Unlocking the Power Within: Natural Support for Cancer Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy has emerged as a significant change in the fight against cancer. Harnessing the body's immune system to target and destroy cancer cells, this innovative treatment approach has shown great promise in delivering more effective results. But suppose there was a way to optimise these outcomes? Enter natural support for cancer immunotherapy.
Nature has given us a wealth of healing ways that can work in synergy with immunotherapy to make it more effective. By using immune-boosting botanical compounds and nutrients, as well as diet and lifestyle changes, incorporating natural support into cancer treatment plans can unlock the power within our bodies to fight the disease.
In this article, we will explore the science-backed benefits of natural support for cancer immunotherapy, sharing key insights on how certain things can help bolster the immune system's response to treatment.
As I have explained in my book, the immune system plays a crucial role in defending the body against foreign invaders, including cancer cells. But cancer cells can evade and suppress the immune response, allowing them to grow and spread unchecked. The role of immunotherapy is to reawaken and strengthen the immune system's ability to recognise and destroy cancer cells.
The main immune cells we are talking about are lymphocytes, that include:
B cells that make infection-fighting proteins called antibodies, and memory B cells, which can reactivate if they're presented with the same infection.
T cells that recognise particular proteins, known as antigens, on the surface of foreign cells like microbes and cancer cells. They recruit B cells to produce antibodies, and can also fight the infections themselves.
Natural Killer (NK) cells, that can destroy cancer cells and infected cells.
Types of Cancer Immunotherapy Treatments
There are 5 types of immunotherapy treatments currently available. These types are:
Immune checkpoint inhibitors. Immune checkpoints are a normal part of the immune system and prevent the immune response from overreacting and damaging healthy cells by disabling the T cells' response. But with cancer cells, it can prevent the T cells from destroying the cancer. Immune checkpoint inhibitors block the proteins that inhibit the T cells, allowing them to target cancer cells effectively (1).
CAR-T cell therapy, also known as adoptive cell therapy. This involves genetically modifying a patient's own immune cells to target the cancer cells specifically. The modified cells are then reintroduced into the patient's body to fight the disease (2).
Cancer vaccines. These vaccines stimulate the immune system to recognise and attack cancer cells. They can prevent certain types of cancer, such as the Gardasil®9 vaccine for HPV against cervical cancer, or they can treat existing cancers (3).
Monoclonal antibodies. These are immune system proteins developed in a laboratory to recognise certain targets, some of which are cancer cells. Some of these qualify as immunotherapy, because they mark cancer cells so that the immune system can recognise and destroy them. One example of this is rituximab. Other monoclonal antibodies, like blinatumomab, enable the T cells to get close enough to the cancer cells to kill them (4).
Non-specific Immunomodulators. These include cytokines, which are chemical messengers usually produced by the body to activate the immune system. There are 2 types of cytokine therapy used for cancer: interferons and interleukins. BCG is another immunomodulator. It is like the tuberculosis bacteria but doesn't cause disease. However, it activates the immune system to destroy cancer cells. It's used to treat bladder cancer and is being investigated for other cancers. There are also immunomodulatory drugs that cause cells to produce interleukin 2, also known as T cell growth factor, which boosts T cells and NK cells. They also prevent new blood vessels being formed by the cancer cells (angiogenesis), which stops them from growing larger (5, 6).
Not all cancers respond to immunotherapy. Those that don't are called 'cold tumours' and those that do are called 'hot tumours' (7). Cold tumours include colorectal, lung and triple negative breast cancers (7). Hot tumours include prostate, urothelial carcinoma and metastatic melanoma (7). But this list is not exhaustive: new cancer types are being found to respond all the time. The reason some cancers respond and some don't depends on whether the microenvironment of the tumour can suppress the immune system.
There is a growing interest in discovering how to improve immunotherapy's effectiveness. This is where natural support for cancer immunotherapy comes into play. By incorporating certain natural substances and practices into treatment plans, it may be possible to boost the immune system's response to therapy, leading to better outcomes for patients.
