Anyone Taking DCA / Dichloroacetate?

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joeyooser
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Joined: Thu Dec 17, 2009 6:43 pm

Anyone Taking DCA / Dichloroacetate?

Postby joeyooser » Tue Dec 22, 2009 4:32 pm

I haven't seen anyone mention it in my reading of this forum, but a lot of people are mentioning other things that may show some promise.

DCA / Dichloroacetate seems to have some effectiveness against a range of tumors. I am taking it on my 'off' week of folfox just as an extra 'kick' as I had 9 lymph nodes with poorly differentated cancer cells in them and have a high probability of recurrence.

http://www.ecancermedicalscience.com/ne ... itemId=161

http://www.thedcasite.com/ - very interesting site with a lot of personal stories on those who use DCA including some impressive remissions.

http://www.medicorcancer.com/dca-therapy.html - this is where i am getting my DCA from - it is an offlabel prescription and Dr Khan seems very nice. The drug is relatively cheap compared to most chemo drugs - and runs about $800/month from these guys.
Tim
Stage IIIc - 9/23 lymph nodes, poorly diff, 35yo father of 2.
Lap resection Jul 28 09 resulted in near-deadly leak
Finished chemo Feb '10; Takedown March '10;
Nov 2010 - carcinomatosis
May 2011 - Clinical Trial, failed out of trial, in hospice care

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justsing
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Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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Re: Anyone Taking DCA / Dichloroacetate?

Postby justsing » Tue Dec 22, 2009 5:48 pm

I just wanted to say that while I am not too excited about the stuff you are holding up for discussion, I appreciate that you have included sites both praising and condemning it.
justsing, 46
Stage IV
colon resection 12/07
Liver resection 04/08
Phase I vaccine trial
liver, lung LN mets
tried Oxi, Iri and Avastin
now trying new chemo combos then sir spheres
College prof in theatre & voice
2 girls 18 & 14, one son 10

robMXAA

Re: Anyone Taking DCA / Dichloroacetate?

Postby robMXAA » Tue Dec 22, 2009 8:23 pm

I Have been using DCA since May 21th. I was diagnosed with metastatic Colon cancer and had a biopsy on May 20th which confirmed it. My resection was in December of 2006 and I thought I was cured.

Since May I have had three CT scans. The first two showed large reductions in my lung and Hylar tumors, the third showed no change. I have no symptoms and feel fine, so far. I am changing the timing of my DCA to match that I was using when I was having better results. My CEA has gone from 8 to 6 to 6 to 13.

So far my oncologist (2) and primary doctor all are incredulous over my results. NO standard chemo so far. If DCA keeps working there will be none.

The only side affect I have had is peripheral neuropathy which goes up and down as I increase the dose of DCA or stop taking it. I have stopped taking it once for 8 weeks. I have been off it for 3 weeks now. I will start taking it about 12 days before my next CT scan, Feb 2, and expect good results.

I believe that DCA goes after cancer stem cells which cause the metastasis. I don't think the standard chemo does this and no matter what the results the cancer just comes back. My cost is about $1 a day when I am using DCA.

There are a number of trials using DCA.

University of Alberta on GBM and other cancers.
http://www.dca.med.ualberta.ca/Home/index.cfm

UCLA on DCA for breast cancer and NSCLC.
http://clinicaltrialsfeeds.org/clinical ... CT01029925

MIT has combined DCA with Cisplatin, a major cancer chemo, to make a new molecule Mitaplatin. The combo will work better than Cisplatin or DCA alone and at lower doses they hope. Seems to work in test they have done.
http://www.internetchemie.info/news/200 ... latin.html

So while DCA is an orphan drug it may not be for long.

I have just begun to take a small dose of Metformin which also kills cancer and cancer stem cells. Diabetics take Metformin and someone had data-mined for info on Diabetics. Seems they have fewer cancers and when they do get cancer, those taking Metformin, they have fewer relapses.

