ISCADORISCADORAn Anthroposophical PerspectiveAn Anthroposophical Perspective

The beginning…The beginning…

In 1920, Iscador , an extract of European In 1920, Iscador , an extract of European mistletoe was proposed as a cancer remedy by mistletoe was proposed as a cancer remedy by Austrian thinker and biologic researcher – Austrian thinker and biologic researcher – Rudolf Steiner. Rudolf Steiner.

Because Anthroposophical use of mistletoe Because Anthroposophical use of mistletoe must be understood in terms of the plant and must be understood in terms of the plant and the human being, it is also necessary to explain the human being, it is also necessary to explain the anthroposophical view of both.  the anthroposophical view of both. 

Properties of the plantProperties of the plant          Mistletoe (Mistletoe (Viscum albumViscum album L) is an unusual plant with L) is an unusual plant with

many unusual properties. many unusual properties.

1.1. First, it does not grow on the ground, it grows in the First, it does not grow on the ground, it grows in the bark of various types of trees high up in the air amongst bark of various types of trees high up in the air amongst the branches of the host tree. the branches of the host tree. 

2.2. Second, instead of going dormant or dying during the Second, instead of going dormant or dying during the winter-time, it actually bears its fruit, a small white winter-time, it actually bears its fruit, a small white berry, in the snow and ice of winter.berry, in the snow and ice of winter.

3.3. Third, it stores up chlorophyll all the way down into its Third, it stores up chlorophyll all the way down into its roots and is green all year long and is indifferent to roots and is green all year long and is indifferent to light.  Thus it is neither geotropic nor phototropic. light.  Thus it is neither geotropic nor phototropic.

Rationale for remedy creationRationale for remedy creation

The extracts are unique in that the juices of The extracts are unique in that the juices of the summer and winter plants must be the summer and winter plants must be combined, as the summer plant is at the combined, as the summer plant is at the height of it vegetative growth, and the height of it vegetative growth, and the winter plant has in some ways concluded its winter plant has in some ways concluded its life rhythm…by combining these two life rhythm…by combining these two extracts and thus these two different extracts and thus these two different components of life, an anti-cancer treatment components of life, an anti-cancer treatment is created.is created.

Properties of the plant …Properties of the plant …

To Steiner, the cycle of human life, could be To Steiner, the cycle of human life, could be mirrored by the plants stages throughout the year.  mirrored by the plants stages throughout the year.  Because Rudolf Steiner believed one year of plant Because Rudolf Steiner believed one year of plant life to mirror that of a humans entire life it would life to mirror that of a humans entire life it would make sense to harvest a plant while it is young and make sense to harvest a plant while it is young and full of energy in the spring, or when it was at its full of energy in the spring, or when it was at its growth peak, in the summer. growth peak, in the summer.

Properties of the plant…Properties of the plant…

But mistletoe is not your average plant. Because it But mistletoe is not your average plant. Because it spends its winter fruiting, not decaying, it is these spends its winter fruiting, not decaying, it is these special forces in the plant that must be collected as special forces in the plant that must be collected as well.  It could also be thought of, by collecting the well.  It could also be thought of, by collecting the plants extracts at two distinct, opposite times of plants extracts at two distinct, opposite times of year, it could serve the patients’ circadian cycles.  year, it could serve the patients’ circadian cycles. 

The Three- fold man - aspectsThe Three- fold man - aspects

First is the cold, sclerotic aspect that starts at First is the cold, sclerotic aspect that starts at the hard skull of the head and travels the hard skull of the head and travels downwards with the nervous system. downwards with the nervous system.

The second aspect is the warm, dissolving, The second aspect is the warm, dissolving, moving aspect; centered in the abdomen, moving aspect; centered in the abdomen, called the metabolic-limb system.  The called the metabolic-limb system.  The metabolic-limb system has a warming, active metabolic-limb system has a warming, active force that moves upward. force that moves upward.

The three – fold man…The three – fold man… The meeting of the first two aspects, the The meeting of the first two aspects, the

sclerotic and the dissolving, creates a third sclerotic and the dissolving, creates a third aspect located in the chest; the rhythmic aspect located in the chest; the rhythmic system.  When a person is healthy, the three system.  When a person is healthy, the three forces penetrate and work with one another. forces penetrate and work with one another.

