If you or a loved one are facing a cancer diagnosis, Immunity Therapy Center is here to assist. We offer insulin potentiation therapy (IPT), an alternative treatment for various forms of cancer that makes it easier for certain chemotherapy drugs to target cancerous cells.
Ultimately, IPT is considered a safer and gentler form of cancer treatment that retains the benefits of using standard chemotherapy drugs. But what is IPT, exactly, and how does it work? Read on for guidance and insight into insulin potentiation therapy.
What Is IPT Treatment?
Insulin potentiation therapy is a method to increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs by first preparing the patient with a small dose of insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced naturally by the pancreas that allows the body to use glucose (sugar) for energy.
Most people are familiar with insulin due to its application in the treatment of diabetic symptoms. But what many don’t know is that insulin can also be used to treat cancer patients, thanks to its unique ability to enhance (or potentiate) the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs while simultaneously reducing the negative side effects of repeated rounds of chemotherapy.
How Does Insulin Potentiation Therapy for Cancer Work?
IPT treatment begins with the cancer patient being given a small dose of insulin, followed by a low dose of chemotherapy drugs. The amount of chemotherapy drugs given is roughly 10% to 25% of what would typically be provided in a normal chemotherapy regimen.
Doctors believe IPT treatment works on account of two biological mechanisms. First, insulin can make cancer cell membranes more permeable—that is, the hormone makes it easier for chemotherapy drugs to pass into cancer cells, resulting in higher intracellular drug concentrations.
The more chemotherapy drugs that actually enter a cancer cell, the higher the chances those drugs have at effectively killing the cancer. Second, insulin potentiation therapy can stimulate cell division in cancer cells, which makes them more vulnerable to the action of chemotherapy drugs.
Additionally, IPT helps chemotherapy drugs differentiate between cancer cells and normal cells based on the higher levels of insulin receptors in cancerous cells. In essence, insulin potentiation therapy for cancer highlights the cells using insulin, allowing the chemotherapy drugs to target and enter cancerous cells more efficiently.
Is IPT Therapy Effective?
Insulin potentiation therapy for cancer has shown promising results in small clinical trials, with evidence that it can help reduce the size of cancerous tumors and place the patient in remission.
In one case, a woman with breast cancer was observed to have her breast mass become non-palpable after eight weeks of treatment, and no evidence of any tumor at all was visible on a mammogram after just three months of IPT.
The alternative cancer treatment hasn’t yet been subjected to wide-scale clinical studies. Still, its promising outcomes in small-scale studies make it a viable option for patients who have exhausted conventional treatments. It’s also an alternative for cancer patients interested in lower-impact chemotherapy treatments.
IPT is administered over several weeks and in multiple rounds. The exact treatment schedule, insulin dosages, and chemotherapy drugs required will vary based on the patient’s unique health and wellness needs.
Why Choose Insulin Potentiation Therapy?
Cancer patients often choose to explore insulin potentiation therapy to avoid the uncomfortable side effects of conventional chemotherapy treatments.
Common side effects of chemotherapy include (but aren’t limited to):
- Fatigue
- Hair loss
- Easy bruising and bleeding
- Infection
- Anemia
- Nausea and vomiting
- Appetite changes
- Constipation and diarrhea
- Weight changes
- Mood changes
The negative side effects of chemotherapy can last for months and linger for years before fading completely. But by reducing the total amount of chemotherapy drugs administered and targeting those drugs more precisely at cancer cells, IPT treatment reduces these adverse effects and improves the quality of life for cancer patients.
Is IPT Treatment Safe?
Insulin potentiation therapy is considered safe. In fact, no significant side effects have been observed in those participating in clinical trials.
The main risk of IPT is hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels), so it might not be appropriate for cancer patients with diabetes. Additionally, since cancer patients who engage in insulin potentiation therapy take a substantially lower dose of chemotherapy drugs than what’s typically recommended, it may be a concern for physicians who prefer standard treatments.
Cancer Types and Stages
Patients with metastatic breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer may find the most benefits in exploring insulin potentiation therapy. With that said, any cancer patient facing chemotherapy can benefit from the improved quality of life offered by IPT treatment.
Learn More About IPT Therapy for Cancer
If you’re interested in learning how you can reduce the harms of chemotherapy while enhancing cancer treatment outcomes through insulin potentiation therapy, we’d love to hear from you. Contact Immunity Therapy Center to start your path toward recovery today.
Written By: Dr. Adolfo Carrillo
Dr. Adolfo Carrillo is a Board Certified Medical Doctor from Universidad Autónoma de Baja California.
Dr. Carrillo has been collaborating with Dr. Bautista for over 5 years as a treating physician at the Immunity the Immunity Therapy Center. Dr. Carrillo is a charismatic Doctor whose knowledge and commitment to patient care and bringing healing to patients is a valuable asset to our center.
External sources:
- https://www.healthline.com/health/type-2-diabetes/insulin
- https://cam-cancer.org/en/insulin-potentiation-therapy
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22649741/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20148468/
- https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/treatment-types/chemotherapy/chemotherapy-side-effects.html
At Immunity Therapy Center, our goal is to provide objective, updated, and research-based information on all health-related topics. This article is based on scientific research and/or other scientific articles. All information has been fact-checked and reviewed by Dr. Carlos Bautista, a Board Certified Medical Doctor at Immunity Therapy Center. All information published on the site must undergo an extensive review process to ensure accuracy. This article contains trusted sources with all references hyperlinked for the reader's visibility.