Cancer. Integrative Oncology

The potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action of apigenin are an important reason for its probable preventive effects and treatment against cancer. apigenin can inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis or programmed cell death in cancer cells. n doing so, apigenin can effectively inhibit tumor growth and progression.

In recent years, clinical trials and observational studies on the benefits of metformin on different types of cancer have proliferated. In 2023, 71 scientific articles have been published on the use of metformin in the treatment of cancer. Glucose is the main source of energy for tumor cells, moreover, they need large amounts of glucose to cover their rapid growth. 

Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the United States, has shown that acupuncture treatment enabled chemotherapy-treated patients with symptoms of peripheral neuropathy to complete their chemotherapy cycles without progression of the neuropathy. Hammersmith Hospital in London has shown that Chinese herbal formulas used in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy improve the speed of sensory nerve conductivity.

The green tea contains large amounts of the catechin: epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG. There are several mechanisms involved in the therapeutic action of EGCG in cancer. Green tea EGCG has pro-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, cell cycle modulating, angiogenesis inhibitory properties and induces apoptosis or cell death.

Mary thistle has properties for the treatment of cancer, due to its high content of silibinin, with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and liver-protective action. Silibinin from milk thistle has also shown inhibition of colon cancer tumor stem cells and the ability to iinhibit non-small cell lung cancer metastases.

The ketogenic diet consists of high fat and low carbohydrate intake, with the aim of stimulating the formation of ketone bodies. Studies have shown its effectiveness in treating children with epilepsy and could help in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. These studies have highlighted the role of the ketogenic diet  in the treatment of brain tumors, especially in glioblastoma multiforme.