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Integrative Approaches to Prostate Cancer
Treatment
By Isaac Eliaz, M.D., M.S., L.Ac.
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One out of every six men in this country is struggling with prostate cancer at this
very moment. So if you’re reading this report in the wake of your own recent
diagnosis, the first thing you should know is that you’re in very good company.
The second thing you should know is that addressing this disease in a way that
minimizes side effects and maximizes your health and longevity is possible… in fact,
that’s the very reason I’ve written this report.
There’s absolutely no question that wading through your various treatment options
can be confusing business—not least of all in the case of prostate cancer, when some
difficult choices will have to be made. But when you’re up against any kind of illness,
knowledge is one of your surest sources of power. And it’s my hope that once you’ve
finished this report, you will be armed with the information you need to ask the right
questions—and make the right decisions—as you follow your own personal path to
recovery.
I’ll be covering a wide range of topics in the pages that follow, from necessary
diagnostic tests to critical nutritional supplements. But first, let me begin by
explaining a little more about what’s involved in a truly integrative approach to
healing prostate cancer.
What is integrative medicine?
Integrative medicine is an approach to healthcare that draws upon various healing
traditions and modalities in order to create a synergistic movement towards health
and away from disease.
As you’ve probably noticed, conventional treatments—especially in oncology—focus
on attacking and destroying the disease. While this approach has its merits, strictly
disease-focused treatments neglect to support your overall health and
vitality—which in turn leads to a further disintegration in your health.
The goal of integrative medicine, on the other hand, is to support your health and
vitality while at the same time reducing disease (see Figure 1). Naturally, this would
also be the goal of any effective integrative prostate cancer treatment.
Figure 1
Wellness is represented by two vertical axes/arrows. The health axis points up with
increasing health representing increasing longevity. In contrast as one travels up the
disease axis one gets closer to death. A hypothetical patient presented with a
weakened vitality and an aggressive cancer would show up on the axes at the points
labeled “before interaction”. The goal of integrative medicine is to use a combination
of conventional and complimentary methods to increase health and decrease the
disease resulting in the patient ending up at the points “After the interaction”.
Prostate cancer (PC) is a heterogeneous disease ranging from a physiological,
“non-malignant” process to a disease that can kill you in months. Therefore, the
basic principles in the treatment of PC are maximum diagnosis and minimum
intervention.
So what does this mean on a practical level?
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The First Step: Evaluation
The first step in evaluating a person newly diagnosed with PC is to create a broad
and extensive baseline—one that focuses on both the health and the disease aspects.
I frequently see patients that were initially evaluated by the leading institutions in
this country. And yet more often than not, these evaluations lack much of the basic
information critical to designing intelligent treatment protocols.
Understanding the Patient
In order for a person to get back to optimal health, they first need to know where on
the health and disease axis they are. This requires a thorough evaluation. As a
doctor, that means listening to the patient in order to get a feel for his health status.
How well is he taking care of himself? Does he exercise, walk, maintain a healthy
diet, and use stress reduction methods? How quickly will he respond to a health
concern or health opportunity? (For example, a man notices a change in urinary
frequency—does he call his doctor the same day, or does he wait six months before
reporting it?)
Another factor to evaluate is the willingness of the patient to address his own
condition. Does he have enough flexibility to make the necessary changes in his
life—and to follow through with them? This information is absolutely critical when I
am making my assessments as well as my recommendations.
A physician can think that a particular patient needs to walk one hour a day, alter
their diet, take six different supplements, change their job, etc….but making the
above recommendations without considering if the person is able (or willing) to
follow them would be an example of doctor-driven medicine. In patient-driven
medicine—which is the calling card of any good integrative doctor—the reality of the
patient’s situation will always determine the plan.
Gathering Essential Data
The initial evaluation always has a number of components, which when combined
will give us a better ability to assess the health and disease status of the person.
These include:
1. Detailed history and intake
2. Thorough physical exam
3. Additional diagnostic methods (In my practice, I rely heavily on pulse
diagnosis.)
4. Laboratory work
5. Imaging
6. Biopsies, if needed
Unfortunately, I won’t be able to cover all of these components in detail here.
Instead, I’ll focus on the four main issues: blood tests, urine tests, imaging and
biopsies.
