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Biomarker Lactic Acid Dehydrogenase Predicts Cancer Progression and Overall Survival

Aberrant metabolism and inefficient fuel production are characteristic of tumor cells, which are dominated by aerobic glycolysis, increased lactate production, and a higher uptake of glucose (the Warburg effect). Elevated LDH is a marker of these aberrant metabolic processes in cancer cells. High serum LDH levels are associated with poor prognosis in patients with cancer and predict progression and overall survival.

Aerobic glycolysis was described for the first time about a century ago by Otto H. Warburg who showed that cancer cells metabolize glucose differently than normal cells (Warburg effect) and that tumors derive energy mainly from the conversion of glucose to lactic acid and minimally via cellular respiration involving oxygen. Tumors produce massive amounts of the aerobic glycolysis waste product, lactic acid. This is evidence of deregulated metabolism, hence the understanding of cancer as a  “disorder of cellular metabolism”.  Lactic Acid itself may promote the growth and spread of cancer cells, especially at high concentrations by changing the tumor microenvironment.

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is an enzyme that catalyzes the reduction of pyruvate to lactate at the end of the glycolytic pathway.

The normal range for LDH is 100-333 u/L, with levels greater than 245 u/L considered to be in the upper quartile of normal.  Elevated LDH, above 245 u/L, is suggestive of early carcinogenesis, tumor cell proliferation, tumor progression, and poor prognosis.

LDH is often highly elevated in aggressive forms of cancer and hematological malignancies including melanoma, lymphoma, acute leukemia, seminoma germ cell, pancreatic, gastric, lung, renal cell, nasopharyngeal, esophageal, cervical, and prostate cancers.

The OutSmart Cancer System® recognizes cancer as a metabolic syndrome and leverages the abnormal metabolism of tumor cells to exert influence over the tumor microenvironment and the behavior of tumor cells. Attending to the Cancer Terrain is a fundamental approach for influencing cancer cell metabolism.  

EGCG, a catechin found in Green Tea (H. Camellia sinensis) has been identified as an agent which inhibits LDH activity in normal and low oxygen environments by influencing the conversion of pyruvate to lactate at the end of the glycolytic pathway.  This may deprive cancer cells of their preferred fuel, glucose, and metabolites, including lactate that produces a favorable environment for malignant proliferation, growth, and progression. Recommended Therapeutic Dose 1-3 grams daily.

Monitoring trends in LDH is a method of both identifying abnormal cellular metabolism found in many solid and hematologic malignancies and is also of value in identifying early signs of recurrence as well as disease progression.

For patients achieving remission, during the first two years after completion of cancer treatment, LDH and other biomarkers of the Cancer Terrain are monitored every 3 months.  Thereafter, every six months for 3-10 more years to track and identify early signs of recurrence.  

For patients living with cancer as a chronic illness, LDH and biomarkers of the Cancer Terrain are monitored every 3 months to track evidence of recurrence and treatment resistance.

 

Learn more about monitoring the Cancer Terrain and the Tumor Microenvironment.
Receive training in Dr. Nalini’s OUTSMART CANCER SYSTEM ®. www.aiiore.com

By using biomarkers of the Cancer Terrain and cellular metabolism, it is possible to identify trends that allow for early intervention. LDH is one of the most valuable and reliable biomarkers reflecting the active presence of the aberrant physiology of tumor cells and is prognostic and predictive of progression and overall survival in cancer patients.

 

Selected References:

Let The Oncologist Be The Disease Expert. Become The Health Expert That Cancer Patients Are Looking For.

You may not treat cancer in your practice, but you do have patients who are at risk due to personal and family history, patients who may be undergoing or recovering from treatments, patients who are survivors worried about recurrence and patients living with cancer as a chronic illness.  And you may also have patients who are family members concerned about their loved ones. 

 

There is no HEALTH MODEL in conventional oncology care, yet health and wellbeing, peace of mind and sense of agency are in the center of the hearts and minds of cancer patients, cancer survivors and their families. 

 

There will be 19 million cancer survivors in the US alone by 2024.  Who is supporting their health?  Who is trained to help them recover and keep them well??  …not the oncologist.

 

How can you help these patients?

A  breast cancer survivor who successfully completed her treatments 8 years ago comes into your office as a new patient complaining of persistent peripheral neuropathy and ongoing cognitive changes since her treatment.  How can you resolve these long-term adverse effects?

 

An ovarian cancer patient currently undergoing aggressive treatment every 21 days comes into your office complaining of severe diarrhea, neuropathy and sleep disruption.  What can you do to help her get through her treatments with less adverse effects, maintain her weight and nutritional status?

 

A colorectal cancer survivor who completed his treatment 3 months ago is continuing to have 10-15 bowel movements daily and is profoundly fatigued.  What will you do to restore normal bowel function?


A prostate cancer patient on endocrine blockade therapy is suffering from hot flashes. Should you also be concerned about loss of bone mass and sleep cycle disruption?

 

An endometrial cancer survivor is suffering from dermatitis and colitis, adverse effects of her dramatically successful immunotherapy treatment and now has chronic autoimmune inflammation. How will you manage this?

 

A head and neck cancer patient who has trouble swallowing is losing weight and muscle mass.


How can you provide a plan for repair from oral mucositis, restoration of the oral mircrobiome and repletion of calories and nutrients?

 

These patients are searching for clinicians that can guide and support them through every phase of their cancer journey.  Just as in helping your patients navigate other chronic illnesses, patients look to you for a plan, for monitoring and guidance so that they can maintain and regain their health during and after their treatments.

 

When a patient has a collaborative team providing integrative care everyone wins, the patients, families and care providers.  Patients who have a clear plan and support have the opportunity for better outcomes, better prognosis, greater peace of mind, a sense of control and agency and an improved quality of life. 

 

Let the oncologist be the cancer expert. You can be the health expert on their team.

 

Standard of care in oncology must  change such that care includes not only a team of disease experts (usually medical oncologist, surgeon, radiologist) but ALSO a team of health experts.

 

Towards this end  I founded the American Institute of Integrative Oncology Research and Education and  have created an online self-paced training program for front line clinicians who want to expand their skills and their practice and  fill the huge need in our communities and serve these patients.  If you did not specialize in oncology, you probably had one course on this topic but you need to fill the gap in your training to feel confident in doing so.

 

The Foundations of Integrative Oncology Training is not for clinicians who want to practice oncology.  It is front-line clinicians who want to feel confident, knowledgeable and well trained in supporting the health side of the cancer equation. This self- paced online training is for clinicians who want to increase their impact, expand and grow their practice and represents 35 years of clinical practice and experience.

 

The first step is learning how to take a comprehensive and complete history of patients whose lives have been touched by cancer.  

 

You can receive a complimentary copy of the

OUTSMART CANCER CARE PLANNER History and Intake Form

and learn more about the Foundations of Integrative Oncology training here

 

OutSmart Cancer Care Planner

What If Every Cancer Patient Had a Health Plan and not Just a Disease Plan

What If Every Cancer Patient Had A Plan For Health And Not Just Plan For Disease?

“An integrative health focused cancer support plan should begin at diagnosis and persist through long term healthy survivorship and promote a body where cancer cannot thrive.”

 

By the year 2024 there will be over twenty million cancer survivors in the US alone. This rapidly growing population of survivors obliges all frontline clinicians to learn how to support patients at every stage of the cancer journey.  Read more