How can DMSO help you during cancer treatment？

DMSO or Dimethyl sulfoxide is a naturally occurring agent that has been found effective in various forms of cancer such as melanoma, leukemia,lung cancer,ovarian cancer, and lymphoma. Although enough studies have not been done to evaluate its effectiveness, few of the studies show promise despite the lack of confirmation of its safety and efficacy.

What is DMSO or Dimethyl sulfoxide?

DMSO is a byproduct of the paper making industry and has been commonly used as an industrial solvent to mix certain drugs with water. DMSO has also been used as a carrier agent to bring drugs into the body by application on the skin and is currently being used as a preservative for bone marrow and organ transplant. It is an FDA approved medication used to treat the symptoms of pain in bladder cancer too. It is known to reduce cases of swelling by removing water from adjacent cells, effectively reducing water leakage from blood vessels in cancer tumors as a part of integrative cancer treatment.

What are the uses of DMSO?

Cancer Treatment – DMSO promotes cancer treatment by helping transform rapidly growing cells into normal ones. Not only that, but it is also known to stimulate a tumor suppressing protein called HLJ1, which reduces the growth of the adjacent cancer tumor cells. Therefore, in a way, it slows down the advancement of cancer. However, the studies for this have not been substantiated by adequate research.

To treat chemotherapy extravasations – DMSO has been used to treat chemotherapy extravasations, the situation in which the chemotherapy medicine has leaked from the affected body part and is trapped in the surrounding tissues.

Treatment for inflammation and pain – Research also shows that its application to the skin has been successful in reducing pain, inflammation and swelling.

Chemical solvent – DMSO as an agent, is readily absorbed by the skin and is often used as a solvent to increase the body’s absorption for other medication.

How does it help in cancer treatment?

Although the American Cancer Society enunciates that there is hardly any evidence that supports the use of DMSO to treat cancer, there have been two human intravenous DMSO studies conducted by Dr. Hoang and his colleagues to affect the advance of two forms of cancer: Prostate cancer; and Gallbladder cancer. Each case expounded a significant improvement in clinical symptoms, blood tests, and quality of life. Both cases saw the benefits of the therapy persisting long after DMSO was discontinued.

How effective is its usage?

Dimethyl sulfoxide can be used to prevent the extravasations of chemotherapy agents. Pain is a major concern for patients with cancer and a significant therapy issue. For advanced cancers, pain may become a predominant cancer symptom. In an open-label clinical study, the researchers treated 26 patients with cancer who were declared terminal without an integrative cancer treatment option. The results showed that intravenous infusion of DMSO and sulfur dioxide carbonate was a viable option for refractory pain in cancer patients.

There is very little data on combined therapy with DMSO and chemotherapy. It is used as a prescription drug to treat bladder inflammation and pain and as an antidote to leaked and trapped chemotherapy drugs inside the body. However, it is not yet proven to be an effective cancer treatment in humans.

Side Effects of DMSO

DMSO has shown to cause neural damages to animals.

It has recorded certain side effects which appear to be mild. The most common side effect is a heavy garlic taste in your mouth after being treated with it for several hours.

Common side effects include sedation, headache, nausea, dizziness. Doctors agree one should be careful about the topical application of DMSO. It can make your skin hot, scaly, and itchy. It may interfere with other medicines, as well. Along with the DMSO, toxic chemicals can also be ingested through your skin. It can also cause discoloration and agitation in the urine.

Restrictions of DMSO

DMSO is most likely safe for usage as a prescription medication; however, the industrial-grade version of DMSO is most definitely not meant for personal usage. Special precautions must be taken in the following cases:

During pregnancy and breastfeeding: In this case, the use of this drug is strictly prohibited, although not enough research has been conducted on it. It is therefore advisable to avoid it altogether to be on the safer side.

Diabetes: It is believed that using DMSO can affect the way insulin works in our body, and therefore this may require readjustment of dosage.

In the case of specific blood disorders: The intravenous application of DMSO may cause red blood cells to break down, or in some cases, it might actually make the conditions worse for the patient.

Liver and Kidney problems: DMSO is also believed to cause adverse issues in these two organs, and thus strict supervision is advised.

DMSO is believed to have cancer cell growth inhibiting properties. However, with limited research and possible side effects, it is advisable to not start any treatment without consulting your cancer care provider first. At present, further studies are required to reach a definitive conclusion of the effectiveness of DMSO in cancer treatment.