English
Español de México
Português
Français
NOVEMBER 19/2018
LEUKEMIA AND DOWN SYNDROME
Most citations used are taken from the NLM database and are in the public domain.
Besides open heart surgery, I know first hand that the greatest fear we, as parents of children with DS live with, is the threat of Leukemia. We freeze at the sight of a rash, panic when our children seem tired and go ballistic at a bloody nose. And we are right to do so. Although the survival rate for children with DS is equal to, and many report, higher, than the same disease in non-Down syndrome children, it is still life threatening. The treatment for Leukemia is certainly not a walk in the park. Every part of a parent’s heart and soul are tortured by what the children must endure to survive.
In DS, there are two known causes of Leukemia, damage to DNA caused by the CBS gene over expression as it relates to failed folate metabolism and gene mutations, specifically, but not exclusively; GATA1 and GATA2.
Because this protocol corrects the potential for DNA damage, it is extremely rare for a treated child to actually develop Leukemia from this cause. This is not true of untreated children who are at great risk for numerous blood disorders, diseases as they age, including early demise. If DNA cannot repair itself, the integrity of every part of the human body is compromised and life is, as a result, significantly shortened. Without sufficient folate, DNA repair and normal cell division cannot take place. We are grateful that we have been able to address this issue as well as we have. But we have not been able to reduce the incidence of GATA1 and 2 induced Leukemia. However, in looking at these mutations, we have determined that, while we cannot repair the mutation, it may be possible to stop the proliferation of malignant cells.
There are no guarantees in life, and you cannot rely on what we are suggesting to prevent Leukemia. We just cannot be sure as these are theoretical in nature. You should remain diligent and aware. What we are proposing, however, is a way to empower yourselves by use of science to at least take a proactive stance against the development or relapse of this disease.
Research suggests that certain Polyphenols can interrupt the life cycle of GATA1 leukemia cells. Rather than go over every paper with you, Dr. Swenson and I ask that you read these for yourselves. Do your own research as to potential side effects and dosages and share these with your child’s physician. We cannot answer the most obvious question, “will this work” because we don’t know the answer. But we can say that a combination of the Polyphenols suggested by these studies may be a proactive approach to limiting the risk of disease or relapse.
Remember that Polyphenols used in excess can have side effects. It’s going to be very important to take this material to your child’s oncologist or treating physician to obtain advise on dosage and for monitoring. It is unlikely your doctor has ever seen, much less, considered these options. But he must put himself in the position of the parent of a child at risk, study the research and help you prepare a plan for your child’s future care.
Of all of the substances listed, perhaps the most promising is baicalein.
“Baicalein (5,6,7-trihydroxyflavone) is a flavone, a type of flavonoid, originally isolated from the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis and Scutellaria lateriflora. It is also reported in Oroxylum indicum (Indian trumpetflower) and Thyme [1]. It is the aglycone of baicalin. Baicalein is one of the active ingredients of Sho-Saiko-To, a Chinese herbal supplement believed to enhance liver health.” Full Article
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baicalein
Baicalein has been utilized in Chinese Medicine for various diseases and studied extensively in many forms of cancer. It can be purchased from numerous health food suppliers, but I caution you about doing your homework and sharing it with your doctor as to brand, purity and quality.
We wish we could give you additional guidance, but due to the critical nature of this disease, it would be unwise to do so. I will say this much, had Madison been born with a GATA mutation and/or TMD, I would be the first in line to put her on a safe-dose regimen of Baicalein at the very least.
You will note, in reading the following studies, that we already use several of the Polyphenols listed in the research. You are already doing something to protect your child just by using the Polyphenol Support Formula. But it is not advisable to increase the dosage of EGCG though you may increase Resveratrol by adding an additional 3-5 mg per kg.
Again, we certainly wish we could simply create a protocol and say “here, use this”, but that would not be helpful.
Please read the following studies and share them with your doctor.
