Morwenna discusses the role of herbal medicine in the prevention and treatment of prostrate cancer.

1. 27/03/2012
PROSTATE
CANCER
A TALK FOR THE PROSTATE CANCER
NETWORK TORONTO BY
MORWENNA GIVEN
MEDICAL HERBALIST
BA MA (OXON) BSC M.OHA BHG RH
1
WWW.MEDICUSHERBIS.COM

2. 2 27/03/2012
WHO AM I?
I am a medical herbalist, trained in
University, Hospital and clinics
 With a practise in downtown Toronto
focussing on cancer & precancerous
conditions e.g prostatitis & BPH
 Due time constraints a fuller version of this
talk can be found on:
WWW.MEDICUSHERBIS.COM
©

3. 3 27/03/2012
WHO AM I?
Iam a medical herbalist, trained in
University, Hospital and clinics
 With
a practise in downtown Toronto
focussing on cancer & precancerous
conditions e.g prostatitis & BPH
 Due time constraints a fuller version of this
talk can be found on:
WWW.MEDICUSHERBIS.COM
©

4. 4 27/03/2012
HOW AM I TRAINED?
©

5. 5 27/03/2012
WHAT IS A
MEDICAL HERBALIST?
A person who treats medical disease
‗wholistically‘ on an evidence based
basis with whole plant extracts
 A person who has trained in University,
hospital, clinic environments
 A person who treats the cause of the
problem not just the symptom
 We are specialists in the use of medicinal
plants and their ability to resolve disease
©

6. 6 27/03/2012
WHAT IS CANCER?
Cancer is an endocrine metabolic
disease; a disease which travels
through glands affecting all the
chemical and physical processes
which allow the body to function
creating Inflammation & Uncontrolled
growth of cells
©

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CANCER TAKES @ 10-15 YRS TO
DEVELOP INTO A TUMOUR
 As
a Medical Herbalist I monitor signs for
cancer long before a tumour is visible
©

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CANCER IS CANCER
WHEREVER IT IS LOCATED IN
THE BODY
 If cancer is detected in the prostate it is
called prostate cancer because of the
way conventional medicine is organised;
 It remains an endocrine metabolic
disease throughout the body not confined
one area.
 90% OF ALL CANCERS ARE CAUSED BY
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
©

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WHEN CANCER IS SHOWN IT IS
already CHRONIC disease
©

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CAUSES OF PROSTATE CANCER
(diet)
 Nobel prize winner 1931 Warburg – identified
the principal metabolic (glycolytic) switch of
cancer - i.e. excess sugars in the body ©

11. 11 27/03/2012
Physiological DRIVERS
OF PROSTATE CANCER
 Poor blood flow to prostatic tissues
 Poor excretion from prostatic tissues
 Inflammation –drugs conventional & social
 Weak or disrupted innate bodily immune/ mechanisms
including excess hormones
 Decreased immune surveillance
 Blockage – lymphatic drainage – bacteria - viruses
 Bodily & mental stress
 Other conditions associated e.g. thyroid malfunction
©

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TESTS
 PSA
 Urine PCA3, Prostascint , PAP
 CTC & Chromagranin A
 Following radical prostatectomy zinc, vitamin D,
osteocalcin are good predictors
 ―The majority incorrectly equated improved survival
and early detection with lives saved by screening.
About one half (47%) incorrectly reported that
discovering cancer in screened, as opposed to
unscreened, populations is evidence that screening
saves lives.‖
In fact screening provides 0.4% reduction in 1000 in
mortality in 5 years ( European trials )
©

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TESTS (There are others)
 Elevated CRP indicates the degree of
inflammation
 Homocysteine shows DNA stability
 Free PSA is a better marker than PSA
 PAP gives a probable spread beyond the
gland
 Prolactin is a cell proliferator and cell
stimulant
©

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CONVENTIONAL TREATMENTS
None address cause
©

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DRUGS USED TO TREAT
 Anti Androgens
 Gonadorelin analogues
 Alkylating drugs
 All have significant side effects

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OVER TREATMENT
 Biopsies are highly inflammatory
 PSA & other tests do not have high
reliability
 Many drugs cause other problems
 Ignores causes
 Use of invasive surgery despite low levels
of hormones

17. 17 27/03/2012
CONSEQUENCES of
CONVENTIONAL TREATMENTS
 Surgery: Jones in 1895 and Peeters in 2005
Journal of Surgery both observed: Surgical
removal of the primary tumour activates cancer
 Radiation: Destabilises - DNA – burns and
thus is highly inflammatory
 Chemotherapy: Limited value - destructive
of good and bad cells ONLY works IN S phase –
does not address cause – long term issues

