Winning the skin cancer race

Surgery Slide Show

What is Surgery Like?

Doctors discovered skin cancer, removed a big piece on Friday, and on Monday she had reconstructive surgery. They used a little cartilage from behind the ear, then sliced the skin to rotate it down to cover the hole. All in about 1.5 hours.

View the slide show of the operation now by Clicking Here

How BEC Works

BEC the Anti Cancer Agent

Dr. Cham discovered and described a novel Mode of Action of BEC in selectively destroying cancer cells without harming normal cells (1990).

Click image for larger view

 

• Specific endogenous endocytic lectins (EELs)      were found to be present at much higher concentrations in cancer cells      relative to normal cells.

 

• These EELs were present on the cell surface as receptors which recognized and bound the sugar moiety, in particular the rhamnose sugar (1990).

 

• BEC was subsequently internalized in the cancer      cell and became lysosomotropic and consequently autolysis occurred.

 

• The disintegrated lysosome resulted in apoptosis of the affected cancer cells.

 

BEC was also shown to induce cell apoptosis by modulating tissue necrosis factor (TNF) (2004). 

Curaderm – or is it? Revisited

Curaderm – or is it? Revisited
The Conspiracy to Subdue  Curaderm-BEC5 is Rampant 

Some time ago an article was submitted to the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) to be considered for publication as a response to a previous “Letter to the Editor”. 

The title of the article was Curaderm – or is it? Revisited.  Unfortunately the Editor refused to publish this letter stating that MJA had limited space available.  This is rather strange because MJA usually encourage responses to Letters published by them.  Because the original Letter by Francis et al had questioned the validity of Curaderm BEC5 and this information is on the internet we have elected to bring the response to their letter “Curaderm – or is it?” entitled “Curaderm – or is it? Revisited” (our letter) to the attention of the public.  The article is self explanatory and hopefully gives an unbiased opinion of the true effectiveness of Curaderm BEC5 for the treatment of non melanoma skin cancers.

Curaderm – or is it? Revisited

Correspondence: Dr Bill Cham Ph.D.  “Villa Del Aripo”, 353 Woodlands Drive, Sheldon  Qld  4157 Australia       Email: bill.cham@gmail.com

 

To the Editor:  The Department of Dermatology at the Royal Brisbane Hospital have previously reported in this Journal that Curaderm was not a satisfactory treatment for BCCs (1, 2).  The deficiencies of their studies have previously been addressed (3). Curaderm contains lower concentrations of solasodine glycosides (BEC) than is found in edible fruit.  In Australia, Curaderm has been approved for the indication of keratosis by prescription.  .  The product Curaderm is an effective topical cream for the treatment of keratosis, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (4).  Other published articles reported that solasodine glycosides from the plant genus Solanum, such as the devil’s apple, kangaroo apple and aubergine, have antineoplastic activities (4). 

A multicentre, double blind, vehicle-controlled, randomised, parallel group study to assess the efficacy and safety of BEC 5 in the treatment of patients with BCC has now been completed.  Instead of the brand name Curaderm, the preparation was termed BEC 5 in the clinical trial, because in Europe, another unrelated substance is registered as Curaderm.  Curaderm and BEC5 essentially contain 50 mg of the active ingredient (BEC) per kg cream.  All of the investigators were dermatologists (Table).  Patients with BCCs applied the BEC 5 or vehicle cream twice daily for 8 weeks and were followed up for 14 months from the start of the treatment.  The efficacy was defined by complete healing, confirmed by clinical and histological examination after 8 weeks ± 3 days of treatment.  More BEC 5-treatment patients [41 out of 62 patients (66.1%)] were classed as successes than in the vehicle group of patients [8 out of 32 patients (25%)] at week 8 (p<0.001; Cochran-Mantel-Haenszyl test).  BEC 5 was safe and generally well tolerated. 

Subsequently, an open study comprising 41 patients was carried out at the Royal London Hospital.  The trial included BEC 5 treatment of superficial and morpheoic (invasive) BCCs.  The success rate of these lesions was 78%.  The investigators concluded:   

“BCC is a slow growing, locally invasive malignant skin tumour which mainly affects Caucasians.  Dermatologists, plastic surgeons and radiotherapists jointly manage the afflictions.  Such management usually involves surgery.  The risks of surgical intervention are well known.  Moreover, excision of BCC from the facial area often involves reconstructive surgery, which can be both time consuming and costly.  Hence an alternative, safe and efficacious method of treatment of BCC that does not require physician or hospital attendance must be encouraged.  In our view and experience BEC 5 is a topical preparation, which is safe and effective, ideal therapy for outpatient treatment.  Hence BEC 5 is a much-needed alternative to surgery for BCC.  It is a cost effective treatment for both primary and secondary skin care”. 

