Results of Integrative Breast Cancer Treatment Program Announced 12-Year Study Shows Doubling of Life Expectancy

The Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment has published survival data for a group of 90 advanced metastatic breast cancer patients. The women, diagnosed before 1998, participated in a comprehensive clinical program that combined conventional treatments--surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation--with individualized nutrition and supplementation, as well as fitness and mind-spirit regimens.

Evanston, IL. (PRWEB) June 17, 2009 -- The Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment has published survival data for a group of 90 advanced metastatic breast cancer patients. The women, diagnosed before 1998, participated in a comprehensive clinical program that combined conventional treatments--surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation--with individualized nutrition and supplementation, as well as fitness and mind-spirit regimens.

The electronic version of the article, which will appear in the July/August issue of The Breast Journal, was published online May 12, 2009

Through the 1990s, median survival reported in metastatic breast cancer trials or observations generally ranged from 12 to 24 months. Median survival for Block Center consecutive case series patients was 38 months, and their five-year survival was 27%, versus 17% for comparison patients. Published literature on populations with somewhat more favorable prognostic factors treated in conventional clinics showed median survivals of 20 to 23 months. Statistical analyses were performed by faculty at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

"Our statistics were derived from our community based patient population," said Dr. Keith I. Block, medical and science director of the Block Center. "While our group was comparable on major prognostic factors, we had a higher proportion of relapsed and younger patients (the median age at onset of metastasis was 46 years) than the comparison patients, which usually means a poorer prognosis. One would have expected worse survival rates, but that is the opposite of what we saw."

Survival of metastatic breast cancer patients at the Block Center was approximately double that of comparison populations, and possibly even higher compared to several randomized trials published during this period. It would appear that the advantage relative to just conventional treatment alone, stems from the individually-tailored nutritional, nutraceutical, exercise and psychosocial interventions in the Center's program.

In addition to age and occurrence of relapses several other factors, not typically assessed in conventional settings, can impact survival in breast cancer patients, among them: body weight, psychosocial distress with elevated catecholamines, cortisol, inflammatory and oxidative mediators, diet and physical activity. Randomized trials of single-agent therapies or one-dimensional interventions appear inadequate to address this complexity, and there is a need for new clinical models to research and test whole systems interventions, such as the integrative care program at the Block Center

"This is the first time that treatment outcomes using integrative cancer therapy for this disease have been documented," Dr. Block said. "The survival times for our population were substantially higher than for patients who received conventional treatment alone. It's my hope that these encouraging survival data will stimulate further research on integrative approaches to cancer treatment."

The Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment, located in Evanston, Illinois, was founded in 1980 by Penny and Keith Block, MD. The Center's research-based treatment integrates an innovative approach to the best of conventional medicine with scientifically sound complementary therapies -- therapeutic nutrition, botanical and phytonutrient supplementation, prescriptive exercise, and systematic mind-body strategies, to enhance the recovery process. Block has pioneered this "middle ground" approach to cancer care and optimal health. The Block Center is currently the only private North American medical center using chronomodulated chemotherapy. Dr. Block is a member of the National Cancer Institute's PDQ Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Editorial Board in Bethesda, MD, and Director of Integrative Medical Education at the College of Medicine at the University of Illinois, Chicago. The Block Center is a full treatment clinic, is a member of the MD Anderson Cancer Center Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP), and is also engaged in clinical cancer research with the University of Illinois and other university facilities in the United States (www.blockmd.com).

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