pH Manipulation Therapy

Most cancers are glycolytic, meaning they prefer to utilize sugar (glucose) for energy, even when there is plenty of oxygen available. Multiple studies confirm that chemotherapy-resistant cells tend to be glycolytic. In addition, studies reveal that the lower the oxygen content of the tumor, the greater it's metastatic potential. Tumors that have inadequate oxygen supply are forced to rely on glucose for energy. The bottom line: tumors that have low oxygen content and therefore become glycolytic are the most aggressive and deadly cancers.

When cancer cells process glucose they produce large amounts of lactic acid. As the glycolytic cancers become more aggressive and take up more glucose, they must become more efficient at expelling their increased production of lactic acid. Scientists have identified 6 mechanisms that get over-expressed by cancer cells to expel lactic acid. Recent research suggests that chemotherapy resistance is caused by over-expression of these mechanisms.

An in-vitro study was performed under Dr. Rosenberg's direction at Univ. of Miami in 2007, using 2 different types of cancers. These cancers were exposed to 2 drugs that block 2 of the 6 mechanisms mentioned above, which block the efflux of lactic acid; high dose omeprazole, to block the proton pump (vacuolar H+ ATPase pump) and lonidamine to block the monocarboxylate transporter (MCT).

In 24 hours, we saw 30% cancer cell death. This cell death correlated with a decreased intracellular pH, indicating lactic acid was not able to be transported out of the cell in a timely fashion. We then took the remaining live cancer cells (which were still bathed with the pump inhibitors) and put them in a high glucose medium to feed the cancer cells, thus causing an increased production of lactic acid. In 24 hours, we saw 50% cell death, once again, correlating with a significantly reduced intracellular pH.

Dr. Rosenberg has refined the above technique for patients; he now uses a "cocktail" of 4 different oral drugs which together, block 3 different mechanisms of acid efflux.