Lung Cancer-3

Alpha-tocopherol. High levels of alpha-tocopherol (50 mg), if taken during the early critical stages of lung cancer initiation, may prevent lung cancer development (Woodson K et al 1999). Alpha-tocopheryl succinate hinders the initiation and progression of lung cancer by preventing COX activity and by blocking inflammatory responses mediated by prostaglandin E2 (Lee E et al 2006).

Selenium. Selenium protects against lung cancer, especially in populations in which average selenium intakes are low (Rayman MP 2005; Zhuo H et al 2004; Reid ME et al 2002;). Family members of lung cancer patients were found to have selenium levels significantly lower than those of healthy controls (Miyamoto H et al 1987). At pharmacological doses, selenium may act as an adjuvant treatment for lung cancer (Neve J 2002). A phase III multicenter clinical trial is investigating whether daily selenium supplementation is effective in preventing the growth of new tumors in NSCLC patients whose tumors were surgically removed; details are available at www.clinicaltrials.gov.

Novel nutritional supplements. The following nutritional supplements have been investigated in lung cancer patients and found to be without adverse effects; however, optimum doses have not yet been established:

N-acetylcysteine (Maasilta P et al 1992; Jepsen S et al 1989)
R-lipoic acid (Mantovani G et al 2003)
Zinc (Evans WK et al 1987)
Magnesium (Takeda Y et al 2005)
Scutellaria baicalensis (Udut EV et al 2005; Gol’dberg VE et al 1997)
The following nutritional supplements have shown promising affects against lung cancer in experimental studies, although clinical studies have not yet been carried out:

1)Curcumin (Lee J et al 2005)
2)Ginseng (Panwar M et al 2005)
3)Garlic (Wu XJ et al 2005)
4)Lycopene (Arab L et al 2002)
5)GLA (de Bravo MG et al 1995)
6)Silibinin (Chen PN et al 2005)
7)Grape seed proanthocyanidins (Bagchi D et al 2002)
8)Black tea polyphenols (Lin JK 2002)
9)Genistein from soy (Lei W et al 1998, 1999)
Lung cancer patients may want to call Life Extension at 1-800-544-4440 for updated information on optimal dosages of the above nutrients.

Preventing Lung Cancer
To lower the risk of lung cancer, the following interventions are recommended:

Stop smoking. Smokers should stop smoking (by using nicotine replacement therapy, Zyban®, and counseling) because at present there are no known dietary changes that can guarantee prevention or lower the occurrence of lung cancer in smokers. Medicinal herbal tea made from cloves and milk vetch reduces smoking withdrawal symptoms and increases the rate of smoking cessation (Lee HJ et al 2005).

Test your home for radon. Read the section above titled “What Causes Lung Cancer?” to learn why this is important and to find important sources for more information.

Take aspirin. Take aspirin regularly if your physician approves (Moysich KB et al 2002).

Monitor your diet. Smokers, ex-smokers, and people who have never smoked should all consume five or more servings of colorful vegetables (including raw, darkly colored, and root vegetables) and fruits daily to achieve serum levels of micronutrients associated with the lowest risk of lung cancer. A diet rich in tomatoes, tomato-based products (containing lycopene), citrus fruits, and carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, and retinol) reduces the risk of lung cancer (Holick CN et al 2002). Egg yolk is a bioavailable source of lutein and zeaxanthin (Johnson EJ 2002). Good food sources of carotenoids are spinach, kale, carrots, cantaloupes, cherries, and sweet potatoes.

Phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) from food sources are associated with a decrease in the risk of lung cancer in both current smokers and people who never smoked, but less so in former smokers. Food phytoestrogens include isoflavones, phytosterols, and lignans. High intake of the lignans enterolactone and enterodiol and use of hormone therapy are associated with a 50 percent reduction in the risk of lung cancer (Schabath MB et al 2005). The soy isoflavone genistein significantly prevented lung tumor formation and cancer metastasis in mice (Menon LG et al 1998). Phytoestrogens are also available as nutritional supplements.

Consider antioxidants. Studies examining the role of antioxidants in lung cancer have gained significant attention. In the 1990s, a study was launched to determine if alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene could reduce the risk of cancer, particularly lung cancer. The study, however, indicated that lung cancer incidence increased among people who took beta-carotene. These results were later replicated in a study that tested a combination of beta-carotene and vitamin A. Additional studies found that beta-carotene raised the risk of lung cancer among smokers (Albanes D et al 1996).

