Future Projects

The Nutritional Research and Educational Foundation hopes to raise sufficient funds to pursue testing of Dr. Gonzalez's enzyme products along with various dietary modifications in animal models of cancer. Such studies can yield significant data about a promising new anti-cancer agent, usually in far less time than a human clinical trial, and without variables such as patient non-adherence that can make data analysis meaningless.

The enzyme approach of Dr. Gonzalez and Dr. Isaacs has been previously evaluated in animal models of pancreatic cancer. In May, 2004, the results of these studies were published in the peer-reviewed journal Pancreas. In these experiments, a very aggressive form of pancreatic cancer was induced in mice, then half the animals were given proteolytic pancreatic enzymes, half were given no therapy. Those treated with the enzymes showed a significant improvement in survival and overall health compared to animals not receiving the enzymes. In a second experiment, tumor growth was substantially reduced, and survival prolonged again, in animals receiving the enzymes. The results were particularly significant for a first attempt, since the investigators were using only the enzyme part of our program, and did not use a variety of doses to determine the most optimal for a mouse. As the principal investigator of the study wrote in the conclusion of the article: "In summary, PPE (porcine pancreatic enzyme) is the first experimentally and clinically proven agent for the effective treatment of PC (pancreatic cancer). The significant advantages of PPE over any other currently available therapeutic modalities include its effects on physical condition, nutrition and lack of toxicity."

The Foundation would like to raise money to continue these experiments, using different models of cancer, different types of cancer, different doses of pancreatic enzymes, and modifications of the diet of the animals. Such experiments could provide more evidence of the benefit of this therapy, while helping to refine its administration.