Hi Nancy,
A three-drug treatment regimen that has one additional drug compared to a two-drug regimen (for example, VTD vs TD, or VCD vs. VD) will usually get a deeper response than the two-drug regimen. This will also usually lead to longer progression-free survival. However, it's not clear that adding a third drug will always lead to longer overall survival. That's the crux of the debate about whether treating for depth of response is always a good idea.
The reason why longer progression-free survival doesn't necessarily lead to longer overall survival with the additional drug is because, by using the third drug sooner rather than later, you have likely reduced the chance the drug will be effective later. With the three-drug regimen, you've used that tool from the toolbox earlier, rather than later. And, in the extreme, once you've used the tool, you've used it.
Of course, adding a third drug to a treatment regimen also typically adds more side effects.
One study that suggests that, at least for RVD vs VD, RVD is better in terms of overall survival is the SWOG077 trial:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28017406
The study found that both progression-free survival and overall survival were better for RVD compared to VD. This study was, however, for patients who were not intending to do an upfront transplant. Also, the benefit of RVD vs. VD might be due to the two drugs having synergy -- that is, making each other more effective when used together -- rather than the deeper response of RVD causing an overall survival benefit.
Forums
Re: Ketogenic diet and multiple myeloma
Thanks, Jim, for looking up this recent study (published 2016). It is an academic question for me, since in 2009, Revlimid wasn't funded yet in Canada. The Velcade plus dex worked very well for me, thankfully.
But in light of the difficulties we experience here in getting the newer drugs funded, I think it is an interesting finding that starting off with Revlimid, Velcade, and dexamethasone might help some patients. We are not yet funded for certain of the drugs now in use in the U.S. Kyprolis, Darzalex, and Ninlaro come to mind that way. That is not to say that they may not be funded sometime in the future, since they are all approved by Health Canada. We patients have our fingers crossed that we may get those drugs eventually. So I think that if an initial treatment would lead to a longer period, before other drugs, or even the standard melphalan (stem cell transplant) were needed, that might help some patients. But then, on the other hand, one would not want to run through the available treatments too quickly either. The presence of drug resistant 'clones' is always a concern in myeloma.
But in light of the difficulties we experience here in getting the newer drugs funded, I think it is an interesting finding that starting off with Revlimid, Velcade, and dexamethasone might help some patients. We are not yet funded for certain of the drugs now in use in the U.S. Kyprolis, Darzalex, and Ninlaro come to mind that way. That is not to say that they may not be funded sometime in the future, since they are all approved by Health Canada. We patients have our fingers crossed that we may get those drugs eventually. So I think that if an initial treatment would lead to a longer period, before other drugs, or even the standard melphalan (stem cell transplant) were needed, that might help some patients. But then, on the other hand, one would not want to run through the available treatments too quickly either. The presence of drug resistant 'clones' is always a concern in myeloma.
-
Nancy Shamanna - Name: Nancy Shamanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self and others too
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2009
Re: Ketogenic diet and multiple myeloma
Hi,
This is an interesting thread because I am starting to see my blood sugars creep up and I've been reading about the ketogenic diet.
I am starting a low carb diet. Scared to death to battle diabetes along with multiple myeloma. Just started Pomalyst and dexamethasone with kappa light chains creeping up. First cycle saw more than a two thirds reduction in my kappa-lambda ratio, but the steroids are not good for my glucose levels or weight gain. Hopefully I can do the same as Antelope and stop the progression of elevated blood sugars.
Have a granddaughter who was diagnosed with Type I as a six year old. After about the ketogenic diet, I am shocked how most clinics let patients eat anything and then just tell them to bolus and watch them struggle with such high/low blood sugars and high A1C's.
Ten plus years with multiple myeloma, most spent off treatment, two auto's, July 2008 and January 2015. no maintenance either time. Still can do a mile run fairly easy, stay pretty active. My doctor wanted to add Darzalex to the mix, but I just wasn't ready to go that route yet, especially when I found out how much it costs.
