The Targeted Gene Therapy Cocktail to Cure Brain Cancer
On the first day we were at the Burzynski Clinic – they did a test on my Mom’s blood to see what type of genetic markers she had (oncogenes). Their goal with Plan A is to wipe out the tumor cells that make up my Mom’s brain cancer based on her specific genetic markers.
They started her that very same day on Sodium Phenylbutyrate. Sodium phenylbutyrate (Buphenyl) taken orally is metabolized in the liver into a combination of phenylacetylglutamine and phenylacetate, which then enter the bloodstream. Those two chemicals are the prime ingredients of antineoplaston AS2-1. Sodium phenylbutyrate was given an orphan drug designation by the FDA for use as an adjunct to surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy for treatment of patients with primary or recurrent malignant glioma. According to Dr. Burzynski, when the body does not have enough antineoplastons, cells that begin to develop abnormally are not corrected, and tumors form and grow. Antineoplaston therapy supplies the body with the substances needed to correct the abnormal development of the cell and allow it to develop normally or to die a natural cell death, while healthy cells are not affected.
The second day she started on a targeted therapy to block specific enzymes and growth factor receptors involved in cancer cell proliferation. The drugs in this group are also called signal transduction inhibitors. She was given Erlotinib (Tarceva®). It is currently approved to treat metastatic non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer that cannot be removed by surgery or has metastasized. This small-molecule drug inhibits the tyrosine kinase activity of EGFR. They use this off label to treat my Mom’s brain cancer.
The third day she started on a targeted therapy to block the growth of blood vessels to tumors (angiogenesis). To grow beyond a certain size, tumors must obtain a blood supply to get the oxygen and nutrients needed for continued growth. Treatments that interfere with angiogenesis may block tumor growth. She was given Pazopanib (Votrient®). This is currently approved for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. Pazopanib is a small-molecule inhibitor of several tyrosine kinases, including VEGF receptors, c-kit, and platelet-derived growth factor receptor.
The fourth day they start her on another targeted therapy that also block specific enzymes and growth factor receptors involved in cancer cell proliferation. These drugs are also called signal transduction inhibitors. She is being given Everolimus (Afinitor®). This is approved to treat patients with advanced kidney cancer whose disease has progressed after treatment with other therapies, patients with subependymal giant cell astrocytoma who also have tuberous sclerosis and are unable to have surgery, or patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors that cannot be removed by surgery, are locally advanced, or have metastasized. This small-molecule drug binds to a protein called immunophilin FK binding protein-12, forming a complex that in turn binds to and inhibits the mTOR kinase.
And the story continues…….
