Point 8 for Cancer Success

10 Points for Cancer - Point Eight: Inhibiting Angiogenesis (blood supply to the cancer)

Angiogenesis—the growth of new blood vessels—is critical during fetal development but occurs minimally in healthy adults. Exceptions occur during wound healing, inflammation, following a myocardial infarction (which is desired), in female reproductive organs, and in pathologic conditions such as cancer. We do NOT want it to occur in a cancer patient as it feeds the tumor and increases growth!

Angiogenesis is a strictly controlled process in the healthy adult human body, a process regulated by endogenous angiogenic promoters and inhibitors. Dr. Judah Folkman, the father of the angiogenesis theory of cancer stated, "Blood vessel growth is controlled by a balancing of opposing factors. A tilt in favor of stimulators over inhibitors might be what trips the lever and begins the process of tumor angiogenesis" (Cooke 2001).

Technically, solid tumors cannot grow beyond the size of a pinhead (about one million cells) without inducing the formation of new blood vessels to supply the nutritional needs of the tumor (Folkman J 1971). Since rapid vascularization and tumor growth appear to occur concurrently, interrupting the formation of new blood vessels is paramount to overcoming the malignancy – essentially cutting off the nutrient supply-lines.

Tumor angiogenesis results from a number of cellular processes initiated by the release of specific angiogenic growth factors. At a critical phase in the growth of a cancer, signal molecules are secreted from the cancer cells to nearby endothelial cells in an attempt to activate new blood vessel growth and a stronger supply-line. These angiogenic growth factors are chemical signals that diffuse in the direction of preexisting blood vessels, encouraging the formation of new blood vessel growth. VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) and basic fibroblast growth factors are expressed by many tumors and appear to be particularly important for angiogenesis.

A number of natural substances, such as Curcumin, green tea, N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), resveratrol, grape seed-skin extract, and vitamin D have anti-angiogenic properties. FDA has approved an anti-angiogenesis drug called Avastin® (bevacizumab), but it has demonstrated such severe side effects and often only mediocre efficacy (they finally admitted to the fatal side-effects after they made hundreds of millions!). Again, if there are natural substances that do a better job, the only reason to use the pharmaceutical would be…well I guess then there really isn’t any reason to use the drug.

How to implement Point Eight

• Several nutrients have demonstrated potential anti-angiogenesis effects and should be considered:
  • Green tea extract in dosage stated in point 7 – I commonly use 1-3 capsules/day of our OWN TeaVigo
  • Curcumin in dosage stated in other points – I like our own CurcuClear as they are pre-emulsified and the BEST curcuminoid currently available!  (3 – 6 capsules per day)
  • Vitamin D: 10,000 – 20,000 IU daily (depending on blood levels of Vitamin D and your genetic VDR genes)
  • Grape extract (seed and skin): 150 – 300 mg daily
  • N-Acetyl cysteine (NAC): 600 – 1,200 mg daily (Note: Make SURE you do not have genetic defects in the CBS pathway before you take NAC. Get your Genetics DONE!)