Enjoy all the input from everyone. The decisions on treatment / lifestyle are always a very personal one.
This is an interesting thread because I am starting to see my blood sugars creep up and I've been reading about the ketogenic diet.
I am starting a low carb diet. Scared to death to battle diabetes along with multiple myeloma. Just started Pomalyst and dexamethasone with kappa light chains creeping up. First cycle saw more than a two thirds reduction in my kappa-lambda ratio, but the steroids are not good for my glucose levels or weight gain. Hopefully I can do the same as Antelope and stop the progression of elevated blood sugars.
Have a granddaughter who was diagnosed with Type I as a six year old. After about the ketogenic diet, I am shocked how most clinics let patients eat anything and then just tell them to bolus and watch them struggle with such high/low blood sugars and high A1C's.
Ten plus years with multiple myeloma, most spent off treatment, two auto's, July 2008 and January 2015. no maintenance either time. Still can do a mile run fairly easy, stay pretty active. My doctor wanted to add Darzalex to the mix, but I just wasn't ready to go that route yet, especially when I found out how much it costs.
Enjoy all the input from everyone. The decisions on treatment / lifestyle are always a very personal one.
-
jjc
Re: Ketogenic diet and multiple myeloma
Hi Nancy: Nice to hear from you. You are always upbeat and encouraging.
Hi Jim: The time you explained how proteasome inhibitors work was fantastic, and I wish I could look up more of your teaching and comments.
Hi Jjc: I can imagine how frustrating to want to control your blood glucose levels, but have to take dex. I have thought of that many times. What will I do if and when I am in your shoes?
I still have Terry H's graph, and I took thalidomide, Velcade and dex for induction. And will take those again when I must. But, as Jim said, you use a tool and sometimes it is not available later or, as Nancy said, they increase your chances of secondary cancer.
.
I have many friends with different cancers (we all stay in touch and encourage each other) and very few of them have taken my advice. It makes me sad to read on this forum that your diet doesn't make a difference.
I have one friend with multiple myeloma who does what I do. She had to go on Velcade 6 months to bring her numbers down, but now she is fighting to keep them down as long as possible.
Cathy
Hi Jim: The time you explained how proteasome inhibitors work was fantastic, and I wish I could look up more of your teaching and comments.
Hi Jjc: I can imagine how frustrating to want to control your blood glucose levels, but have to take dex. I have thought of that many times. What will I do if and when I am in your shoes?
I still have Terry H's graph, and I took thalidomide, Velcade and dex for induction. And will take those again when I must. But, as Jim said, you use a tool and sometimes it is not available later or, as Nancy said, they increase your chances of secondary cancer.
.
I have many friends with different cancers (we all stay in touch and encourage each other) and very few of them have taken my advice. It makes me sad to read on this forum that your diet doesn't make a difference.
I have one friend with multiple myeloma who does what I do. She had to go on Velcade 6 months to bring her numbers down, but now she is fighting to keep them down as long as possible.
Cathy
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antelope1225 - Name: Cathy1225
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 25 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 55
Re: Ketogenic diet and multiple myeloma
Quick summary of my current regimen:
- Eat nothing between dinner and noon the next day – a 16 hour fast 5 days per week. Weekends I have a couple of eggs and ham or bacon or almond flour pancakes
- I try to eat just 12 net carbs per day (subtract fiber carbs)
- Have just 4 oz meat per day – 2 oz at lunch and 2 oz at dinner
- Healthy fats – olive oil, coconut oil, butter from grass fed cows etc.
- Take blood glucose 3x per day – before breakfast, 2 hours after lunch, 2-3 hours after dinner. I also take ketone test strip at night
- Eat a lot of vegetables of all types – in fact, I make a smoothie 5 days per week with full fat coconut oil, lots of vegetables, fresh ground flax seed, ½ avocado, fermented cod liver oil, monk fruit for sweetener. I take it to work and have with lunch.