Diet and Nutrition for Supporting the Immune System
A healthy diet and proper nutrition play a vital role in supporting the immune system's function. With cancer immunotherapy, some changes to the diet can help optimise treatment outcomes. Here are some of the key points:
Antioxidant-rich foods: antioxidants help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals, which play a role in cancer development. Incorporating foods like leafy greens, berries and nuts into the diet can provide a rich source of antioxidants.
Omega-3 fatty acids: found in abundance in fatty fish, seafood, walnuts, chia, flax and hemp seeds, omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties and can help enhance the immune response.
Cruciferous vegetables: vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts contain compounds called glucosinolates, which have anti-cancer properties and support the immune system.
Avoid high-carbohydrate foods: researchers have discovered that high blood sugar affects immunity, reducing your body's ability to fight infection and increasing inflammation (8).
As well as these specific points, maintaining a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins is essential for a healthy immune system. There are many other things to consider, and I cover a healthy cancer diet extensively in my book.
Exercise and Its Impact on the Immune System
Regular exercise has many health benefits, including its impact on the immune system. Taking moderate-intensity exercise enhances immune function, reduces inflammation, and improves overall well-being. Exercise can play a supportive role in optimising immunotherapy treatment outcomes. Here's how:
Better immune surveillance: Exercise increases the number of immune cells circulating in the body, improving the body's ability to detect cancer cells and fight infections (9).
Reduced side effects of treatment: Immunotherapy treatments can often lead to side effects such as fatigue, nausea, and decreased quality of life. Regular exercise can help lessen these side effects, improving tolerance to treatment, which would otherwise have to be suspended or stopped (10).
Improved mental health: Exercise has positive effects on mental health, reducing anxiety and depression often experienced by cancer patients. Anxiety and depression can cause inflammation in the body, and less inflammation helps support immune function as well as overall well-being (10).
It is important to tailor your exercise to your individual circumstances and treatment plans. An exercise physiologist can help create an exercise program that is safe and effective for your individual capabilities. And don't overdo it: overexercising increases inflammation, which will negatively affect your immune system.
Mind-Body Techniques for Stress Reduction and Immune Support
The mind-body connection plays a significant role in overall health and well-being, including immune function. Chronic stress and negative emotions can weaken the immune system, making it less effective in fighting cancer. Incorporating mind-body techniques into your life can help reduce stress and support immune function. Here are a few examples:
Meditation: Regular meditation practice reduces stress, improves emotional well-being, and enhances immune function. Mindfulness meditation, in particular, has immune-boosting effects (11).
Yoga: Yoga combines physical movement, breath control, and meditation, making it a holistic practice for stress reduction and immune support. Studies have shown that regular yoga practice can improve immune function and quality of life in cancer patients (12).
Deep breathing exercises: Deep breathing exercises, such as diaphragmatic breathing, can activate the vagus nerve, which is one of the longest nerves in the body. Stimulating it engages the body's parasympathetic nervous system, which is the 'rest and digest' mode rather than the 'fight or flight' mode of the sympathetic nervous system. The diagram below illustrates all the benefits of this (13).
(13)
Acupuncture: This ancient Chinese therapy involves the insertion of very thin needles into specific points on the body. It sounds painful, but if you find a good practitioner, it's virtually painless. Studies show that acupuncture has immune-modulating effects that may enhance treatment response in cancer patients (14). It can reduce the side effects of immunotherapy, including stress and anxiety, and shorten the duration of neutropenia, which makes patients vulnerable to infection (15). Preliminary studies show that it can also help reduce auto-immune conditions, so it has the potential to increase tolerance and the effectiveness of immunotherapy (15).
Reducing stress has the added advantage of improving sleep, which is critical for a fully functioning immune system (16).
Herbs and Supplements, and Their Immune-Boosting Properties
Certain herbal supplements have shown promise in supporting the immune system and enhancing immunotherapy treatment outcomes. Before you use any of these, please consult with a natural health practitioner to ensure that it's appropriate for you. Alternatively, you can refer to my book for information on dosage, contraindications, interactions and side effects.