Cancer,Cancer, then, can be viewed as the cold then, can be viewed as the cold sclerotic forces of the body becoming sclerotic forces of the body becoming dominant to the other two aspects, instead of dominant to the other two aspects, instead of being in harmony with them. being in harmony with them.

The Four – fold man…The Four – fold man…In four-fold man, humans are viewed as having In four-fold man, humans are viewed as having four different levels of being, or existence.four different levels of being, or existence.

First is the First is the physical bodyphysical body, well-known to us , well-known to us through anatomy.  The physical realm is the most through anatomy.  The physical realm is the most basic; it is what we share with all plants, animals, basic; it is what we share with all plants, animals, rocks and minerals (it represents the physical rocks and minerals (it represents the physical world; the element world; the element earthearth ). The second is the life- ). The second is the life-forces body, or forces body, or etheric bodyetheric body; it is what we share ; it is what we share with plants and animals (it takes hold of the with plants and animals (it takes hold of the physical world through the elementphysical world through the element water water). ).

Four – fold man…Four – fold man…

The third member of four-fold man is the The third member of four-fold man is the astral bodyastral body, or soul (it takes hold of the , or soul (it takes hold of the physical world through the element physical world through the element airair). ). Man and animals are bestowed with Man and animals are bestowed with consciousness; they are not fixed in one consciousness; they are not fixed in one place and they are all capable of feelings, place and they are all capable of feelings, we all share this body.  we all share this body. 

The Four – fold man…The Four – fold man…

The last member of four-fold man is that The last member of four-fold man is that which humans have alone. Through the effects which humans have alone. Through the effects of the Ego, man becomes his typical human of the Ego, man becomes his typical human shape, and becomes an erect being. Human shape, and becomes an erect being. Human beings have an beings have an egoego (spirit) and are therefore (spirit) and are therefore self-conscious. The ego takes hold of the self-conscious. The ego takes hold of the physical through the element fire, or physical through the element fire, or warmthwarmth..

Pathogenesis….Pathogenesis…. When a person develops cancer, it is thought When a person develops cancer, it is thought

this is because their ego has left their cells of this is because their ego has left their cells of their body to a certain extent, and have lost their their body to a certain extent, and have lost their ability for differentiation, thus a type of ability for differentiation, thus a type of downward regression occurs (normal cells downward regression occurs (normal cells regress into a more embryonic state) the more regress into a more embryonic state) the more they regress in this way, the more they regress in this way, the more undifferentiated they become, expressing their undifferentiated they become, expressing their more aggressive growth pattern, and tendency more aggressive growth pattern, and tendency to metastasize. to metastasize.

Pathogenesis…Pathogenesis… Interestingly, the ego- and astral forces bringing Interestingly, the ego- and astral forces bringing

consciousness and self-consciousness and which consciousness and self-consciousness and which work through the nerve-sense system work through the nerve-sense system downwards, may become too destructive and, by downwards, may become too destructive and, by flowing from the head down into the metabolic flowing from the head down into the metabolic limb system, induce inhuman growths . There, limb system, induce inhuman growths . There, Steiner declared, these forces tend to form Steiner declared, these forces tend to form swellings, malformations, thus leading to swellings, malformations, thus leading to carcinomatous growths carcinomatous growths

PathogenesisPathogenesis Finally, anthroposophy, seeks to explain cancer as Finally, anthroposophy, seeks to explain cancer as

an effect of spiritual disharmony as well.  It is an effect of spiritual disharmony as well.  It is likely that the rise of cancer today is a direct likely that the rise of cancer today is a direct consequence of the current development of consequence of the current development of mankind as a whole.mankind as a whole.

Our current movement towards the separation of Our current movement towards the separation of the spirit from the body and intellectualization has the spirit from the body and intellectualization has extended consciousness into realms of bodily extended consciousness into realms of bodily activities that was formerly unconscious or was activities that was formerly unconscious or was controlled in rhythmic sub-consciousness. controlled in rhythmic sub-consciousness.

Pathogenesis…….Pathogenesis…….

One cannot fail to notice that the increase in the One cannot fail to notice that the increase in the carcinomatous diseases in our day is paralleled carcinomatous diseases in our day is paralleled by the widespread development of the forces of by the widespread development of the forces of the intellect. Similar to the cold, sclerotic body the intellect. Similar to the cold, sclerotic body moving downward, the movement of the intellect moving downward, the movement of the intellect into other parts of the human being, has lead to into other parts of the human being, has lead to the distortion of balance in the physical the distortion of balance in the physical organism. The intellect has grown out of balance organism. The intellect has grown out of balance in the human soul and spirit. in the human soul and spirit.

