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Pancreatic Enzyme Cancer Therapy

Staying abreast of the latest cancer treatment methodologies can sometimes mean the difference between life and death. As science advances in scope and ability, new and improved cancer-fighting methods are increasingly available to help you win the fight against this devastating illness. Enzyme therapy is one such method being used to help improve the survival rates of individuals afflicted with pancreatic cancer.

  1. Pancreatic Cancer

    • Pancreatic cancer originates within the pancreas, a large organ responsible for producing a number of digestive hormones, such as insulin. Risk factors for pancreatic cancer include smoking, advanced age and obesity. Symptoms include localized pain in the abdomen, loss of appetite, dark-tinted urine, nausea, fatigue and jaundice (yellowish discoloration of the skin and eyes).

    Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

    • Pancreatic cancer is troublesome in that it often is discovered only after it has developed to advanced levels. Thus, surgery is not always an option. Radiation and chemotherapy are often used in tandem to keep pancreatic cancer in check, along with medications to control pain as the cancer develops.

    Enzyme Therapy

    • Enzyme therapy was first proposed to treat pancreatic cancer by Dr. John Beard of the University of Edinburgh. Enzyme therapy is administered by providing the patient with a series of enzymes in addition to placing him on a specialized diet to "detoxify" the body and eliminate the cancer and other debris resulting from the tumor. The enzymes attack the cancer cells, while the remainder of the protocol stabilizes the body.

    Research

    • According to a study conducted by Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez and published in the June 1999 issue of Nutrition and Cancer, individuals utilizing enzyme therapy had statistically significantly improved survival rates compared to individuals who were not given the treatment. In some cases, patients provided with enzyme therapy lived more than three times beyond the given survival rate.

    Considerations

    • The question of whether enzyme therapy is an effective countermeasure for pancreatic cancer is still ongoing. According to an article published on Discovery Health, further research is being conducted via a $1.4 million grant at the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York.
      In the meantime, if you are suffering from pancreatic cancer, broach the subject of enzyme therapy with your physician to see if it might be right for you.

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