Medicor accepts patients for DCA therapy

12 September 2007

We would like to thank everyone who has expressed an interest in our DCA therapy. Due to the large number of inquiries, we will be updating this page regularly so we can share our latest information. Medicor Cancer Centres is the first cancer clinic in Canada to begin prescribing DCA “off label” to cancer patients under the full supervision of a medical team. We have made relevant regulatory bodies aware of our DCA therapy practices and we are abiding by their relevant guidelines and policies. We would like to acknowledge and extend a special thanks to two of our patients who brought DCA to our attention, and motivated us to begin DCA treatments.

Latest DCA Update from Medicor (Sept 5, 2007)

We have now treated over 35 cancer patients with DCA. Our experience has shown a positive response in 60-70% of our patients. The positive responses range from improvement in symptoms like weight gain, pain relief, and better appetite to measured tumour shrinkage and/or reduction in tumour markers.

We have used DCA to treat patients with the following cancers:

Adenocarcinoma, primary unknown

Breast (invasive ductal carcinoma)

Breast (“inflammatory” ductal carcinoma)

Brain (malignant astrocytoma/glioblastoma multiforme)

Brain (rhabdoid tumour)

Cervix

Colon (adenocarcinoma)

Lung (non-small cell carcinoma)

Lung (pleural mesothelioma)

Lymphoma (non-Hodgkins)

Ovary (adenocarcinoma)

Pancreas (adenocarcinoma)

Pharynx (squamous cell carcinoma)

Prostate (adenocarcinoma)

Small cell carcinoma, primary unknown

Stomach (adenocarcinoma)

The positive responses were seen in patients with different types of cancers, and with our limited numbers it is hard to conclude if certain types of cancers respond better to DCA than others. It appears that response to DCA is individual, just like response to chemotherapy. It also appears that cancers other than breast, lung and brain (as originally reported in the Cancer Cell study) respond to DCA. We are also finding that the response to DCA depends on the dose. Low dose DCA (< 15mg/kg/day) has a low probability of a positive response. Patients receiving higher doses are showing much better responses.

Higher dose DCA treatment is limited by side effects of the medication. We have discovered that cyclic therapy (much like chemo is given) is effective, and minimizes adverse effects. We are presently treating patients with a regimen of 1-3 weeks on followed by 1 week off. This regimen is adjusted to suit each individual patient by our physicians. All of our patients understand that there is no guarantee that DCA will work for their cancer or what the long term effects of DCA may be.

Due to the complexity of DCA treatment, we strongly recommend patients to be treated under the supervision of an expert medical team (family physician/oncologist /naturopathic doctor). Exciting news about DCA and chemotherapy: Until now, there has been no scientific evidence to support the use of DCA along with chemotherapy.

For the first time in North America, Medicor and ORT Inc. are now conducting ChemoFit tests with DCA and chemo combined! What this means is eligible patients can have a sample of their own tumor analyzed to see if combinations of DCA and chemo will work, and if they will work better than chemo or DCA alone Click here to see a sample ChemoFit test report with DCA. The accuracy of the ChemoFit test ranges from 85-99%.

We have already had some exciting results showing that DCA can, in some cases, dramatically enhance the cancer-killing effects of chemo. However, there is a possibility that DCA can antagonize chemo as well. This is similar to single agent chemo being better than combination chemo for some patients.

If you are a patient who is thinking of combining DCA and chemotherapy, we recommend you review our ChemoFit page, and discuss the test with your oncologist. We also have more detailed information for physicians here.

Malignant ascites fluid samples and malignant pleural effusion samples can now be tested with ChemoFit, eliminating the need for a biopsy in some patients.

DCA background

DCA (dichloroacetate) is a drug that was recently found to induce the death of human breast, lung and brain cancer cells that were implanted into rats, while being non-toxic to healthy cells. This research was published in Cancer Cell, 11, 37–51, January 2007. DCA has been found to kill cancer cells by a newly discovered mechanism that appears to be common to several types of cancer. No formal research has yet been done to determine if it will work on cancer within the human body.

Is DCA safe?

DCA has been used in humans to treat a rare disease called “congenital lactic acidosis”, and found to have some mild to moderate side effects. Our experience so far suggests that DCA is fairly safe to use in cancer patients under close medical supervision.

Some animal studies show that DCA can itself cause liver cancer. These studies used doses which are over 1000 times higher than what would be prescribed for cancer treatment.

