Sage Cancer Care

08/11/2020

I will be co-hosting a free plant-based cooking tutorial/workshop next week on Friday August 21st at 5:30pm via Zoom. We will be preparing a Lentil Salad that comes from our Meal Prepping for Lunches-On-The-Go Series geared towards people healing from cancer or in survivorship/thrivership (but is applicable for anyone else too!). This class has typically been taught in person but has been modified for an online platform.

The class is free and all you have to do to register is send an email of interest to drmarisasoski@gmail.com! The class is also open to others, so you are welcome to forward this post. Since we will not be meeting in person, it is recommended that you pick up the ingredients ahead of time so you can cook along, although this is not required.

05/20/2020

One of the hallmarks of solid tumors/cancers is a low oxygen cellular environment, scientifically called hypoxia. (Hypo = low, oxia = oxygen) Hypoxia typically causes cell death, such as in the case of a stroke or pulmonary embolism, but cancer cells have adapted to survive and thrive in these situations. Some of the concerning effects of hypoxia in relation to cancer include:
* Angiogenesis – the formation of new blood vessels to bring nutrients to the tumor
* Alterations in metabolism – increase in glucose utilization and upregulation of genes involved in cell survival
* Increase genetic instability – activate invasive growth and preserve the undifferentiated cell state
* Resistance to chemotherapy and radiation
* Promotes metastasis

Because of these concerns, oxygenation therapy can play a helpful role in overcoming a hypoxic cellular environment. One such therapy is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), which is the administration of 100% oxygen at higher than normal atmospheric pressure. HBOT treatments increase the amount of dissolved oxygen in the blood, therefore increasing oxygen delivery to the tumor environment and reducing hypoxia. These therapies are commonly used to treat traumatic brain injury patients and are continuing to gain popularity as an adjunctive cancer therapy. Some of the benefits it may provide include:
* Triggering of cellular pathways related to cell death
* Inhibition of cellular division
* Antiangiogenic effect (prevention of the formation of new blood vessels)
* Improved response to chemotherapy (data is preliminary)
* Improved response to radiation
* Improved healing post-radiation
* Recovery from brain damage
* Synergy with other natural therapies

HBOT is very safe and complications are extremely rare. There are several chemotherapies that may be contraindicated or at least need to be used with caution when combined with HBOT due to increased toxicity, including doxorubicin, bleomycin, disulfiram, cisplatin, and mafenide acetate. Additionally, proceed with caution or do not do HBOT if you have COPD or other lung condition. Other oxygen promoting activities and therapies include deep breathing, exercise, and yoga.

DOI 10.1007/s11523-012-0233-x

03/30/2020

Our resident will be hosting a webinar with Pink Lemonade Project on Nutrition Basics for Breast Cancer and Beyond this Thursday evening! Check it out!

Hi everyone!! This Thursday at 7pm the Pink Lemonade Project will be having me speak on Nutrition Basics for Breast Cancer and Beyond right from the comfort of my living room! This webinar is open to the public, please come check it out! And check out www.pinklemonadeproject.org to see how they are supporting breast cancer patients and survivors int he Portland Metro area! Message me if you have any questions.

To participate follow: HTTPS://ZOOM.US/J/986744602

Marisa Soski ND, MScN from Sage Cancer Care will be discussing nutrition recommendations for breast cancer and beyond! She will touch on general nutrition guidelines, appropriate nutrient intake, meal and snack prepping tips, discussion of popular anti-cancer diets, and a quick and easy shopping guide.

You can join the discussion from your computer, tablet or smart phone.

03/13/2020

Here is what we are doing to help prevent the spread of while still providing quality care to our patients!

03/13/2020

Medicinal mushrooms are a potent medicine that we recommend to many patients. These include mushrooms such as Lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum), Chaga (Inonotus obliquus), Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus), Turkey Tail (Trametes of Coriolus versicolor), Shiitake (Lentinula edodes), Maitake or Hen-of-the-Wood (Grifola frondosa), and more! These medicinal mushrooms have many anti-cancer actions including inhibition of many cancer promoting molecular pathways and boosting the immune system to help find and eliminate cancer cells.
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A randomized placebo-controlled study published a few years ago wanted to assess the use of Turkey Tail (Trametes of Coriolus versicolor) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma that were not good candidates for conventional therapy or had exhausted their conventional options. Researchers were interested in assessing the impact of Turkey Tail mushrooms on time until disease progression while on therapy, progression free survival, overall survival, quality of life, and toxicity. Treatment was given until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity occurred which was 5.9 weeks for the placebo group and 12.1 weeks for the mushroom group. Unfortunately, there was no difference in time to progression between the mushroom and placebo group. There was, however, a trend towards improvement in over-all and progression-free survival in the treatment arm. The most impressing result from this study was that there was significant improvements in quality of life in the mushrooms group, with subjects reporting better physical, emotional, cognitive and social functioning.
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This study helps solidify the role of medicinal mushrooms, specifically Coriolus versicolor, in cancer care!
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DOI: 10.1089/acm.2016.0136
DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2018.04.038
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02/19/2020