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Important blood tests
PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen)
Prostate-specific antigen is a protein produced by cells in your prostate gland,
elevated levels of which can indicate the presence of prostate cancer. It’s important
to measure both the total and free levels, as well as to track the magnitude of changes
and the speed at which the PSA is increasing. I could devote a full article on
evaluating the PSA—but for now, simply remember these key points:
• Low PSA doesn’t necessarily mean a slow-growing disease.
• Rate of change is very important.
• PSA can actually have seasonal variations.
• It’s essential to evaluate the PSA in relationship to the size of the prostate. For
example, a PSA of 4.5 with a prostate of 30ml is more worrisome than a PSA
of 7.5 with a Prostate of 110ml (very large). That’s because a normal prostate
secretes PSA at an average rate of 0.07ng/ml. For the 30ml patient, this
natural production accounts for 2.1 out of the total score of 4.5—only half.
For the 7.5 patient, however, it accounts for all of the PSA.
• Prostatitis is quite non-specific, and will also elevate the PSA. So elevated PSA
with urinary symptoms (a common complaint in cases of prostatitis) is less
worrisome than the same PSA without any complaints.
PAP (Prostatic Acid Phosphatase)
This test—which measures levels of Prostatic Acid Phosphatase, an enzyme
produced in your prostate—was used regularly before PSA gained popularity, and it
still plays an important role in the initial evaluation.
The finding of a PAP elevation signifies that there is a higher risk that the prostate
cancer is outside the prostate and that the cancer is a more aggressive type. This is
an essential component of initial “staging” of prostate cancer. I use this information
as a guide to choosing further diagnostic tests and ultimately to guide my
recommendations for an integrative treatment plan.
Hormonal profile
The hormone profile is very important. For example, a patient with prostate cancer
who has a high testosterone level will respond better to treatment compared to a
patient with the same disease, but lower testosterone levels.
Here are the basic lab tests that I order on all my patients with prostate cancer:
•
Total Estrogens
As men age, testosterone is increasingly converted to estrogens. This
tendency is compounded by exposure to environmental toxins, xenoestrogens
and toxic heavy metals. I often see an increase in total estrogen, estrogen to
testosterone ratio, and 16-hydroxy estrogen to 2-hydroxy estrogen ratio.
These hormonal changes are major factors in the pathogenesis of prostate
cancer and contribute greatly to the increased incidence of prostate cancer.
It’s in restoring this critical hormonal balance that complementary and
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•
•
•
•
integrative medicine has come to play a leading role in the prevention of
prostate cancer.
Testosterone - total and free
Progesterone
DHEA-S
DHT (Dihydrotestosterone)
In addition:
• Prolactin - Higher levels (including high-normal) have a worse prognosis.
• CEA - The cancer tends to be more aggressive when this colon cancer marker
is elevated.
• IGF-1 - When elevated, this also indicates a more aggressive disease.
However, I haven’t found this one to be as useful as I hoped. It may be a
laboratory detection issue.
• Thyroid Function
Thyroid function is also important, as it can indicate the speed of the
individual’s metabolism. In cancerous conditions, the body will often
attempt to slow down the thyroid in an attempt to slow down the disease. As
such, the problem is not really in the thyroid—it’s simply an adaptive
response of the body. For that reason, I always exercise caution when
considering thyroid support in a patient with cancer. From the perspective of
health and disease, if the disease is moving faster than the health aspect,
speeding up that aspect is not a good idea. If, on the other hand, the patient is
winning their fight, speeding up can allow for more healing to be
accomplished in a shorter period of time.
Important urine tests
PCA3 test
Prostate Cancer Gene 3 (PCA3) is a gene-based test carried out on a urine sample.
PCA3 is highly specific to prostate cancer—and therefore, in contrast to PSA, it’s not
increased by common conditions such as benign enlargement (BPH) or
inflammation of the prostate (prostatitis).
There are four scenarios in which PCA3 could help in making better decisions in
diagnosing and treating PCa. Using this test, a doctor can determine:
1. which men with ≥ 1 negative biopsy have a high probability of a positive
repeat biopsy
2. which men with an elevated PSA level (between 2.5 and 10 ng/mL) or a low
PSA level but a suspicious DRE have a high probability of a positive first
biopsy
3. which men with PCa have a high probability of significant PCa
4. which men with PCa have a high probability of disease progression on
watchful waiting
The PCA3 test has yet to be cleared or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA). However, this test is available and is being used by some of
the most progressive physicians working with prostate cancer patients today.
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To have this test performed in the U.S., simply go to
http://www.pca3.org/public/listexperts. Although the list on this site does not seem
complete, you may still be able to get adequate guidance.