Dixie Lawrence
David H. Swenson
GATA1 Is a Sensitive and Specific Nuclear Marker for Erythroid and Megakaryocytic Lineages
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5848378/
Inhibitory Effects of Curcumin on WT1 cells in Leukemia
AB066. The association between GATA1 mutations in Down syndrome newborns and transient abnormal myelopoiesis
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5641727/
Targeting Transcription Factors for Cancer Treatment
Natural Compounds: Molecular Weapons against Leukemia’s
https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/natural-compounds-molecular-weapons-against-leukemias-2329-6917-1000226.php?aid=86770
Baicalein antagonizes acute megakaryoblastic leukemia in vitro and in vivo by inducing cell cycle arrest
https://cellandbioscience.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13578-016-0084-8
• Full-Text XML
• Linked References
• Citations to this Article
• How to Cite this Article
• Supplementary Materials
• Views 1,795
• Citations 16
• ePub 39
• PDF 3,228
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Volume 2013, Article ID 124747, 19 pages
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/124747
Baicalein Triggers Mitochondria-Mediated Apoptosis and Enhances the Antileukemic Effect of Vincristine in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia CCRF-CEM Cells
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2013/124747/
Differential Effects of Polyphenols on Proliferation and Apoptosis in Human Myeloid and Lymphoid Leukemia Cell Lines
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3873039/
Polyphenols are responsible for the proapoptotic properties of pomegranate juice on leukemia cell lines
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3967757/
Polyphenols act synergistically with doxorubicin and etoposide in leukaemia cell lines
https://www.nature.com/articles/cddiscovery201543
Polyphenols as Key Players for the Antileukaemic Effects of Propolis
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2014/371730/
Abstract 3491: Differential antileukemic activity of plant polyphenol combinations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells
http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/70/8_Supplement/3491
Antileukemic Effect of Polyphenol of Local Grape Seeds Extract from Duhok/Kurdistan of Iraq: in vitro Study
http://www.sapub.org/global/showpaperpdf.aspx?doi=10.5923/j.cellbiology.20170301.01
Discovery, Characterization, and Structure−Activity Relationships Studies of Proapoptotic Polyphenols Targeting B-Cell Lymphocyte/Leukemia-2 Proteins
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jm030190z
Cyanidin-3-rutinoside, a Natural Polyphenol Antioxidant, Selectively Kills Leukemic Cells by Induction of Oxidative Stress*
http://www.jbc.org/content/282/18/13468.short
Inhibitory Effects of Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) Extract and Related Polyphenol Compounds on Growth of Human Lymphoid Leukemia Cells
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1271/bbb.61.1099
Comparative Antiproliferative and Apoptotic Effects of Resveratrol, ϵ-viniferin and Vine-shots Derived Polyphenols (Vineatrols) on Chronic B Lymphocytic Leukemia Cells and Normal Human Lymphocytes
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1042819021000015952
Chemosensitization and Radiosensitization of Tumors by Plant Polyphenols
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/ars.2005.7.1630
Induction of apoptosis in human leukemia cells by black tea and its polyphenol theaflavin
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304383505000030
Dietary polyphenols in cancer prevention: the example of the flavonoid quercetin in leukemia
https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2012.06599.x
Flavones and polyphenols inhibit the NO pathway during apoptosis of leukemia B-cells
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0145212603004193
Inhibition of HuR and MMP-9 expression in macrophage-differentiated HL-60 myeloid leukemia cells by green tea polyphenol EGCg
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0145212606003833
Read.
I am curious about more research on potential causes. I had a stillbirth of a trisomy 21 with hydrops and the placenta pathology showed leukemia as the ultimate cause of the hydrops and demise. I had eosinophilia and was exposed to mold at the time of the first trimester unknowingly. Would immunological issues with the mother or exposure to infection impact the likelihood of congenital leukemia in my baby? There’s not much research I can find that would help
Down Syndrome alone increases the risk of leukemia, but toxins, like mold can inhibit methylation which can be a reason meiosis does not happen correctly resulting in Trisomy 21. Methylation does also play a role in leukemia for some. Read lesson one for info on methylation and Down Syndrome diagnosis.