“In every walk in with nature one receives far more than he seeks” - John Muir
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I’m sure that you’ve heard that getting out into nature is good for you, but maybe you don’t know why? There are many, many reasons including lowering blood pressure and stress hormone levels, reducing nervous system arousal, enhanced immune system function, increased self-esteem, reduced anxiety, and improved mood. The research on this topic is continuing to grow everyday as researchers around the world discover more and more ways being in nature changes our physiology. The Japanese coined the term “Forest Bathing”, which is defined as making contact with and taking in the atmosphere of the forest, and are at the forefront of research into this topic.
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So how does this play a role in cancer care/healing? Researchers in Japan found that spending time in nature increased levels important components of the immune system, Natural Killer (NK) cells. NK cells help find and eliminate cancer cells in the body and are key to a properly functioning immune system! Therefore, spending time in nature can help your body fight cancer! How cool is that?!
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This doesn’t mean you have to drive to your closest forest (which may not be close at all) to gleam these benefits. These positive effects also happen when you spend time in any green space, including parks or simply sitting underneath a tree.
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DOI: 10.1177/03946320070200S202
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02/12/2020

In honor of Black History Month we will be highlighting some amazing individuals to contributed to the world of cancer care:
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Dr. Jane Cooke Wright aka Dr. Jane Jones: Dr. Wright was a pioneering cancer researcher and surgeon noted for her contributions to chemotherapy. In particular, Wright is credited with developing the technique of using human tissue culture rather than laboratory mice to test the effects of potential drugs on cancer cells. She also pioneered the use of the drug methotrexate to treat breast cancer and skin cancer (mycosis fungoids).
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Dr. Wright attended Smith College, originally wanting to pursue a degree in art, however her father suggested to change her studies to pre-medical studies. After her studies at Smith college, Jane earned a full scholarship to study medicine at New York Medical College. She graduated as a part of an accelerated three-year program at the top of her class in 1945 with the honors award. After graduating from medical school, Dr. Wright earned an internship at Bellevue Hospital during 1945 and 1946. In 1947, she married David D. Jones, Jr, an attorney. In 1949, she completed her surgical residency at Harlem Hospital in 1948.
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In 1949, Dr. Wright joined her father at the Cancer Research Foundation at Harlem hospital. During her time at the research institute, she and her father sparked an interest in chemotherapeutic agents. They were interested in making chemotherapy more accessible for everyone because in the 1940s chemotherapy was a new development, so it was not a well-known or well-practiced source for treatment because it was still in its experimental stage of drug development. Wright's research work involved studying the effects of various drugs on tumors, and she was the first to identify methotrexate, one of the foundational chemotherapy drugs, as an effective tool against cancerous tumors.
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There is much more to be said about Dr. Wright, but we hope this will do for now!
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02/11/2020

One of the awesome things about vegetables (besides the fact that they are delicious) is that many of them have anti-cancer properties. One of these amazing vegetables is ***drum roll please***….Broccoli!! (And not just broccoli but all brassicas including kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and more!)
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Broccoli contains multiple cancer-fighting nutrients and a group of them was just highlighted in a research paper published just last month: Molecular Mechanisms of the Anti-Cancer Effects of Isothiocyanates from Cruciferous Vegetables in Bladder Cancer. Now I know you are probably thinking “Isothio-whhhat??” But don’t worry, we’ll give you the highlights. Bladder cancer can be difficult to treat and the conventional treatment options are often very toxic so anything we can find from the natural world to help fight cancer and provide amazing nutrition for the rest of the body is a total win! Isothiocyanates include compounds such as Allyl, Benzyl, and Phenethyl Isothiocyanates and Sulforaphane.
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These Isothiocyanates are so amazing because they:
- Suppress pathways involved in cellular growth
- Promote healthy cell death
- Decrease inflammation
- Decrease cellular migration (and potential metastasis)
- Decrease blood vessel growth into the tumor
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So moral of the story…eat your broccoli!
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doi:10.3390/molecules25030575
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02/06/2020

In honor of Black History Month we will be highlighting some amazing individuals who contributed to the world of cancer care:
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Henrietta Lacks - There is not a single person who has utilized modern medicine that does not have Henrietta Lacks to thank. Her story, both incredible and tragic, highlights the clear mistreatment of people of color by the medical establishment. Henrietta had cervical cancer and was treated with early forms of radiation treatment which left her skin and other organs decimated. Furthermore, tissue samples were taken without her consent and used for research. Scientists at the time were trying to grow out human cancer cell lines that could be used to test the effect of various medications (such and chemotherapy and antibiotics) without much success. Then Henrietta’s “HeLa” cells hit the scene and grew so amazingly that they began contaminating other cell samples in labs in other rooms!
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HeLa cells have now been used to deepen our understanding of cellular function, create hundreds of medications, and make billions of dollars for the pharmaceutical industry. The tragic part about Henrietta’s story is that she very painfully died of metastatic cervical cancer and her family never saw a penny of the money made off her cells. So to Henrietta Lacks: Thank you for your invaluable contributions to medicine. May we learn from your story so that we treat all patients with the upmost dignity and respect, regardless of skin tone, sexual presentation or orientation, religious beliefs, or any other factor.
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02/06/2020