Imaging
A good baseline requires good imaging. Unfortunately, an ultrasound taken in the
average urologist’s office is unacceptable. Some reliable state-of-the-art imaging
techniques include:
Color Doppler flow ultrasound
This is an excellent and cost effective imaging method. The limitation is that at the
present time very few doctors know how to do it well. I am fortunate to have one of
the best imagers in the country nearby at The University of California, San Francisco
(UCSF).
MRI-S or Endorectal MRI with Spectroscopy
Also known as magnetic imaging with spectroscopy, this is an advancement in
imaging where two modalities are used and compared. It’s used to help determine
the probability of organ confined disease, or to see if the cancer has spread to
seminal vesicles or regional lymph nodes.
Bone Scan
This is a scan that may be ordered for initial staging of prostate cancer if aggressive
disease is suspected from the biopsy report.
Biopsy
Biopsies are the gold standard for confirmation of PC. So why even write about
them?
Well, it’s clear that biopsies are over-performed. When are they really needed? The
basic question I ask when it comes to biopsies is: Will the biopsy make a difference
in the treatment plan? Certain patients with localized disease are adamant about
following their imaging and staying on watchful waiting—and for them, the biopsies
will make no difference whatsoever.
Biopsies provide important information on the grade of the disease, the Gleason
score, and how extensively the disease has spread on the local level. (For more
information about cancer grading and Gleason scores visit www.dreliaz.org.)
Knowing the level of aggressiveness of the cancer and whether it is localized or has
extended beyond the prostate gland itself are crucial pieces of information for
formulating an effective integrative treatment strategy.
However, biopsies have the following disadvantages:
•
•
Side effects, including long term pain, possible infections, and disturbance in
urination.
Spread of disease. Although there are no good studies to confirm this point,
we do know that for patients with negative RPCR (meaning, no PC cells are
detected systemically), half will turn positive after radical prostatectomy.
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•
Logically speaking, multiple injuries to the tissue (in this case, caused by 6 to
18 biopsies) will increase inflammation and angiogenesis, both being major
contributors toward metastasis.
False negative is another concern. False negatives can range from 20 to 40
percent, depending on how many biopsies are done, what imaging techniques
are used, and who is doing them.
If you can get good imaging routinely, the PSA is low, and the disease is clearly
localized to a small part of the prostate, follow-up without biopsy is a viable
choice—one that I think will become more popular over time. PCA3 can also prevent
unnecessary biopsies, as I mentioned before. But of course, making this decision is
easier if you have all the laboratory data and know how to interpret it.
If you are undergoing biopsies, the most important supplement for you to take is
modified citrus pectin—at a dosage of 15 grams per day for a week before biopsies,
and for the three to four weeks after. This can reduce the chance of cancer spreading
due to the procedure.
Conventional treatments
Once your diagnosis has been established, it’s time to consider your choices in terms
of treatment, the best course of which will ultimately depend on your individual
situation. Your options include:
Localized treatments
• External radiation (3D conformal) therapy. This has been improved as IMRT
(Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy), where the intensity can be
modified based on the location—delivering more radiation to the tumor, and
less to the surrounding tissue.
• Seed implants—another form of radiation in which radioactive seeds are
implanted into the prostate gland, in order to concentrate the activity while
reducing damage to surrounding tissue.
• Radical Prostatectomy or prostate removal. This is the last on my list as it
tends to result in a high number of undesirable effects—including erectile
dysfunction and urinary incontinence.
Androgen deprivation therapy
The goal of androgen deprivation therapy is to suppress levels of male hormones in
your body, as they are known to stimulate the growth of prostate cancer cells. It’s a
form of systemic treatment for men who are unwilling or unable to undergo surgery
or radiation.
Combined hormonal therapy—or the use of more than one hormone-modulating
drug—can yield positive results when used appropriately over a long period of time.
However, monotherapy—the use of a single agent (such as Casodex) without
suppression of testosterone—offers the best quality of life. I prefer this method in
cases of less aggressive disease, where the quality of life and sexual function are a
major consideration
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Complementary Treatments
Any beneficial integrative program for prostate cancer will always begin with dietary
modification. These are some of the most critical changes you can make, and they
can have a very big impact on your health in the long term.