Taking Curcumin. The University of Michigan is testing Curcumin with Biopeperine since it seems also to kill cancer stem cells.

Thinking about taking LDN (Low Dose Naltrexone) may stimulate the immune system. Something else I am interested in.

Thinking about taking Ribavirin. A clinical trial at the University of Montreal found that they had full remissions with Leukemia. Ribavirin targets E4 which is expressed in colon cancer also. The researcher who led this trial told me that it should work for colon cancer also. Problem is it only works for 2-4 months.

Lots going on in colon cancer research.

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joeyooser
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Re: Anyone Taking DCA / Dichloroacetate?

Postby joeyooser » Tue Dec 22, 2009 9:18 pm

I've followed DCA for almost 3 years and never guessed I would need it myself so soon, and I think people should at least know about it as a potential weapon in the arsenal. Most people can probably decided for themselves if it makes any sense for them.
Tim
Stage IIIc - 9/23 lymph nodes, poorly diff, 35yo father of 2.
Lap resection Jul 28 09 resulted in near-deadly leak
Finished chemo Feb '10; Takedown March '10;
Nov 2010 - carcinomatosis
May 2011 - Clinical Trial, failed out of trial, in hospice care

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joeyooser
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Re: Anyone Taking DCA / Dichloroacetate?

Postby joeyooser » Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:05 am

robMXAA wrote:I Have been using DCA since May 21th.


Personally, I would recommend having standard treatment + DCA, which is what I am doing. I figure the one-two punch is better than just a single punch. It is encouraging to hear that you are getting some results with it - from the data I have gathered, CC responds better to DCA than some other cancers, but I personally want to throw everything at it.

Can I ask how you got the metformin? I have read about this too. Also where you got DCA. I know there are some really cheap places to get it, but it's hard to know if it's a quality chemical or a scam. I get it from Medicor in Canada and I have high confidence that it is legitimate and high-quality as they are a regulated medical facility and receive their DCA from a legitimate pharmacy in canada (also heavily government regulated). The medicor DCA is compounded into 500MG capsules so you know how much you're taking too, but it is quite expensive at around $7/pill.

I'll probably never know if DCA did anything for me as I am currently "Clean" and hope to stay that way.
Tim
Stage IIIc - 9/23 lymph nodes, poorly diff, 35yo father of 2.
Lap resection Jul 28 09 resulted in near-deadly leak
Finished chemo Feb '10; Takedown March '10;
Nov 2010 - carcinomatosis
May 2011 - Clinical Trial, failed out of trial, in hospice care

kuastoi
Posts: 17
Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2009 9:24 am

Re: Anyone Taking DCA / Dichloroacetate?

Postby kuastoi » Wed Dec 23, 2009 10:57 am

I am on the verge of taking DCA soon as well, would greatly appreciate any experience in getting the stuff - Medicor vs BUYDCA site vs other etc. Cost and ease of use issues are what is holding me up....plus I have some neuropathy from FOLFOX already.

I like the mechanism and target of DCA, and now it apears that bi pharma is too with the development DCA/cisplatinum combo - I suspect we'll see more development of patentable versions of drugs such as DCA, 3-bromopyruvate and even other more common or over the counter meds that have potential use (metformin, melatonin, the statins, anti-histamines, naltrexone etc.)

I am currently on low dose naltrexone, melatonin, red yeast rice (as source of natural statins), curcurmin and zantac based on what I have researched, potential benefit with very little risk or drawbacks...FOLFOX and FOLFIRI have done some good but I have not met NED yet and really would like to get to know him.

Any info and experience on DCA, its availablity, cost and ease of use would be greatly appreciated.

TK
Dx 3/6/9 Stage IV R Hemicolectomy 3/13/9
Kras WT, BRAF neg
12/38 nodes pos
Folfox x 9 then FOLFIRI due to neuropathy
on avastin till 7/10 then bowel perf
erbitux/FOLFIRI till 2/11 when CEA up
now on clinical trial

kuastoi
Posts: 17
Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2009 9:24 am

Re: Anyone Taking DCA / Dichloroacetate?