- I avoid MSG and other sources of free glutamates
- Sip baking soda in water between meals
- For osteoporosis and weak bones, I do 10 min of squats, etc, on whole body vibration plate 5 days per week
- I take 4 g curcumin with lunch and 400 mg EGCG. I also take AHCC. beta glucan, MGN-3 and a mixture of mushroom extracts
- I don't drink alcohol very often – very little on occasion.
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antelope1225 - Name: Cathy1225
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 25 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 55
Re: Ketogenic diet and multiple myeloma
There was a study published recently that sheds light on the potential connection between sugar and cancer. The study is very technical, however, and I've only been able to find one major news publication, USA Today, that has covered it so far. I think we'll need articles from other major news outlets before we can get a good sense of how important the study really is.
Having said that, the initial reports suggest the new study provides support for a potential connection between sugar and the development, and perhaps persistence, of cancer.
Here is a link to the USA Today article about the study.
"Relationship between sugar and cancer is now clearer, scientists say", USA Today, Oct 18, 2017 (full text of article)
Some excerpts from the article:
"Belgian scientists say they’ve made a research breakthrough in the relationship between sugar and cancer.
Researchers found yeast with high levels of the sugar known as glucose overstimulated the same proteins often found mutated inside human tumors, making cells grow faster. The finding, published in Nature Communications on Friday, aims to shed light on how cancer develops.
Johan Thevelein, Wim Versées and Veerle Janssens started researching sugar's link to cancer in 2008 to try and better understand what's called the Warburg effect, when tumor cells make energy through a rapid breakdown of glucose not seen in normal cells. That energy fuels tumor growth ...
Victoria Stevens, a cancer researcher with the American Cancer Society who was not involved in the study, said this research is great, but it comments only on "about one product made during the breakdown of glucose to produce energy." In other words, it's a small step in a long process.
"They are providing a potential way (the Warburg effect) could be a cause of cancer, but they are a long way away from saying this could actually happen," Stevens said.
Here's a reference for the study, including a link to the full text of the article:
Peeters, K, et al, "Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate couples glycolytic flux to activation of Ras," Nature Communications, Oct 13, 2017, (full text of article)
Also, here's a press release from the university where the research was conducted, giving some additional information about it:
Scientists reveal the relationship between sugar and cancer
13 October 2017
A nine-year joint research project conducted by VIB, KU Leuven and VUB has led to a crucial breakthrough in cancer research. Scientists have clarified how the Warburg effect, a phenomenon in which cancer cells rapidly break down sugars, stimulates tumor growth. This discovery provides evidence for a positive correlation between sugar and cancer, which may have far-reaching impacts on tailor-made diets for cancer patients. The research has been published in the leading academic journal Nature Communications.
This project was started in 2008 under the leadership of Johan Thevelein (VIB-KULeuven), Wim Versées (VIB-VUB) and Veerle Janssens (KU Leuven). Its main focus was the Warburg effect, or the observation that tumors convert significantly higher amounts of sugar into lactate compared to healthy tissues. As one of the most prominent features of cancer cells, this phenomenon has been extensively studied and even used to detect brain tumors, among other applications. But thus far, it has been unclear whether the effect is merely a symptom of cancer, or a cause.
Sugar awakens cancer cells
While earlier research into cancer cell metabolism focused on mapping out metabolic peculiarities, this study clarifies the link between metabolic deviation and oncogenic potency in cancerous cells.
Prof. Johan Thevelein (VIB-KU Leuven): “Our research reveals how the hyperactive sugar consumption of cancerous cells leads to a vicious cycle of continued stimulation of cancer development and growth. Thus, it is able to explain the correlation between the strength of the Warburg effect and tumor aggressiveness. This link between sugar and cancer has sweeping consequences. Our results provide a foundation for future research in this domain, which can now be performed with a much more precise and relevant focus.”
