Why You Should Consult With A Functional Medicine Trained Oncologist And Biohacker

Did you know that cancer patients and survivors are at a higher risk of dying from any cause compared with individuals who have never had cancer?

If this fact worries you, I have good news. Combining functional medicine and biohacking, I can help you significantly reduce this risk.

What Is Functional Medicine?

This is the use of laboratory testing, lifestyle modifications and other interventions (i.e. drugs, supplements, evidence based complementary therapies) to:

• Identify underlying issues (i.e. systemic inflammation, insulin resistance, intestinal microbiome abnormalities, hormonal dysfunction) that can lead to chronic diseases and cancer.
• Make targeted and personalized interventions to improve your health, quality of life and reduce risks.
• Functional medicine is based on the premise that there are complex interactions between all the systems of the body. Changes to one system often impact numerous physiological process and disease risks.

What Is Biohacking?

“Biohacking” is the use of devices (wearables and others) and lab tests to assess:

• Physical activity and performance
• Body measurements
• Sleep 
• Stress 
• Metabolic, nutritional, oxidative, inflammatory, immune, hormonal, microbiome, genetic/epigenetic risks
• Drug sensitivity assays (to identify drugs that have anticancer activity on a biopsy sample of your tumor). See my blog post on this.

I also may employ, sensitive diagnostic/screening technologies and assays to look for cancer in the body in the earliest stages. These tests can identify tumors and cancer often long before they present with clinical symptoms. Examples:

• Diffusion-weighted MRI
• Circulating tumor cell/DNA assays

Biohackers use this data to guide their implementation of various evidence-informed interventions to positively impact their physical and mental health, performance and quality of life.

Examples:

• You may be able to improve the anticancer effectiveness of immunotherapies using a biohacking approach (see my blog post on this).
• Off-label drugs and supplements may also be employed using an evidence-informed approach to targeting cancer cell metabolism (see my blog post on this.
• You may be able to reduce your risk of cancer metastases from cancer surgery/biopsy (see my blog post on this).

Why Do Cancer Patients And Survivors Have A Higher Mortality?

There are two main reasons for this:

#1) The same risk factors that are associated with cancer development (i.e. physiological, environmental, genetic, psychosocial) are also strongly correlated with a higher risk of developing or exacerbating other chronic diseases. Examples:

• Smoking
• Excessive UV exposure
• Genetic risk factors
• Impaired immune system
• Obesity
• Chronic infections (i.e. HPV, hepatitis C, EBV)
• Inactivity
• Limited access to quality healthcare

Let’s look at one of the most important physiological process that can alter the function of all tissues and organ systems in the body: “inflammation.”

Persistently elevated levels of inflammatory proteins (i.e. cytokines) are associated with a greater risk of developing or exacerbating most chronic diseases and cancer. Inflammatory proteins activate a complex biological pathway (nuclear factor kappa-B, “NF-KB”) that has broad impacts on the body.

As an integrative oncologist, I approach patient care holistically. This means that I look at as many of these factors as possible to help improve the outcomes in my patients. I have published about the importance of taking a broad systems approach in cancer care, here.

#2) It is well known to anyone who has personally gone through chemotherapy, radiation therapy or surgery that there are side effects and long-term issues that occur as a result of these and other cancer treatments. Many of these issues can have lasting effects on one’s health, such as:

• Pain
• Immobility, reduced flexibility and range of motion
• Neuropathy
• Weakened immune function
• Digestion and absorption problems
• Intestinal microbiome changes/dysbiosis
• Metabolic, lipid, oxidative and hormonal problems
• Psychological and emotional effects

If these effects are not addressed, individually or together, they can promote the development of chronic diseases (i.e. cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dementia), disease progression and developing new cancers, cancer progression and recurrence.

Most individuals these days would prefer to optimize their healthspan (the part of a person’s life during which they are generally in good health), instead of their lifespan.

Get A Consultation With An Oncologist Trained In Functional Medicine

If you have a history of cancer or are currently undergoing cancer treatment and optimizing your healthspan interests you, I highly recommend scheduling a consultation with functional medicine-trained oncologist. 

There are many unique issues that cancer patients and survivors face (especially as they related to the side effects and complications of treatment, inflammatory, immune, metabolic problems, secondary malignancies, cancer and disease screening and potential interactions with other therapies). These topics are often not well-understood by non-oncology healthcare providers, which is why consulting with an experienced functional medicine-trained, board-certified oncologist is recommended.

Consult With Brian Lawenda, M.D.

I offer appointments by phone or video (30 or 60-minute consults, your choice of phone, Skype or Zoom). 

My background:

• Former U.S. Navy Commander (13 years of active duty service)
• Medical Degree from Temple University School of Medicine (graduated with academic honors: Alpha Omega Alpha Honors Medical Society)
• Harvard-trained radiation oncologist (Massachusetts General Hospital, radiation oncology residency and chief resident)
• 15 years of integrative oncology practice (former board member of the Society for Integrative Oncology)
• 12 years of medical acupuncture practice (UCLA/Standford-Helms Medical Institute graduate)
• 6 years of functional medicine practice (Kalish Institute of Functional Medicine graduate)
• Self-proclaimed biohacker (I am always trying new technologies, devices, lab tests and lifestyle modifications)

What To Expect During Your Consult:

1. During your consultation, we will discuss your cancer history, health and any issues that are most concerning to you. 
2. I will then help to formulate a plan of action using functional medicine and biohacking approaches that are tailored to you. Specifically:
   • Biohacking/functional medicine lab assays can be ordered through Dr. Lawenda or your own provider. Examples of tests we may recommend:
     • Insulin sensitivity assays
     • Micronutrient assays
     • Inflammation tests
     • Intestinal microbiome assays
     • Food sensitivity assays
     • Hormone assays (cortisol, sex hormones, melatonin, etc.)
     • Genetic testing
   • Biohacking devices and technologies. Examples:
     • Sleep tracking
     • Activity training tracking
     • Exercise equipment and approaches
     • Body composition analysis
     • Body temperature regulation devices and techniques
     • Stress reduction technologies
     • Continuous glucose monitoring
3. Follow-up appointments (30 or 60-minutes) are available to review your progress, lab assay results and address any new/continuing concerns or issues.

How To Purchase And Schedule Your Consult:

• Step 1: Choose the 30 or 60-minute consult option
• Step 2: Purchase (see details: https://ioeprogram.com/consultations/)
• Step 3: Contact me through the information in your purchase receipt to schedule your consultation.

**Cancer patients/survivors can also consult with me in-person by contacting my office for an appointment. Most insurances are accepted. Northwest Cancer Clinic, Kennewick, WA. 509-987-1800**

Contact Me If You Have Any Questions:

Contact Dr. Lawenda Here