cancer and breastmilk

[Ktwirls]

Breastmilk has been prescribed for adults and children with cancer to help with immune system and when they can't tolerate eating well. Prior to this I taught breastfeeding classes at the hospital and did home visits to new moms. I was so upset knowing I had to wean my baby to start treatment but I have been overwhelmed by the donations of breastmilk for my baby. He has had donated breastmilk since he was 9mths and still getting it now at 14 mths. With my others I nursed for 2 yrs and hope to get there with this one with the donated milk since World Health Org. says 2 yrs. I have thought about drinking some but didn't know what dose would be good to have results and be helpful so I just give it all to my baby since there is lots of studies on how great breastmilk is and continues to be for toddlers and especially during the winter months to keep him healthy so I don't get sick since I am at more risk.

I would agree with the no cows milk and but breastmilk is VERY different and designed for humans and has great healing properties. (Though I am not sayign to heal cancer as is without being modefied.) Just that it is not a hurtful thing to do from the info I have gotten at various conferences sessions I have been to and also antedotal stories I have gotten from other lactation consultants.

[minolfa]

article for those interested in the topic.....
myrta


Qualitative Analysis of Cancer Patients' Experiences Using Donated Human Milk
Susanne M. Rough, MS, RD
Kaiser Permanente, Santa Clara, California, ragbiter@att.net
Pauline Sakamoto, MS, PHN, RN
Mother's Milk Bank at Valley Medical Center, San Jose, California
Caroline H. Fee, MA
Department of Nutrition and Food Science at San Jose State University
Clarie B. Hollenbeck, PhD
Department of Nutrition and Food Science at San Jose State University
Abstract
This represents the first published account from the patient's perspective of the use of human milk as cancer therapy. Purposive sampling was used to select a sample of 10 participants. Five were patients and 5 were family proxies. Individual interviews were conducted using confirmatory interviewing technique to obtain individual perspectives on the motivation for cancer patients to take donated human milk. Human milk therapy improved the quality of life (QOL) measures in the physical, psychological, and spiritual domains for most patients interviewed. The patients continued their use of human milk despite cost, taste, and discouragement from the conventional medical community. The study results support the theory that QOL may be more important to cancer patients than cancer outcomes and may improve patient medical care overall. These interviews offer information to cancer patients, their practitioners, and donor milk banks on outcomes and symptom relief from this therapy. J Hum Lact. 25(2):211-219

[minolfa]

another article....the anti-cancer agent is alpha lactalbumin combined with oleic acid...myrta



Human trials have shown HAMLET can kill bladder cancer and laboratory tests have found it kills 40 different types of cancer.

But crucially, the chemical does not kill healthy cells which means it does not cause the nasty side effects of current chemotherapy treatments.

Assistant Professor Roger Karlsson, of the University of Gothenburg, said the discovery added to the debate over whether breast feeding or bottle feeding was best for babies.

"HAMLET is produced by combining alpha-lactalbumin in the milk and oleic acid which is found in babies' stomachs," he said.

"So breast feeding has been linked to actually reducing the risk of cancer in babies."

Prof Karlsson said tests had shown that HAMLET attacks the "power plant" of cancer cells.

"HAMLET also triggers some of the cell´s apoptotic pathways – apoptosis is programmed cell death," he said.

Human trials on male bladder cancers sufferers showed tumours were reduced without painful side effects within just five days of treatment.

Prof Karlsson said: "A pilot study of bladder cancer patients were injected with a HAMLET solution through a catheter.

"The solution killed cancer cells and the size of the tumours actually reduced within five days."

But Prof Karlsson said the treatment was limited because it had to be injected in the exact site of the cancer cells.

"It could also work if doctors were able to inject the solution into the vein which carries blood directly to the site of the cancer," he said.

A simple pill or liquid solution would just be "metabolised" by the body as normal food, he added.

Prof Karlsson said the treatment would be ideal as a complement to current chemotherapies.

He said scientists discovered the HAMLET by accident when they investigating the health benefits of breast milk.

"They were actually looking for antibiotic powers in breast milk when they came across HAMLET and found in one of their tests that it killed cancer cells," he said.

The researchers are hoping to being human clinical trials as soon as possible.

The findings were published in the journal Public Library Of Science One.