Dr. Weeks’ Comment: Once again today, I am feeling perilously close to despondent. Why? Because a client with severe, stage 4 cancer sent her lab test results to me in my educational and advocacy role at Alternative Health Advocates in order for me to consult with her oncologist. The goal was for me to help the oncologist do more than just try and kill cancer. We wanted the oncologist to also try and enhance the heath of the lady. The revolution in cancer care now involves minimizing cytotoxic chemo and radiation therapy and instead incorporating onco-immunology in order to enhance the immune function of the patient. Increasingly, oncologists are now acknowledging the importance of offering safe and effective anti-inflammatory agents since cancer is understood to spread by inflammation! Well, the oncologist and I had a very, very productive (and very, very long!) discussion and all parties are optimistic now. So, why am I close to feeling despondent? Because once again, an innocent and trusting person with cancer was treated for over a year with the standard of care, getting worse all the time, and never ONCE in the entire course of treatment did any oncologist think to draw a blood test for vitamin D3 level? Why is that a big deal? Just review any of the 4324 peer-reviewed scientific articles at the national library of medicine “PUBMED” which declare that low vitamin D3 levels are a significant risk factor for developing cancer (of all kinds) and that increasing vitamin D3 levels is associated with improved survival. And yet, once again, a poor patient never had her blood level of life-saving, cancer killing vitamin D3 taken… until now. Such a simple test. Yet so rarely done.
TESTING FOR PEOPLE WITH CANCER
With your doctors, please consider the merits of doing these important tests which will help determine your level of inflammation (remember cancer spreads via inflammation), your cancer-related hormone balances and your nutrient inventory (the well-nourished person survives and thrives better than the nutrient-depleted person). Knowing this information will help your doctor to enhance your health while he or she is targeting your cancer.
Important Endocrine Markers
25-OH D3 (serum vitamin D3)
serum cortisol
plasma iodine
DHEA-sulfate
HA1c
TSH, free T3 free T4
Testosterone total, free, weakly bound and SHBG (not just the total testosterone)
Important Inflammatory Markers and Cytokines
Hs-CRP – high sensitivity C – reactive protein
ESR – Erythrocyte sedimentation Rate
Fibrinogen
Ferritin
CEC – circulating endothelial cells
CEA – carcino-embryonic antigen
INFa – Interferon Alpha
TNF alpha – Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha
Important Immune Markers
Natural Killer (NK) cell function
(this is measured in lytic units …note: don’t test the # of NK cells)
IL-1B, IL-6, IL-8 Interleukins 1beta, Interleukin 6 and 8
Th1-Th2 Panel: Th1 cytokines (IL-2, IFN-y, TNF-a)
Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-10)
Important Nutrient Assessment
Micronutrient Panel see https://www.spectracell.com/clinicians/products/mnt/
If you wish to consult with Dr. Weeks in his educational and advocacy role, you are most welcome to call Alternative Health Advocates at 360-341-2303 to request the intake forms and to schedule a consultation.