Salvestrols: Nature’s Rescue Mechanism from Cancer

Last week I had a fantastic discussion with Dr Michael Schachter regarding the so-called “war against cancer”. Very little has changed since 1971.  We have drugs, lots of drugs. However, this year, more than 1.6 million Americans will receive a diagnosis, and 600,000 Americans will die of “cancer”.  The real question is– are they dying from the treatment or the cancer? This is, as they say, the billion dollar question.

Integrative oncology has made significant strides in improving survival from cancer and its treatment.  However, many feel there is a better way or at least another way to heal from cancer.  Some believe that the SOC (Standard of Care) might actually be contributing to more cancer and in some cases worsen the prognosis of patients with cancer.  Dr Schachter spoke of the work of Dr Thomas Seyfried, who believes that cancer is a metabolic disease which is driven by damage to the mitochondria of cells and not from mutations within the nucleus of the cell.  The predominant assumption by conventional oncology is that cancer stems from mutations in genes within the nucleus of the cell. Seyfried explains how the standard of care for brain tumors which generally includes radiation, increases the amino acid glutamine which fuels brain cancer cells just the way glucose does.  He acknowledged that while the therapy has improved two-year survival rates, this is not much to cheer about.  The steroids that reduce inflammation may lesson symptoms and the protocol might extend life briefly, but the overall treatment plan guarantees failure.  Dr Schachter went on to explain that Seyfried’s suggestion of the (calorie) restricted ketogenic diet (RKD) might better serve patients; it can also improve the efficacy of some anti-cancer drugs.  The (calorie) RKD offers tremendous promise as it restricts the glucose that feeds tumors and elevates ketone levels providing an anti-invasive, anti-angiogenic and pro-apoptotic approach towards malignant brain cancer and may well work for many cancers. To hear more on Seyfrieds research, please CLICK HERE.

~~ CYP1B1~Best Kept Secret in Science~~

Dr Schachter and I also spoke once again about Salvestrols, and how CYP1B1 might just be the best kept secret in science.  To recap, Salvestrols are plant derived compounds that produce anticancer metabolites as a result of their action with a particular enzyme, known as CYP1B1.  Salvestrols are found naturally in organic blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, black currents, figs, tangerine peel and perhaps as many as 50 other fruits and vegetables.  The CYP1B1 enzyme is present only in cancer cells, and when it encounters a Salvestrol, it converts it into a form which is toxic to the sick cell and causes that cell to commit suicide (apoptosis). Because the enzyme is not present in healthy cells, the Salvestrols have no ill effects on them–unlike cancer therapies such as chemotherapy.  He further explained that a deficiency of naturally derived Salvestrols can lead to the development and progression of cancer. And in fact, the presence of CYP1B1 is considered a universal cancer marker by many.

~~ “Eat your Vegetables”  Mom, various dates ~~

Obviously we need to eat more fruits and vegetables.  For the healthy individual without cancer and who eats a significant amount of organic produce, diet is likely sufficient.  (Why organic?  Click Here and Here).  For those with cancer or who have had cancer, it is virtually impossible (and terribly expensive) and potentially dangerous to eat enough to challenge cancer, so a supplement may well be the answer.  Keep in mind that while fruits are incredibly healthy, they do provide a significant source of sugar (glucose).  To simplify things, the scientists who coined the term Salvestrols developed a point system.  The strong diet might afford one 100-300 points daily.  However, to attain the necessary 1000+ points needed to control an existing cancer, this is an unachievable goal via diet alone.  I personally take 1000-2000 daily in supplement form.  For more information, please replay Update on Innovative Cancer Treatment Strategies including the Ketogenic Diet and Salvestrols .

We also talked about things that inhibit the activity of CYP1B1.  These include Laetrile (also known as B17 and amygdalin, with bitter apricot kernels being one of the best sources) as well as carbon monoxide (cigarette smoke), household pesticides and chemicals, but also resveratrol (at high doses of more than 40mg or so per day). Yes, resveratrol has some anticancer benefits, but it inhibits the activity of the enzyme, so it must be avoided in supplement form if you are taking Salvestrols.

What supports CYP1B1?  Magnesium, niacin, biotin, selenium, vitamin C and iron (when appropriate).

