Cancer and the immune System

No herb, drug or a treatment procedure alone can defeat cancer. The most important, powerful and the most natural component in fighting against cancer is body’s own defence system – immunity.

Its role in terms of cancer is crucial. A healthy immune system can cope with potentially dangerous microorganisms from our environment, and fight off foreign or damaged cells inside our bodies. If functioning well, it can cope with cancer, but the modern lifestyle and polluted environment weaken the immune system making it unable to act adequately. When the immune system is dealing with several problems at once, the growing tumour may escape its attention. However, the tumour grows within a short while and the immune system has only a limited capacity for its destruction, so it always eliminates it only partly. In this way the tumour can survive.

Genetic predispositions to certain types of cancer cannot be influenced. However, the power and the resistance of immune system reducing the risk of cancer may be influenced. If immunity can prevent the onset of cancer, it may significantly contribute to recovery. A strong body defence goes hand in hand with a healthy lifestyle – healthy diet, exercise and life approach. What we put into our bodies, how we behave and think will sooner or later reflect on us. Almost all diseases have their basis (not a cause) in psyche; therefore this seemingly unimportant aspect has a significant impact on the onset and progression of the disease. If cancer appears, it should be approached holistically.

Cancer cells are very specific. They commonly occur as a result of free radicals combined with carcinogenic effects of diet and external environment that may alter DNA of a healthy cell and cause its mutation. This mutation process disables apoptosis (controlled cell death) and cancer cells void of any intervention (medically controlled treatment or support to natural anti-cancer immunity) continue to grow, get stronger and make the body exhausted. As cancer cells arise from body’s own cells, they can remain invisible to own immune system for a long time, often using this for their own benefits at first. In combating cancer the collaboration of all cells of the immune system is essential, because some of them respond to certain cancer cells (antigen-specific) while others do not; therefore all leukocytes should be reinforced adequately. Fighting cancer is very tiring for white blood cells, they die shortly afterwards, so their numbers must be high enough in order to win.

Some of the most significant white blood cells contributing to anti-cancer immunity are T-cells, specifically their subtypes CD4+ a CD8+, and each of their groups acts differently. CD4+Th1 can warn about cancer cells by stimulating inflammation nearby and thus arousing the immune system to react. They work closely with macrophages, other important white blood cells that perform phagocytosis (cell ingestion). Macrophages are able to regulate inflammation, and be cytotoxic (kill) to subsequently remove dead cells. CD4+Th1 together with CD8+ instigate a stronger “alarm” than if working independently, and they can prolong CD8+ life span.

CD4+Th2 cells react to foreign substances and act as major helpers to B-cells contributing to a so called antibody immunity (producing antibodies). A stage of the disease may be identified according to CD4+Th2 numbers – the longer the disease, the higher the number. But this is to the detriment of CD4+Th1 as their activity (cancer warning) is paramount against cancer cells. Without them the antibodies generated do not know where to intervene.

CD8+ are primary conductors of apoptosis, a natural and vital process of controlled cell death necessary to eliminate unwanted or damaged cells. Apoptosis may be spontaneous (it limits numbers of excess cells or destroys old cells), or it can be a subject to pathological stimulus (e.g. diseased cell, chemotherapy). Apoptosis results in cellular disintegration into small particles, and phagocytosis; so there is no necrosis (death) and no subsequent inflammation as in erroneous cell death.

While supporting specific defence cells we can significantly slow down the tumour growth, or speed up the treatment. Apart from the defence cell stimulation by natural but often high-risk methods that remain under investigation and testing (e.g. stimulating fever, overheating a tumour, or introducing herpes virus), it is important to promote body’s defence mechanism. Apart from suitable food supplements or diet alterations complemented by alternative methods of support, there is the so called immunotherapy which remains in a phase of testing, but shows promising results.

The immune system is not omnipotent; nonetheless its use for diseases is the most natural option. Even though the standard treatment using cytostatics (chemotherapy) or radiation (radiotherapy) temporarily reduces the body’s immune response (anti-infective immunity), it would be unwise to avoid it. A weak immune system alone cannot cope with cancer; anti-cancer immunity has not much chance against developed tumours as the ability and the power of body’s defenders is not good enough. So immunity should be reinforced by appropriate means and methods in order to reduce the risk of potential complications.

How does Penoxal help in oncological treatment?

A strong immune system can deal with cancer cells well and it destroys them; however, sometimes it needs help. PENOXAL stimulates the immune system and it helps to optimise its activity, which manifests effectively enough to fight cancer cells. The product may be taken during radiotherapy and chemotherapy as it helps to overcome some of its adverse effects. Moreover, it improves the function of digestive tract, liver, kidneys and other organs that are under a great stress during cancer treatments; in this way it enhances a healthy body functioning and an overall well-being. M.D. Anna GalambosPharm.Dr. Thomas Arndt and other doctors confirm in their statements about Penoxal that it is suitable food supplement to complement cancer treatments. Find out more about Penoxal users experience HERE.

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