Do statins, ACE inhibitors or sartans improve outcome in primary glioblastoma?

Hello all,
I spotted this paper and thought it was best to share: “Do statins, ACE inhibitors or sartans improve outcome in primary glioblastoma?” Although I’ve not read the full paper, it’s worth noting that they concluded:

This secondary analysis of two large glioblastoma trials thus was unable to detect evidence for an association of the use of statins, ACEI or sartans with outcome in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma

Should we abandon ACE inhibitors, etc?

Bioavailability of WokVel Boswellia Serrata vs "ordinary" Boswellia Serrata?

Hi all,

I've read here that WokVel boswellia serrata has greater bioavailability than the "usual" boswellia formulation.  But I've not been able to find anything in the medical literature or on the WokVel website confirming this.  If I could replace the canonical dose of 4200 mg H15 BS/day with a smaller number of WokVel pills (what's listed on the supplements spreadsheet as three 333 mg WokVel capsules/day), that would make my husband really happy.  Anyone have any insight or citations to offer?

I did contact the WokVel company but they're oriented towards the business end, not end consumers, and my inquiry just resulted in an email asking about my business plans.

Intravenous zoledronic acid for cocktail?

There are many articles on the possible benefits zoledronic acid in the treatment of glioblastoma.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Zoledronic+glioblastoma

For example, MTZ Regimen (2016) suggests using:
oral minocycline 100 mg three times daily, oral telmisartan 80 mg twice daily, and intravenous zoledronic acid 4 mg once every 28 days
https://www.dovepress.com/toward-a-noncytotoxic-glioblastoma-therapy-blocking-mcp-1-with-the-mtz-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-OTT
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27175087

Since many patients with glioblastoma include in their cocktails minocycline and telmisartan (or captopril), may be necessary to think about adding an injection of zoledronic acid as non-toxic supplement, 4mg once every 28 days?

A difficult choice of treatment for a large progressive GBM after chemoradiotherapy

From some studies it follows that:
- Avastin in the first line increases the quality of life and survival for partially resected GBM;
- combination of CCNU + Avastin is more advantageous than just Avastin for MGMT-methylated GBM;
- I can not also not use TMZ immediately after chemoradiotherapy, especially after CeTeg results for MGMT-methylated GBM;
- low Avastin dose (<3.6 mg / kg / week) with Telmisartan, is more beneficial than the Avastin standard dose and will not be so toxic for use with CCNU + TMZ.

As a result, after sleepless nights, I decided to try this combination:

The cycle of 42 days:

0 day - Verapamil 240mg, Disulfiram 500mg, Copper 4mg, DHA 1200mg
1 day - Avastin 6.5 mg / kg
1 day - Lomustine 75 mg /m2 (+ Verapamil 240mg, Disulfiram 500mg, Copper 4mg, DHA 1200mg)

2-6 days - Temozolomide 90 mg/m2 (+ Verapamil 240mg, Disulfiram 500mg, Copper 4mg, DHA 1200mg, Curcumin 2000mg)

7-41 days - Telmisartan 40-80mg, Disulfiram 300mg, Copper 2mg, DHA 900mg)

15 day - Avastin 6.5mg / kg
29 day - Avastin 6.5mg / kg
42 day - Verapamil 240mg, Disulfiram 500mg, Copper 4mg, DHA 1200mg

+ every day Melatonin/Agomelatin, Berberin, Shark Oil, Oxaloacetate, Honokiol...
If possible, DCA will be added 6mg / kg / twice every day.
If possible, the doses of CCNU and TMZ in the next cycle will be increased.

New to GBM

Hi, my first post here so I hope I'm doing this right.  My husband was diagnosed with GBM on June 13th of this year...on the day my baby turned 8 months old.  One night when he was working late at home, he started having chills and feeling cold and started having a seizure in bed while we were sleeping.  He had 3 seizures that night and went to the ER and a mass was detected on his scans in his right parietal lobe.  He had surgery the very next day and the neurosurgeon said it was 99% removed.  At the time, they detected something else on the scans in his right temporal lobe...(I believe it was his first scan at the ER) that showed something, but they couldn't give us a definitive answer of what it was.  They said it could be swelling, but based on most recent scans, the NO said he thinks it's progression and that if it is, it's most likely inoperable and they will know for sure after chemoradiation is over.  I'm scared to death about the new find, although he suspects that it's not as aggressive as the one that was removed.  I'm not sure what he means by "progression" if it was there from the first scan and not as aggressive.  Wouldn't it be more appropriate to call it as another tumor rather than progression from his first tumor?  Am I not comprehending things correctly?  I ask this here as I am never able to accompany my husband to his appointments as I have my infant son and another 8 year old son and I don't have anyone to watch them.  I feel really helpless at times and focus whatever free time I have looking up what supplements and diets could possibly help him.  My research, however, is often not thorough as I am constantly interrupted by an unsleeping baby and an active 8 year old.  I'm hoping you wonderful members/contributors could help me out and take a look at the list of supplements I have compiled so far.... It's been a work in progress as my research evolves and I have taken out some, only to add others.

