What we know already:
Bioptron light therapy does not only act locally but also has systemic effects, which are mediated via the blood, specifically the blood serum. Blood serum is a component of blood (similar to blood plasma), but does not include blood cells and clotting factors, but rather includes proteins, electrolytes, antibodies, antigens, hormones and any exogenous substances (e.g., drugs and microorganisms). Because Bioptron induces changes in the blood and blood serum, Bioptron light therapy can act on the entire body and can affect keratinocytes and fibroblast anywhere in the body. Fibroblasts are important for collagen and elastin production, and beneficial for wound healing. Keratinocytes’ primary function is to act as a barrier in the skin and to prevent water loss and fight foreign invaders. In particular, Bioptron light therapy has been shown to increase the growth and the number of fibroblasts and keratinocytes.
Up until recently, Bioptron’s effect on tumor cells, however, was unknown.
What is the effect of Bioptron light therapy on cancer cells?
Samoilova et al (2015) conducted a study to look at the effects of Bioptron light therapy on breast cancer patients- at the early postmastectomy period. They collected blood (serum) samples after Bioptron treatment (daily treatment for 7 days) and looked at the (blood) serum’s growth-promoting properties on fibroblasts, keratinocytes and various breast cancer and epidermoid (skin) cancer cells and compared them to the serum taken prior to the Bioptron treatment. This was a controlled investigation of the effects of blood serum on different cell lines, in vitro, taken from patients before and after Bioptron treatment. The results showed that the blood serum of patients treated with Bioptron therapy had inhibitory/slowing down effects on tumor cells and positive effects on fibroblasts and keratinocytes.
Therefore, Bioptron light therapy blocked growth and blocked the increase in the number of tumor cells (Samoilova et al, 2015) and in fact, slowed its progression and thus having a potential to increase a survival rate (Knyazev et al, 2015, study in mice).
The research concluded that Bioptron light therapy:
is safe to use in oncology
is beneficial for wound healing post surgery in cancer patients and suppress tumor proliferation in addition.
The study from Zhevago et al (2017) aimed to verify the effectiveness of the use of Bioptron light therapy in post-surgical management (after mastectomy- surgical breast removal) in patients with Stage I and II breast cancer. Conventional breast cancer treatment (surgery, chemo & radiotherapy) is often associated with immunodepression. The recovery from the immunodepression (known as immunorehabilitation) is important for treatment and rehabilitation and the prevention of tumor growth and metastasis. In this randomized control group, the experimental group received Bioptron light therapy to the lumbar/sacral region (lower back) for 10min for 7 days post-surgery. Bioptron light therapy blocked the immunodepression, normally associated with breast cancer treatment, and prevented the increase in inflammatory cytokines (markers) during the early phase after mastectomy. Furthermore, Bioptron light therapy helped to increase the effectiveness of natural killer cells. Natural killer cells are lymphocytes that circulate around the body and detect foreign cells and lead to their destruction. Bioptron light therapy increases the sensitivity of tumor cells to natural killer cells, thereby aiding their destruction and detection, supporting the person’s own immune system to detect and destroy tumor cells (Knyazev et al, 2016). Overall, it is thought that this prevention of immunodepression, decrease in pro-inflammatory markers and increase in the sensitivity of tumor cells to natural killer cells are associated with a better outcome in patients.
Conclusion
Bioptron light therapy inhibits the proliferation of tumor cells. Scientific evidence strongly suggests that Bioptron positively influences the immune system to recognize mutated (tumor) cells and thereby, suppress their growth and progression and to support our body to fight tumor cells.
These studies show that Bioptron Light Therapy devices can be used effectively and safely in oncology. Bioptron Light Therapy can be used in the prevention and treatment of complications developed after conventional tumor therapy and might stimulate the patients’ immune system to fight tumor cells.
References
If you would like further information or specific details on the studies, please do not hesitate to contact me.
References (available upon request):
Samoilova KA, Zimin AA, Buinyakova AI, Makela AM, Zhevago NA. Regulatory systemic effect of postsurgical polychromatic light (480-3400 nm) irradiation of breast cancer patients on the proliferation of tumor and normal cells in vitro. Photomed Laser Surg. 2015 Nov;33(11):555-63. Knyazev NA, Samoilova KA, Abrahamse H, Filatova NA. Downregulation of tumorogenicity and changes in the actin cytoskeleton of murine hepatoma after irradiation with polychromatic visible and IR light. Photomed Laser Surg. 2015 Apr;33(4):185-92. Knyazev NA, Samoilova KA, Abrahamse H, Filatova NA. Polychromatic Light (480-3400 nm) Upregulates Sensitivity of Tumor Cells to Lysis by Natural Killers. Photomed Laser Surg. 2016 Sep;34(9):373-8- Zhevago NA, Zimin AA, Glazanova TV, Davydova NI, Bychkova NV, Chubukina ZV, Buinyakova AI, Ballyuzek MF, Samoilova KA. Polychromatic light (480-3400nm) similar to the terrestrial solar spectrum without its UV component in post-surgical immunorehabilitation of breast cancer patients. J Photochem Photobiol B. 2017 Jan;166:44-51.
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