The efficacy rates of the open trial paralleled the multi-centre efficacy rates.  Success was defined as zero presence of BCC after histological examination of samples extracted from the lesion site by punch biopsy.  

The results of these recent trials confirm the work with Curaderm published over a decade ago (4).  In the earlier studies longer duration therapy, up to 13 weeks, resulted in removal of all BCC lesions that were treated. 

To date no independent Phase III trials or open studies on SCC lesions have been conducted.  However, earlier studies clearly indicate that Curaderm is also effective in eradicating SCC (4). The cosmetic end results of Curaderm-treated SCC lesions are very impressive.  The Figure shows the clinical results of a Curaderm-treated pronounced SCC.  No recurrence of the SCC lesion occurred after 5 years follow-up. 

Our group predicated that the antineoplastic mode of action of the solasodine glycosides (BEC) was mediated through endocytic endogenous lectins (EELs) receptors on cancerous cells, culminating in lysosomotropic action of the solasodine glycosides resulting in tumour cell death (4).  This hypothesis has been confirmed by independent groups (5) and is currently being widely investigated as a novel approach for cancer treatments. 

In November 2003, approvals have been obtained to commence human clinical trials on internal cancers with solasodine glycosides at Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital in Perth, Western Australia.  The approval of these trials is based on the promising antineoplastic, low toxicity results of the solasodine glycosides, obtained in human cell culture and whole animal studies (4). 

This Phase I/IIa trial will evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of solasodine glycosides in patients with advanced tumours such as mesothelioma and malignant melanoma.   

In conclusion, the question regarding Curaderm – or is it? (2) Has now been answered  

Curaderm – it sure is! 

References 

1. Beardmore, G., Hart,   V., Wilson, P. and Francis, D.B. (1989).  Curaderm preliminary   findings.  Med. J. Australia, 150, 46 (Letter).

 

2. Francis, D.B., Hart,   V., Wilson, P. and Bearmore, G. (1989).  Curaderm – or is it?    Med. J. Australia, 151, 541-542 (Letter).

3. Cham, B.E., Daunter,   B. and Evans, R.  (1990).  Curaderm.  Med.  J. Austral.    152, 329-330.

 

4. Cham, B.E. (1994).    Solasodine glycosides as anti-cancer agents: Pre-clinical and clinical   studies.  Asia Pacif. J. Pharmacol. 9, 113-118.

5. Nakamura, T., Komori,   C., Lee, Y., et al (1996).  Cytotoxic activities of Solanum steroidal   glycosides.  Biol. Biopharm. Bull 19, 546-566

Table

Centre number  Investigator  Study Centre – Dermatology Department 

1.  Professor A Finlay University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff
2.  Dr R A C Graham-Brown Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester
3.  Dr R Cerio  The Royal London Hospital, London
4.  Dr L J Cook  St Mary’s Hospital, Portsmouth
5.  Dr J Hawk  St Thomas Hospital, London
6.  Dr M Rustin  Royal Free Hospital, London
7.   Dr D L Roberts  Singleton Hospital, Swansea
8.   Dr G R Sharpe  Royal Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool
9.  Dr P Kersey  Derriford Hospital, Plymouth
10.  Professor C E M Griffiths Hope Hospital, Manchester            

About Dr. Cham

An Introduction to the inventor of Curaderm-BEC5
Dr. Bill Elliot Cham.

Dr Cham’s scientific background is interesting in that he has been engaged in multiple scientific disciplines.  His CV reveals that he has published much work in the field of physiology, biochemistry, iron metabolism, pharmacology, toxicology, lipidology, virology and of course oncology.  Dr Cham is well known for his medical publications.  I gather that he has been successful in these fields because of his wide range of studies majoring in chemistry, biochemistry and obtaining a doctorate in the school of medicine.

Not many scientists have been able to start from basic research and continue this research to bring the results to a clinical level.  Astonishingly Dr Cham has achieved this, not with one, but with three, projects.

The first project was with oncology.  Dr Cham discovered that various glycoalkaloids found in the eggplant had anticancer properties.  He then identified how and why these naturally occurring glycoalkaloids killed cancer cells but did not harm normal cells.  These observations have created worldwide recognition and scientists have since confirmed and extended his research, and indeed, a novel approach to treat cancer has evolved.  Dr Cham and colleagues established in clinical studies that Curaderm could effectively treat non melanoma skin cancers.  His observations with Curaderm BEC5 were so spectacular that skin specialists (dermatologists) in Australia initially did not believe that Curaderm was that efficacious. 

