I'm writing on behalf of my brother who was diagnosed one year ago with stage four prostate cancer metastasized to the bones. His oncologist initially started him on anti-androgens and radiation with some positive initial results.
In the past couple of months his numbers are going in the wrong direction and he recently found a new oncologist who claims he has a very aggressive form of prostate cancer that must be treated with a different kind of radiation therapy and aggressive chemotherapy. This doctor recently put him on Enzalutamide (two weeks now) and he's not sure whether it's making any difference yet.
My brother has been on a strict ketogenic diet since being diagnosed and has also used hyperbaric oxygen therapy intermittently and is now using it five days a week. He would like to try the full press-pulse strategy as described in the open access peer-reviewed publication by Seyfried et al -"Press-pulse: a novel therapeutic strategy for the metabolic management of cancer."
Our main question is has anyone on this site used the Seyfried press-pulse protocol? If so, do you have the name of a medical doctor in the United States who practices press-pulse?
Finally, if someone has used the Seyfried press-pulse protocol, what were the results, and most importantly, did you use DON (6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine) for the pulse, and if so, how did you get hold of DON in the U.S.?
Thank you in advance for any help/advice you can offer.
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4mybrother
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The Seyfried press-pulse metabolic strategy is a concept developed by Dr. Thomas Seyfried, a researcher known for his work on metabolic therapies and cancer treatment. This strategy focuses on manipulating metabolic processes to manage cancer growth and other health conditions. Here's a brief overview:
Press-Pulse Concept: The "press-pulse" strategy involves alternating periods of metabolic pressure with periods of metabolic relief. The "press" phase involves creating a metabolic environment that stresses cancer cells, while the "pulse" phase allows for recovery, ideally in a way that benefits healthy cells more than cancerous ones.
Metabolic Pressure: This can include dietary interventions such as a ketogenic diet, which shifts the body's metabolism from glucose-based to ketone-based energy. This change can stress cancer cells, which often rely heavily on glucose for energy.
Pulse: The pulse phase involves periodic relief or changes in metabolic pressure. For example, this might mean periodically reintroducing carbohydrates to allow healthy cells to recover while continuing to exert pressure on cancer cells during other phases.
Goal: The primary goal is to exploit the differences in metabolic processes between cancer cells and normal cells. Cancer cells are often more reliant on glucose and have different metabolic needs compared to normal cells. By manipulating these processes, the strategy aims to limit cancer cell growth while supporting normal cell function.
Clinical and Research Context: This strategy is still under research and investigation. While there is promising evidence suggesting metabolic therapies can be beneficial in cancer treatment, this approach should be considered as part of a broader treatment plan and discussed with healthcare professionals.
This strategy represents a shift from traditional cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation, focusing instead on the metabolic vulnerabilities of cancer cells.
Does Seyfried press-pulse metabolic strategy work for prostate cancer
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The Seyfried press-pulse metabolic strategy, which focuses on manipulating the metabolic environment to stress cancer cells while allowing healthy cells to recover, has shown promise in various types of cancer. However, its specific effectiveness for prostate cancer is still under investigation.
Here’s a summary of what we know about its potential application to prostate cancer:
Prostate Cancer Metabolism:
Prostate cancer cells, like many cancer types, can be highly dependent on glucose and have altered metabolic processes. This makes them potential targets for metabolic strategies that shift energy sources away from glucose.
Research Evidence:
There is some evidence suggesting that metabolic therapies, such as ketogenic diets, may be beneficial for prostate cancer. Studies have indicated that a ketogenic diet can impact prostate cancer growth and improve treatment outcomes, often when used in combination with other therapies.
Research into the press-pulse strategy specifically for prostate cancer is limited, but principles from metabolic therapy research support the idea that metabolic manipulation could affect prostate cancer cells.
Clinical Application:
While the press-pulse strategy is theoretically sound based on its general principles, specific clinical trials and studies on prostate cancer are needed to validate its efficacy and safety.
Integrating this approach into treatment plans should involve close consultation with oncologists and medical professionals who can tailor interventions to the individual patient’s condition and overall treatment strategy.
Current Status:
The press-pulse strategy is still under research, and its application to prostate cancer is part of ongoing studies. While preliminary results and theoretical models are promising, more evidence is needed to confirm its effectiveness in prostate cancer treatment.
In summary, while the press-pulse metabolic strategy shows potential and aligns with some principles of metabolic therapy that could impact prostate cancer, definitive clinical evidence and research are still required to fully understand its effectiveness for this type of cancer.
problem is, as far as I know, that prostate cancer is not strictly exogenous glucose dependent so I am not sure that diet would affect it, but in general yes, a metabolic shock could work
I am doing a fast mimicking diet for 5 days every 1-2 month and the principle is almost the same: healthy cells in fasting state “freeze” while cancer cells just keep on with their activity and they should be more exposed to chemo and also to other damage while duplicating
I am not doing it for strictly cancer related reasons but mainly for general health and the amazing mind sharpness that you get during that fasting. My Psa and other values are good but I am not sure it’s related to the diet and I have done it in conjunction with SOC which in my case is triplet therapy, quite aggressive therapy!
The problem with prostate cancer is that for most of its life cycle it depends on fats, not glucose, for energy. So that strategy might cause it to be more aggressive, not less aggressive.
I usually don't read others' replies -- not enough time in the day. I'm sure j-o-h-n is trying to be helpful. I think believes the hype about AI, not realizing that it is often wrong and how much misinformation he is putting out there.
Agree with Tal_Allen. Prostate cancer (including metastatic) is different to most cancers in that it doesn't primarly feed on glucose - it feeds primarily on fats. This is why the PSMA PET is used for prostate cancer tracking rather than a standard PET scan, which monitors glucose uptake by cancer cells. This means a ketogenic diet can have the opposite intended effect and in fact feed the cancer, especially if meat consumption is high. The challenge is that at some point it moves to feeding of glucose more. I've read/watched that this is normally when the patient becomes hormone resistant, but have not found any studies/research to back this up. Please bear in mind that I'm just an amateur reading up in order to work out how to get through my own situation (similar to many on here), but it might help to read up on prostate cancer diet recommendation specifically (and not cancer in general). I realise this isn't a response to your original pulse/press question, but please do look into your brother's diet choices. Good luck.
The following does not fully answer your question, but here goes:
There is a very good Youtube video where Dr. Geo Espinosa interviews Tom Seyfried, focusing specifically on prostate cancer metabolism: youtube.com/watch?v=7juLmFS...
Also, search YouTube videos for "Travis Christofferson" - this may give you some leads to clinicians that practice press-pulse.
Hope this helps, and best wishes to you and your brother.
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