Yeast as an advantageous model organism
Yeast cell research was essential to the discovery, as these cells contain the same ‘Ras’ proteins commonly found in tumor cells, which can cause cancer in mutated form. Using yeast as a model organism, the research team examined the connection between Ras activity and the highly active sugar metabolism in yeast.
Prof. Johan Thevelein (VIB-KU Leuven): “We observed in yeast that sugar degradation is linked via the intermediate fructose 1,6-biophosphate to the activation of Ras proteins, which stimulate the multiplication of both yeast and cancer cells. It is striking that this mechanism has been conserved throughout the long evolution of yeast cell to human.
“The main advantage of using yeast was that our research was not affected by the additional regulatory mechanisms of mammalian cells, which conceal crucial underlying processes. We were thus able to target this process in yeast cells and confirm its presence in mammalian cells. However, the findings are not sufficient to identify the primary cause of the Warburg effect. Further research is needed to find out whether this primary cause is also conserved in yeast cells.”
Note
This research in yeast and human cells has led to a new very valuable scientific hypothesis. The next step is to find out whether these results also apply to patients. To do this clinical trials with oncologists have to be developed. Only after results from these kind of trials are known, statements can be made about possible consequences for cancer treatments and adjusted diets.
Note: The lab of Johan Thevelein is part of the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology.
Having said that, the initial reports suggest the new study provides support for a potential connection between sugar and the development, and perhaps persistence, of cancer.
Here is a link to the USA Today article about the study.
"Relationship between sugar and cancer is now clearer, scientists say", USA Today, Oct 18, 2017 (full text of article)
Some excerpts from the article:
"Belgian scientists say they’ve made a research breakthrough in the relationship between sugar and cancer.
Researchers found yeast with high levels of the sugar known as glucose overstimulated the same proteins often found mutated inside human tumors, making cells grow faster. The finding, published in Nature Communications on Friday, aims to shed light on how cancer develops.
Johan Thevelein, Wim Versées and Veerle Janssens started researching sugar's link to cancer in 2008 to try and better understand what's called the Warburg effect, when tumor cells make energy through a rapid breakdown of glucose not seen in normal cells. That energy fuels tumor growth ...
Victoria Stevens, a cancer researcher with the American Cancer Society who was not involved in the study, said this research is great, but it comments only on "about one product made during the breakdown of glucose to produce energy." In other words, it's a small step in a long process.
"They are providing a potential way (the Warburg effect) could be a cause of cancer, but they are a long way away from saying this could actually happen," Stevens said.
Here's a reference for the study, including a link to the full text of the article:
Peeters, K, et al, "Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate couples glycolytic flux to activation of Ras," Nature Communications, Oct 13, 2017, (full text of article)
Also, here's a press release from the university where the research was conducted, giving some additional information about it:
Scientists reveal the relationship between sugar and cancer
13 October 2017
A nine-year joint research project conducted by VIB, KU Leuven and VUB has led to a crucial breakthrough in cancer research. Scientists have clarified how the Warburg effect, a phenomenon in which cancer cells rapidly break down sugars, stimulates tumor growth. This discovery provides evidence for a positive correlation between sugar and cancer, which may have far-reaching impacts on tailor-made diets for cancer patients. The research has been published in the leading academic journal Nature Communications.
This project was started in 2008 under the leadership of Johan Thevelein (VIB-KULeuven), Wim Versées (VIB-VUB) and Veerle Janssens (KU Leuven). Its main focus was the Warburg effect, or the observation that tumors convert significantly higher amounts of sugar into lactate compared to healthy tissues. As one of the most prominent features of cancer cells, this phenomenon has been extensively studied and even used to detect brain tumors, among other applications. But thus far, it has been unclear whether the effect is merely a symptom of cancer, or a cause.
Sugar awakens cancer cells
While earlier research into cancer cell metabolism focused on mapping out metabolic peculiarities, this study clarifies the link between metabolic deviation and oncogenic potency in cancerous cells.
Prof. Johan Thevelein (VIB-KU Leuven): “Our research reveals how the hyperactive sugar consumption of cancerous cells leads to a vicious cycle of continued stimulation of cancer development and growth. Thus, it is able to explain the correlation between the strength of the Warburg effect and tumor aggressiveness. This link between sugar and cancer has sweeping consequences. Our results provide a foundation for future research in this domain, which can now be performed with a much more precise and relevant focus.”
Yeast as an advantageous model organism
Yeast cell research was essential to the discovery, as these cells contain the same ‘Ras’ proteins commonly found in tumor cells, which can cause cancer in mutated form. Using yeast as a model organism, the research team examined the connection between Ras activity and the highly active sugar metabolism in yeast.
Prof. Johan Thevelein (VIB-KU Leuven): “We observed in yeast that sugar degradation is linked via the intermediate fructose 1,6-biophosphate to the activation of Ras proteins, which stimulate the multiplication of both yeast and cancer cells. It is striking that this mechanism has been conserved throughout the long evolution of yeast cell to human.
“The main advantage of using yeast was that our research was not affected by the additional regulatory mechanisms of mammalian cells, which conceal crucial underlying processes. We were thus able to target this process in yeast cells and confirm its presence in mammalian cells. However, the findings are not sufficient to identify the primary cause of the Warburg effect. Further research is needed to find out whether this primary cause is also conserved in yeast cells.”
Note
This research in yeast and human cells has led to a new very valuable scientific hypothesis. The next step is to find out whether these results also apply to patients. To do this clinical trials with oncologists have to be developed. Only after results from these kind of trials are known, statements can be made about possible consequences for cancer treatments and adjusted diets.
Note: The lab of Johan Thevelein is part of the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology.
Re: Ketogenic diet and multiple myeloma
Interesting article, Terry. Thank you for posting. When I was younger, I did eat a lot of sugar. My sister feels this didn't help my situation. Within the last few years, I have been weaning off of added sugar (I also have Crohn's disease).
I will need to be more vigilant with my boys (13 and 11 year), as I don't want to see any future issues for them. Again, thanks for posting.
I will need to be more vigilant with my boys (13 and 11 year), as I don't want to see any future issues for them. Again, thanks for posting.
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Eileenk - Name: Eileen
- Who do you know with myeloma?: me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, September 2017
- Age at diagnosis: 49
Re: Ketogenic diet and multiple myeloma
Glad you found the news interesting, Eileen.
Wired magazine now has an article about the new study, and it's good at putting the results into perspective. Here's the reference with link to the article online:
"Cutting Carbs Won't Save You From Cancer," Wired, Oct 20, 2017 (full text of article)
Here are a few excerpts from the Wired article:
"The findings [of the new study] do not prove that eating (or not eating) sugar has any effect on the onset or development of cancer ... An interesting bit of science, to be sure, but nowhere near a medically relevant dietary recommendation. By Tuesday, Thevelein, [one of the study's authors], was backtracking in news outlets: “Some people are interpreting that we have found a mechanism for how sugar causes cancer, but that is certainly not the case.”
“You can’t take laboratory research of a metabolic pathway and translate it into a diet,” says Christine Zoumas, director of healthy eating programs at UC San Diego’s Moores Cancer Center. “We don’t have the science yet to understand where these pathways can be applicable in our food supply yet.”
Say you’re going to eliminate all the sugars from your body. So not just the occasional doughnut or ice cream cone, but every fruit, vegetable, and whole or refined grain out there. You’re basically left with meat and fat – a ketogenic diet. “That is not meant to be a long-term diet,” says Zoumas. And she says research has shown that while cancer cells prefer sugar as a fuel, they can just as easily survive on fat and protein alone. Plus, while you’re starving all those cancer cells, you’re also depriving your body’s healthy cells too. Which is pretty much the last thing you want to do if you’re sick and on chemo and battling for your life. “You need to be getting calories any way you can,” says Zoumas.
