Has anyone heard of Dandelion Root being helpful on AML/MDS

Hi @stsimons We’re all looking for that miracle cure of treating cancers and illness with natural remedies. And for certain, there is merit with some alternative medicines. However, there are also potential dangers in using unregulated supplements or natural remedies such as Dandelion root during traditional chemo. They may affect how your liver processes medications, potentially altering the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs or causing toxicity. So before trying any supplements or natural products along with chemo it’s important to discuss this with your oncologist.

There have been studies with Dandelion root with some positive indications that tea/supplements made from this plant can kill cancer cells. But as of yet there hasn’t been approval by the FDA or acceptance in the clinical world. As one article I read mentioned, “ kills cancer cells in a lab” and “treats cancer in people” are separated by years of clinical trials that haven’t been completed yet.”
You can read the entire article by Scienceinsights.org here:
https://scienceinsights.org/does-dandelion-root-kill-cancer-what-science-shows/
It’s been almost a year since you posted about your wife’s journey with MDS/AML. How has she been doing? If you don’t mind sharing a little more, what treatment is she currently taking for her AML?

I echo @loribmt sentiments about the dangers of unproven supplements. Not only for those of us in treatment but the public in general. My close friend decided to add a supplement bought on line to his routine (think it claimed to help give him more energy). Three weeks later he was hospitalized as his kidneys shut down. His medical team followed him and it has taken 4 years for his kidneys to show normal functioning and he was a healthy 58 yo. Sometimes the risks outweigh the reward. Personally I always check with my AML cancer team before I add any supplement.
Prayers to all as we look to living longer thru research.

@loribmt
Lori,
Thanks for your interest. Quick history. She was diagnosed with MDS in May 2023. Cleveland Clinic re-diagnosed her with AML in December 23. June 23 biopsy showed 14% blasts. No treatments for that period…just monitoring. In Feb 2024 started treatments with Dr Badar, Mayo JAX. He drives the train, but treatments administered by our local oncologist in Georgia, with monthly video conferences with Badar or his team members.
Started with the 7 day per 28 protocol. OK for 3 or 4 cycles then reduced numbers resulted in going to five days of chemo injections. Waited between cycles for numbers to recover, one time the wait was for 90 days. Then put on Inquovi (pill) plus VEN, but now, Badar is recommending going to a weekly injection of Decitadine and VEN. She has had 8 biopsy’s and all except the first one have shown no evidence of leukemia. We are currently waiting for the results of number 9. She has also had a number of platelet and red blood transfusions.
It seems our issue is her ability to tolerate the drugs. This May, she will reach three years. Symptoms primarily fatigue, poor appetite, bruising, etc.
Interested in what your experience tells you about this case. She had no treatments from May 23, when diagnosed with MDS, to Feb 24, and none for a 90 day period mid last year, and so far, still showing remission. Considering the aggressiveness of AML, what are your thoughts?
She is now 81. Oh, on the dandelion root question. If she drinks tea, why not dandelion root tea?
Thanks, Jim

@stsimons Hi Jim, From what you just shared, this is all very encouraging for your wife! She’s obviously responded really well to the treatments as shown with those clean biopsies. That’s awesome! The side-effects…not so much. Sorry to hear that. But really, it sounds like her doctors have found a sweet spot of balancing her meds where she can go periods without any treatment and still remain in remission.
With what I’ve learned along the way, those mini-vacations from drugs can be very helpful in recovery of bone marrow, organs and such that take hits with the chemo.

But with AML, depending on the underlying mutations driving the disease, some of those mutations are more aggressive than others. They’re the problem makers. While the bulk of the cancer cells have been eliminated with chemo, it’s not necessarily all of them. Some of these cells can actually go dormant during treatment or continue to elude the chemo, only to emerge months later. So, even though there is remission, some patients may require periodic lifelong maintenance therapy. Years ago, we patients usually over the age of 65 didn’t have that opportunity. AML was pretty much a life ender. The drugs we have now have been a huge blessing to leukemia patients!