Unperturbed Dr Cham supplied Curaderm BEC5 to ten world renowned hospitals in the UK to conduct double blind randomized Phase III clinical studies for the treatment of non melanoma skin cancers.  Subsequent to the Phase III studies an open study with Curaderm BEC5 was conducted at the Royal London Hospital.  The investigators of all the Hospital Centres were skin specialists (dermatologists).

In both the Phase III and open studies Curaderm BEC5 was shown to be effective in eradicating non melanoma skin cancers including the invasive forms.  In his lectures Dr Cham says that he is satisfied that, beyond a doubt Curaderm BEC5 effectively treats non melanoma skin cancers.

But hold on, this is not the completed story of the glycoalkaloids.  Based on the original observations of the anticancer properties of the glycoalkaloids on human internal cancer cells and terminal cancers in animals, Dr Cham was approached by a pharmaceutical company for the licensing of this technology.  Dr Cham not wanting to impede the progress of science and a possible application of the glycoalkaloids for the treatment of internal cancers agreed to license out the glycoalkaloids technology for internal cancers.  Currently an Australian listed pharmaceutical company is conducting clinical trials on patients with terminal cancers.  At this stage the results for internal cancers look very promising.  Time will tell whether these glycoalkaloids will also be able to successfully treat internal cancers.

Dr Cham’s inventions, covered by another major breakthrough are currently in the pipeline for possible clinical application for the treatment of the number one biggest killer in the western society, atherosclerosis.  Atherosclerosis is the build up of fats such as cholesterol within the arteries.  When the build up of cholesterol (plaques) reaches a certain stage a heart attack usually occurs.

Dr Cham has developed a system that washes the harmfull fats from blood.  The defatted blood is then reintroduced into the patient.  The defatted blood contains proteins that then dissolve the fats from the arterial walls resulting in the removal of the plaques.  Dr Cham has shown this to be very successful in various animal models.  He has licensed this technology to an American NASDAQ listed company who are now carrying out clinical trials on humans at the Washington Hospital.

Using similar technology as the defatting of cholesterol clogged arteries, Dr Cham was able to show that viruses such as hepatitis B, including HIV which causes AIDS, can be killed by this procedure.  Furthermore, the killed viruses stimulate the body’s immune system to the extent, that the killed virus obtained by this unique method of killing these viruses, can be used as a vaccine.  Studies on animals such as monkeys with SIV (similar to HIV) infection are showing tremendous promise.  Last month (October, 2006) Dr Cham has published an article in a medical specialist journal.  He and his colleagues at the Sydney University of Australia have shown that his patented procedure can kill hepatitis B virus and that the killed hepatitis B virus when used as a vaccine offer complete protection when exposed to live hepatitis B virus.  It is expected that clinical trials on human infected HIV patients will commence in 2007 in the USA.

Dr Cham has surely selected to study the world’s most devastating medical conditions.  Thank goodness he has.  He has produced the first cream (Curaderm BEC5) to treat non melanoma skin cancer which is now available throughout the world for the public.  With the use of this cream it has been shown that due to effective removal of skin cancers by Curaderm BEC5 people’s eyes and noses were saved.  Patients are also claiming that Curaderm BEC5 save their lives.

He has been the pioneer in research which is now undergoing human clinical trials for terminal internal cancers and also atherosclerosis (clogging up of arteries with cholesterol) and it is expected that in 2007 human trials will commence on patients with HIV infections.

Congratulations to Dr Cham for his tireless humanitarian efforts for the good of mankind - what a devoted, humble but brilliant person.

Dermatologist Approved

 

DERMATOLOGICAL COMMUNITY RECOGNIZES CURADERM-BEC5 

AS A TREATMENT FOR

NON MELANOMA SKIN CANCERS

The effectiveness of Curaderm BEC5 for the treatment of non melanoma skin cancers has been recognized by the dermatological community and information on Curaderm BEC5 has been presented, by invitation, at the following international forums.

• British Dermatological   Association (Leeds, 2001)
• World Congress on   Skin Cancer (Zurich, 2001)
• European Academy   of Dermatology (Geneva, 2001)
• British Dermatological   Association (Cardiff, 2002)
• World Congress of   Dermatology (Paris, 2002)

All the above presentations were prepared by Dr Reno Cerio, Consultant Dermatologist and Senior Lecturer in Dermapathology and were delivered by Senior Registrar Dermatologist, Dr Sangeeta Punjabi.