Oncology Terminology: Simply Explained 

Mucositis

Inflammation of the mucous membrane (often in the mouth and throat), which can be very painful and is a common side effect of chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

German Cancer Research Center: Scientific Analysis of Cancer Diseases

The German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), as Germany's largest biomedical research institution, is dedicated entirely to cancer research.

More than 1,000 scientists work at the center in over 90 departments and research groups, investigating how cancer develops, identifying cancer risk factors, and seeking strategies to prevent cancer. They develop new approaches that enable more precise tumor diagnosis and more successful treatment of cancer patients.

Mast Cells

Sentinel Cells of the Immune System

Mast cells are specialized immune cells belonging to the group of white blood cells (leukocytes). Unlike other immune cells, they do not circulate in the blood but are located in the skin and mucous membranes.

Their Tasks and Function:

• Central Control of Inflammation: As highly sensitive sensors, mast cells play a key role in initiating and regulating inflammatory processes. They react immediately to external stimuli or skin irritations.
• Release of Messenger Substances: When activated, mast cells release stored mediators within seconds – primarily histamine. This substance is largely responsible for typical skin reactions such as redness, swelling, or itching.
• Regulation by Fatty Acids*: To avoid excessive inflammatory reactions, mast cells interact with the body's own fatty acids (e.g., acylethanolamines). These fatty acids act as a biological brake: They help the cell regulate the release of irritants and effectively inhibit inflammation.

*This is where the patented active ingredient F.A.G.® (Fatty Acid Group) comes in. It supplies the mast cells with precisely the fatty acids they need for regulation. This stops the excessive release of inflammatory substances and actively supports the skin's natural healing process.

Metabolism = Metabolism

Metabolism (also called metabolism) encompasses all chemical reactions occurring in the organism, such as the breakdown, synthesis, and transformation of substances.

F.A.G.® (Fatty Acid Group)

Patented active complex for skin soothing 

F.A.G.® is a protected trademark for a specific group of long-chain fatty acids. This active complex was developed to specifically intervene in the inflammatory processes of the skin and strengthen its natural protective barrier.

How exactly does F.A.G.® work?

• Regulation of mast cells: The main function of F.A.G.® is to normalize the activity of mast cells. When these cells are overactivated by external stimuli (such as radiation or chemotherapy), they release histamine. F.A.G.® provides the necessary lipids to reduce this release and reactivate the cell's "biological brake".
• Restoring Balance: In cases of inflammation or skin irritation, the body consumes increased amounts of specific fatty acids. F.A.G.® specifically replenishes these deficiencies. This not only masks redness, burning, and itching superficially but alleviates them directly at their source.
• Promoting Tissue Regeneration: In addition to reducing inflammation, the fatty acids it contains support the rebuilding of cell membranes. This accelerates the healing process of microscopic skin injuries and strengthens the skin's resistance to future stresses.

Carcinogen = cancer-causing

The adjective carcinogenic (synonym: cancer-causing) means cancer-causing. A carcinogenic substance is a substance that can lead to the development of malignant tumors.

Breast Cancer: Definition, Causes, Prevalence & Risk Factors

What is breast cancer?

Breast cancer (medically: mammary carcinoma) is the most common tumour in women. In rare cases, the disease also occurs in men. Breast cancer is a very serious condition, but thanks to early detection and treatment, many patients are curable today – often even with gentle methods.

Therapy is tailored individually based on the extent of the disease and the patient's condition. Available treatments, which are often combined, include surgery, specific medication, and radiotherapy.

Recently, so-called "targeted therapies" have been added; these are treatments that precisely attack cancer cells (such as monoclonal antibodies).

How common is breast cancer?

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in women in Germany, accounting for approximately 28% of all new cancer cases among females.

The risk of breast cancer increases with age: younger women are rarely affected; it is only from the age of 40, and especially from 50 onwards, that the majority of women become ill. Most patients develop the disease after the menopause.

What are the causes and risk factors of breast cancer?

The exact causes of breast cancer are still largely unknown. However, certain risk factors are recognised – these are influences that promote the onset of breast cancer. How these factors influence each other, as well as their interaction with other factors such as age, has not yet been studied in detail. It should also be noted that some factors can be influenced, while others cannot. The main risk factors are as follows:

Women who are overweight develop breast cancer more frequently than women of a healthy weight. Excess body weight appears to increase the risk primarily after the menopause. People who consume high amounts of animal fats also seem to have a tendency towards a higher risk. The influence of other dietary habits remains uncertain, particularly the question of whether fruit and vegetables have a protective effect or what the effect of natural phytoestrogens (plant hormones found in food) might be.

In contrast, it is proven that alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer. The higher the alcohol consumption, the greater the risk.

Smoking appears to increase the risk. However, smoking across all age groups increases not only the risk of breast cancer but, more significantly, the risk of lung cancer.

Sex hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone can influence the risk of breast cancer. Taking the pill for many years can, for example, slightly increase the risk. At the same time, this form of hormonal contraception statistically offers slightly higher protection against other types of cancer, such as ovarian cancer.

Continuous hormone replacement therapy (HRT) used for years during the menopause (postmenopausal oestrogen therapy) causes the risk of breast cancer to rise. If the hormones are discontinued, the risk returns to the average level within a few years.

A late growth spurt in adolescence and a late onset of the menopause (climacteric followed by the menopause) also increase the risk.

Furthermore, women who have not had children or those who were over 30 at the birth of their first child present a higher risk. Every pregnancy or birth has a protective effect. Breastfeeding also has a protective effect, which increases the longer the breastfeeding continues.

In about 10% of all breast cancer cases, genes play a vital role: an initial clue (though by no means sufficient on its own) of a genetically increased risk may be a cluster of breast and ovarian cancer cases within the family.

What are NOT risk factors for breast cancer?

The media regularly cite alleged risk factors for which NO scientific link to this disease has actually been proven. These include:

• Wearing bras
• Vitamin D deficiency
• Lack of exposure to sunlight
• Infections
• Breast implants
• Terminations of pregnancy
• Deodorants containing aluminium. Regarding this, please also read our advice text: "Can aluminium deodorants make you ill?"

However, research has not yet identified all risk factors for breast cancer.

Cell Metabolism and Cancer: When the System Goes Off Track

While healthy cells work as a team to maintain bodily functions, cancer cells behave like "egoists". They decouple themselves from the harmonious interaction of the organs.

Why metabolism is so crucial in cancer:

• The Warburg Effect: Cancer cells radically alter their metabolism. To grow extremely quickly, they often generate energy without oxygen (fermentation), even when sufficient oxygen is available. This altered metabolism makes them resilient but also leads to an acidic environment within the tissue.
• Inflammation as a Breeding Ground: Cancer cells often exploit existing inflammatory processes to spread. This is where mast cells come into play: chronic inflammation can promote tumour growth, as the released messenger substances stimulate the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis), which supply the tumour with nutrients.

The Role of Fatty Acids (F.A.G.®) in an Oncological Context:

In supportive cancer therapy (oncology), controlling cell metabolism and inflammation levels is decisive:

• Regulation of the Micro-environment: Cancer therapies (such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy) often cause massive inflammation of the skin and mucous membranes. By supplying specific fatty acids (as found in the F.A.G.® complex), the cell metabolism in healthy cells can be supported to curb inflammatory reactions from mast cells.
• Protection of Healthy Substance: While the metabolism of the cancer cell is meant to be disrupted, the metabolism of healthy neighbouring cells must be strengthened. Fatty acids help to keep cell membranes stable and promote tissue regeneration.