The first modification you should consider is the elimination of red meats. Meat
contains high amounts of arachidonic acid, and some by-products of arachidonic
acid have promoted prostate cancer in animals. In addition, well-done and cured
meats (such as bacon, salami, and ham) can also promote prostate cancer—so you’ll
want to limit your consumption of these as well.
Fish, high in omega-3 fatty acids, on the other hand—think wild Atlantic salmon, for
example—have shown to be beneficial for prostate cancer patients. With that said,
you should be wary of fish that are also high in mercury (such as swordfish and
tuna). It’s always wise for you to keep your mercury levels as low as possible, and it’s
especially important when you’re battling prostate cancer—or any disease for that
matter.
Finally, several servings of cruciferous vegetables a day—such as cabbage, Brussels
sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower—can help to fight CaP and reduce your risk of this
disease, In test tube and animal studies, these foods have been shown to have potent
anticancer activity—likely due to several of their active compounds, including
indole-3-carbinol, 5 glucaric acid (calcium D-glucarate), and sulforaphane. But the
protective effects of cruciferous vegetables are also thought to be due to their high
concentration of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, as well as their stimulatory
effects on the breakdown of environmental carcinogens associated with prostate
cancer.
Whatever their primary mode of action may be, the value of “eating your vegetables”
has been borne out in a number of clinical studies—with some very impressive
results. A recent preliminary study of men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer
showed a 41 percent decreased risk of prostate cancer among those men eating three
or more servings of cruciferous vegetables per week, as compared with those eating
less than one serving per week.
Some critical supplements
In addition to dietary changes, you’ll also find that you have a number of
supplements to choose from as part of a complementary program—and in my
clinical experience, they can have an extraordinarily powerful effect in the fight
against prostate cancer.
Based on the latest scientific research, many different nutrients have shown promise
in the prevention and control of prostate cancer. Combining these nutrients in
effective amounts allows the cancer to be attacked from all sides at once—both
inhibiting the cancer and promoting long-lasting health. They can be used at all
stages and in conjunction with all conventional treatment protocols.
These nutrients can be divided according to their beneficial principles:
1. Anti-tumor
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2. Prevention of cancer metastasis
3. Detoxification, liver support
4. Hormonal modulation
5. Anti-microbial
6. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant
7. Anti-angiogenesis
8. Immune enhancement
There are many supplements that can be used, some of which I detail later, but here
is a highlight on two of the most important: modified citrus pectin (for prevention of
metastasis) and medicinal mushrooms (for immune enhancement).
Modified Citrus Pectin
Modified citrus pectin (MCP), a compound derived from the pith of citrus fruit peels,
is absolutely essential in the treatment of prostate cancer. It directly attacks cancer,
thereby reducing the disease—but at the same time it has properties that enhance
the overall health of the individual, making it a true super nutrient. Let me take a
moment to explain how it can do all this.
Cancer cells are different from normal cells in a number of important ways. First and
foremost, they have lost control of the “cell cycle”—a natural cycle that controls when
cells live, when they divide, and when they die. Cancer, by definition, grows out of
control without any of the normal checks and balances. As such, many cancer killing
herbs, nutrients, and drugs function by getting cancer cells to enter back into the cell
cycle and die a normal death.
Another important difference that cancer cells have is they “look” different from
normal cells. All cells have different molecules on their surface, and these molecules
allow the cells to communicate with each other and their environment. These
molecules have multiple functions:
•
•
•
They are receptors for neurotransmitters or hormones.
They are markers that identify what type of cell it is.
They are “hands” that let the cell stick in place or move around.
Cancer cells can have several distinct qualities that separate them from healthy cells.
The may have more of one type or less of another—or, they have markers on their
surface that clearly state “Hey—I’m an out-of-control cancer cell!” These changes on
the surface of cancer cells allow white blood cells to recognize them as cancerous and
kill them.
One type of molecule that cancer cells have too many of is called galectin-3.
Galectin-3 molecules function as “hands” and help the cancer spread in many ways.
First, they are important in reaching out and stimulating the growth of new blood
vessels—a process called angiogenesis. This allows the cancer to get the blood-flow
and nutrients it needs to grow out of control.
Second, galectins allow cells that break off from the primary tumor to aggregate or
clump together in the bloodstream—this allows the cancer cells to move to a new site
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in the body. Finally, the galectin “hand” can grab hold of the new location and
complete the spread of the cancer—a process called metastasis.
