Prostate Cancer
By Dr Jean Munro

Many patients with prostate cancer think that this is an inevitable consequence of the male gender. They also tend to think there is nothing that can be done by them to ameliorate matters for themselves, as it is thought that cancer, being an abherrent cell, leads to local development of tumour and secondaries, which can develop without hindrance, and that the only treatments available must be surgical, chemotherapeutic agents or radiotherapy, all designed to kill the cancer cells. In fact this is not so. There are many things that can be done to support the immune system. Cells which are amongst those that undertake a recognition process, and assist in improving the body's ability to kill cancer cells, are those called natural killer (NK) cells. It has been found that natural killer cells can be increased in number by improving the arm of the immune system that deals with cellular immunity and many people have successfully assisted themselves with cancer management through nutritional means.

A general immune enhancement programme is as follows:
Immunity depends upon one's nutritional status, and one's pollutant status, in effect. Most cancers have an environmental agent as a provocation. Some provoking agents are more toxic than others, and can immediately disturb replication of cells. Others are ones which are encountered for a prolonged period before the neoplastic activity begins.

Natural killer cells are of great importance in targeting tumour cells. Natural killer cells patrol the body. When a tumour cell is identified as hostile, the killer cells of the body's defences, the T-lymphocytes, bind to tumour cells and kill them. Some tumour types prompt the body to form antibodies against them. Antibodies can adhere to the tumour cell surface and the various factors of the complement system will lyse the cells and disintegrate the cell.

Some tumour cells, however, are occasionally passed by natural killer cells which are not recognised as deviant cancer cells, because these tumour cells may lack the antigenic properties which normally provoke the immune system to attack, or because suppressor cells curb the assault by natural killer cells. Primary to the function of the immune system in attacking cancer must be an adequacy of natural killer cells. Natural killer cells are also suppressed by chronic diseases such as chronic viral illnesses, and, therefore, an individual may need to have a broader range of factors examined, as well as the total numbers of natural killer cells.

WHAT ARE KILLER CELLS?
The body produces lymphocytes which are a group of white cells in the bone marrow. When these pass through the thymus gland, behind the sternum, they become immune competent. They learn a function. They are classified as helper T-cells and suppressor T-cells, and as natural killer cells. Killer cells can kill cells which contain viruses or tumour cells. The levels of killer cells can be measured in the laboratory. By using cultured tumour cells, the natural killer cell can be measured, so that one can have a functional assessment of killer cells.

NATURAL CELL KILLER ACTIVITY IN HEALTH AND DISEASE:
The role of natural killer cells in health and disease: Antitumour effects and elimination of cancer Antiviral and antibacterial activity Regulation of the immune system Regulation of haematopoiesis Interaction with the neuroendocrine system Effects on reproduction It has been shown that patients with solid malignancy and large tumour burdens have decreased natural killer cell activity. Low natural killer cell activity is significantly associated with the development of metastases. In patients with metastatic disease, survival time correlates directly with the level of natural killer cell activity. Radiation and chemotherapy will depress natural killer cell activity as a result of the treatment, and therefore it is important to minimise the adverse effect on the immune system. NK cells can control viral infections and can mediate anti-leukaemic effects. Low natural killer cell activity occurs in auto-immune diseases also, and in chronic fatigue syndrome.

ENHANCEMENT OF NATURAL KILLER CELL ACTIVITY:
Biological response modifiers can increase activation, proliferation or cytotoxicity of pre-existing natural killer cells.

Biological modifiers: Cytokines such as Interferons IL2 and IL12, bacterial products, plant lectins and plant extracts. Coriolus and other medicinal mushrooms, and Transfer Factor. Antioxidants, including Vitamin C, are potent in improving immune function.

Immune function abnormalities can be restored after toxic chemical exposure by oral treatment with Vitamin C. Patients with low natural killer cell activity should take between 1 and 3g of buffered Vitamin C daily.

APOPTOSIS:
Apoptosis is another weapon against cancer cells. This is a condition in which the cells implode and in effect commit suicide. Tumour cells can induce lymphocyte apoptosis through tumour cells activating an alternative mechanism, expressing molecules in their service which will induce the immune cells to lyse. This will happen in patients with conditions such as alcoholic hepatitis, malignant melanoma and colon cancer.

Every cell has a cell cycle clock. This is divided into phases, GO, G1, S, G2 and M. During the S phase, synthesis of proteins occurs by a modelling of proteins onto the DNA of the cell, so that there is a replication of the pattern of the DNA, thus a new cell can be produced with the same DNA.

Where we have people who develop cancer, the DNA has been hit in some way, for example, by ionising radiation, and is modified so that it is no longer quite the same. The body can replicate DNA and make a new DNA with its abnormal structure, but when there are too many of these abnormal DNA hits then the cell becomes cancerous.

If you wish, you can obtain the products mentioned from Breakspear Medical Group Nutritional Division (Tel: 01442-266244). PART II of this article will appear in the next issue.