Are there supplements that tweak the immune system to provide a measure of control for cancer support and / or prevention? Maybe! What is known is that there are a few vitamins and other nutrients that cancer hijacks for selfish purposes. Plus, one extremely vital adele that produces p53, a proven cancer fighter.
Precautionary: In any medical disease condition, especially cancer, work with your medical team to support natural body processes with proper dietary practices and positive mental posturing. The food elements mentioned here may have nutritional applications affecting some disease conditions, but they are not substitutes for medical care, they are in addition or complimentary.
FIRST: Vitamin A as 9-cis retinoic acid and the hormone form of vitamin D, 1,25(OH)2D3, combine together at the cell wall (RXR-VDR) to direct cellular genes to build a number of immune acting proteins. This is a vital step for the immune system. Check out the influence of one of these proteins, LL-37. ref
CAUTION: While there are many benefits from LL-37, it also can be over-expressed to promote detrimental actions on bone health in RA joint conditions. This is why there is a window of dosages for vitamin D and A that must be respected. Too much is just as potentially damaging as too little. Well, maybe it is just a little less damaging.
Immunity: Cancer stem cells, Natural Killer Cells, Viruses
Facts: Natural Killer cells (NK) are a critical part of the immune system, especially against pathogenic viruese. Cancer patients exhibit a reduced NK activity level. Here is one way NK cells support immunity.
Concerning cancer, the immune system natural killer cell activity level either becomes compromised or has already been weakened. There are natural elements to increase natural killer cell activity in such cases.** ref One food element has 20 years of research and is recognized as a chemopreventative agent, Broccoli sprouts extract containing Sulforaphane Glucosinolate, or the potential for the body to produce it from supplied elements in broccoli, ref ref ref ref, or SGS, (Jarrow BroccoMax is one example).* Other less researched elements include: IP6, ref ref ref, an extract from whole rice kernal (Enzymatic Therapy, Natural Factors, and Jarrow), Mushroom extracts, especially Shitake, Maitake, and Reishi; (numerous Brands, Grifron, New Chapter, Gaia, plus Maitake D-fraction comes up as effective?). ref Some mushrooms contain beta glucans that trigger immune response.ref ref ref There is ongoing research to verify. Beta Glucans are also found in Saccharomyoces yeast which is used as a growing agent for whole food vitamins. While this allows saccharomyoces to be listed on whole food vitamin labels, the potency of beta glucan is not significant. One can choose to wait for more research, or consume these products in case the early observations are indeed an indication of future verification. Here is another possible application of SGS for autism. Very early in research. ref ref
* Early research on sulforaphane compounds looked and evaluated only dietary sources and while animal studies were very positive, the food only analysis showed little positive effects. Today, the supplements of Broccoli sprout extract contain the amount of SGS that would be found in many pounds of commercially available vegetables. An amount almost impossible to achieve from diet alone. Plus, the addition of the enzyme Myrosinase potentially increases the amount of SGS formed in the body from broccoli sulfur compounds.
** It is mandatory to work with a qualified medical professional in any disease. Sometimes, natural food elements that trigger immune response are counter to the action of chemotherapeutic medicine.
Researched Pathway of Cancer Inhibition
In support of the above insights, regarding immune cell heightened awareness, one possible avenue of activity from dietary elements appears to control the production of cancer stem cells and prevent abnormal actions. To the above mentioned food elements can be added turmeric (curcumin), garlic, green tea, red wine (resveratrol) ref, fermented soy, tocotrienols (vitamin E factors), and Vitamin D3.
ref ref <nano technology for better absorption) ref <chart explanation is presented here, copyright protected.
The elements in these foods are concentrated in supplements to achieve dosages at levels with impact on target cells. Of course, working with your medical team can greatly increase the effectiveness of these nutrients to support pharmaceutical chemotherapeutic agents. Precautionary practices may be needed with other nutrients to not block the actions of the drugs or feed cancer growth.
"Wnt" pathway to stem cell activity here. This is relatively new research (30 years) and needs greater verification. ref The inclusion of some of the foods mentioned here could prove beneficial over time. Nature may be attempting to safeguard the regulation of evolutionary processes to protect Wnt pathways and prevent cellular damage. ref Dosages are critical and may not be fully developed at this time. The vitamin D exposure issue lately has generated very high and possibly adverse dosages due to incomplete understanding of body nutrient dynamics.**
"Hedgehog" messaging is vital to healthy cells. ref Notice the circled items above it that can trigger adverse effects, namely palmitic acid, a fat, and choline, a B vitamin. Some nutrients can have actions in 2 directions, one positive and one negative. Which one direction predominates is determined by other surrounding conditions. "Notch" is explained here.
**It is critical here to know that it is the active hormone form of vitamin D that exhibits the Wnt control of potential cancer stem cells. This is not the blood storage form of D generated by supplements or produced by sunshine on skin. The body uses the storage form of vitamin D to convert into the hormone form of vitamin D when needed. The trigger for hormone D production is a drop in the level of calcium in the blood, not lower bone density. Nutritionists recommend higher calcium intake to achieve higher bone density which they view prevents fractures. But at what price is this to the body if it lowers the need for the activation of the hormone form of vitamin D necessary for cancer protection?
Balance and Harmony are hallmarks of body integrity. The body benefits from cycles. To constantly and chronically override body control mechanisms, like the maintenance and balance of blood calcium levels, appears to not be healthy over the long term. Why are Scientists now finding that a lifetime of higher milk consumption is associated with greater bone fracture risk rather than a reduction?
APPLE A DAY
Does it really help keep the Doctor away? Among many other nutrients in apples with beneficial actions, there is one quite special, D'Glucarate. This reference talks about how D'Glucarate is a major player in cellular waste clean up and detoxification. Plus, it also helps control and limit an enzyme, beta-glucuronidase, that at elevated levels is responsible for initiating certain cancer promoting factors in breast, prostate, and colon cancers. Yes, an apple a day certainly does live up to the saying. Supplements have the form Calcium D'Glucarate. Plus milk thistle helps out here too.
The p53 Cancer Immunity Connection ref
This is a very fundamental concept of immense significance. Scientists have found a direct link from the immune system to the prevention of cancer cells. The link is through a protein produced by the TP53 gene. This gene produces p53 protein that functions to prohibit cancer cell development, as well as to destroy existing canceer cells. It turns out that elephants and some whales have much higher levels of p53 in their bodies and this could be the reason they have few cancers. Elephants have 20 pairs of gene TP53 while humans have only one. One TP53 gene comes from each of DNA donors, male and female. In many types of human cancers, a mutated gene p53 is present at least 50% of the time, and in certain cancers, at 90%. The mutated gene form is called an allele of TP53.
QUESTION: Are there natural ways to protect the two p53 producing adeles?
Could vitamins or other supplements play such a role?
The answer to both is yes. Broccoli SGS ref and vegetable and fruit flavonoids play vital roles in protecting TP53 genes and activating the correct p53 proteins. ref Plus, don't leave out the value of medicinal mushrooms, ref
WRAP UP
There are probably many pathways involved in cancer. Any one may have some impact. But obviously, the best approach would be to incorporate a postive lifestyle overall and both prevent and maintain a strong immune function to stop cancers before they get a leg up.