Modified citrus pectin is a natural substance that can bind to galectin molecules and
block them—which means the cancer cells can’t spread and grow. Early research on
prostate cancer showed that oral administration of MCP to rodents resulted in a
dramatic reduction in prostate cancer metastasis to the lungs. More recent research
from this same group of scientists has extended the protection of MCP to breast and
colon cancer and has shown that MCP blocks the growth of primary tumors and the
formation of new blood vessels.
A commercially available form of modified citrus pectin was developed in response
to the positive results of the animal studies and was tested in men with prostate
cancer. A pilot trial using MCP at 15 grams a day and a subsequent phase II trial both
showed that MCP slows the progression of prostate cancer as evidenced by a
reduction in the rate of PSA rise. The phase II trial involved men where primary
conventional treatment was initially successful, but subsequently their PSA began to
climb again, representing cancer recurrence. This time, 70 percent of the trial
participants showed a significant reduction in the rise of their PSA climb.
Recent advances have introduced a new, more potent form of this compound—which
has since demonstrated even more compelling results among a group of late-stage
cancer patients. In late 2007, researchers at Albert-Ludwigs University in Freiburg,
Germany enrolled 49 patients, each with advanced state solid tumors of varying
types—colon cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, kidney cancer, lung cancer,
cervical cancer, liver cancer, and pancreatic cancer, among others. Each patient had
completed conventional treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation
without success—nearly 90 percent of the cancers had metastasized.
During the trial, patients were administered 5 grams of MCP orally, three times a
day. They would later be evaluated for clinical benefit—including pain reduction,
improved physical functioning, increased appetite and sleep, and reduced fatigue. At
just eight weeks, the results were already overwhelmingly positive, with 20.7 percent
of the patients showing an overall clinical benefit response and stabilization of
disease.
By the conclusion of the study, response rates continued to improve, with a majority
of the patients showing improved quality of life and pain reduction. And perhaps
most remarkably, one patient with metastasized prostate cancer demonstrated a 50
percent decrease in PSA levels at 16 weeks, accompanied by a significant increase in
clinical benefit.
More recent research—published in the journal Integrative Cancer Therapies, and
performed in conjunction with Columbia University—points to the potential
mechanism of this action. Laboratory results indicate that MCP can inhibit cell
proliferation and apoptosis in prostate cancer cell lines (including
androgen-dependent and androgen-independent cells), induce apoptosis by the
cleavage of Caspase-3, and inhibit cell proliferation by reducing MAP kinase
signaling. This ability to induce apoptosis in androgen-independent prostate cancer
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cell lines is especially significant, as it is the more aggressive form of cancer that can
metastasize and lead to death. Any help in slowing down the progression of this
cancer has a direct effect on prolonging a patient’s life.
Another unique quality attributed to MCP is its effectiveness as a chelating agent.
Heavy metals, in conjunction with the abundant presence of environmental toxins
and xenoestrogens, constitute a dangerous insult to the body through DNA damage,
hormonal modulation, immune suppression, oxidative stress, and
hyper-inflammation. And they are of particular concern in prostate cancer.
The chelation properties of MCP have been confirmed in several clinical
trials—showing that in healthy individuals, MCP can safely and gently increase the
urinary excretion of toxic metals such as mercury, cadmium, arsenic and lead. These
results have been paired with significant improvement in various clinical symptoms,
suggesting that MCP’s ability to remove heavy metals and environmental toxins on
an ongoing basis may be of great benefit to cancer patients.
It must be noted that there is only one form of Modified Citrus Pectin that has been
validated in human clinical trials. This is important, since not all MCPs are the
same—and no other product on the market matches the chemical specifications of
the MCP used in human clinical trials. If the molecular weight of the MCP is too high
it can’t be absorbed into the bloodstream—if it is too low it won’t effectively block all
the galectin sites. Another property, the degree of esterification, must be below 5% in
order to get optimal binding.
If you want the effects seen in any of these clinical studies, you must use the same
preparation, in appropriate doses according to your needs (see Table 1, below). I also
invite you to read the comprehensive report that I’ve compiled on MCP, which
covers the earliest research on this incredible compound as well as the most current
studies, published just in the past year. (It’s available for free at my website,
www.dreliaz.org )
Table 1: The Use of Modified Citrus Pectin
MCP Application
Use (Take on an empty stomach)
Active Cancer
15 grams/day (5 grams, 3 times a day)
Biopsy
15 grams/day (5 grams, 3 times a day)
Take one week before procedure and two weeks after.
Heavy Metal
Chelation
High body burden levels: 15 grams/day
(5 grams, 3 times a day)
Lower levels: 15 grams/day for 5 days a month,
5 grams/day the rest of the month
Cancer
Prevention
5 grams/day ongoing
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Medicinal Mushrooms
Medicinal mushrooms have been well researched for their anti-tumor and
immune-stimulating effects, and are absolutely essential for the maintenance of
vitality. Simply put, they support your body’s natural immune functions. In an
ideal world, all aberrant cells in the body would be identified and destroyed by
natural killer cells or other circulating immune cells. But stress, exposure to toxins,
and other health imbalances can reduce your immune system’s ability to work
optimally. Medicinal mushrooms, on the other hand, regulate your immune system
to perform at its highest potential. They are important for maintaining long term
health in this modern world and are even more critical for individuals who have
cancer.
If you are new to using mushrooms, I recommend you start with a "priming" dose for
one to two months. This dose should be two or three times the maintenance level. (I
also suggest that you double your maintenance dose during the first two weeks of the
spring and autumn.) After this, you can drop to the normal maintenance dose, which
is typically the suggested dose.
It is important to take medicinal mushrooms on a long term basis, as some of their
benefits require an extended time of consumption. In general, I recommend
supplementing many different mushrooms in order to obtain optimal protection—if
you have cancer, for example, beneficial mushrooms include Coriolus, Cordyceps,
Reishi (Ganoderma), Polyporus, Maitake, Agaricus, Shiitake, Hericium,
Auricularis, Poria, and Tremella.
For the sake of convenience, look for a balanced mushroom formula that includes all
of these.
Other Nutrients
As you can see in Table 2 (which covers some, but not all, of the nutrients that can be
used against prostate cancer) many nutrients and herbs have multiple functions. For
example, Curcumin has direct anti-tumor properties, helps with hormonal
modulation and liver detoxification, and stabilizes the P-53 chromosome. One of the
many strengths of nutritional and herbal therapies is the ability to combine nutrients
that have similar properties to get a stronger, synergistic effect.
Table 2: Selected valuable Nutrients for Treating Prostate Cancer
Nutrient or Herb
General Use (Total
Highlighted
amounts per day)
Properties
Anti-tumor
Prevents metastasis
Modified Citrus Pectin
15 grams/day
Anti-angiogenic
Toxic metal chelation
Immune Enhancement
Medicinal mushrooms
4 – 12 grams/day
Detoxification/Liver
Support
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Curcumin (Turmeric
root extract 95%
curcuminiods)
1,500-4,500 mg/day
Chinese Herbs
varies
Saw Palmetto berry
extract Pygeum bark
extract
100-600 mg/day
Lycopene
10-30 mg/day
Artemisinin
200 -1,200 mg/day
Thymic protein A
Stinging nettles root
200 mcg-3,600 mcg/day
(depending on length of
application)
As directed
150-400 mg/day
Soy isoflavones
100- 1,000 mg/day
I3C (Indole-3-Carbinol)
DIM (Diindolymethane)
Garlic
Cayenne
50-300 mg/day
50-300 mg/day
Varies
Varies
Green tea extract
50-500 mg/day
Vitamin D-3
1,000 IU- 6,000 IU/day
Monitor kidney function
with high doses
Zinc
30 to 50 mg/day
Vitamin E
400 to 1,200 IU/day
Vitamin C
1,000 to 6,000 mg/day
Qurecetin
250-2,000 mg a day
Conjugated linoleic acid
(CLA)
3,000 mg/day
Selenium
Resveratrol from red
grape extract (Vitus
vinifera) or Polygonum
cuspidatum root extract
Broccoli extract 22:1
(Brassica oleracea)
Cytotoxic/Anti-Tumor
Hormonal modulation
Detoxification/Liver
Support
Cytotoxic/Anti-Tumor
Multiple properties
Cytotoxic/Anti-Tumor
Hormonal Modulation
Anti-inflammatory
Cytotoxic/Anti-Tumor
Antioxidant
Cytotoxic/Anti-Tumor,
use carefully- can weaken
digestion
Cytotoxic/Anti-Tumor
Antioxidant
Immune enhancement
Immune enhancement
Anti-angiogenic
bone protection
prevents metastasis
Hormonal modulation
Hormonal modulation
Anti-microbial
Anti-inflammatory
Antioxidant
Hormonal Modulation
Promotes cell
differentiation
Antioxidant
Hormonal Modulation
Antioxidant
Antioxidant
Other multiple functions
Antioxidant
Anti-inflammatory
Reduces drug resistance
Cytotoxic
Promotes cell
differentiation
20-200 mg/day
Antioxidant
50-200 mg/day
Antioxidant
Anti-inflammatory
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Alpha lipoic acid
100-400 mg/day
Pomegranate
100-500 mg/day
Antioxidant
Antioxidant
Anti-inflammatory
The disadvantages of having so many options, of course, is that patients may end up
taking a very large number of pills or the dosing regimen can be too confusing. To
simplify things, I recommend using nutritional blends that are formulated to
encompass many different therapeutic aspects. These blends often use lower
amounts of individual ingredients and work synergistically to produce a stronger
effect than the recommended larger dose single ingredient in the table above. With
prostate cancer patients, I use a formula that incorporates many of these
ingredients. This, in combination with modified citrus pectin, forms my basic
protocol. From this foundation, I’ll add medicinal mushrooms and other nutrients
(or more of specific herbs or nutrients) as warranted by the patient’s health and
disease status.
