The serum quercetin concentrations required for anti-cancer activity (upwards of 10 microM, see below) are much higher than those achieved with oral doses in human studies. Since a 100 mg single dose was found to create a serum concentration of 0.8 microM quercetin,11 one could extrapolate that a 1500 mg daily dose might attain a 10 microM level. The relative long half-life of quercetin may result in even higher serum concentrations. Data from an animal study cited above suggest that concentrations of quercetin above 10 microM are attainable with oral doses.6 A single intravenous dose in humans of 100 mg led to a serum quercetin concentration of 12 microM (4.1 mcg/ml).12

Quercetin maybe can be pumped up to an active systemic level but curcumin can't easily. I am unsure that there are convincing demonstrations of in vivo curative properties yet - although I expect to get dumped on from a great height for saying so! I don't think that means we shouldn't be devising good experiments and trying them out of course.

I must say that even though I have had largely benign subjective effects from using DCA I really doubt that any single simple chemo is going to cure any cancer. Multiple simultaneous agents working synergistically together can rock the brute back and maybe control it - those lucky enough to have testicular of course can get away with it.

For single agent I think targetted biochemicals interfering with specific cell functions have a chance as Gleevec has shown in GIST for instance. But my money is on an engineered retrovirus that takes up permanent residence (like herpes) and busts out of hibernation to kill tumour cells whenever there is a resurgence of disease. Interestingly there was a recent paper showing how a Herpes simplex 2 virus, engineered to need a tumour cell with activated Ras pathways for reproduction, was succesful in clearing human ovarian cancer xenografts out of mice.

The only problem with that is neither big pharma or the regulatory authorities are going to like people wandering around with biologically active material in them that might propogate or even mutate and propogate. Personally I wouldn't object to catching a cold that would cure my cancer but I guess one can see their point.

Anyway, imaging Tuesday. I'll post the results as soon as I have them although its possible that might be the end of the week as I may be out of the UK Wed / Thu.

Kind regards - Ian