Nonspecific immune system modulators

[Olga]

Before you start taking any non-specific immune system boosters, consider that some of the immune system functions could be used by the cancers to grow.
There is some reading on the subject:
1. Immuno-oncology: understanding the function and dysfunction of the immune system in cancer.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22918931

"Initially, most of the escape from immunosurveillance was ascribed to changes in the tumour cells themselves (loss of tumour antigens, loss of human leukocyte antigen molecules, loss of sensitivity to complement, or T cell or natural killer (NK) cell lysis), making them a poor target of an immune attack. However, it has become clear that the suppression comes from the ability of tumours to subvert normal immune regulation to their advantage."

2. Immunobiology and conflicting roles of the human NKG2D lymphocyte receptor and its ligands in cancer.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23913973
"with advanced human cancers profound changes unfold wherein NKG2D and its ligands are targeted or exploited for immune evasion and suppression. This negative imprinting on the immune system may be accompanied by another functional state wherein cancer cells coopt expression of NKG2D to complement the presence of its ligands for self-stimulation of tumor growth and presumably malignant progression. This review emphasizes these conflicting functional dynamics at the immunity-cancer biology interface in humans, within an overview of the immunobiology of NKG2D and mechanisms underlying the regulation of its ligands in cancer, with reference to instructive clinical observations and translational approaches. "
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my comments: It is assumed that supplements stimulating immune system could help the immune system fight established cancers in the patients. However there is a growing body of evidence that indiscriminate immune stimulation might be not the right strategy as the tumors highjack and use some components of the immune system response in its advantage. There is a def. future in immune modulating drugs in cancer prevention and treatment but they are most probably going to be tailored to avoid being exploited by the tumor environment.

[Kristi]

There is over 144,000 pub med studies on immune stimulator beta glucan and I believe approximately 14,000 related to cancer. Sloan Kettering is also doing human trials now on natural supplement that is showing to be very safe. I personally have been taking beta glucan pure source for 5 months. I spoke with a scientist that has been specifically studying for 25+ years at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. With all the research i have looked up and reading his book as well i won;t be with out it taking orally daily. I am not saying my sarcoma will never come back, but the studies and how promising if it kills some that is better than none. Beta glucan was approved by the FDA in Japan in the 1980's. Good stuff.

[D.ap]

Hi Kristi

Maybe when you get a moment could you give us a somehat A-Z of your understanding Beta-glucan?

Here's wikipedia info link
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta-glucan

Thanks in advance.
Debbie