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WATCHFUL WAITING
A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY
I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WAITING IS A
GOOD SOLUTION because CANCER CAN
CONTINUE TO DEVELOP As IT IS A
CHRONIC METABOLIC DISEASE
 BUT
 AFTER A PROSTECTOMY PLANTS CAN
INHIBIT THE METABOLIC PROGRESS OF
CANCER
©

19. 19 27/03/2012
PREVENTION
 Cancer is a Preventable Disease that Requires
Major Lifestyle Changes
 B.B Aggwal et al. MD Anderson Cancer Research Centre
Pharm Res. 2008 September; 25(9): 2097–2116. Pub. online 2008
Jul 15. doi: 10.1007/s11095-008-9661-9.
 2.8M Cancer cases per year are preventable
 Martin Wiseman Project Director World Cancer
Research Fund 2011
 EARLY DETECTION & SURGERY IS NOT PREVENTION

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Other protocols
 For those who choose chemo:
 I have a supporting protocol to prevent
side effects and limit the damage
 For those who choose radiation:
 I have a supporting protocol to prevent
lesions common in 60% of cases. None of
my patients have experienced these.

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PLANTS CAN BLOCK EVERY
MAJOR CANCER PATHWAY
©

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A MEDICAL HERBALIST
TREATS THE CAUSES
We address the physiological drivers:
Decrease inflammation
Strengthen body resistance/ vitality - reduce/eliminate
bacteria & viruses, ENSURE proper lymphatic drainage
Manage stress; reduce excess hormones
Increase immunity and immune surveillance by the body
Ensure major organs function normally
Cytotoxicity for cancerous cells and
finally return the body to HOMEOSTASIS

23. 23 27/03/2012
PLANTS AND CANCER
 There is a substantial amount of evidence
base showing how plants can reverse cancer
both in a general and specific context.
 The specific plants chosen depend on the
patient‘s needs – there is no one size fits all.
Plants it is rare to have side effects and there
are no long term negative consequences

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SOME PLANTS
USED IN PROSTATE CANCER
 Curcuma longa – the perfect anti cancer plant/ drug -
mediates 98 metabolic pathways; inhibits 14 types of cancer
 Serenoa serulata:
 ―Lipids/sterols known to be inhibitor of 5alpha reductase‖
 Performed better than Finasteride in clinical trials
 Capsicum minimum:
 ― inhibits growth of androgen independent prostate cancer
cells carrying the common P53 mutation‖
 Cimicifuga racemosa L. Nutt
 ― inhibits androgen sensitive and insensitive cells by apoptosis‖
c.

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STRATEGIES WHICH ADDRESS
THE PHYSIOLOGICAL DRIVERS:
 DECREASE INFLAMMATION
 STRENGTHEN THE BODY
 MANAGE STRESS
 MANAGE HORMONES
 INCREASE IMMUNITY
 DETOX THE BODY
 DIET & LIFESTYLE
 ADDRESS OTHER ISSUES
©

26. 26 27/03/2012
DECREASE INFLAMMATION
 All chronic conditions are caused by persistent inflammation
 The inflammatory cascade is governed by eicosanoids (Cox)
 which produce prostaglandins, leukotriene's and TNF/TGF
 Unhealthy diet & lifestyle can cause cells to over react producing
 high levels of prostaglandins resulting in a chronic feedback loop
 Inflammation increases angiogenesis. Increases VEGF which
 causes cells to proliferate and ILGF which in turn is influenced
 by age, weight, and exercise
 MH has many anti inflammatory herbs e.g. Boswellia
, Curcuma longa, Salix
©

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STRENGTHEN THE BODY
 We look at all aspects of bodily function,
identify the stressed functions,
 provide appropriate herbal support e.g. the
heart
 Eliminate pathogenic bacteria
 Eliminate or control viruses
 Role of Thyroid

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MANAGE STRESS
 The GAS syndrome – Hans Selye - Canadian
 Stress is known to deplete immunity and increase the rate of
 Prostate Growth. It releases pro inflammatory cytokines
 which act as stimulants
 MH has a significant number of plants called adaptogens
 ideally suited to manage stress:
 Astragalas membranaceous
 Glycorrihiza glabra
 Withania somniferum
 Panax Ginseng

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MANAGE HORMONES
 Testosterone is produced by the testicular Leydig cells under
the influence of pulsatile secretion of luteinizing hormone—
releasing hormone from the anterior hypothalamus, which in
turn is regulated by negative feedback inhibition of the
pituitary-gonadal axis by circulating testosterone.
 Most testosterone in circulation is bound to sex hormone—
binding globulin and albumin. Only 1% to 2% of testosterone
exists in the free, unbound form that diffuses into target cells of
the prostate, testis, adrenal gland, skin, muscle, bone, and
adipose tissue, where it is irreversibly converted into a more
potent biologically active metabolite, dihydrotestosterone
(DHT),by action of 5α-reductase (5αR)
There are herbs which modify every single step of this pathway
 e.g. Vitex, Serenoa, Cimicifuga, Urtica Radix