I understand what you’re saying about dandelion root tea…if your wife already drinks tea, why not the dandelion root tea? I just want to share a personal story with you about herbal teas. They’re not without side effects. Earlier this winter, I was given a gift of Ginger tea from a specialty tea company. It’s so delicious! I started drinking two cups a day because it tasted so good, soothing and I felt great.
At the same time, an odd symptom I’d never experienced before started happening gradually. If I stood quickly, I felt like passing out! My ears would roar, I got dizzy and disoriented and one time fell into my husband. That was so unnerving. I’m an avid walker, often at least 7 mile daily. Quite abruptly I was no longer able to keep that pace!
Also, if I stopped to talk with someone or bent to pick up a seashell, I’d get whoozy, lightheaded and I could feel a blackout coming! I had other issues too. I lost motility with my intestines…nothing was moving. Which is rare. My diet didn’t change and I’m regular as a clock. Also, my legs felt like they were weighted. I started wearing compression socks that I use for travel. Even getting out of bed was becoming alarming. So I sat and reviewed any changes I made in the past month before my symptoms started. The ONLY thing that changed was my addition of 2 cups of strong ginger tea.

I did some sleuthing to learn more about Ginger tea. I already knew that it was a wonderful anti-oxidant and a blood thinner, but it is also a vasodilator which helps with blood flow by relaxing and widening blood vessels. Well, in my case, my body did not tolerate the excessive vessel relaxing and my BP dropped dangerously low. So I stopped the tea and within 3 days all of those symptoms disappeared with it!
I’m only letting you know that these herbal teas are not without potential side effects. When I was on chemo, my doctor gave explicit directions to avoid turmeric, ginger and a few other strong herbs and spices to avoid potential liver, kidney and bleeding complications. I’m 7 years past all of that but learned a lesson that nothing is without risk.

That’s why I think it would be a good idea to run the Dandelion root tea past your wife’s hematology team.

@loribmt
Good morning Lori and thank you for sharing your experience. Someone with high blood pressure may find this information helpful! I am very sensitive to medication and herbal supplements but have found tremendous relief with some of the herbal supplements I have tried for physical anxiety-that flight or flight mode/stress response that I have experienced due to insomnia. I really wanted to respond to your post to commend and praise you for your 7 mile walks! Way to go!!! I have been a walker on and off my whole life (now 72 years young) and I normally walk 3-5 miles per day with my goal being 100 miles per month and 1000 miles per year. (Last year was 920 miles) Let me tell you, I keep Brooks Glycerin shoes in business! Walking is my meditation, personal encouragement and free mental health therapy!!
Between walking and my red light therapy machine (which is truly a miracle device for pain and inflammation) I keep at it every day. Thanks for being an encouragement to others and blessings to you.

Good morning, @1oldsoul. What a great, inspirational post to start my day with a fellow walker. Thank you for sharing your experience with walking! I’m always encouraging people to get outside to walk, listen to the birds, take in the beauty of the plants and sky, immerse yourself in nature. Really, Mother Nature is the best therapist. Walking is a mind cleanser for putting life into perspective, sorting through troubles, coming to conclusions, gaining clarity.
But more than that it is so beneficial to our bodies! ☺️

I’ll have to check out the Brooks Glycerin shoes! I’m due for a new pair of walking shoes. We just returned back to Wisconsin after 4 months walking the beach on the Gulf. My poor feet are experiencing culture shock having to wear shoes again! LOL.

You mentioned your red light therapy machine. I don’t have any experience in that area. Though I’ve noticed several discussions popping up in Connect on the subject. Most sound very favorable. I don’t want to derail this conversation by changing it to Red Light therapy but if you’d like to share your experience, here is the link to the discussions! https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/
Maybe you can let others know how beneficial it’s been for you. How did you know which one the purchase?

@loribmt
Lori, I will share my positive experiences on that other link later today, but in answer to your question, I read a blog by Ari Whitten on red light therapy and one of the machines he recommended was from the Red Therapy Company. At the time I was suffering from Plantar Fasciitis with a heel spur on my left foot that did not respond to an injection and was so painful that it was preventing me from my walks which was breaking my heart so I was desperate to try something. I settled on the Red Rush 400 which I was able to purchase a refurbished one (probably a 60 day guarantee return item) for considerably less-($400 I believe with the discount code Ari provided “Energy Blueprint” which is his website.) Within 2 weeks of using the device 5 days a week with my heels pointed toward the device 4-6” away for 10 minutes a day, I was back on the road and absolutely a believer. It took another week or so to know the plantar fasciitis was completely gone and I continued to use it for another month or so to make sure. I will detail my other uses for the machine when I share my experiences on the other link. To be continued!