
Summer 2016: chemo therapy because cancer had metastasized to bone sites, mostly on spine.
At this time I was following a low carbohydrate high fat diet (LCHF) that had successfully put my type 2 diabetes in remission (that story: https://www.dietdoctor.com/healing-brain-well-pancreas ). The “high fats” are: animal fats and olive and coconut oils, but NO “vegetable oils”, (vegetable oils are highly industrially processed seed oils that are highly inflammatory: see Nina Teicholz - ‘Vegetable Oils: The Unknown Story’, https://youtu.be/Q2UnOryQiIY?t=1 ).
I experienced no nausea during chemo (b/c of LCHF?) so took no medication for it.
Type 2 diabetes is caused by too much insulin being secreted by the pancreas in response to high blood sugar (glucose); a metabolic disease. An alternate school of thought in cancer theory and research is that cancer is also a metabolic disease, not caused by genes.
So, after watching https://youtu.be/z3fO5aTD6JU?t=648 (Dr. Benjamin Bikman - ‘Insulin vs. Glucagon: The relevance of dietary protein’), I decided to double down on my diet/lifestyle and stop eating any and all carbohydrates to drive my insulin as low as possible; so no foods from plants - like our ancestors before agriculture was invented. I mostly eat grass fed and finished: beef, tallow, and butter, and pasture raised chicken eggs (in the wild chickens would eat insects, grubs, snails, etc. - NOT plant foods); sometimes bacon and bacon grease (lard). The beef is lightly cooked to preserve nutrients. Low carb communities call my diet zero carb (ZC).
After a few months my oncologist declared my cancer in remission, saying it was “remarkable” and to “keep doing what you’re doing.”
One side effect of hormone therapy is bone loss, osteopenia to osteoporosis, because of the extremely low sex hormones (testosterone in men). Lately my osteopenia has gotten worse. So, since I was in remission, I asked my oncologist if we could stop the Lupron injections. He wrote,
“Certainly we could consider intermittent therapy. You do have a very aggressive cancer, successfully controlled, so we would have to be very careful. … Note: it may take 6 - 12 months for testosterone to rise.”
So my last Lupron injection was on 2/21/2018, ending the use of any and all medications, except diet/lifestyle.
My 5/31/2018 PET bone scan showed that all the metastasized sites had disappeared!
All cells express appropriate hormone receptors on their surface membranes. Prostate cells express testosterone receptors and hormone/androgen deprivation therapy drives testosterone levels very low. But all cells express insulin receptors and cancer cells express an over abundance of insulin receptors because they need to collect a huge amount of glucose to drive their growth. (See https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3356071 , The Insulin Receptor: A New Target for Cancer Therapy)
That’s what I’m now targeting with my no-plant (zero carb) diet, an extremely low insulin level to deprive cancer cells of glucose. You could call it “Insulin Deprivation Therapy”.
Meanwhile, normal cells can get their energy requirements from fatty acids and ketones (which cancer cells can’t use because of their uniquely deranged / damaged metabolism).
Oh, I also have been doing light to moderate exercise every since my oncologist recommended it in 2011. It lowers insulin and glycogen stores, among other things. I walk 2-3 miles / day and take a couple of cardio and strength training classes at my local senior center. I’ve recently read and am starting to follow recommendations in this book on slow HIIT: https://amzn.to/2Ogmavg .
Remember, though, “you can’t outrun a bad diet”. So both are important for optimal health.
I hope others will be encouraged enough by my (highly successful) n=1 experiment to try it themselves. As with any n=1 experiment, if you experience any adverse effects STOP.
BUT, even if it works for you expect only negative reactions, sometimes very emotional, from doctors and dietitians. The best you will probably get, as did I, is “keep doing what you’re doing.”
Also, some people who reduce their carbs to keto or ZC levels find their cholesterol levels rise, as did I. But I’m not worried because World Health Data shows people with higher cholesterol LIVE LONGER; see https://youtu.be/wdznfiWvGq0?t=1026 , Dr Zoe Harcombe PhD - Facts About Food To Help Real Foodies Fight Back. Dave Feldman’s research is revealing the possible mechanisms for this lower mortality; see http://cholesterolcode.com, esp. http://cholesterolcode.com/hyper-responder-faq .
