Life Over Cancer Blog

Molecular Targeted Drugs

On June 26, Time magazine ran a story about molecular targeted therapy for treating cancer, characterizing these drugs as the promising future of cancer treatment. These therapies target cancer cells bearing one or more specific mutations. While general medical opinion suggests these molecular drugs are less damaging to healthy cells than conventional chemotherapies, other views suggest that targeted therapies are more likely than standard chemotherapy drugs to cause certain types of severe side effects that are typically experienced by small numbers of patients. 

Whichever is correct, because these drugs work by interfering with the specific molecules involved in tumor growth and progression, they do represent an advance in treatment. At the Block Center, we employ certain ones with individual patients whenever they are indicated. We are finding, however, that they’re not entirely the “miracle drugs” that we’d like them to be. 

For one thing, while targeted therapies don't share the same side effects as chemotherapy drugs, they are not totally free of problematic side effects, and many can be quite significant. Another myth circulating among both clinicians and patients is that patients will not develop a resistance to these drugs as they do with chemotherapies. This is simply not accurate. Individual patients do develop drug resistance. In fact, this can occur even more quickly than with chemotherapy, often with a full return of disseminated disease. And once cancer cells develop resistance to a specific drug, treatment must be halted. 

One Pot Pasta

Variations of Martha Stewart's One Pan Pasta have been making the rounds on food blogs recently, so we decided to give this quick dish a Life Over Cancer makeover. It's a delicious, no-fuss weekday meal.

Three-berry-sicles

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (or blackberries if you prefer)

1 cup white grape juice concentrate (no sugar added!) 

Instructions:

1. Puree all ingredients in a blender until smooth (~1 minute).
2. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl to remove seeds.
3. Pour into ice-pop molds and insert wooden sticks in each.
4. Serve once completely frozen.

 

For more information on The Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment, call (847) 230-9107 or visit BlockMD.com.

7 Steps to Expressive Writing

In expressive writing you simply write about your disturbing thoughts and very private feelings. No one need ever see what you write—even you don't have to read what flows from your pen. This process can let you vent feelings and reduce tension, face issues that seemed unmanageables, and admit to emotions that seemed inadmissable. Expressive writing is more about allowing disclosure than about the actual writing. It can also bring clarity to issues that felt overwhelming. 

1. On a clean sheet of paper, write for 20 minutes each day for three consecutive days about your most distressing issue or upsetting experience.
2. Since this is not a writing exercise per se, do not worry about style. The aim is to write contiuously without stopping and without worrying about grammar, wording, or logic. Just write, without hesitation, about your thougths and feelings.
3. Explore your deepest thoughts and feeligns without reserve. No one will read this, not even you if you choose not to. 
4. Put what you have written safely away.
5. On the second day, using new paper, write again about your most distressing issue for 20 minutes. You can focus on the previous day's topic or you can select a different issue. But it is important that you explore your deepest thougths and feelings. Again, after 20 minutes, put your writing away in a safe and private place.
6. On day three, the final day of your expressive writing experience, write without any reservations about your deepest feelings and thoughts on any distressing personal issue. Your topic could be the same issue as before, a related one, or a completely different one. 
7. Again, when you have finished 20 minutes of free-writing, put your writing away. Keep or dispose of it in whatever way feels right to you. If stressful thoughts recur, we encourage patients to repeat the three-day process.

For more information on The Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment, call (847) 230-9107 or visit BlockMD.com.

Patient Story: John S.

Metastatic Stage 4 Malignant Melanoma:

During the fall of 1991, I was diagnosed and operated on for Metastatic Stage 4 Malignant Melanoma. I was 47 years old. The oncologists at the University of Chicago, who were on the leading edge of conventional treatment, suggested that I might join a group of people involved in studying the ability of Interferon Alpha to increase life spans of malignant melanoma patients, such as myself. There were no know treatments and the mortality chart they showed me suggested that I would not see my 50th birthday. It was suggested that joining this experiment might be of benefit.

Quite frankly, I was scared out of my mind as I tried to figure out what to do. Fortunately, one of my friends had done some legal work for Dr. Keith Block and he told me to make an appointment, which I gladly did. It was the MOST important appointment I have ever made and I remain forever grateful to my friend for helping save my life.

Like no other doctor before him, Dr. Block sat and calmly talked to me about my situation, my feelings, my fears and my choices. Words cannot describe how important this was. Here was someone, who actually cared about me and offered hope that together we could beat this. And, we did!

I never really understood how important hope was until I met Dr. Block. Today, I am 69 years old and hope to attend my grandchildren’s milestone events.

During the early 1990’s I met numerous other melanoma sufferers, every one of them died, quickly. I am the sole survivor. I have no one to thank for this other than the treatment received from Dr. Block. Of course, I had to do the work and follow instructions. It was actually quite easy as my life was at stake!

— John S.

For more information on The Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment, call (847) 230-9107 or visit BlockMD.com.

Ask Dr. Block: Herbal Medicine

What is your philosophy regarding using herbal medicine to treat cancer?

Green Salad Twist

Ingredients:

• 4 cups fresh green romaine, chopped

• 2 cups baby spinach

• 1 cup dandelion or beet greens, chopped (for something different and deliciously bitter)

Vinaigrette:

• 4 Tbsp olive oil

• 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

• 2 tsp maple syrup

• 1 tsp dried basil

• ½ tsp salt 

• Freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

1.  Combine with a whisk and pour over salad greens immediately

Dressing can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to one week.

For more information on The Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment, call (847) 230-9107 or visit BlockMD.com.