Curcumin and First Line Herceptin Monotheraphy

I have also printed another study from Clinical Cancer Research

entitled : Curcumin inhibits tyrosine kinase activity of p185 and also deplates p185

 the study says: overexpression of p185 in breast cancer is known to be a poor pronostic factor.

is p185 same as Her2? or a derivative of Her2?

in Dr. Aggrawal's interview he also said that he is studying other natural compounds in garlic, black pepper .. he also mentioned  emodin (a substance in alove vera).

WOM, posted about emodin several times as well..

can you ask him as well -- if he has published the status of his study on black pepper, garlic and emodin?

my mother told me that he remember his father (my grandfather)-- asking them to chew on garlic everytime they have an infection and use the leaves of aloe vera for wounds and cuts..please tell Dr. Aggrawal that we have so much respect for him here in Singapore-- lots of Indians here are telling me how proud they are of this Doctor/Biochemist/Endocrinologist.

hi windlass,

it seems I found the answer to my own question

1. Herceptin blocks the ability of cancer cells to receive chemical signals that tells it to grow

2. Tykerb blocks certain proteins (kinases) that helps cancer cells to growh rapidly..

if p185 and Her2 is the same, it seems Curcumin does the work of both Herceptin and Tykerb. Can you please ask Dr. Aggrawal too?

in terms of diagnostic tests

FISH -- looks for gene abnormality

while IHC indicates the amount of Her2receptor proteins present in tumuors.

I wonder what kind of proteins are called Her2receptor proteins-- and if Tykerb is some form of enzymes that metabolises this proteins..

and if these enzymes-- present in Tykerb is also naturally present in Curcumin..

I bring up the subject of enzymes because I know at least 3 natural enzymes that helps digest carbs, fat and proteins..

1. Amylase-- digests starches, glycogen and other carbs

2. Lipase- digests fats

3. Protease- digests proteins..

I wonder what kind of protease is naturally available in Curcumin and synthetically made available through Tykerb.

Nanay: I have a media background and have had success contacting other BC researchers to ask questions. They are not often in the limelight, so they are usually willing to talk about their work. If you would like, you can private message me a list of specific questions, and I will see if I can get them asked. I'll pass on your kind words, too.

I just did the first of four founds of Adriamycin (doxorubicin) plus Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide). I decided to do this "standard" chemo because in my case, I believe it will make a huge difference in my outcome. Though I suspect someday we may be looking back on this era and saying "Can you believe they gave women all those toxic drugs when these simple nutrients would have worked instead?" 

Trouble is, we aren't quite there yet, and with my terrible lymph stats, I can't take any chances. I need every advantage I can get. So I am doing both curcumin (turmeric juice) *and* AC. (And everything else I can throw at it too!)

actually my mother was also prescribed AC with Herceptin... when I asked her original oncologist to explain this combo-- he did not answer the question.. instead gave me monetary figures attached to the treatment as if I was haggling for fish/veggies in a wet market.. he said something like this..

You need AC (explained what the abreviation meant)-- it will cost $12K SGD for a 6 to 8 month treatment plan, if money is an issue, you can take 4 cycles instead which will cost $4.5KSGD.. then add Herceptin which will cost about $45KSGD == all in all about $48.5KSGD to $55KSGD for the first year of treatment.

Then I probably have stared at him blankly (in my mind I was thinking-- what is this doctor talking about? if he really thinks my mother will be cured, it does not matter if he told me it will cost $47.5K or $55K sgd in the first year-- I will knock on heaven's door to get that money..

however, he sound as if AC is optional because he kept haggling the price for me, but it seems he was firm that my mother needed the herceptin which costs about $45KSGD.

I did not argue with him though...when I still stared back at him, without an answer, he said to me finally-- if money is really an issue-- at least give your mother Tamoxifen it costs $10 dollars only per month..

by that time, I told him-- Doctor, money is not the issue-- do you have anything else for my mother? We will give it a thought and let you know in a week's time.

he said, your mother also needs Radiation. then, I asked, is it true that radiation also causes cancer? He said, yes, but it will take 15 years for it to become a full blown cancer, by that time your mother is already 74 years old..

I asked him, what do you mean by that? Is it ok for my mother to have another cancer due to radiation when she is 74 years old? I want her to live until she is 80 or 90.

Then he said, if you don't do radiation now, she will have recurrence in 5 years time..

 I am just sharing this story ok-- yes I was dissappointed by this particular onc, but I did not stop there.. I looked for other oncologist.. only to be told that Herceptin has to go with chemo either during or before the infusions..

windlass,

I PMed you about what I do for a living...I have to resort to diagrams (collected this since March 2010)-- as my mother is inquisitive..

imagine that simple conversation with the oncologist-- took us about 30 minutes, as I have to explain to my mother in our native language.. then have to wait for my mother to process the information and then retranslate her question/response to the oncologist.

however, the clinical trials on curcumin -- I have only found out lately-- I must admit that her turmeric juice is something that I accepted without too much qualms-- as I thought it would do her no harm. its probably instinct..

I am also glad that people keep challenging our decisions-- so that I could also ask myself the hard questions and not be complacent..despite my mother's good response to alternative theraphy.

I have not really made the correlation between Her2+ and curcumin until this past few weeks..

Hi apple,

I am sorry for quoting you on my blog. I have removed your nickname and links to the survivor thread. It was not meant to offend you-- I only shared the quotes to show that with all of our differences there are at least 10 similiraties amongs us.

We have shared a few good moments in the BCO thread sharing about music, our kids... hope we can get back to that..

you know, I will always be here for you== feel free to correct me anytime via PM... sorry when you posted this 4 hours ago I was asleep..

I am sorry.