However, newer studies have examined the role that dosage plays and found that low-dose antioxidants, including beta-carotene, in combination with additional antioxidants may reduce the incidence of lung cancer. One study tested the effectiveness of daily, low-dose antioxidant supplementation with vitamins (vitamin C, 120 mg; vitamin E, 30 mg; and beta-carotene, 6 mg) and minerals (selenium, 100 mcg; and zinc, 20 mg) in reducing the frequency of cancers. After 7.5 years of supplementation, this low-dose antioxidant regimen lowered total cancer occurrences and deaths in men but not in women (Galan P et al 2005). Based on these study results, Life Extension recommends that people at high risk for lung cancer avoid high doses of beta-carotene but supplement with low-dose antioxidants to reduce their risk of lung cancer.

Add folate and vitamin B12. Folate and vitamin B12 reduce abnormal bronchial cell growth in smokers (Heimburger DC et al 1988).

Take alpha-tocopherol. In the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study, higher serum alpha-tocopherol status was associated with lower lung cancer risk. Alpha-tocopherol supplementation may reduce the risk of lung cancer associated with increasing smoking exposure for some people more than for others, depending on hereditary factors (Ratnasinghe D et al 2001).

Drink green tea. Consumption of green tea by nonsmoking women is associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer, and the risks decrease with increasing consumption (Zhong L et al 2001). Experimental studies consistently show that green tea and its polyphenols (e.g. EGCG) can slow the growth of, and kill, lung cancer cells (Clark J et al 2006).

For More Information...
The complications related to lung cancer treatment can be acute (such as low blood cell counts) and chronic (heart and lung damage). For more information, please refer to the following chapters:

a)Cancer Surgery

b)Cancer Chemotherapy

c)Cancer Vaccines and Immunotherapy

d)Blood Disorders

e)Heavy Metal Detoxification


Life Extension Foundation Recommendations

For optimal results, nutritional supplements or dietary changes should be introduced before starting lung cancer treatment.

Life Extension suggests:

1)Beta-carotene—6 milligrams (mg) daily

2)Coenzyme Q10—100 to 400 mg daily

3)Folate—800 to 1600 micrograms (mcg) daily

4)Green tea extract—up to 5.7 grams (g) daily

5)Melatonin—20 mg nightly

6)Multivitamin-multimineral supplement (without copper)—daily

7)N-acetylcysteine—1200 mg daily
8)Perillyl alcohol—2050 mg four times daily

9)PSP (from the mushroom Coriolus versicolor)—2 g daily

10)R-lipoic acid—300 mg daily

11)Selenium—200 to 400 mcg daily

12)Vitamin B12—500 to 1000 mcg daily

13)Vitamin C—2500 mg daily

14)Vitamin D—800 IU daily

15)Vitamin E—800 mg daily of d-alpha tocopheryl succinate

16)Vitamin K2—10 mg daily

17)Wobenzym N—3 tablets, two times daily, at least 45 minutes before meals
Zinc—20 mg daily


Innovative Drug Strategies

ATP intravenous infusion—20 to 75 milligrams/kilograms (mg/kg) per minute for 30 hours at two-to-four-week intervals (must be performed by a qualified physician)
Celebrex®—200 mg twice daily
Medroxyprogesterone—500 mg twice daily
Trental® (pentoxifylline)—400 mg three times daily
PTU or Tapazole®, low molecular weight heparin, nicotine replacement therapy (e.g., Zyban®), and aspirin: appropriate dosages of these pharmaceutical drugs should be discussed with your treating physician.

Product Availability

All the nutrients and supplements discussed in this section are available through the Life Extension Foundation Buyers Club, Inc. For ordering information, call anytime toll-free 1-800-544-4440, or visit us online at www.LifeExtension.com.

The blood tests discussed in this section are available through Life Extension National Diagnostics, Inc. For ordering information, call anytime toll-free 1-800-208-3444, or visit us online at www.LifeExtension.com.

PSP can be purchased from JHS Natural Products and can be ordered online (http://www.jhsnp.com/store/pspcoriolusversicolor.html) or by calling 1-888-330-4691 (toll-free in the United States only) or 1-541-344-1396 for international callers.


Lung Cancer Safety Caveats

An aggressive program of dietary supplementation should not be launched without the supervision of a qualified physician. Several of the nutrients suggested in this protocol may have adverse effects. These include:

Beta-Carotene

Do not take beta-carotene if you smoke. Daily intake of 20 milligrams or more has been associated with a higher incidence of lung cancer in smokers.
Taking 30 milligrams or more daily for prolonged periods can cause carotenoderma, a yellowish skin discoloration (carotenoderma can be distinguished from jaundice because the whites of the eyes are not discolored in carotenoderma).

