FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE BLOG
Includes over 800 monographs reporting on emerging studies in the medical and scientific literature of practical clinical importance, easily searched for content.
Ketone supplementation and the ketogenic diet for cancer
"The emerging role of metabolism in many types of cancers provides a novel target for new therapeutics. A possibility is dietary therapies that are designed to take advantage of the unique energetic needs of tumor cells. One such option is the use of a very high-fat and low-carbohydrate diet (90%:5%, respectively) called the Ketogenic Diet (KD). This diet has been used to treat epilepsy for nearly 90 years, and recently its application as a cancer therapeutic has been explored. Although preclinical studies demonstrate its efficacy and clinical case reports support its feasibility, the KD is difficult to implement due to its stringent nature. Here, we report the development of an sHFLC, which mimics the main physiologic effects of the KD, namely reduced glucose and increased ketones. In addition, the sHFLC diet is able to reduce glioblastoma (GB) tumor cell proliferation and extend lifespan in GB animal models."
ONCOblot cancer test, sensitive and specific, explained in brief video
ONCOblot cancer test, sensitive and specific, explained in brief video.
Silicone breast implants and risk of lymphoma
Patients with an inflammatory response against silicone implants should be monitored carefully.
Breast cancer, autoantibodies and autoimmune inflammation
"In this study, detection of autoantibodies in the sera from practically all women with breast cancer provides compelling evidence that an antigen-driven autoantibody response takes place in BC."
Allergic inflammation may promote breast cancer metastasis
A study recently published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology reveals a mechanism by which allergic inflammation can promote breast cancer metastasis.
Breast cancer, oxidative stress and NF-κB
A paper just published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment highlights how reactive oxygen species (ROS) activate pro-inflammatory NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa beta, also an oncogenic transcription factor) to promote more aggressive breast cancer, and that this can be ameliorated by NAC.
Cancer survival enhanced by complementary therapies
Evidence reported in a study just published in Current Oncology Reports demonstrates that appropriate complementary therapies, beyond improving symptoms and quality of life, prolong cancer survival.
Hormone replacement in menopause and ovarian cancer risk
Hormone replacement in menopause must be evaluated thoroughly on an individual basis with careful attention to the important benefits and risks. This includes of course objective measurements of bioactive hormone levels before and during hormone replacement at appropriate intervals, including analysis of benign versus troublesome estrogen metabolites. Regarding adverse effects that must be weighed, an important study just published in The Lancet brings to light a significant risk for ovarian cancer in current and past users of hormone replacement.
Metastasis reduced by low carb diet plus anti-inflammatory
Two papers just published in the journal Carcinogenesis presenting evidence that a low carbohydrate/high protein diet plus anti-inflammatory agent markedly reduces cancer metastasis.
Lung cancer, inflammation, and tumor microenvironment
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. As with all other cancers, untangling the role of systemic inflammation (cancer promoting) versus inflammation in the tumor microenvironment (cancer fighting) is of fundamental clinical importance. A welcome study just published in PLOS One (Public Library of Science) sheds light on this critical conundrum while including the aspect of nutritional status.
Prediabetes increases cancer risk
Prediabetes, elevated levels of blood sugar that are still 'within' the normal range, increases cancer risk among its mob of other afflictions as further validated by a meta-analysis just published in Diabetologia.
Bra wearing not linked to breast cancer
Bra wearing does not seem to be associated with breast cancer in postmenopausal women according to a study just published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Nigella sativa, a true 'wonder medicine'?
Nigella sativa, also known as black cumin, produces seeds with a mind-boggling wealth of medicinal virtues. For colleagues and others who may not be familiar with the abundance of scientific evidence for the use of Nigella sativa seed extract in clinical practice, this selection of citations serves as an introduction to its wide range of indications.
Breast cancer and glucose intolerance
Breast cancer, insulin resistance and blood sugar dysregulation are associated, and more evidence for the breast cancer link with glucose intolerance is presented in a study just published in PLOS ONE.
Breast cancer survival is enhanced by higher serum levels of vitamin D
Breast cancer survival is linked to higher serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] according to evidence presented in a meta-analysis just published in the journal Anti-Cancer Research...Higher serum 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with lower fatality rates in patients with breast cancer. Patients with the highest concentration of 25(OH)D had approximately half the fatality rate compared to those with the lowest concentration