One of our favorite things to talk to patients about is the role of nutrition in cancer care, which has certainly changed over the years. For a long time, many oncologists thought that diet and nutrition did not matter and had no effect on a patient’s health or outcomes. This belief is starting to change as doctors begin to recognize the importance and role of a healthy diet. On the other side of the spectrum you have people like Chris Wark from Chris Beat Cancer who claim that diet and lifestyle changes alone can cure cancer. We believe the role of nutrition is somewhere in the middle, it is likely not a silver bullet for most people, but it can have a significant impact on overall health. .
When It comes to cancer, nutrition can play a big role in a number of areas such as:
* Helping the body heal from surgery
* Reducing toxicity from chemo and radiation
* Improving quality of life in categories such as energy, sleep, physical function, cognition, nausea, pain, appetite, and diarrhea/constipation
* Providing extra cancer fighting nutrients, vitamins, and minerals
* Changing the terrain of the body to help prevent recurrence .
The focus of conventional medicine with respect to cancer is the maintenance of body weight and BMI as this can significantly impact outcomes, but what if we took it a step further and focused not just on maintaining weight but incorporating healthy and cancer fighting foods? Stay tuned because later this week I’ll talk more about some awesome cancer fighting foods!! .

12/27/2019

From .oncology: Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a plant from the carrot family that you are likely familiar with if you have any significant history of cooking experience, as it is known for its strong flavor. In herbal medicine, fennel has a long history of use for digestive issues such as heartburn, gas and bloating, and loss of appetite. In 2015, a group of Chinese researchers decided to investigate this common digestive aid and whether it could potentially help patients with gynecological cancers recover from major surgery.
The study included 159 women, who were randomized to a tea group or a control group. The tea group drank two cups of fennel tea per day, beginning the day after surgery and continuing until the first flatus (i.e. passing gas). What the researchers found was that the addition of fennel tea in the post-surgical setting significantly improved multiple post-surgical outcomes. In addition, the control group was significantly more likely to have symptoms of ileus, a term referring to the lack of movement in the intestines, which can lead to intestinal obstruction. In summary, a cup of tea allowed women to leave the hospital and return home a full day earlier and significantly reduced their risk of complications. A cup of tea!
Fennel is generally considered a safe herb to take, but there are some notable cautions. First, due to estrogenic activity found in some of its components, a patient with a hormone receptor-positive cancer would be advised against taking fennel in large doses or over an extended period of time. Second, animal research suggests fennel in high doses may have some blood-thinning properties, so it would be best to avoid in the pre-surgical setting and in patients with bleeding disorders. Lastly, a patient who is allergic to celery, carrot, or mugwort should not take fennel. Despite these cautions, fennel tea appears to be an ideal post-surgical recommendation for patients undergoing surgery for gynecological cancers considering its simplicity, safety, affordability, and efficacy!
PMID: 26867333

12/21/2019

Practitioner Highlight Fridays! Every Friday for Nov-Dec we will be highlighting one of our amazing practitioners. Here is Kathleen King, LAc, PTA:
The attraction of the Cascade mountains and Pacific coastline lead Kathleen to Oregon over twenty years ago. It is here, in Portland, the she earned her master's degree in acupuncture and Chinese medicine from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine.
Kathleen has been working in the medical field since high school. Starting as a dental assistant for seven years and then receiving her Associates in Arts degree in physical therapy assisting. She has worked in a variety of medical settings and patient populations, including acute care, out-patient orthopedic and in-patient skilled rehabilitation. Navigating our modern medical institutions can be challenging and stressful. Kathleen strives to bridge Eastern and Western medical perspectives while understanding the value of a team approach to optimal wellness.
Physical therapy exercises and acupuncture complement each other to accelerate healing from soft tissue and skeletal injuries and build strength and resiliency to protect the body from unforeseeable stresses. Acupuncture, in particular, can bring balance, physical strength and awareness to your exercise routine and overall wellness. Kathleen brings her understanding and passion of both therapeutic approaches while specializing in pain management, chronic headaches, PMS and sports injuries with a strong focus on patient education.
When she isn't working, it is likely she is paddling her stand up paddle board on one of Oregon's pristine lakes or hiking on Mt. Hood or spending time in her community garden plot growing fresh vegetables. She is happy to call Portland her forever home and looks forward to offering her unique skill set to Sage Clinic.