Coenzyme Q10

See your doctor and monitor your blood glucose level frequently if you take CoQ10 and have diabetes. Several clinical reports suggest that taking CoQ10 may improve glycemic control and the function of beta cells in people who have type 2 diabetes.
Statin drugs (such as lovastatin, simvastatin, and pravastatin) are known to decrease CoQ10 levels.

Folic acid

Consult your doctor before taking folic acid if you have a vitamin B12 deficiency.
Daily doses of more than 1 milligram of folic acid can precipitate or exacerbate the neurological damage caused by a vitamin B12 deficiency.

Green Tea

1)Consult your doctor before taking green tea extract if you take aspirin or warfarin (Coumadin). Taking green tea extract and aspirin or warfarin can increase the risk of bleeding.

2)Discontinue using green tea extract 2 weeks before any surgical procedure. Green tea extract may decrease platelet aggregation.
Green tea extract contains caffeine, which may produce a variety of symptoms including restlessness, nausea, headache, muscle tension, sleep disturbances, and rapid heartbeat.

Melatonin

1)Do not take melatonin if you are depressed.

2)Do not take high doses of melatonin if you are trying to conceive. High doses of melatonin have been shown to inhibit ovulation.

3)Melatonin can cause morning grogginess, a feeling of having a hangover or a “heavy head,” or gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and diarrhea.

NAC

1)NAC clearance is reduced in people who have chronic liver disease.
Do not take NAC if you have a history of kidney stones (particularly cystine stones).

2)NAC can produce a false-positive result in the nitroprusside test for ketone bodies used to detect diabetes.

3)Consult your doctor before taking NAC if you have a history of peptic ulcer disease. Mucolytic agents may disrupt the gastric mucosal barrier.

4)NAC can cause headache (especially when used along with nitrates) and gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and diarrhea.

Lipoic Acid

Consult your doctor before taking lipoic acid if you have diabetes and glucose intolerance. Monitor your blood glucose level frequently. Lipoic acid may lower blood glucose levels.

Selenium

High doses of selenium (1000 micrograms or more daily) for prolonged periods may cause adverse reactions.
High doses of selenium taken for prolonged periods may cause chronic selenium poisoning. Symptoms include loss of hair and nails or brittle hair and nails.
Selenium can cause rash, breath that smells like garlic, fatigue, irritability, and nausea and vomiting.

Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)

Do not take cyanocobalamin if you have Leber's optic atrophy.

Vitamin C

1)Do not take vitamin C if you have a history of kidney stones or of kidney insufficiency (defined as having a serum creatine level greater than 2 milligrams per deciliter and/or a creatinine clearance less than 30 milliliters per minute.

2)Consult your doctor before taking large amounts of vitamin C if you have hemochromatosis, thalassemia, sideroblastic anemia, sickle cell anemia, or erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. You can experience iron overload if you have one of these conditions and use large amounts of vitamin C.

Vitamin D

1)Do not take vitamin D if you have hypercalcemia.

2)Consult your doctor before taking vitamin D if you are taking digoxin or any cardiac glycoside.

3)Only take large doses of vitamin D (2000 international units or 50 micrograms or more daily) if prescribed by your doctor.

4)See your doctor frequently if you take vitamin D and thiazides or if you take large doses of vitamin D. You may develop hypercalcemia.

5)Chronic large doses (95 micrograms or 3800 international units or more daily) of vitamin D can cause hypercalcemia.

Vitamin E

1)Consult your doctor before taking vitamin E if you take warfarin (Coumadin).

2)Consult your doctor before taking high doses of vitamin E if you have a vitamin K deficiency or a history of liver failure.

3)Consult your doctor before taking vitamin E if you have a history of any bleeding disorder such as peptic ulcers, hemorrhagic stroke, or hemophilia.

4)Discontinue using vitamin E 1 month before any surgical procedure.

Vitamin K

Do not take vitamin K if you are taking warfarin sodium unless, the vitamin K is specifically prescribed by your physician.
Zinc
1)High doses of zinc (above 30 milligrams daily) can cause adverse reactions.

2)Zinc can cause a metallic taste, headache, drowsiness, and gastrointestinal
3)symptoms such as nausea and diarrhea.

4)High doses of zinc can lead to copper deficiency and hypochromic microcytic anemia secondary to zinc-induced copper deficiency.

5)High doses of zinc may suppress the immune system.