Gc-MAF Debunked: How bad science clouded a potential breakthrough cancer treatment and why CHIPSA hasn’t given up

In 2008, a number of studies appeared in medical journals claiming that a therapy called Gc-MAF had cured breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers in small groups of people. Naturally everybody was very excited.  Gc-MAF was soon being touted as a magical cure for everything from HIV, to Cancer, and Autism.  Shortly thereafter, however, many of these research papers were retracted, leaving scientists wondering. 

And, now more than a decade later, Gc-MAF is being explored as a treatment, once again.

What Is Gc-MAF?

Gc-MAF is short for "Gc protein-derived macrophage-activating factor." It is a vitamin D-binding protein that occurs naturally in the body. It activates cells involved with tissue healing called macrophages.

Macrophages are white blood cells that the immune system sends out to destroy foreign cells, such as bacteria and cancer, that have entered the body. Gc-MAF is a protein produced in our bodies that activates macrophages. Cancer cells, on the other hand, are suspected to produce Nagalase, an enzyme that inhibits Gc-MAF, to protect themselves from attack.

Gc-MAF's function in the immune system is what has made it a topic of interest for cancer researchers. 

One hypothesis is that an external Gc-MAF produced outside of the body might support the immune system’s ability to fight cancer. The idea is that by introducing a foreign Gc-MAF protein into the body, the immune system will function more effectively and destroy cancer cells.

What About The Retracted Studies?

The main proponent behind the use of Gc-MAF for Cancer is a man named Dr. Nobuto Yamamoto. Although the claims in his papers were deemed as unsubstantiated by the medical community, what he was “trying to do” had promise. 

Gc-MAF, according to Yamamoto, should stimulate macrophages in cancer patients to combat the disease. 

Dr. Yamamoto is far from a quack or scam artist. He was a very credentialed scientist:

·       Holds a PhD in in biochemistry from Gifu University in Japan

·       Has been a US-based researcher since 1959

·       Was invited to be a visiting associate researcher at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia

·       Was as a researcher for the National Institute of Health in Maryland

·       Worked with Temple University as a professor

·       Worked as a professor at Hahnemann Teaching Hospital

·       And is well published in many of top scientific journals such as the Journal For Cancer Research

The Problem With Dr. Yamamoto’s Clinical Trials

Dr. Yamamoto published 3 papers, detailing the results of clinical trials of Gc-MAF with breast, bowel and prostate cancers. 

The results of the studies were astonishing to say the least. All the patients were getting positive results. While initially this seemed like a breakthrough, methods used to gather the data in the trials were flawed.

The sample size of the trials was small, averaging about twenty patients and many patients in this study had all received standard cancer therapy, including surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy. This makes it difficult to determine whether the positive outcomes were from the Gc-MAF or existing therapies. Additionally, the method used to measure the tumors was questionable. 

Instead of measuring tumor decline, the researchers looked at levels of nagalase instead. 

Cancer cells appear to release higher levels of nagalase, therefore the researchers reasoned that declining levels of Nagalase meant that the tumors were getting smaller and that the Gc-MAF was working. While this is an interesting theory, it is not an acceptable way to measure a cancer patient’s results.

Lastly the studies lacked an institutional review board and medical records to back up their claims of regression. 

Could Yamamoto Have Been Right?

Although Yamamoto’s approach was flawed, the theory behind harnessing the power of the immune system is still very promising.  A lot of new treatments aim to do just that and are part of the class of drugs labeled “immunotherapies.”

Maybe Yamamoto was onto something?

Newer studies suggest that cancer cells do express high levels of nagalase which seems to prevent the immune system from macrophage activation. The higher the Nagalase levels are, the more advanced the cancer appears to be.

There have been over 60 peer reviewed studies that have looked into Gc-MAF and Nagalase. Surprisingly, none of the studies have been able to debunk the activation of macrophages by Gc-MAF protein during the inhibition of Nagalase. It has also been shown that Nagalase is raised in patients with different diseases from HIV to cancer.

In fact, in 2014, Israeli scientists began a small-scale early-stage clinical study to examine the dosage and safety of Gc-MAF in cancer patients.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Combination Therapy and Clinical Trials at CHIPSA

CHIPSA is also studying the combination of Nagalase Inhibiting factor with VG-5000, due to VG-5000 being an antiangiogenic treatment and NIF also showing these properties. Activation of macrophages and other aspects of the immune system along with the targeted aspects of VG-5000 show great promise.

Legacy Labs in Mexico is the only fully licensed lab in North America making injectable Nagalase Inhibiting Factor, also known as C-NIF.

C-NIF is given in the CHIPSA combination 3 week program at no additional cost to the patient. Due to the power of this treatment patients looking to do C- NIF outside combination therapy must be on a clinical trial program and are not available to the general public.  Oral and cream versions can be recommended at much higher doses but have much less macrophage activation and nagalase inhibition due to the lack of bioavailability

Combination therapy at CHIPSA may include Coley’s toxins, IV and oral Apatone, High dose IV Vitamin C, Autologous CAR T-cell therapy, Autologous dendritic cell therapy with or without specific tumor antigens, Autologous Natural Killer cell therapy, Personalized tumor lysate vaccine made from the patient's own tumor and other cutting edge therapies.

If you or someone you love would like to learn more about C-NIF at CHIPSA, give us a call at 1-888-667-3640. We will schedule you a free 30-minute appointment to speak with one of our doctors.