Beginning in 2007, research has been conducted to examine if dichloroacetate sodium (DCA) is suitable to be utilized as a type of metabolic cancer therapy. According to RECIST criteria, when the imaging reveals a decrease or disappearance of the cancer, it is known as an “effectiveness”. DCA does not cause programmed cell death (apoptosis) in both in vitro and in vivo tests.
An experimental therapy involving DCA was used on a 57-year-old female with advanced-stage colon cancer, which managed to keep the illness at bay for four years despite the fact that stage IV colon cancer typically worsens gradually, leaving the person disabled or even dead. This is not typically how DCA is approached as a cytostatic medication.
In this case, a 57-year-old woman who had stage 4 colon cancer was able to manage the disease for more than four years by taking oral dichloroacetate sodium (DCA), with no serious side effects reported. Using RECIST guidelines, the tumor could be monitored to decide how effectively the treatment worked by looking at the degree of regression or disappearance. Additionally, DCA may induce a process called programmed cell death (cytostasis).
In 2007, Stacpoole et al. conducted an experiment involving rats to demonstrate the effectiveness of sodium dichloroacetate (DCA) in treating human lung, breast, and brain cancers by suppressing mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase. Further studies revealed that DCA had no adverse effects on the heart, lungs, kidneys, or bone marrow; however, peripheral neuropathy could occur which would cease once the patient stopped taking DCA.
Only a few people in the group of patients showed a slight increase in liver enzyme levels. Despite this, DCA has proven itself effective in treating congenital lactic acidosis, and is now being used more and more to treat different types of cancer. Testing has shown its effectiveness, but most of these tests focused on people whose cancer was already in an advanced stage, and these trials typically did not last longer than a short period of time.
A 2007 research conducted by Bonnet et al revealed that the compound Dactylsysteinol (DCA) can eliminate cancer cells, connecting this effect with the Warburg effect and mitochondrial potassium ion channels. A number of kinds of cancer, including colon, prostate, ovarian, neuroblastoma, lung carcinoid, cervical, endometrial, cholangiocarcinoma, sarcoma, and T-cell lymphoma have been found to be responsive to it which has sparked discussion on DCA’s potential to inhibit tumors.
It is thought that changes in HIF1, pH-controlling proteins V-ATPase and MCT1, and other gene products such as PUMA, GLUT1, Bcl2 and p53 may affect cellular durability. However, lab studies frequently use much more DCA than would be acceptable for medical reasons.
Generally, DCA has been seen to have a cytostatic effect at lower doses. Sun and colleagues’ breast cancer study demonstrated that the compound could restrain the development of tumors without producing apoptosis. Additionally, their rat model of breast cancer exhibited with lessened metastasis when exposed to DCA. The study shows that DCA may be used similarly to anti-angiogenic therapies to manage cancer. However, it is yet to be established if sustained utilization of DCA would maintain the disease state.
Since 2007, Dr. Khan, a naturopathic doctor, has applied Dietary Complementary Ascorbate (DCA) to help cancer patients who did not respond to conventional treatments. This technique includes taking acetyl L-carnitine, R-alpha lipoic acid, and benfotiamine in order to prevent nerve toxicity. Research findings showed that DCA provided advantageous effects for over 300 people with advanced cancer. Taking 20-25 mg/kg of natural neuroprotective drugs bi-weekly, and having one-week breaks between dosages, resulted in a 20% decrease in neuropathy symptoms. In spite of something like 2% of patients having raised liver enzymes, this condition was found to be temporary.
A patient with a terminal diagnosis of colorectal cancer who was prescribed aggressive palliative chemotherapy had a typical life expectancy of 9-12 months. However, through the incorporation of oral DCA prescribed by Dr. Khan, and the addition of neuroprotectant medications provided by Dr. Andrews, the patient was able to experience long-term cytostatic effects.
In March of this year, the doctor encountered a 57 year-old woman with colorectal cancer at a more progressed stage. Her symptoms prior to the visit were constipation and lower back pain. On inspection, the doctor was unable to complete a colonoscopy due to a recurrent rectal cancer. Diagnostic tests revealed a colon cancer of differentiated characteristics, along with a CT scan finding of 3 cm tumors in the liver, microscopic tumors in the lungs, and an annular rectal malignancy. Impressions from the CT scan suggested the cancerous cells were surrounded by contiguous tissue which made it difficult to ascertain the boundaries of the condition. From this information, the patient can be classified as having a stage 4 illness.
The individual had a loop ileostomy done as a result of being blocked, leaving the rectal lump undisturbed. Subsequently, they implemented a course of FOLFIRI and bevacizumab medication. There was an initial fall in the patient’s CEA indicator, shrinking from 260.9 ng/mL to 3.5 ng/mL before reaching the author’s clinic. However, the reaction to the chemotherapy had stabilized; when they arrived at the doctor’s office, only stability had been achieved.
For the past 20 years, the patient has had good health, drinking alcohol only occasionally. In some cases, colon and stomach cancer were diagnosed. A combination of chemotherapy, hydrogen peroxide enemas, oral vitamin C, oral vitamin D, and Hydromorphone-ER 32mg administered twice daily, with 2-4 mg orally, for intensified distress were prescribed. No allergic reactions were noted. Small mouth ulcers due to chemotherapy, mild diarrhea (expected with ileostomy), and regular minor rectal bleeding symptoms were present. Additionally, the patient experienced upper right shoulder pain of a 3 intensity level, along with lumbar and sacrum discomfort at a 6, which was suspected to be caused by liver metastases.
It was found that the current chemotherapy was successful for the patient and had minimal side effects, so additional treatments were suggested. A health professional was appointed to develop a plan that involved oral ingestion of 10,000 IU of vitamin D, 50 g of vitamin C being administrated intravenously, and 49 mg/kg of sodium dichloroacetate (TXCI, United States). As well, the individual was given a selection of natural supplements such as R-alpha lipoic acid (150 mg to be taken 3 times daily), acetyl L-carnitine (500 mg twice daily), benfotiamine (80 mg taken twice a day), and racemic alpha Lipoic acid (500 mg taken with each dosage of DCA). This was done in order to reduce any negative effects that DCA may potentially bring about.
The timing of the infusions was organized to avoid possible medication interactions and was scheduled at least two days away from chemotherapy. Since licorice extract has a natural antioxidant quality, it was not to be taken on, before or after a chemotherapy day. A strict protocol was put into effect in March 2012. Since there had been no adverse effects, the i.v. DCA dosage was increased to 4000 mg (66 mg/kg) per week. Unexpectedly, consuming a significant amount of DCA only induced minor drowsiness.
The patient was given Metformin with a dosage that ranged from 500mg to a maximum of 500mg three times every day in an effort to heighten the effectiveness of chemo. To treat the suffering caused by sacral neuropathy, a beginning dose of 50mg of Pregabalin was given, which eventually increased to 50mg three times per day. As a result of the potential side effects of chemo such as nausea and vomiting, the patient had to forgo some dosages of Metformin in order to avoid difficulties related to dehydration.
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