I also use other therapeutic modalities such as acupuncture, infrared saunas,
lifestyle and diet recommendations, body work, IV therapies and body-mind
medicine. The protocol is further modified to accommodate the use of conventional
treatment. Some supplements are specifically used to prevent or counteract side
effects of conventional treatments. A good example is preventing osteoporosis in
patients undergoing CHT, and preventing clots in patients after procedures or in
men receiving estrogenic treatments.
Whatever the concern, there’s almost always a natural method available to safely
counteract it. (You can find more details on this topic at my website, www.dreliaz.org.)
Ultimately, when addressing prostate cancer in a holistic, integrative way, it’s
essential to combine a number of beneficial therapeutic principles and
modalities—and to employ protocols that honor the basic principles of health and
disease. As my clinical experience has repeatedly demonstrated to me, integrative
medicine can be of limitless value to you in your fight against prostate
cancer—whatever its stage, and whatever other conventional treatments you may
choose.
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About the Author: Isaac Eliaz, M.D., M.S., L.Ac.
Dr. Isaac Eliaz, a pioneer in the field of integrative medicine since the early 1980’s, is
a respected author, lecturer, researcher, product formulator and clinical
practitioner.
Dr. Eliaz is a frequent guest lecturer on integrative medical approaches to health,
immune enhancement, and cancer prevention and treatment. He has also taught
several courses on Traditional Chinese Medicine for medical doctors and licensed
acupuncturists. As an innovative formulator of dietary supplements, Dr. Eliaz
developed and currently holds the patents for several of his unique herbal
formulations.
In order to substantiate nutritional approaches to health, Dr. Eliaz regularly
participates in clinical studies and has been published in well-recognized,
peer-reviewed journals. In addition, many of Dr. Eliaz’ formulations have been
submitted for validation in independent human clinical studies whose results have
been published in peer-reviewed journals.
Dr. Eliaz continually studies, integrates and applies the best of health practices of
both western medicine and complementary and alternative approaches. A native of
Israel, Dr. Eliaz lived in the Far East and in Latin America before returning to study
medicine at Tel Aviv University. While studying for his degree, Dr. Eliaz’ interest
turned towards the role of alternative therapies in daily health. This led to his
eventual research and personal experience with yoga, shiatsu, and acupuncture as
therapeutic modalities.
After graduating medical school in 1986, Dr. Eliaz established a highly successful
clinical practice in Tel Aviv, utilizing his training in both western and eastern
medicine. While maintaining a clinical practice, Dr. Eliaz pursued graduate studies
in clinical herbology at Hebrew University of Jerusalem and classical Chinese
medicine with teachers in Israel and Europe.
In 1989 Dr. Eliaz moved to the San Francisco Bay area in order to continue his
studies at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, earning a Master of
Science degree in 1991. During this time he also energetically sought-out leading
practitioners of alternative medicine to broaden his knowledge and experience.
Since 1991 Dr. Eliaz has maintained a busy private practice in northern California
that focuses primarily on integrative, holistic protocols for cancer patients.
The guiding mission of Dr. Eliaz’ professional life is achieving the integration and
synergy of multiple healing modalities from both ancient and modern paradigms
into a holistic practice of medicine. It is the heart of his clinical practice, of his
research, and a mission that he communicates with great passion and clarity.
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