Wired magazine now has an article about the new study, and it's good at putting the results into perspective. Here's the reference with link to the article online:
"Cutting Carbs Won't Save You From Cancer," Wired, Oct 20, 2017 (full text of article)
Here are a few excerpts from the Wired article:
"The findings [of the new study] do not prove that eating (or not eating) sugar has any effect on the onset or development of cancer ... An interesting bit of science, to be sure, but nowhere near a medically relevant dietary recommendation. By Tuesday, Thevelein, [one of the study's authors], was backtracking in news outlets: “Some people are interpreting that we have found a mechanism for how sugar causes cancer, but that is certainly not the case.”
“You can’t take laboratory research of a metabolic pathway and translate it into a diet,” says Christine Zoumas, director of healthy eating programs at UC San Diego’s Moores Cancer Center. “We don’t have the science yet to understand where these pathways can be applicable in our food supply yet.”
Say you’re going to eliminate all the sugars from your body. So not just the occasional doughnut or ice cream cone, but every fruit, vegetable, and whole or refined grain out there. You’re basically left with meat and fat – a ketogenic diet. “That is not meant to be a long-term diet,” says Zoumas. And she says research has shown that while cancer cells prefer sugar as a fuel, they can just as easily survive on fat and protein alone. Plus, while you’re starving all those cancer cells, you’re also depriving your body’s healthy cells too. Which is pretty much the last thing you want to do if you’re sick and on chemo and battling for your life. “You need to be getting calories any way you can,” says Zoumas.
Re: Ketogenic diet and multiple myeloma
Hi Cathy,
Thank you so much for your updates in regards to your diet. I am a huge believer in diet. My husband has myeloma. He was diagnosed in 2013, had a amazing response to Velcade, thalidomide, and dexamethasone (VTD) and was in remission after 3 cycles. He then did a stem cell transplant in 2014 using his own cells and was in complete remission, as he was before transplant, up until last month.
His doctors were so shocked because his plasma cells numbers went from zero on his last test (4 months prior) to 19 and his bone marrow biopsy showed 60%. His numbers in his blood rose to 30 from 19 in 6 weeks.
We personally believe this had something to do with his diet. He went from eating amazingly throughout his first treatments, cutting out dairy, sugar and having lots of green vegetable smoothies several times a day and eating fruit. He had 8 capsules of curcumin a day with omega 3 along with other supplements, and we believe this is why he had such a great response and we thought it had gone forever.
In fact, I believe we completely underestimated it and my his diet went so bad again for at least 12 months before his results showed it was back. He is young, 34 in fact, and loves the gym, but his diet started to consist of lots of sugar. Diet sodas, cakes, sweets, biscuits, stopped taking all the supplements, and stopped with the vegetable smoothies, they were consumed very rarely.
He is now kicking himself as he believes he's caused this to come himself.
There has got to be some connection here with diet and the immune system. So for us that means we have to put in his body any natural food / supplement that will concentrate on boosting his immune system, giving it the best possible chance to fight off myeloma.
We now believe this has to be a complete lifetime lifestyle change. He has to forever have a 95% great diet.
Since finding out he's upped his diet even more than before, which now includes lots of vegetable smoothies a day, fruit, no sugar, low carbs, just from oats and sweet potato. Home made evening meals with little organic chicken and lots of supplements. Including curcumin, beta glucan, vitamin D3, B complex, omega 3, oregano oil, vitamin A, bio cultures, astragalus, essiac tea caps, selenium, vitamin C, black seed oil, and he has all these every day.
He will be introducing turkey tail oil, NK cell activator, mushroom complex 6, AHCC, ashwaganda, cardamom seeds, and Panax ginseng.
He is doing all this alongside Velcade, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone (VCD).
I would love to hear how you are doing Cathy, and I think you are amazing and it's so difficult to do what you're doing you definitely deserve a lot of praise. Well done to you
Thank you so much for your updates in regards to your diet. I am a huge believer in diet. My husband has myeloma. He was diagnosed in 2013, had a amazing response to Velcade, thalidomide, and dexamethasone (VTD) and was in remission after 3 cycles. He then did a stem cell transplant in 2014 using his own cells and was in complete remission, as he was before transplant, up until last month.
