Protein-derived Macrophage Activating Factor is a crucial part of the immune system's attack on rogue cells including cancer cells in the human body. Third generation Gc-MAF, made from colostrum and patented by Saisei Immunotherapy in Japan, aims to boost this attack significantly. Immuno Biotech are European Leaders.
Gc-MAF or GcMAF? Either way, is it a cure for cancer?
Gc-MAF or GcMAF is a natural protein-derived macrophage activating factor. It is an immunotherapy, derived from a functional change in the Gc protein, which is a vitamin D binding protein. A Macrophage Activating Factor is a lymphokine that primes macrophages to attack and kill tumour cells.
In simple English, Gc-MAF (which is a naturally occurring protein in the body) kicks macrophages (a type of white cell which kills invasive cells) into 'action' so that they can then attack and destroy cancer cells and almost all invasive cells such as viruses and tiny infectious particles.
In people with cancer (and viral illnesses), production of Gc-MAF is blocked by an enzyme called Nagalase, which is produced by many viruses and cancers in order to beat the immune system.
The idea is simple - inject patients with Gc-MAF and overwhelm the nagalase and so the macrophages can be activated to do their job.
Like any immunotherapy - even the drugs that cost more than $450,000 US per year - Gc-MAF thus 'reduces the brakes', or 'reduces the blockages' within the immune system allowing it to work more effectively.
Gc-MAF - a 'very potent' natural immunotherapy?
There are many different cells in the immune system and they all do different jobs, often as part of a team. Some of them need help. You can boost their numbers (with drugs or herbs), but then they need to ’see’ the opposition - polysaccharides help here, and MAF is a polysaccharide. They also cannot attack a cancer cell until a T-lymphocyte ‘picks up’ a vitamin D molecule. And research shows that taking probiotics is essential to make them work better! Clearly the totality of the immune system might be better stimulated using a package of treatments. Dr. Thomas Lodi told me that, "With Gc-MAF, some cancer centres are getting a much higher response where they sensitise the system using Interleukin-2 or IL-2".
Gc-MAF is claimed to be very potent and even at low concentrations seems to activate, regulate and expand macrophage numbers, Indeed, a summary of the claims for its action would include:
* Activates macrophages causing phagocytosis and destruction of cancer cells
* Causes apoptosis (the suicide of cancer cells)
* Inhibits angiogenesis stopping blood supply to tumours
* Reduces metastases restricting cancer spread
* Enhances Mitochondrial performance
* Improves neuron connectivity and performance
Treatment protocols vary and cover illnesses from ME to Autism, to Parkinson's and liver disease. Only the Japanese talk publically about treating cancer.
GcMAF, who makes it? Who sells it?
Importantly, GcMAF is not just a European immunotherapy, it is also used in the USA and in Japan. One of our English-born cancer patients in Tokyo was prescribed it by his normal Japanese doctor. One of our US patients with a brain tumour was given Gc-MAF by a US integrative doctor with very positive results.
The compound in Japan is produced by SaiSei Immunotherapy or Saisei Marai (1) who like to think of themselves as world founders. There have been three generations of Gc-Maf. The first generation was produced over 20 years ago and has very little research. The second generation was significantly more powerful than the first and tends to be cloudy because it is produced from serum. The newer third generation product is patented and classified as a Food Product in Japan - it is produced from colostrum, a rich source of immunoglobulins and MAF - and is widely available in various forms from capsules to M-Lollies.
The Japanese hold patents for Gc-MAF in various countries.
In Europe I find it all rather confusing. First Immune (8) seem to be the trading name company. But the leading presence is Immuno Biotech (5).
And there is clearly a rivalry between team Japan and team Europe. While Saisei warn about copies, 'Our GcMAF is the only publicly available GcMAF that is used in the research papers’. in Europe Immuno Biotech are taking a Brand leader stance. Immuno Biotech's website claims that:
180 eminent scientists have published GcMAF research papers on the US National Library of Medicine alone. Immuno Biotech has supplied GcMAF to over 10,000 people worldwide, including 350 doctors and clinics, and has written 32 scientific research papers, peer-reviewed and published in top scientific journals. These can be viewed on the US Government's PubMed system.
What's the CANCERactive view on Gc-MAF
Chris Woollams, former Oxford University Biochemist and a founder of CANCERactive said, "There are three issues you need to understand":
1. Is the science and research potentially sound?
2. Is there a protocol?
3. Why is it 'banned?
1. The Science on GcMAF:
First, the logic and the basic science sounds frighteningly obvious. If cancer cells block the immune system by producing lots of nagalase, one option is to overwhelm the nagalase! Unfortunately, life ain't that simple - the immune system not just one thing but a complex multi-faceted system. There's definitely more work to be done.