Pathogenesis….Pathogenesis….

The powers of Thinking (Ego), having lost the The powers of Thinking (Ego), having lost the sense of their true relation to the spirit, have sense of their true relation to the spirit, have associated themselves in purely Intellectual associated themselves in purely Intellectual Thinking (Ego-Astral) with the instincts of Life Thinking (Ego-Astral) with the instincts of Life and growth (the Etheric) in the lower bodily and growth (the Etheric) in the lower bodily nature of man-as centered on and satisfied by the nature of man-as centered on and satisfied by the material work-and the feeling-life arising out of material work-and the feeling-life arising out of that lower nature. Thus the origin of the physical that lower nature. Thus the origin of the physical unbalance called disease would be related to the unbalance called disease would be related to the human spiritual unbalance, scientific materialism.human spiritual unbalance, scientific materialism.

Cancer fighting properties…Cancer fighting properties…

Mistletoe Mistletoe

aa) stimulates the thymus) stimulates the thymus, the chief regulator of , the chief regulator of cellular immune reactions. cellular immune reactions.

b) It also b) It also increases the number of granulocytes, increases the number of granulocytes, which are the scavenger white blood cells that which are the scavenger white blood cells that consume invading antigens, consume invading antigens,

cc) enhances phagocytosis) enhances phagocytosis, the white blood cells' , the white blood cells' ability to ingest and destroy other cells or foreign ability to ingest and destroy other cells or foreign material. material.

Cancer fighting properties.Cancer fighting properties.

d) Iscador d) Iscador elevates the number of immuno-elevates the number of immuno-competent white cells and activates natural competent white cells and activates natural killer cellskiller cells capable of spontaneously capable of spontaneously destroying tumor cells.)destroying tumor cells.)

e) Mistletoe extract also contains biologically e) Mistletoe extract also contains biologically active proteins active proteins (lectins(lectins) and other substances ) and other substances that have exhibited powerful that have exhibited powerful antitumor antitumor actionaction in animal and cell-culture experiments in animal and cell-culture experiments

ResultsResults Iscador has been used mainly as an adjunct to Iscador has been used mainly as an adjunct to

surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. –Iscador surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. –Iscador therapy improves the survival rates for cancers of the therapy improves the survival rates for cancers of the cervix, ovaries, vagina, breast, stomach, colon, and cervix, ovaries, vagina, breast, stomach, colon, and lung lung

It has produced a slowing of tumor growth, It has produced a slowing of tumor growth, occasional regression of tumors, and, in some cases, occasional regression of tumors, and, in some cases, remission, even in "hopeless" or "terminal" cases. remission, even in "hopeless" or "terminal" cases. The best results have been obtained in the The best results have been obtained in the treatment of solid tumorstreatment of solid tumors both before and after both before and after surgery and radiotherapy. surgery and radiotherapy.

Survival rates & Pre -opSurvival rates & Pre -op Iscador therapy improves the survival rates for Iscador therapy improves the survival rates for

cancers of the cervix, ovaries, vagina, breast, cancers of the cervix, ovaries, vagina, breast, stomach, colon, and lungstomach, colon, and lung as well as other as well as other locations. locations.

Preoperative mistletoe therapy is given for ten Preoperative mistletoe therapy is given for ten to fourteen days prior to surgery. Its aim is to to fourteen days prior to surgery. Its aim is to help prevent metastatic spread of the cancer due help prevent metastatic spread of the cancer due to the surgical intervention. to the surgical intervention.

Post - op Treatment.Post - op Treatment. Post-operative treatment is ideally begun Post-operative treatment is ideally begun

immediately after surgery or radiotherapy. This immediately after surgery or radiotherapy. This follow-up treatment reportedly reduces the risk follow-up treatment reportedly reduces the risk of recurrence after surgery or radiation. of recurrence after surgery or radiation.

Iscador is usually administered by subcutaneous Iscador is usually administered by subcutaneous injection at or near the tumor site. A typical injection at or near the tumor site. A typical course of treatment consists of fourteen course of treatment consists of fourteen injections given in increasing concentrations. injections given in increasing concentrations.

Thank you Thank you

for your time.for your time.