Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer is the most common cancer of the
urinary tract. It usually strikes mature men who have been exposed to cigarette smoke and/ or industrial carcinogens.
Possible symptoms include blood in the urine, along with
frequent, painful, and/ or urgent urination.
Up to 45 percent of all bladder cancers occur among
smokers. Other possible causes and risk factors for this
disease include a history of working in the cigarette,
rubber, or dye industries, which can lead to contact with the
chemical 2-napthylamine; the use of cyclophosphamide
(Cytoxan), a medication used to treat other forms of cancer;
radiation therapy for cervical cancer; excess consumption of
painkillers containing acetaminophen (the active
ingredient in Tylenol); and recurrent bouts of kidney stones
or urinary tract infections. Bladder cancer tends to spread to
nearby organs, such as the colon, and the pelvic bones.
The current understanding of bladder cancer is that it
develops through at least a two-stage process at the cellular level. In the first stage, a cancer-causing agent destroys
part of a gene known as gene p16. Damage to p16 causes
no changes to the outside of the cell, so the immune system
continues to treat it as if it were genetically healthy. The
damage to the DNA within the cell, however, induces
the cell to make copies of itself, far in excess of the numbers
needed to replace it.
The body has a second line of defense against genetic damage, gene p53. This
gene serves as a "molecular patrolman" by making sure that defective cells do
not multiply. However, gene p53 can also be damaged. Compromising p53, in the
absence of other kinds of signals to the immune system, leaves the cancer cells free to multiply and spread.
In addition, bladder cancers pick up hormonal signals to
grow and multiply, especially from estrogen, the primary
female sex hormone. (Men's bodies also produce estrogen,
but in smaller amounts.) Fortunately, estrogen's effects
occur slowly, so bladder cancer often produces visible
symptoms that can be caught in time for effective medical
treatment.
The mainstay of medical treatment for bladder cancer,
besides surgery, is the chemotherapy medication cisplatin (Platinol)
and its variations, along with other medications. Some treatment
regimens include immunotherapy, which gives
concentrated amounts of synthetic versions of the chemicals the
body uses to coordinate its immune defense.
Herbal treatments for bladder cancer are most effective
when used in the context of conventional medical
treatment. Since different herbs act on different phases of the
disease process, you should consult with a knowledgeable
herbalist who has experience in cancer care if you have
questions about the use of herbs in your case.
Supplements and herbs
- Astragalus capsules. Take 500-1,000 mg 3 times daily.
Activates p53, stimulates production of Iymphokine-activated killer (LAK) immune cells.
Do not use astragalus if you have a fever or a skin infection.
- Cat's claw tincture. Take the dose recommended on the label in 1/2 cup water with 1 tsp
lemon juice.
Raises white blood cell counts lowered by chemotherapy.
Do not use cat's claw if you have type 1 diabetes. Do not use it if you are pregnant or
nursing. Do not give it to a child under age six
- Garlic enteric-coated tablets. Take at least 900 mg daily.
Reduces tumor size. A possible complement to immunotherapy.
Garlic counteracts the effects of bifidus and lactobacillus cultures taken as digestive aids.
Consult a doctor before using garlic on a regular basis if you are on an anticoagulant medication
such as waliarin (Coumadin). Discuss the use of garlic with your doctor before having any
type of surgery.
- Green tea capsules or tea. Use as directed on the label.
Has cancer-fighting properties and may cut off blood vessels that feed cancerous tumors.
- Maitake - Maitake-D. Take 2,000 mg 3 times daily, before meals.
Reduces recurrence rate alter surgery.
- Ouercetin tablets. Take 125-250 mg 3 times daily, between meals.
Slows the growth of estrogen-activated cancers.
Do not use quercetin if you are taking cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune) or nifedipine
(Adalat, Procardia).
- Red wine catechins Resveratrol tablets. Take 125-250 mg 3 times daily between meals.
Retards cellular processes that cause tumor development and growth.
- Siberian ginseng pure EIeutherococcus senticosus extract. Take the dose
recommended on the label in 1/4 cup water.
Stimulates the immune system. Slows the growth rate of bladder cancer cells.
Do not use Siberian ginseng if you have prostate cancer or an autoimmune disease such as
lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
HERBS TO AVOID
People who have bladder cancer should avoid raw
shiitake mushrooms. Cooked shiitake does not pose a
problem. People with bladder cancer should also avoid herbs
that increase estrogen production: cordyceps,
dan shen,
fennel,
licorice, and
peony.
What else you can do
- To prevent bladder cancer from recurring, eat one to
two servings of cruciferous vegetables every day, such as
broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, radishes,
turnips, and turnip greens. A recent study of 47,909 men
found that eating broccoli and cabbage on a regular basis
(five or more servings per week) significantly reduces the
risk of bladder cancer.
- Reduce your consumption of charcoal-grilled meats
and fish. These foods contain heterocyclic amines (HCA),
which are linked to bladder cancer. HCAs are formed from
creatine, a protein that is destroyed by microwave
cooking. Therefore, if you must eat charcoal-grilled meats or
fish, microwave the meat for one minute before grilling. Or
marinate the meat for at least three to four hours in
sour cherry juice-researchers at Michigan State
University have found that adding cherries to hamburger meat
retards spoilage and largely eliminates the formation of
HCA during grilling. Cherry burgers, which consist of
ground beef mixed with a small amount of sour cherry
pulp, are available in some stores (they do not taste like cherries).
- Drink more fluids, especially water. Do not drink tap
water, due to high levels of radium found in public water.
Instead use spring or steam-distilled water. Drinking more
fluids-at least eleven glasses versus five glasses or
less of any beverage has been shown to reduce the risk of
bladder cancer in men by half, with water having the greatest
effect. Cutting risk is an important consideration because
bladder cancer has a higher rate of recurrence than other cancers.
- When possible, take showers instead of baths.
- Do not smoke or use smokeless tobacco.
- Cook with stainless-steel or glass cookware and wooden
utensils. Other forms of cookware and utensils, such as
plastic- and teflon-coated pots and pans, have particles that
can break off and get in the food.
- If you take vitamin C, do not use it in the form of
sodium ascorbate. This form can cause a flare-up of
symptoms. Natural vitamin C, such as acerola, does not have
this effect.
- Testing for bladder cancer has traditionally required
cytoscopy, a procedure that requires sending a probe into
the bladder through the urethra. This cumbersome and
uncomfortable method does not catch early-stage tumors.
There is now an at-home urine test, BTA stat, for detection
of early-stage bladder cancer. This test is available by
prescription only.
- Extremely low cholesterol levels have been associated
with an increased risk of dying from cancer. This may be
due to the polyunsaturated fats that people with low
cholesterol levels tend to eat more of.
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