Our experience suggests that DCA has 2 main categories of side effects:

Neurological: Temporary nerve injury in the hands and feet (“peripheral neuropathy”). Neuropathy typically takes several months to develop, and treatable if it occurs. We use Vitamin B1 to prevent peripheral neuropathy. Sedation, confusion, hallucinations, memory problems, hand tremors. These side effects are dose-dependent. We use R+ alpha lipoic acid to prevent/reduce these side effects.

Gastrointestinal: Heartburn, nausea, vomiting, indigestion. We routinely prescribe a proton pump inhibitor (e.g. pantoprazole) to prevent the gastrointestinal side effects of DCA, and have found this to be extremely effective. Some patients also experience pain at the sites of their tumour(s) within the first few days of starting DCA. This may be an indicator of the effectiveness of DCA.

Most side effects reported so far have been mild or moderate. Patients experiencing moderate side effects are usually taken off DCA as a precaution. Side effects typically resolve within a short time after stopping DCA.

All Medicor patients who receive DCA will be closely monitored by our physicians for drug side effects with routine check-ups, comprehensive lab tests, and imaging studies. We take into account our patients’ general condition, other medications, past medical history, and concurrent health problems.

Isn’t it better to wait for a DCA clinical trial?

Medicor believes that is essential for clinical trials to be conducted to prove how well DCA works as a cancer treatment. DCA is different than other “new” drugs, because it has already been used for decades in humans, and has a relatively safe profile. This means that the clinical trials will take less time, but it can still take years. Many cancer patients cannot wait this length of time. Also, we are aware of many patients who are currently self-medicating with DCA. In order to assist cancer patients to receive DCA treatment in the safest possible way, we are offering DCA “off label” as a cancer treatment under full medical supervision. We respect the patient’s right to choose their treatment once they know all the potential risks and benefits. All of our DCA patients understand that DCA is not yet scientifically proven as a cancer treatment. We are hopeful that information obtained from our experiences with DCA will supplement clinical trials, and help patients and the medical community.

Is it available?

Yes. We obtain certified pharmaceutical grade DCA from a reputable multi-national chemical company for our patients. Our DCA is manufactured under strict regulations in USA. We have clearance from all the relevant Federal and Provincial regulatory bodies to obtain and dispense DCA. It is compounded into capsules for us by a licensed pharmacist, and usually dispensed from our pharmacy to our patients biweekly. DCA can only be dispensed to patients who attend our clinic and come under the care of our medical team. DCA patients are not required to subscribe to our private care services.

What is the cost?

The cost of DCA treatment at Medicor is about $150 per week depending on the dose. During the course of treatment, all medically-necessary doctor’s visits, blood tests and imaging are provided/arranged at no cost, provided you have a valid Health Card from Ontario, or any province (except Quebec). We will advise you when you begin treatment of the supplements that are recommended, and where they may be obtained. These are available over-the-counter at various pharmacies in Toronto.

What is the duration of treatment?

In order to determine if DCA is effective in treating your cancer, we recommend at least one month of treatment. If your cancer responds to the drug, therapy may continue indefinitely. If you experience significant side effects, treatment will be stopped and may be restarted later.

I don’t live near Toronto, can I still be treated?

Yes, you can come to our clinic to be evaluated, and begin treatment. After that, you may return home to continue treatment as needed with your family doctor or oncologist.

How do I become a Medicor DCA patient?

We are accepting patients with a documented diagnosis of cancer (any type) preferably who have:

     a) failed conventional, scientifically proven treatments, or

     b) been told by their doctor that there is no effective treatment for their cancer.

Please obtain your Pathology Report (confirming the diagnosis of cancer) immediately if you wish to receive DCA. If you do not have a Pathology Report (you did not have a biopsy), we require your specialist’s notes confirming the diagnosis of cancer. A valid Health Card from Ontario or any province (except Quebec) is required. Patients are only required to pay for the medication, as it is not covered by Ontario Drug Benefits. For patients without a valid Health Card, please contact us to discuss treatment costs. Please note that the Ontario College of Pharmacists requires the use of pharmaceutical grade DCA. Therefore, we are presently treating patients using our own verified source of compounded pharmaceutical grade DCA capsules. Patients wishing to bring their own DCA regrettably cannot be treated.

You can call us at (416) 227-0037 or email us at info@... to make an appointment to discuss your individual case

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Source Medicors Cancer Center