New Studies by Dr. Berkson on Pancreatic CA

[Guest guest]

Topic: Alpha-Lipoic Acid plus Low-Dose Naltrexone For the Treatment of

Pancreatic Cancer - Case Reports

Keywords: PANCREATIC CANCER, METASTATIC CANCER - Alpha-Lipoic Acid, Naltrexone

Reference: “Revisiting the ALA/N (alpha-lipoic acid/low-dose naltrexone)

protocol for people with metastatic and nonmetastatic pancreatic cancer: a

report of 3 new cases,†Berkson BM, Rubin DM, et al, Integr Cancer Ther, 2009;

8(4): 416-22. (Address: The Integrative Medical Center of New Mexico, Las

Cruces, NM, USA).

Summary: In this article, the authors discuss 3 case reports of the use of

intravenous alpha-lipoic acid along with oral low-dose naltrexone (ALA/N) for

the treatment of metastatic and non-metastatic pancreatic cancer. The authors

mention a previous report in which the case of a man with pancreatic cancer

metastasized to the liver treated with this protocol was alive and well 78

months after initial presentation. The 3 new cases discussed involve: 1) a

patient who is alive and well 39 months after presenting with adenocarcinoma of

the pancreas with metastasis to the liver; 2) a patient whose PET scan shows no

evidence of disease 5 months after therapy, who presented with adenocarcinoma of

the pancreas with metastasis to the liver; 3) a patient whose PET scan

demonstrated no signs of cancer after 4 months of therapy, who presented with

pancreatic cancer with metastases to the liver and retroperitoneal metastases,

along with a history of B-cell lymphoma

and prostate adenocarcinoma. The authors discuss the multiple activities of

alpha-lipoic acid - oxidative stress reduction, NF(k)B stabilization,

pro-oxidant apoptosic activity stimulation; and its ability to discriminate and

discourage the proliferation of malignant cells. They also discuss the ability

of low dose naltrexone to modulate an endogenous immune response. The results of

these case reports are very promising. The authors conclude, " This is the second

article published on the ALA/N protocol and the authors believe the protocol

warrants clinical trial. "