Re: OT - Non Hodgkins Lymphoma

July 24, 2006

Petra: Regardless of the stage he is in, I would start LDN 4.5mg nightly ASAP;

it will not contradict any therapy he uses and can do nothing but good for him.

Dr. JM

How does LDN work? > LDN boosts the immune system, activating the body's own

natural defenses. Up to the present time, the question of " What controls the

immune system? " has not been present in the curricula of medical colleges and

the issue has not formed a part of the received wisdom of practicing physicians.

Nonetheless, a body of research over the past two decades has pointed repeatedly

to one's own endorphin secretions (our internal opioids) as playing the central

role in the beneficial orchestration of the immune system, and recognition of

the facts is growing.

Witness these statements from a review article of medical progress in the

November 13, 2003 issue of the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine:

" Opioid-Induced Immune Modulation: .... Preclinical evidence indicates

overwhelmingly that opioids alter the development, differentiation, and function

of immune cells, and that both innate and adaptive systems are affected.1,2 Bone

marrow progenitor cells, macrophages, natural killer cells, immature thymocytes

and T cells, and B cells are all involved. The relatively recent identification

of opioid-related receptors on immune cells makes it even more likely that

opioids have direct effects on the immune system.3 "

The brief blockade of opioid receptors between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. that is

caused by taking LDN at bedtime each night is believed to produce a prolonged

up-regulation of vital elements of the immune system by causing an increase in

endorphin and enkephalin production. Normal volunteers who have taken LDN in

this fashion have been found to have much higher levels of beta-endorphins

circulating in their blood in the following days. Animal research by I. Zagon,

PhD, and his colleagues has shown a marked increase in metenkephalin levels as

well. [Note: Additional information for Dr. Zagon can be found at the end of

this page.]

Bihari says that his patients with HIV/AIDS who regularly took LDN before the

availability of HAART were generally spared any deterioration of their important

helper T cells (CD4+).

In human cancer, research by Zagon over many years has demonstrated inhibition

of a number of different human tumors in laboratory studies by using endorphins

and low dose naltrexone. It is suggested that the increased endorphin and

enkephalin levels, induced by LDN, work directly on the tumors' opioid receptors

— and, perhaps, induce cancer cell death (apoptosis). In addition, it is

believed that they act to increase natural killer cells and other healthy immune

defenses against cancer.

In general, in people with diseases that are partially or largely triggered by

a deficiency of endorphins (including cancer and autoimmune diseases), or are

accelerated by a deficiency of endorphins (such as HIV/AIDS), restoration of the

body's normal production of endorphins is the major therapeutic action of LDN.

---------------------------------

What diseases has it been useful for and how effective is it? > Bernard

Bihari, MD, as well as other physicians and researchers, have described

beneficial effects of LDN on a variety of diseases: Cancers: Other

Diseases:

Bladder Cancer

Breast Cancer

Carcinoid

Colon & Rectal Cancer

Glioblastoma

Liver Cancer

Lung Cancer (Non-Small Cell)

Lymphocytic Leukemia (chronic)

Lymphoma (Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's)

Malignant Melanoma

Multiple Myeloma

Neuroblastoma

Ovarian Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer

Prostate Cancer (untreated)

Renal Cell Carcinoma

Throat Cancer

Uterine Cancer

ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease)

Alzheimer's Disease

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Behcet's Disease

Celiac Disease

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Crohn's Disease

Emphysema (COPD)

Endometriosis

Fibromyalgia

HIV/AIDS

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Parkinson's Disease

Pemphigoid

Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS)

Psoriasis

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sarcoidosis

Systemic Lupus (SLE)

Transverse Myelitis

Ulcerative Colitis

Wegener's Granulomatosis

> LDN has demonstrated efficacy in thousands of cases. Cancer. As of

mid-2004, Dr. Bihari reported having treated over 300 patients who had a cancer

that had failed to respond to standard treatments. Of that group, some 50%,

after four to six months treatment with LDN, began to demonstrate a halt in

cancer growth and, of those, over one-third have shown objective signs of tumor

shrinkage.

pzns98 wrote:

OK - all out call for help here.

My dad (65 years old) was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma today.

We don't know yet what stage he is in, and we don't know yet whether

the lymphoma has spread from the site it's been discovered at. My dad

has an appointment with an oncologist on Friday, and hopefully we'll

get a bit more detail.

My dad is not a great believer in chemotherapy, and I have lived up

close and personal through two situations in which chemotherapy was

attempted for non-Hodgkins Lymphoma (these two cases were both Stage

3, and I realize that the stage you are in has a huge impact on

outcome) where the chemo only added to the person's suffering, so I

can't say that I disagree with my dad's stance. Of course his stance

may change once we have a bit more information.

Regardless, if any of you have knowledge on alternative treatments

for non-Hodgkins, please drop me a line.

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers, as we'll have a rough couple of

days ahead in 'limbo land'.

Petra

July 24, 2006