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Iscador: Nature’s Green gift to Chemotherapy By Melanie Gisler There is a battle in the world today between humans and cancer. Over 12 million new cancer cases were diagnosed in 2007 resulting in 7.6 million cancer deaths. The average was about 20,000 deaths a day worldwide. These numbers are expected to continue to rise yearly. As an anthroposophical physician, I have looked to Europe, the birth of anthroposophy, for adjuvant approaches to traditional treatments. As in the rest of the world, the most commonly prescribed cancer treatments in Europe are surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, which may be used in combination or alone. Increasingly, however, even practitioners of conventional cancer treatments have recognized the importance of complementary cancer remedies. Derived from European mistletoe, Iscador has been an essential component of integrative treatment protocols in Europe for the past 80 years. It has been extensively researched at various clinics and hospitals throughout Europe including the world renowned Lukas Clinic in Switzerland. The effects of mistletoe were first discovered in 1907 by a botanist named Karl von Tubeuf who began to gather and research all that was known about mistletoe in the fields of science, mythology, and cultural traditions. He published a monograph in 1923 detailing the benefits of mistletoe in medical care. The first “anthroposophical mistletoe medicines” were made by Dr Ita Wegman in 1917 and were proposed for the treatment of cancer in 1920 by Rudolph Steiner, an Austrian physician who founded the society for cancer research and anthroposophical medicine. Dr Wegman established the Society for Cancer Research, and the production of Iscador (mistletoe in Greek) specifically for cancer treatment was produced by Weleda in Switzerland in 1921. But what is Mistletoe? Mistletoe or viscum album is a semi-parasitic plant that grows on certain types of pine, oak and apple trees. It does not grow in the soil but in the bark of trees. The plant takes in water and minerals from the host tree and returns sugars back to the host plant by photosynthesis. It grows perpendicular to the branch – in fact what fascinated anthroposophic researchers is that it does not follow many of the laws of the plant kingdom. For instance it is green (stores chlorophyll) all year long and is indifferent to light. It does not grow on healthy trees, but in fact when the mistletoe is removed from certain trees, the tree will die. The growth of the plant is slow – it flowers after 5-7 years and is harvested for use in medicines after 10-15 years. The leaves, twigs, and berries are what are used to make the medicines. It has been found that illnesses respond better to mistletoe from specific host trees, for example mistletoe from apple trees may be used for ovarian cancer. How does it work? Mistletoe contains proteins called lectins, which have a high biological activity and are able to attach to sugar molecules to produce changes within the cell. The mistletoe compound is a combination of an enzyme (the A chain) and a lectin (the B chain). The A chain was found to inhibit cell reproduction and inhibit protein synthesis in the cell. The (the B chain) was found to stimulate macrophages, and other white blood cells or release cell-destroying chemicals. The mistletoe was found to strengthen the immune system and selectively attack specific cells. What is it used for? All cancers Solid tumors Cervical dysplasias Hepatitis HIV What are the benefits? Inhibition of malignant growth Reduces the risk of recurrences and metastases Improvements in general conditions such as increased vitality, appetite and weight Restoration of normal sleep pattern Improvement in mental state such as depression/anxiety Improvement in quality of life and prolongation of life Reduction of adverse effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy Improvement in Immune function Current European research has shown that for localized tumors especially of the breast, cervix, ovaries, stomach, colon and lungs survival may be as much as 40% longer for patients using iscador than those on a 100% conventional treatment protocol. However Iscador is not considered a cure for cancer. It is as adjuvant to other conventional treatments both before and after surgery so as to promote rapid recovery and reduce adverse reactions, including the spread of the cancer. Treatment with iscador is generally not claimed to result in dramatic destruction of tumors but is thought to slow the growth of tumors or stop tumor growth altogether. This is believed to lead to gradual tumor regression resulting in improvement of quality of life. For further information on the Use of European Mistletoe as an adjuvant to cancer treatment, please schedule an appointment with Dr. Melanie Gisler at (310) 451-8880 or contact her by e-mail at [email protected]