My Cancer Specialist is a Naturopath!

Not too many years ago, oncologist MDs were informing patients to avoid using herbs or vitamins while receiving cancer treatment because the supplements would interfere with the chemotherapy effectiveness. But not only does nutritional supplementation enable the chemotherapy to be more effective, but in most cases chemotherapy side effects are minimized. As Dr. Leanna Standish notes in her interview this month, “ … every physician knows now that glutamine should be given along with Taxol and platinum-based chemotherapy agents to prevent peripheral neuropathy.” It is remarkable progress that nutritional supplements are now being integrated in cancer treatment protocols. The naturopathic profession has developed a specialist category for NDs focusing on cancer care: Fellow of the American Board of Naturopathic Oncology (FABNO). In this issue of the Townsend Letter we have the writing of five FABNO NDs: Leanna Standish, Gurdev Parmar, Veronica Stevens, Stacy Dunn, and Jacob Schor. Now we can refer cancer patients to our preferred FABNO and be sure that an integrative program is being managed in conjunction with chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

Dr. Standish is the medical director of the Bastyr Integrative Oncology Research Center. She is coprincipal investigator in two NIH studies; one study is a prospective outcomes study of integrative therapy management in breast cancer, the second study is investigating medicinal mushroom efficacy in cancer treatment. Standish lists the four components of integrative oncology as: (1) naturopathic oncology; (2) Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture; (3) mind-body medicine; and (4) palliative medicine and pain management. Standish has a special interest in South American psychoactive drugs that will alter the mind-body role in cancer progression.

Veronica Stevens, ND argues that naturopathic oncology is a necessity for every cancer patient. Yes, there can be an herbal interaction with drug therapy that may lead to change in drug metabolism and increase risk of an adverse drug event. Hence, there is a clear-cut need for knowledgeable practitioners capable of designing an integrative herbal/supplement regimen that complements the chemotherapy/radiation program. Stevens explains that understanding the “cancer terrain” requires supporting the immune system, reducing inflammation, supporting hormones, improving digesting, and detoxifying. Stevens recommends Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO, and Karolyn Gazella’s book, Five to Thrive for a systematic approach to the cancer terrain.

Stacy Dunn, ND, discusses naturopathic concerns of breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy. Many breast cancer patients have estrogen and progesterone positive receptors driving the oncology process. Adjuvant endocrine therapies such as tamoxifen are metabolized by differing liver CYP mechanisms. Depending on the CYP genotype polymorphism, tamoxifen metabolism may be compromised, subjecting the patient to greater risk of breast cancer relapse. Herbal support, such as berberine, interferes with CYP2D6 metabolism, contraindicating its use with tamoxifen. Dunn explains the need for employing naturopathic supports with adjuvant endocrine therapy to counter drug adverse effects.

Gurdev Parmar, ND, writes about his experiences using hyperthermia for cancer treatment. Parmar provides total-body hyperthermia employing 6 infrared heating lamps monitoring his patients for hypoglycemia and dehydration. Core temperature is maintained at 38.5 to 40 ºC for 1 to 2 hours. Heating the patient to core temperature takes about 2 to 3 hours and following the 1.5 hours of core temperature, there is a cooling phase of 1 to 2 hours. Hence, a hyperthermia session lasts for about 5 to 6 hours. Parmar describes his personal experience undergoing a session. At this point he has administered a series of whole-body hyperthermia to 100 patients. He is looking forward to reporting outcomes in the future.

Townsend Letter readers are familiar with Jacob Schor, ND, who reports on naturopathic research. Schor reports on the benefits of administering aspirin in treating breast cancer in four recent major papers. The conclusion: each of the papers shows that aspirin plays an important role in preventing cancer and preventing cancer death in cancer patients. Since aspirin is considered a drug, it is usually not a part of a naturopathic toolbox. However, Schor thinks that we are “doing our patients a disservice by not encouraging more of them to use it.”

Jonathan Collin, MD