From what I can make out of his pathology report, my husband is MGMT unmethylated and IDH1 and IDH2 negative.  My SIL, who has been taking him to all his appointments, has sent in for Foundation One report so we are still waiting on that.

But this is what I have so far for my husband.  Please let me know if there is anything that is unnecessary as I feel bad that my husband has so many pills to take all throughout the day.  Also if there are any I should add and if my dosage should be increased, etc.  I would ever so appreciate it!  I was attempting to put him on a Ketogenic diet, but I'm too afraid to attempt as he has already lost some weight.  He went from 200lbs down to 185, which is still an average size, but he seems to have lost some muscle.  I am waiting for my Wokvel Boswellia extract to come so I can add that to his list as well.  If I add this, would it be safe to take out the Dex?  Right now I am putting him on a mostly organic diet with fresh veggies/soy/chicken and avoiding nuts because of Omega 6 and sugars and white starches.  I also wanted to add that my husband is going on week 4 of chemoradiation and has been getting good blood count results and has been able to work every day from morning till 4-5pm. Thank you so much if you are reading this!

Rx meds
Taken w/o food
Dexamethasone 20mg (1) 8AM
Famotidine 20mg (1) 8AM
Losartan 100mg   (1) 8AM
Levetiracetam 500mg (1) 8AM/ (1) 8PM
Zofran (1) 8PM
Temodar (2) 9PM




Supplements
Taken before a meal:
Berberine 500mg (1) 8AM/ (1) 5PM
Longvida Curcumin 500mg (2) 8AM/ (2) 5PM
Resveratrol 500mg (2) 5PM

Taken w/o food:
Life Extension Milk Thistle 750mg (1) 8PM
Melatonin 5mg (4) 9PM

Taken with food:
Red Reishi Mushroom 500mg (2) B (2) L (1) D
Fucoidan 310mg (5) B (5) L (6) D
Mushroom Science PSK/PSP 500mg (2) B (2) L (2) D
Mushroom Wisdom Maitake D Fraction Professional Strength (2) B (2) L (2) D
Green tea extract 750mg (1) B (1) L (1) D
Omega 3 Fish Oil 1100 mg (1) B (1) L (1) D

Life Extension Pteropure 50mg (1) B (1) L
Life Extension Soy 135mg (1) B (1) L
Vitamin D3 10,000IU (1) L
Life Extension Mega Lycopene 15mg (1)L
Probiotic 46mg (2) L
True Veda Ashwagandha 300mg (1) L

Dexamethasone vs. confusion

My wife is very confused lately - more so than usual. It's been about two weeks after the SoC of radiation and chemotherapy.

We have been trying to wean her of Dexamethasone so she's currently on 4mg in the morning and 2mg at night. But we're worried that her state of confusion is dampening her already dampened spirits.

I'm very wary of dexa - at our first hospital, the surgeon gave her a whopping 64mg a day, or 16 tabs. Her tumor wasn't considered "a time bomb" at the time but two weeks later, we rushed her to the hosptial as the tumor became very, very aggressive. I don't have anything to support this but I'm certain that the dexa had a hand in this as I feel it increased the glucose in her blood resulting in the growth. Our NO says there's little support for this.

Now, our new issue is that she was fine on 4/4 so we dropped her (per the NO) to 4/2 but her confusion has increased dramatically.

I'm trying to counter this is 2400mg of Boswellia (specifically http://www.amazon.com/Boswellia-Serrata-1200-Mg-Capsules/dp/B00C6B17VM) as well as turmeric and celebrex but it doesn't seem to be cutting it.

Questions

1. Are my fears of dexa over-blown?
2. If they are not, what alternatives do I have to the dexa?

Thanks in advance!

Swelling

What is the best thing to use for swelling/oedema? My dad uses now 16 mg dexamethasone a day, and is feeling fine when he uses it. But they want to temper down the dosage so they gave him a couple days a go half of the dosage a day: so 8 mg. He didn't go react well on it , so now they increased the dosage. But i know he can not take dexa for life becaus of side effects etc. so i am searching for the best brand of boswellia or other things
Any suggestions?

Would Nutlin3 be usefull

My molecular report stated that nutlin 3 could be used to improve the action of temodar. Is anybody using it? What do you think about it?