As a cancer patient dealing breast cancer reoccurrence for the third time - over 30 years - fighting to survive. The stories on this platform are heart breaking to hear the suffering of cancer patients - it is time for a new approach. As we all know the field of oncology is the specialized branch of medicine dedicated to the study, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer. While remarkable advances have been made, many conventional treatments have historically prioritized attacking the tumor while giving less attention to protecting the whole body and long-term wellness. For women with hormone-sensitive breast cancers, therapies that dramatically lower estrogen levels (such as aromatase inhibitors or ovarian suppression) are associated with increased risks of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive issues, according to multiple studies. Beyond these long-term risks, standard treatments frequently cause significant quality-of-life burdens, including hair loss, skin changes, constipation, vaginal dryness, insomnia, joint and muscle pain, hot flashes, fatigue, and depression. These side effects can leave patients feeling as though they are trading one serious problem for another. As cancer patients and advocates, believe it is time to push the medical community toward treatments that strengthen our natural immunity rather than solely relying on approaches that can weaken the body’s defenses. We need therapies that work with the immune system to help eliminate cancer while better preserving overall health and vitality. One highly promising option is ANKTIVA® (nogapendekin alfa inbakicept-pmln), developed by ImmunityBio and often referred to by patients as part of the “Cancer BioShield” platform. It is currently FDA-approved (in combination with BCG) for BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer with carcinoma in situ, with or without papillary tumors. Unlike traditional chemotherapy, ANKTIVA works by activating and expanding natural killer (NK) cells and T cells — the body’s own cancer-fighting immune cells. This helps restore immune function and has been shown in clinical studies to reverse lymphopenia (low lymphocyte counts), which contributes to weakened immunity in many cancer patients. Encouraging data continues to emerge from ongoing trials: In non-small cell lung cancer, combinations with checkpoint inhibitors have demonstrated meaningful immune restoration (increased absolute lymphocyte counts) and improved overall survival in patients who had progressed on prior therapy.
In recurrent glioblastoma (brain cancer), early pilot data combining ANKTIVA with targeted NK cell therapy and tumor-treating fields showed 100% disease control in the first five patients treated (including two near-complete responses).
It is also being investigated in breast cancer (including triple-negative) and other solid tumors.

Many cancer patients experience significantly lowered white blood cell counts (WBC), often dropping well below the normal adult range of 4,000–11,000 cells/μL — sometimes to 1,000 cells/μL or lower — due to the disease and/or treatment. By boosting key immune cells, therapies like ANKTIVA offer a path to help rebuild the body’s natural defenses. All cancer patients need to discuss ANKTIVA and other immune-boosting approaches with your oncologist.
Ask about eligibility for clinical trials or the FDA-authorized Expanded Access Program (compassionate use), which is available for certain patients with solid tumors experiencing lymphopenia or limited options.
Advocate for faster development and broader access to treatments that enhance, rather than suppress, natural immunity.

This is not about rejecting proven cancer therapies — it is about integrating strategies that allow us to fight cancer more effectively while protecting our quality of life. We can and must move toward a model that empowers the body to “heal thyself” by strengthening its own immune capabilities alongside conventional care. Together, patients can help drive this important shift in cancer treatment.

Sorry for such a long rant - I am worn out by breast cancer and trying to survive the treatments. Wishing all healing and health.