Have there been clinical trials on Salvestrols?  No, but often the real-life case studies tell all.  Again, listen to the show, search the internet blogs or contact Dr Schachter to get his opinion and to hear and read about the case studies (I have also listed some resources at the end of this post).  I, for one, don’t need trials to appreciate logic and research; furthermore, just as I know that there will not be trials for broccoli, I am well aware that there will not be trials for Salvestrols, nor are they needed.  If something cannot hurt you, and offers great promise, and you can afford it, go for it…..listen to your gut– it really knows best (sorry father).  Interesting too that the science behind Salvestrols may offer some incite as to why therapies such as Gerson work so well—tons of organic vegetables.

The take-home?  Salvestrols have the extraordinary ability to recognize cancer cells, embed themselves in them, and destroy them. When Salvestrols come into contact with the CYP1B1 inside human cancer cells, they become “activated”—and cause the cancer cells to stop growing or die. CYP1B1 is only in cancer cells, and Salvestrols go on a-seek-and-destroy mission. Salvestrols appear to be applicable for all cancers at all stages, and may be useful for both the prevention and management of cancer.  The RKD, although not an easy diet to strictly maintain for a lifetime, is a viable option for the management of for cancer and can often be modified once NED (no evidence of disease) has been achieved.

We don’t want to die of our cancer, but we also do not want to die from its treatment.  And cancer tends to recur, especially with conventional treatment, grows silently for years and is often only detected with more damaging scans. That said, I just want to be very clear that none of the concepts discussed here are approved by the FDA for cancer treatment and that this information is preliminary, experimental and for informational purposes only. My role here and on Survive and Live Well is to inform, and you are certainly welcome to draw your own conclusions and make informed decisions.  Further, treatment does not end with active therapy….treatment is a life-long commitment to health.

For more information, click on the above links or contact Dr Michael Schachter at the Schachter Center for Complementary Medicine.  You can also purchase a DVD of Dr Schachter’s presentation on Salvestrols at CARE via his office, and you can pick up a copy of Brain Schaefer’s book, Salvestrols: Nature’s Defence Against Cancer. (And no, that “c” is not a typo).

Elyn

www.elynjacobs.wordpress.com

~~If you don’t know your options, you don’t have any~~

Dr. Michael B. Schachter is a magna cum laude graduate of Columbia College and Columbia P&S Medical School in NYC. He is also a Board Certified Psychiatrist and a Certified Nutrition Specialist. Dr. Schachter has been involved with nutritional and integrative health care for 35 years. A leader in alternative cancer therapies, EDTA chelation and orthomolecular psychiatry, he is a past president of the American College of Advancement in Medicine (ACAM). He has authored numerous articles and was a major contributor to Burton Goldberg’s classic “Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide to Cancer”. His published 2010 paper “Integrative Oncology for Clinicians and Cancer Patients” helps to guide patients in developing a cancer treatment program. In 2010, Dr. Schachter received the Humanitarian Award from the Cancer Control Society in California. He has a special interest in the role of iodine in health and disease. Dr. Schachter is the director of the Schachter Center for Complementary Medicine in Suffern, NY.

Dr. Brian Schaefer was educated in Victoria, B.C., Canada and Oxford, England, obtained a B.Sc., and M.Sc., degree from the University of Victoria and a Doctor of Philosophy (D.Phil.) degree from Oxford University in England (Wolfson College). After these studies were completed he chose to return to Canada. After two years as a research fellow in Ottawa he returned to Victoria where he currently lives with his wife and his two children. A fondness for England continues and he returns to England on a regular basis. He has published and lectured on a broad array of topics including psychometrics, pattern recognition, visual perception, knowledge acquisition, artificial intelligence, laboratory medicine and cancer research. The author serves on the Board of Directors of companies in Canada and England.

Case Studies:

Schaefer B, Tan H, Burke D, Potter G, (2007) Nutrition and Cancer: Salvestrol Case Studies.. Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, 22, 4: 177-182.

Schaefer B, Dooner C, Burke D, Potter G, (2010) Nutrition and Cancer: Further Case Studies Involving Salvestrol. Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, 25, 1: 17-23.

Schaefer, B., Potter G., Wood R., Burke D. (2012) Cancer and Related Case Studies Involving Salvestrol and CYP1B1. Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, 27: 131-138.

Elyn Jacobs is a breast cancer survivor, professional cancer coach, radio talk show host, speaker, and the Executive Director for the Emerald Heart Cancer Foundation. She is also on the peer review board of the Natural Standard Database. Elyn empowers women to choose the path for treatment that best fits their own individual needs. She is passionate about helping others move forward into a life of health and wellbeing. Elyn lives in New York with her husband and two young boys.

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