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INCREASE IMMUNITY
 Prostate cancer is linked to a depressed or depleted
 immune system; this reduces immune surveillance
 which results in the dysfunction of Cells
 Some Medical Herbs which increase immunity are:
 Eccinachea spp.
 Astragalas membranaceous
 Panax ginseng
 Phytolacca decandra
 Recent Noble prize winner for Chemistry tried to synthesise
a drug for dendritic cells – Echinacea does this

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DETOX THE BODY
 Ensure major organs, bowels, lungs, urinary system
are in
 proper working order
 i.e. excretion, diuretics
 Ensure proper drainage of tissues to provide for
excretion
 i.e. lymphatics
 Stimulate the circulatory tissues to deliver proper
nutrients
 to tissues And stimulate the drainage of those tissues.

32. 32 27/03/2012
DIET
 Balanced diet high in fruit and vegetables
 Avoid refined carbs
 Probiotics – goats yoghourt
 High protein
 Minimise fats especially saturated fats
 For my patients I give specific advice to their
circumstances

33. 33 27/03/2012
VITAMIN D
 Vitamin D is poorly understood ; currently 8 forms
identified - most common form - Vitamin D3
 Involved in the Pathogenesis of
cancer, hypertension, MS, auto
immune, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, pulmonary
disease, Crohn's, diabetes, thyroid function, blood
clotting, liver function
 AR signaling pathway is affected by vitamin D, which
is known to promote growth inhibitory effects in
prostate cancer.
 Most Canadians deficient.
 Grant W, et.al. An estimate of the economic burden and premature deaths
due to vitamin D deficiency in Canada, Molecular Nutrition and Food
Research, volume 54, Issue 8, p. 1172-1181, août 2010.

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LIFESTYLE CHANGES
 Essentialto beating cancer as it is lifestyle
that has contributed to the disease
Exercise - improves oxygen flow to the
prostate
Stop smoking
BMI less than 24
Relax
Hydrotherapy
Tai Chi Qi Gong Acupuncture etc

35. 35 27/03/2012
CARERS
 Therole of the carer is vitally important
but often exhausting.
 Herbalists have a wide range of plants to
deal with the personal health of the carer
together with specific plants for stress
 The diet and lifestyle changes I suggest
are for the good health of the carer too.!
©

36. 36 27/03/2012
CASE STUDY
 15/05/06
 56yrs West Indian poor urinary flow, pain, nocturia,
haematuria, anejaculation, chest pain, back pain BMI 25
 PMH: Angina, vasectomy, poor diet, no drugs or
supplements
 DRE: enlarged irregular nodular prostate
 PSA: 5000+ ng/ml
 Biopsy: Gleason 9 Grade 5
 Isotopic bone scan : osteosclerotic bone meets lumbar
spine, lower ribs, pelvis & femur
©

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CASE STUDY RESULT
 15/05/06 PSA 5000 ng/ml
 15/06/06 PSA 1000 ng/ml
 17/07/06 PSA 300 ng/ml
 02/08/06 PSA 0.9 ng/ml
 19/03/07 PSA 0.7 ng/ml
 On every visit modify the RX if required &
check bloods
 No pain, no urgency, flow normal, no nocturia
©

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SUPPLEMENTS
 There are some specific supplements
beneficial in prostate cancer such as
lycopene
 Retail supplements are not allowed by law
to have a medical effect and thus the
doses maybe inappropriate
 Always consult your professional
practitioner first before purchasing
©

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Supplements
 illegalto sell a medically efficacious dose
 most are not pharmaceutical grade
 no evidence base / extrapolation claims
 Contents /label/marketing claim
 Unnecessary
 No consideration of individual needs
 Failure to address polysupplementation
©

40. 40 27/03/2012
CAUTIONS
 PLEASE NOTE IT IS ADVISED, THAT ANY PLANTS MENTIONED IN
THIS TALK, ARE ONLY USED UNDER PROFESSIONAL
GUIDANCE.
 BOTANICAL MEDICINE AS SUPPLIED BY A PROFESSIONAL IS
NOT AVAILABLE OVER THE RETAIL COUNTER.
 It is not advisable to self treat
 A professional: will recognise all the issues within the body
 Select herbs that will impact positively on these issues
without causing problems in order to co exist with orthodox
drugs,
©

41. 41 27/03/2012
REFERENCES & EVIDENCE BASE
 www. Pubmed, Science direct
Ihave a full list of references for those who
are interested – if you would like either to
email me or put your name down tonight I
will send them to you.
©

42. 42 27/03/2012
THANK YOU
MORWENNA GIVEN
WWW.MEDICUSHERBIS.COM
© 2012