His doctors were so shocked because his plasma cells numbers went from zero on his last test (4 months prior) to 19 and his bone marrow biopsy showed 60%. His numbers in his blood rose to 30 from 19 in 6 weeks.
We personally believe this had something to do with his diet. He went from eating amazingly throughout his first treatments, cutting out dairy, sugar and having lots of green vegetable smoothies several times a day and eating fruit. He had 8 capsules of curcumin a day with omega 3 along with other supplements, and we believe this is why he had such a great response and we thought it had gone forever.
In fact, I believe we completely underestimated it and my his diet went so bad again for at least 12 months before his results showed it was back. He is young, 34 in fact, and loves the gym, but his diet started to consist of lots of sugar. Diet sodas, cakes, sweets, biscuits, stopped taking all the supplements, and stopped with the vegetable smoothies, they were consumed very rarely.
He is now kicking himself as he believes he's caused this to come himself.
There has got to be some connection here with diet and the immune system. So for us that means we have to put in his body any natural food / supplement that will concentrate on boosting his immune system, giving it the best possible chance to fight off myeloma.
We now believe this has to be a complete lifetime lifestyle change. He has to forever have a 95% great diet.
Since finding out he's upped his diet even more than before, which now includes lots of vegetable smoothies a day, fruit, no sugar, low carbs, just from oats and sweet potato. Home made evening meals with little organic chicken and lots of supplements. Including curcumin, beta glucan, vitamin D3, B complex, omega 3, oregano oil, vitamin A, bio cultures, astragalus, essiac tea caps, selenium, vitamin C, black seed oil, and he has all these every day.
He will be introducing turkey tail oil, NK cell activator, mushroom complex 6, AHCC, ashwaganda, cardamom seeds, and Panax ginseng.
He is doing all this alongside Velcade, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone (VCD).
I would love to hear how you are doing Cathy, and I think you are amazing and it's so difficult to do what you're doing you definitely deserve a lot of praise. Well done to you
Re: Ketogenic diet and multiple myeloma
Thank you everyone who has contributed to this thread.
Going forward, we welcome additional contributions to the thread from members of the forum who have participated regularly in the forum thus far.
We make this request to ensure the information in the thread, and other threads about potential alternative therapeutic protocols, is not biased. In Cathy's case, for example, she started posting about her ketogenic diet experience shortly after starting the diet, after her disease initially responded to treatment with Revlimid.
Also, if you post here or in another thread about alternative / complementary therapies, please be sure your posts share relevant lab results, such as your M-spike (M-protein, monoclonal protein, or paraprotein) level, serum free light chain results, bone marrow plasma cell percentages, etc. We would never assess the potential value of conventional therapies based on statements such as "My labs have been doing great," "The nurses are really surprised by how well I've responded," or "My doctor calls me his little miracle." It's even more important that information on alternative therapies be quantitative, because there is so little quantitative information that has been published about such therapies when used in people with multiple myeloma.
Going forward, we welcome additional contributions to the thread from members of the forum who have participated regularly in the forum thus far.
We make this request to ensure the information in the thread, and other threads about potential alternative therapeutic protocols, is not biased. In Cathy's case, for example, she started posting about her ketogenic diet experience shortly after starting the diet, after her disease initially responded to treatment with Revlimid.
Also, if you post here or in another thread about alternative / complementary therapies, please be sure your posts share relevant lab results, such as your M-spike (M-protein, monoclonal protein, or paraprotein) level, serum free light chain results, bone marrow plasma cell percentages, etc. We would never assess the potential value of conventional therapies based on statements such as "My labs have been doing great," "The nurses are really surprised by how well I've responded," or "My doctor calls me his little miracle." It's even more important that information on alternative therapies be quantitative, because there is so little quantitative information that has been published about such therapies when used in people with multiple myeloma.
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