Curcumin
There have been many studies of curcumin that establish its anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. It enhances the immune response and improves the effectiveness of immunotherapy drugs (17-19). The drawback of curcumin is its poor solubility in water, so it's important to use a supplement that uses nanotechnology, and always take it with a fatty meal. Black pepper also improves its absorption in the body.
Resveratrol
You might remember that I wrote an article about resveratrol some time ago. Since then, researchers seem to have solved the problem with absorption of it by using nanotechnology. This means that the particles of resveratrol are small enough to be absorbed in the mucus linings of the mouth, so it bypasses the digestive system and moves directly into the bloodstream. This also has the advantage of a steadier release compared with the usual capsules.
Resveratrol stimulates the body to produce more Natural Killer (NK) cells and certain types of T cells. It also affects immune checkpoints (20). This potentially makes it helpful for supporting immunotherapy. Researchers haven't conducted clinical trials yet, but the results from in vitro studies suggest that resveratrol might turn cold tumours into hot ones, making them more likely to respond to immunotherapy (20).
Higher doses seem to be more effective, so I would suggest a dose of 1 g/day of nano resveratrol. In human trials, this appears to be non-toxic, although you need to check for any interactions with the specific drug that you are taking. For example, in patients with multiple myeloma that had relapsed, a combination of resveratrol and bortezomib caused damage to the kidneys (20).
Astragalus
Astragalus is an herb used in Traditional Chinese Medicine that Western herbalists have adopted. I covered it extensively in my book for its uses in the prevention of cancer recurrence, in helping with treatment and in reducing the side effects of treatment, particularly fatigue and immune suppression.
Astragalus stimulates the immune system, which makes it helpful for immunotherapy. One study added astragalus to a cancer vaccine. It not only improved the immune response but also inhibited angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels, which also helped to prevent tumour growth (21).
One marker that oncologists use to evaluate a patient's progress during treatment is the ratio of neutrophils to lymphocytes (NLR). These are both types of white blood cells, and the higher the NLR, the worse the progress (22). In a clinical trial on lung cancer patients who were undergoing combined immune checkpoint therapy, an injectable form of astragalus normalised the NLR, showing that it was helping the therapy (23).
Astragalus is another herb that is difficult for the body to absorb. Like resveratrol, it is now being produced in nano form, and this is proving to be very successful (24). It isn't easy to find, but it is available on the open market.
Conclusion: Strengthening Your Immune System for Cancer Immunotherapy Success
In the journey towards improved outcomes in cancer treatment, natural support for cancer immunotherapy offers a promising avenue. By harnessing the power of nature's healing properties, you can enhance the immune system's response to therapy and unlock your body's innate ability to fight cancer.
From diet and nutrition to herbal supplements, mind-body techniques, and exercise, there are various ways to support your immune system during cancer immunotherapy.
For more information on supporting the immune system and reducing inflammation, you can't go past my book. To find all the online stores that stock it, click on the button below.
References
National Cancer Institute. Immune checkpoint inhibitors. National Cancer Institute. April 7, 2022. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/immunotherapy/checkpoint-inhibitors.
National Cancer Institute. T-cell transfer therapy - immunotherapy. National Cancer Institute. April 1, 2022. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/immunotherapy/t-cell-transfer-therapy.
National Cancer Institute. Cancer treatment vaccines - immunotherapy. National Cancer Institute. September 24, 2019. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/immunotherapy/cancer-treatment-vaccines.
National Cancer Institute. Monoclonal antibodies. National Cancer Institute. September 24, 2019. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/immunotherapy/monoclonal-antibodies.
National Cancer Institute. Immune system modulators to treat cancer. National Cancer Institute. September 24, 2019. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/immunotherapy/immune-system-modulators.
Cancer.net. What is immunotherapy? Cancer.Net. May 26, 2022. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/how-cancer-treated/immunotherapy-and-vaccines/what-immunotherapy.
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