After 20 years work, in 2011 SaiSei developed their second generation GcMAF products which may be injected or taken orally or sub-ligually. The newest version can be taken topically or orally. Dosages are 48 over a 6-month period (2 per week) or 3 per week in difficult cases. Importantly, Saisei have a clinic, Saisei Miral Immunotherapy, which uses GcMAF with drugs (for example Herceptin or monoclonal antibodies). The second and third generation GCMAF products have been developed alongside the University of Tokushima. They have pointed out following work in their vast modern laboratories that one of the biggest threats in your body to GcMAF is liver disease and of course cancer can very quickly attacks the liver.
In one study (2) researchers set about tailoring an immune response with an integrative immunotherapy approach using this second-generation group-specific component Macrophage Activating Factor (GcMAF-containing) from human serum and colostrum. Other studies have involved breast cancer, colon and prostate cancer - and even HIV.
By March 2013, Saisei Mirai claimed to have treated over 345 patients with GcMAF. In the cases of three patients, the integrative immunotherapy was ‘remarkably effective’. Given the results seemed hopeful, a comparative clinical study was planned.
It would help if we had some good and clear research about Gc-Maf as 3 out of 345 sounds pretty low to me. True, we have had a couple of patients in Japan doing well on Gc-MAF and in my chats with Thomas Lodi, his view is that it does work but you must simultaneously create the conditions for it to work by enhancing the immune system in other ways and 'priming it'.
But is there more research? The treatment was originally developed by American, Dr Nobuto Yamamoto who claimed it worked 100% of the time on breast, prostate, colorectal and other cancers. This followed three clinical trials he conducted. Critics claim the numbers were small with approximately 20 patients in each (but I’ve seen brain cancer drugs in a blaze of glory following research with 16 people, so the jury – my jury – is out on that one). Far more importantly. he didn’t use control groups. And they might have all survived the research period too. After analysis of the studies by the Belgian based 'The Anticancer Fund', he withdrew his papers from publications, even though the editors had previously accepted the articles as valid.
Next then, one of the issues for Gc-MAF is: which product are they researching and then selling to patients? Are we talking the banned American version, the banned European version, or the Japanese version?
Are patients really going to go chasing round the Internet for research? Are they worried about rivalries. No.
And if the research is so great, give us summaries of the top 50 studies! The truth is that a lot of the research is simply about Macrophage Activating Factor and any biochemist knows about that. One study (3) 'on Gc-MAF' was really about the binding properties of vitamin D to Gc protein. I want evidence that Gc-MAF does what it says on the can! And I want to be clear whose version of Gc-MAF we are now researching! The problem as always is funding. Without funding you cannot have clinical trials. And without clinical trials, selling a 'drug' in Europe or the USA (However natural), is impossible,
But GcMAF has its fans and advocates - when Lord Saatchi was taking his bill, allowing all doctors freedom to prescribe almost anything they might feel would work, to the UK House of Lords there were links to Gc-MAF on his website with 50 or so studies.
It is also claimed to work with ME, hepatitis viruses, EBV, Autism and now Covid-19. And you should keep taking your supplements, especially the ones that boost your immune system. The odd dribble of Royal Jelly seems to help.
There is a 2017 science and research review, 'Promising role for Gc-Maf in immunotherapy' (4), which covers more details in a very positive light. And a 2022 critical overview (9) of the research of Nobuto Yamamoto - 'Immunotherapy with GcMAF revisited', which sees Yamamoto's research in a much more positive light.
2. Is there a clear Gc-MAF protocol?
The standard protocol used by the researchers (2) linked to the Saisei company was:
A GcMAF-containing human serum administered intramuscularly or subcutaneously once or twice per week for the duration of cancer therapy until all cancer cells are eradicated.
This was studied using hyper T/natural killer (NK) cell therapy, which was given once per week for six weeks; and
High-dose vitamin C administered intravenously twice per week; and,
Alpha lipoic acid (600 mg) administered orally daily; and,
Vitamin D3 (5,000-10,000 IU) administered orally daily.On the GcMAF website, the ’treatment’ protocol shown above also talks about a particular diet and avoiding sugar - it seems almost a standard ketogenic diet. It talks of increasing oxygen levels and the importance of exercise. And of the need for trace minerals and amino acids. Oh, and vitamin D.
At CANCERactive this protocol is all pretty standard stuff. And it should make a big difference to a person with cancer, even without added Gc-MAF.
In 2016, research in Cancer Watch showed that people who ate high levels of soluble fibre had the strongest immune systems. Really? Diet boosts the immune system? Yes, a soluble fibre diet boosts levels of certain helpful gut bacteria and the immune system is stimulated in response. And we know that people get the best results from immunotherapy drugs such as PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors by consuming fibre, taking vitamin D, taking probiotics and consuming mothers' milk and medicinal mushrooms.
The aim of the game is to boost your immune system to recognize and then attack the rogue cancer cells.