Postby kuastoi » Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:11 am

O yeah, what dose of DCA are people taking? Seems like 10 mg/kg is where I might go based on what I have read - but not sure.

I am also on artemisia (wormwood) a natural anti-malarial drug that attacks the use of iron by tumor cells.

TK
Dx 3/6/9 Stage IV R Hemicolectomy 3/13/9
Kras WT, BRAF neg
12/38 nodes pos
Folfox x 9 then FOLFIRI due to neuropathy
on avastin till 7/10 then bowel perf
erbitux/FOLFIRI till 2/11 when CEA up
now on clinical trial

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joeyooser
Posts: 1273
Joined: Thu Dec 17, 2009 6:43 pm

Re: Anyone Taking DCA / Dichloroacetate?

Postby joeyooser » Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:28 am

kuastoi wrote:O yeah, what dose of DCA are people taking? Seems like 10 mg/kg is where I might go based on what I have read - but not sure.


That's probably too low from what i have gathered. Medicor recommended 25 mg/kg for a me. Over the long term this might be unsustainable due to the neuropathy that can develop.
Tim
Stage IIIc - 9/23 lymph nodes, poorly diff, 35yo father of 2.
Lap resection Jul 28 09 resulted in near-deadly leak
Finished chemo Feb '10; Takedown March '10;
Nov 2010 - carcinomatosis
May 2011 - Clinical Trial, failed out of trial, in hospice care

jscho
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Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 10:01 am
Location: Toronto, Canada
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Re: Anyone Taking DCA / Dichloroacetate?

Postby jscho » Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:35 am

Is big pharma developing the DCA/platinum combination? I know Steve Lippard at MIT has been working on "mitaplatin", which is composed of two equivalents of DCA complexed to a cis-platin molecule, but I thought this was open academic research. Is he funded by pharma?

The attack on the metabolic pathways to restore natural cell death is very interesting, and should complement other standard chemotherapy routes.

Lippard is a very good inorganic chemist who was testing cold fusion back in my graduate days. It is interesting that he has moved in this direction. I think his recent article in PNAS is exciting.
Colon cancer dx Feb. 24, 2009, T3/N2/M0
Right Hemicolectomy Feb. 26, 2009
Stage 3C: 4/19 positive nodes
High grade adenocarcinoma with tumor budding
FOLFOX6 April 15 - Oct. 1, 2009
Elective sub-total colectomy July 3, 2012 due to 2 DALMs
Currently NED

kuastoi
Posts: 17
Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2009 9:24 am

Re: Anyone Taking DCA / Dichloroacetate?

Postby kuastoi » Wed Dec 23, 2009 12:12 pm

Don't know anything about the funding of this recently published study, but it is safe to say that DCA and other orphan (non-patentable) drugs will likely only be studied if there is a way to make them patentable and therefore "worth" funding (i.e money making products).

We have data on aspirin, metformin, cimetidine etc. because so many people take them for other reasons and have been involved in cancer treatment trails for other drugs, allowing reviews of these subsets at a later date.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could get Bill Gates' foundation or Lance or some other entity too fund research on these "cheep" non-profitable drugs?

I saw James Crick (the co-discoverer of DNA structure) on Charlie Rose recently, he is very convinced that the targeting of tumor cellular metabolism and nutrition are the next/biggest thing in cancer treatment, actually was to speak at a conference totally devoted to the energy of cancer in Spain (have not been able to find any published reports of the discussion so far).
Dx 3/6/9 Stage IV R Hemicolectomy 3/13/9
Kras WT, BRAF neg
12/38 nodes pos
Folfox x 9 then FOLFIRI due to neuropathy
on avastin till 7/10 then bowel perf
erbitux/FOLFIRI till 2/11 when CEA up
now on clinical trial


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