Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Terry, “I was recently diagnosed with skin cancer. I had surgery and the doctors are 95% certain it was all removed. However, I am interested in two things – cleansing to reset my body system and a program to support my immune system. I want to give my body the best chance possible to get rid of any cancer cells if in fact they did not get it all. Thanks for any suggestions you can provide.” —Steve V, Whitewater, WI A. Dear Steve, While cleansing is important, I think there are other products you can purchase to help you achieve your health goals. I am not against cleansing. If you are willing to include this expense in your routine that is fine, but it would not be at the top of my list. Instead, I would recommend a combination of immune supporting, anti-cancer ingredients: curcumin, green tea, and resveratrol. All of them have been the subject of studies showing their anti-cancer activity, and curcumin in particular has been the focus of many studies at prestigious places such as the MD Anderson Cancer Center. In fact, there are 38 published studies listed on PUBMED, the electronic medical database of the National Institutes of Health (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed) specifically on melanoma and curcumin, showing positive results on melanoma cell destruction and reduction of metastasis. One example is a study published in the International Journal of Cancer examining curcumin’s effects in both in vitro and in vivo (meaning in living systems). [Odot J, Albert P, Carlier A, Tarpin M, Devy J, Madoulet C. In vitro and in vivo anti-tumoral effect of curcumin against melanoma cells. Int J Cancer. 2004 Sep 1;111(3):381-7.] I would also choose a powerful combination of antioxidant ingredients (grape seed, pine bark, and selenium are examples of potent antioxidants) to neutralize the free radicals that can damage DNA and lead to formation of cancer cells. And finally I would take high dose vitamin D daily (3,000 – 5,000 IU). A good regimen would be 1500 mg of curcumin on its own in a bioavailable form, 2 capsules three times a day of the curcumin, green tea, resveratrol combination, and an antioxidant formula in addition to the vitamin D. I would do this for 6 months to a year and then reduce the dosage. I realize this could be an expensive program but I truly believe this is a powerful solution and it is what I would do if I were in your situation. If I were to add one more supplement to this regimen, consider CoQ10. In a study from 2006, researchers found that melanoma cancer survivors with the lowest CoQ10 levels had a much higher rate of recurrence than individuals with adequate to high levels of CoQ10 in their blood. Dosing for regular CoQ10 should be 200 mg per day, or if you prefer, the new bio-identical ubiquinol form of CoQ10 can be taken at 100 mg per day. Please remember also the benefits of a powerful, positive attitude and prayer. Best wishes to you.