Immunotherapy is full of potential. And having scientists that understand the need reboot the whole system, not just a piece of it, is essential. Oncologists treating patients with Interferon or Interleukin, please note. While the Swiss Immuno Biotech people talk of standard and sensible diet, exercise and supplement programmes, Integrative cancer experts like Dr. Lodi are talking about using IL-2 to boost and sensitise the whole system first. I have a feeling you should be doing both.
If it works, which bit did the trick? Would you care? Of course not.
The Saisei Mirai Immunotherapy Clinic is in Osaka, Japan. Do you have to go to Japan?
No, there are a variety of clinics in the USA. I guess they get round the FDA 'cancer' issue by claiming to treat autism, HIV or other immune diseases and viral issues.
In Europe, there are Swiss Clinics - see the Immuno Biotech site (6). There they talk of have 4 Production Laboratories in various countries, 33 leading peer-reviewed research papers, and have discovered a total of 11 actions for GcMAF in all. They claim to have supplied over 11,000 people, much through clinics and doctors, and inside their own clinics.
There are Immunological German Clinics - the website (7), calls GcMAF 'Your body's own internal medicine'.
If you go the whole hog with a trip to the clinic in Switzerland, you should note that, according to the blurb, you need to keep taking GcMAF for 8 weeks after the tumours have gone.
There’s confidence for you.
In Japan, it's a six month programme and they are wary about you taking it home and just popping the pills.
You need to contact them about prices.
3. Why is it banned?
As I explained above, because full phase III Clinical trials have not been submitted to, and approved by, the FDA. And, of course, because Gc-Maf is cheap and competes with profitable American drugs that cost lots and don't work terribly well. When someone has presented clear evidence, it still may not be approved. That's how the system works. Follow the money.
Immunotherapy as an idea is not new - since 1920 and Sloane Kettering's Dr. Coley and his toxins, oncologists have been trying many avenues, for example, using Interferon and Interleukin and now IPD-1 and CAR-T drugs.
Go To: A review of Cancer Active Immunotherapy
We note that Dr Meheus of the Anticancer Fund justified their attacks on Gc-MAF by saying "Our goal is to avoid that cancer patients are misled by seemingly scientific evidence that turns out to be of questionable quality". If he really believes that, he is going to have his work cut out. Fraud, lies, falsified research and more were exactly the charges laid at the door of Pharmaceutical Companies by Peter Goetzsche Head of the prestigious Nordic Cochrane Centre in his book "Deadly Medicines and Organised Crime. How Big Pharma has Corrupted Healthcare". Even the FDA have reported that 45% of the drug Clinical Trials they receive and approve are flawed.
It’s the usual mess that surrounds most non-toxic, non-invasive treatments that are a potential threat to Big Pharma - and as usual, it is the patient who suffers. Obviously that's the skeptics' primary aim. Sow seeds of doubt rather than ask for really scientific debate and evidence.
Gc-MAF is freely available in Japan, and also China and most of Asia.
Using Gc-MAF - summary
Chris Woollams adds, "Clearly Immuno Biotech and Saisei think Gc-MAF is a major way forward to attack cancer. Anyway, you should be doing the diet, exercise and supplement protocol if you have cancer. Then, if you add in Gc-MAF, do it with a recognised Integrative cancer expert, or clinic and use proven support treatments like soluble fibre, vitamin D, probiotics and even Interleukin to boost the effects. Personally, I would refer to Immuno Biotech or the Japanese Website and check the product you want is the correct one. It can be used as part of an immune boosting package, or integratively with orthodox medicines, as such monoclonal or immunotherapy treatments rather than old fashioned chemo. I think I'd go to a clinic rather than attempting to self treat at home."
Go to: How to Rebuild your gut
’If you are already thinking of buying Vitamin D, you might like to look at the Natural Selection shop by clicking here’.
*******
References:
1. SaiSei Immunotherapy and GcMAF - https://saisei-mirai.or.jp/en/very-important-fact-about-gcmaf-treatment/
2. Anticancer Res. 2013 Jul;33(7):2917-9, Inui T, Kuchiike D, Kubo K, Mette M, Uto Y, Hori H, Sakamoto N
3. http://wellness4cancer.com/research/gcmaf-research/.
4. Promising role for Gc-MAF in cancer immunotherapy: from bench to bedside; Ehsan Saburi, Amin Saburi. Mostafa Ghanei; Caspian J Intern Med. 2017 Autumn;8(4):228–238.
5. Home GSE.se Immo Biotech - https://gcmaf.se/
6. Immuno Biotech Swiss Clinics - https://gcmaf.se/why-us/
7. German Immunological Clinics - https://immunological-german-clinics.com/gcmaf
8. First Immune Europe - How GcMaf works
9. Immunotherapy with GcMAF revisited - A critical overview of the research of Nobuto Yamamoto; Simon Pj Albracht; Cancer Treat Res Commun; 2022:31:100537.Epub 2022 Feb 18.
********
People who read this also read
Vitamin D - are you getting enough?
The ketogenic Diet
The Rainbow Diet
Intravenous Vitamin C
Immunotherapy Overview