Not a public speaker, but I described my journey on Jimmy Moore’s podcast recorded at KetoFest 2018: Goto 25:47 on Episode 1416 of “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show" (Best to get it at https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/the-livin-la-vida-low-carb-show-with-jimmy-moore/id324601605?mt=2 because the show notes have a truncated version).
Amy_R0922
(Amy Ramadan)
#29
So very Happy for you!!! I went into remission about 6 months ago, after a long battle with stage 4 breast cancer, so I know what a huge relief it is to hear this news!! Thanks for sharing!!
sks23cu
(Steve Stephenson)
#30
AND my 10/22/2018 PET bone scan again shows no metastasized sites; that’s two in a row! THANK YOU CARNIVORE DIET (ZC = ~0 PLANTS)!
I see my Lahey Clinic oncologist on 11/15/2018 for full debrief.
N.B.: The ZC diet is something ANY cancer patient can ADD to their standard of care treatments. (Most oncologists don’t care what you eat as long as you don’t lose a lot of weight.) Try it; see if it works for you!
sks23cu
(Steve Stephenson)
#31
Dr Eugene Fine’s excellent video, Ketosis and Cancer in Cells, Animals, and People: https://youtu.be/6PAwobj3_qM?t=415
arenteria
(Anna)
#32
Steve, what kind of cancer did you start with? My husband had a robotic prostatectomy in 2012.
His PET scan a few months ago revealed the cancer is in his lower T11 and two lymph nodes in his groin. The doc suggested hormone treatment to lower his PSA. This drug does not cute cancer, however.
I would like to try a KETO diet on him. But he is very thin and always been. He is 5’ 11-1/2" weighs 150 lbs.
I’d like to hear your take.
Anna
KetoCancerMom
(Cancer Fighting Ketovore :))
#33
Keto isn’t strictly a way to loose weight. I have breast cancer (I’m 38) and I’m 5’2" and 125lbs. I’ve been eating keto since July and have maintained my weight, even gaining back some that I lost!
I’m not really sure what all the changes in my weight were, since I was pregnant at the time.
My point is, I wouldn’t worry about him loosing weight - he may even gain some.
arenteria
(Anna)
#35
Thank you Rebecca,
We are having a Retirement Party this Saturday. We will be celebrating, because God is so good. Monday he sees the doctor.
And then we will start KETO.
I’m grateful for you and that you are doing well.
Anna
Anna
sks23cu
(Steve Stephenson)
#36
I’ve actually gained weight on my current NP (no plant) diet (a.k.a. carnivore) with one 20-30 minute session / week of High Intensity Training. I use the strength machines at my local Senior Center. I’m sure the gain is mostly in muscle as my arms, legs, and belly are all hard now. My guide is Emergengy Room physician Dr. Doug McGuff’s book, Body by Science, and his YouTube videos.
For me surgery was not an option as the cancer had spread into the seminal vesicles by detection in 2011. Radiation and Lupron controlled it (low PSA) until 2016 when a PET bone scan showed metastasized sites in my bones, mostly spine. I had chemo that summer that, along with my keto diet, stabilized / stopped the growth.
Then, since I had cured my T2DM with LCHF (following 2 keto dudes), and had had no nausea during chemo because of keto diet, I decided in July 2017 to follow Amber O’Hearn, et al, into zero carb (carnivory). In a few months my PET scans showed NO METASTATIC SITES! They had disappeared!
So my oncologist agreed to stopping the Lupron. I was then on no medication; just carnivory.
Unfortunately, lately my PSA has been rising so my oncologist put me on androgen blockade therapy (finasteride and bicalutamide). I’ll be getting another PET scan in April. Even so, my PSA is still in the expected range for a 76 yr old.
Last Tuesday I leg pressed 550 lbs (2 legs, 6 reps).
sks23cu
(Steve Stephenson)
#38
On 2/25/19 I leg pressed 550 lbs 8 times, so today I’ll try for 560. No PET scheduled yet; see oncologist in early April.
sks23cu
(Steve Stephenson)
#39
was a link to a Kindle version of
15 Minutes to Fitness: Dr. Ben’s SMaRT Plan, by Vincent ‘Ben’ Bocchicchio https://amzn.to/2TB8YHO
Dr Ben describes how his method showed up in Dr McGuff’s teachings in this podcast: