CancerCompass message board discussion started by wingman on 10/13/2007 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,17063,0.htm Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ Hello,  I read that Immunocal  http://www.immunolead.com/products/immunocal.html by increasing the level of glutathione in healthy cells and decreasing it in cancer cells helps fight the tumor. Beside the studies below:http://www.immunolead.com/clincalevidence/publishedstudies.h  are there any other studies to support that? Is the following publication valid?  Melnick, SJ, Rogers, P, Sacks, N, Kwyer, TA, Halton, J, Sandler, E, Escalon, E, Ladas, EJ. A Pilot Limited Institutional Study to Evaluate the Safety and Tolerability of Immunocal®, a Nutraceutical Cysteine Delivery Agent in the Management of Wasting in High-Risk Childhood Cancer Patients. Chicago Supportive Oncology Conference, August 2005. This pilot study, conducted through the Nutrition subcommittee of the Children's Oncology Group (COG), evaluated the safety and tolerability of Immunocal®, an undenatured whey-protein derivative which provides glutathione precursors. Depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH) in various organs including the immune system is a common finding in cachexia, reduced immune function, and poor wound healing, which are among the serious consequences cancer patients endure due to their disease and/or therapy. The study was a 90-day, two-dose evaluation of Immunocal® (0.5 g/kg/d vs. 1.0 g/kg/d) added to the standard institutional nutritional regimen. Twelve patients with high-risk tumors were enrolled from three institutions. Clinical and biochemical data were assessed at baseline and days 45 and 90. Immunocal® was successfully administered by one or more of three routes: oral, gastric tube, and nasogastric tube and was generally well tolerated. Compliance ranged from 50%-100% (7 patients with > 80%). All but 4 patients gained weight ranging from 7.1%-26.9% from the prestudy weight. Though not statistically significant, GSH levels were increased and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) levels decreased in all but 1 patient. Other observations include the amelioration of severe mucositis in 2 patients and abatement of nausea and vomiting in 2 patients. The findings indicate Immunocal® can be given safely and was well tolerated in the majority of pediatric cancer patients. The results are being used to establish end-points for a double-blind placebo controlled trial to be submitted to the COG scientific committee to evaluate of the efficacy of Immunocal® in high-risk cancer patients. Thank you very much wingman Sat, 13 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT There are studies including new study published  in 2008 showing that Immunocal can supper significanty a patient receiving chemotherapy.  http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/aneeman/vpost?id=293  1: Nutr Cancer. 2000;38(2):200-8. LinksEnchancing effect of patented whey protein isolate (Immunocal) on cytotoxicity of an anticancer drug.Tsai WY, Chang WH, Chen CH, Lu FJ.Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine National Taiwan University, Taipei, ROC.To determine the enhancing effect of a whey protein isolate on the cytotoxicity of a potential anticancer drug, baicalein, the human hepatoma cell line Hep G2 was assigned to grow in different media for four days, and cell growth and apoptosis were investigated. The control group was grown in normal medium; the other three groups were grown in whey protein isolate (Immunocal) medium, baicalein medium, and a combination of Immunocal and baicalein. As indicated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay, survival rate was significantly lower in cells grown in baicalein + Immunocal than in cells grown in baicalein alone. In contrast, there was no significant difference in survival rate of the cells grown in Immunocal. In the investigation of apoptosis, cells grown in baicalein + Immunocal showed a higher phosphatidylserine exposure, lower mitochondrial transmembrane potential, and nearly 13 times more cells undergoing apoptosis than cells grown in baicalein alone. We also demonstrated that Immunocal reduced glutathione (GSH) in Hep G2 cells by 20-40% and regulated the elevation of GSH, which was in response to baicalein. In conclusion, Immunocal seemed to enhance the cytotoxicity of baicalein by inducing more apoptosis; this increase in apoptotic cells may be associated with the depletion of GSH in Hep G2 cells. This is the first study to demonstrate, in vitro, that Immunocal may function as an adjuvant in cancer treatments.PMID: 11525598 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Edit | Delete AmberRegistered: 03/24/08Posts: 3   Today at 11:34 AM #3Here is a newer study published in 2008:Cysteine-rich protein REVERSES weight loss in lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy.Tozer RG, Tai P, Falconer W, Ducruet T, Karabadjian A, Bounous G, Molson JH, Dröge W.Cysteine-Rich Protein Prevents Weight Loss in Lung Cancer Patients:A Promising Intervention StudyMONTREAL , Jan. 17, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Immunotec Inc. (TSX-V: IMM)announced today the successful completion of a multi-center randomized, double-blind clinical trial on cancer-related weight loss (cachexia) in lung cancer patients which was performed in collaboration with various Canadian clinical centers (x). The research concluded that patients treated with IMN 1207 showed significant increases in body weight (Tozer et al.Antioxidants & Redox Signaling (2008) 10:395-402). Immunotec also announced the initiation of a follow-up study to confirm the positive results.The massive loss of body weight and muscle mass in advanced cancer patients is typically associated with psychological stress, financial burden and a decreased quality of life. Until now there have been no dietary interventions known to satisfactorily prevent this process.Immunotec's new study included 66 patients with advanced lung cancer receiving state of the art chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The patients had already suffered significant involuntary weight-loss prior to treatment. During a six month treatment period the patients were given either casein, a protein supplement low in cysteine which is widely used in clinical nutrition ("placebo") or IMN 1207, a specially-prepared glutathione enhancing cysteine-rich whey protein isolate supplied by Immunotec Inc. The results showed that patients in the placebo group continued to lose weight whereas patients treated with IMN 1207 showed a significant increase in body weight. Incidentally, these patients also showed an increase in strength and quality of life parameters. This study showed for the first time that cancer-related weight loss (cachexia) can be prevented by a single source of protein. Dr. Gerald Batist, Chair, Department of Oncology, McGill University stated "Having been involved in the early mechanistic studies of the therapeutic use of whey proteins, I'm pleased to see this particular formulation being tested in the clinic. The data to date encourage additional and expanded clinical trials". Dr. Wulf Droge, Senior Vice-President Research & Development at Immunotec Inc. emphasized that the results of this first trial should be viewed with cautious optimism. A second trial has been initiated to confirm the results.Among other questions, this clinical trial also addressed the controversy about antioxidant use in chemotherapy. Since radiotherapy and many types of chemotherapy work by raising levels of oxidative stress and free radical formation to destroy cancer cells, oncologists have voiced concern that treatment of the patient with antioxidants may "protect" the cancer from the toxic effects of the therapy. If this were the case, antioxidants could even be expected to shorten the life span of the patients. Immunotec's study now showed that this was clearly not the case with IMN 1207. Based on his earlier work at his laboratory at the National Cancer Research Center of Germany (DKFZ) in Heidelberg, Dr. Droge was reasonably confident that supplementation with a critical precursor of the major cellular antioxidant glutathione, would actually improve the condition of the patients, most probably by ameliorating adverse effects of these therapies on the patients' healthy tissues. The results of this new study suggest that this is true. The antioxidant glutathione is distinct from other antioxidants including the popular antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E which are widely used as nutritional supplements. Glutathione is involved in the removal of reactive oxygen species and other potential toxic compounds through special biochemical processes and can reach relatively high and beneficial concentrations in cells and tissues depending on the availability of its biosynthetic precursor cysteine.About IMN 1207 from Immunotec Research (Immunocal plus)IMN 1207 is a cysteine-rich protein. It is the research formulation of the undenatured whey protein Immunocal(R)/HMS 90(R), a dietary natural health supplement, developed and marketed worldwide by Immunotec during the past 12 years. Immunocal(R)/HMS 90 is a precursor of the major cellular antioxidant glutathione, an element important in maintaining a strong immune system. wingman Mon, 01 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT