C-REACTIVE PROTEIN, HOMOCYSTEINE, D-DIMER, FIBRINOGEN, AND LDH (Five critical frontline tests for the Cancer patient) by Harry Chrissakis Herbalist, M.H. Narural HealingHERBALIST AND HERBSThese tests are so basic that they should be part of any front line testing and not just limited to cancer patients. However, cancer patients would be a good place to start. These five tests are markers of systemic inflammation, hyper-coagulation, and P.H. in general. They can also be used as part of a program to follow cancer progression or regression as well as information that can decide which Chemo agent is best suited for the person. These 3 things (Inflammation, Hyper-coagulation and altered, acidic P.H.) are near and dear to cancer progression. They are also markers that are commonly skewed due to the pressures of modern life and general poor diet. One of the more important reasons for running these tests on cancer patients is because most chemo agents induce both inflammation and thickening of the blood. This could be a life threatening event if these chemo agents are given to patients with pre-existing elevated numbers in these 3 areas. As simple as these tests are to get, they are rarely done before the administration of chemo. C-Reactive Protein: This nonspecific marker of inflammation is important as a monitor of general vascular inflammation. Right now C-Reactive is limit in its application (for heart disease or stroke only). This is good, it is just not wide enough. The progression of cancer is dependent upon inflammation and anything that can give us more of a window into the behavior of cancer is of value. Elevated C-Reactive in a cancer patient is without a doubt undesirable. This test cannot tell you where the inflammation is coming from, but if it flags, we can go deeper and get more specific, in order to find out what and where. It is common that patients with Insulin resistance, Diabetes and excessive Cortisol levels (stress response) have elevated C-Reactive. These elevated markers both help set the stage for the development of cancer as well as drive its progression. They are also indicators of multi drug resistance of cancer to the various chemo agents. Vascular inflammation is also one of the major legs in the development of Heart Disease, Stroke, Premature Dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease.HomocysteineAnother marker of inflammation. One that is based upon the improper conversion of methionine in the folic acid cycle. Elevated Homocysteine indicates that either we do not consume enough folic acid in our diet (Leafy Greens) or enough through supplementation. It can also be the result of a genetic defect that affects 10% of our population. Homocysteine is not just a marker, but is a substance that produces inflammation. When Homocysteine is elevated then the gene site MTHFR needs to be tested as well. This test tells us if a person has a problem making and or using folic acid. If this is true, than Homocysteine levels will be elevated and the inclination to certain cancers is much higher. Folic acid insufficiency is directly contributory to Heart Disease, Osteoporosis, Neural Tube defects in newborns and is critical to the integrity of DNA. Testing for the site named MTHFR is important when administering the antimetabolite cancer drugs Methotrexate and 5Fu. If Homocysteine is elevated and folic acid production is compromised when these drugs are administered, the chances are very good that the patient will get sicker from the drugs and get zero benefit while the cancer gets stronger.D-DimerThis test is often used for Stroke. D-Dimer is the result of the relationship between plasmin and fibrin, which is part of the fibrinolytic system. The fibrinolytic system gives us the ability to heal wounds. When D-Dimer is elevated, the balance in this system is undermined and blood coagulation goes up. Cancer both favors this environment and induces it, by manipulating the fibrinolytic system. This system manipulation by the cancer is also one of the ways it avoids detection by the Immune System. The fibrinolytic system is also used by the cancer to grow new arterial structures to feed itself (angiogenesis). Unfortunately, other things elevate D-Dimer (Insulin Resistance and Diabetes) and also help set the stage for cancer and help to accelerate cancer. The majority of chemo agents induce hyper- coagulation as a short or long term side effect. Giving a chemo drug to a patient with elevated D-Dimer is risky business. Ten percent of people receiving chemo die each year from throwing a clot post chemo. That’s about 40,000 unnecessary deaths per year.Reducing D-Dimer is not a monumental task. Reducing all the markers that I’m writing about is not a monumental task and can be done with Natural Medicine.D-Dimer is also a good prognostic indicator for multiple forms of cancer, although it is rarely used. It is also a good marker to follow in Heart Disease. All this testing (and more) can and should be done before the administration of a chemo agent.FibrinogenThe precursor to the formation of fibrin. Fibrin forms the structurethat acts as the basis of scab formation and internal wound healing. Fibrinogen is manufactured by the liver. Elevated fibrinogen is indicative of hyper-coagulation and the inclination to form clots. Cancer likes thickened blood for numerous reasons, 2 of which are the need to create a low oxygen environment and an acidic P.H. that favors inflammation. Giving chemo agents to patients with elevated fibrinogen is also risky business. Thickened blood is a great medium for cancer to build vein structures to feed itself with blood and oxygen (angiogenesis).The process of angiogenesis produces a lot of growth factors, which not only push cancer cell division but also inhibit the process of apoptosis (programmed cell death). Inhibiting cell death is how cancer cells try to attain immortality. It is not just the fact that cancer cells multiply fast, but also the equally important fact that they live way too long and produce many aberrant cancer cell offspring. Fibrinogen is also a good prognostic indicator in multiple forms of cancer.L.D.H. Serum Lactate .Lactate D Hydrogenase is an enzyme that exists in all tissues. Its job is to break down and remove lactic acid, which is a by-product of glucose metabolism. Cancer is very sloppy and inefficient in its energy cycle and in turn produces a lot of lactic acid. Lactic acid has an acidic PH and any build up or excess of it favors cancer. LDH is elevated in 3 areas: the excessive and rapid breakdown of red blood cells, cancer and excessive exercise. It is an excellent general marker of cancer progression. LDH elevation in a cancer patient is a bad sign (and once again) is rarely used as a cancer indicator.The fact that only flagged numbers are taken seriously in reading tests is a mistake in modern medicine. Looking at numbers that are in the range of high or low normal is very important as the body is expressing a pattern that is moving toward a larger problem. If we could take an imaginary situation: One that would allow an oncology Physician to look at these various markers and first normalize all the aberrant numbers through treatment. The result would be less side effect from chemo, more cancer killing power by the chemo, less multi drug resistance, less death due to drug reaction and a better quality of life for the patient. This kind of testing along with other test results can give much greater specificity in deciding drug protocol and getting it right the first time around. Using a drug that does not truly fit only weakens the patient and strengthens the cancer. Harry Chrissakis Herbalist, M.H. Natural Healing HerbalistandHerbs.com530-933-8244