Personalized Cancer Treatment in Houston, Texas

Here at the Burzynski Clinic we do not provide “one-size-fits-all treatment” for our patients. Instead, we provide personalized targeted therapy based on what causes that particular patient’s cancer.

This type of approach to cancer treatment is quickly growing in acceptance. Mainly because the scientific community has embraced the universal understanding that all cancers are associated with genetic or epigenetic abnormalities (however, only some are hereditary). This understanding has led to dramatic changes in the diagnosis and treatment options for cancer. It has ultimately led to the creation of “Personalized Medicine” which we implement with each patient at the Burzynski Clinic.

The treatment at Burzynski Clinic is different than in other cancer therapy centers.  The standard of care for advanced cancer is based on a pathological diagnosis.  In reality, this is the treatment of the medical name of cancer.  Medications which target mutated genes are used but they were designed to affect single genes or a small number of genes that cause cancer.  They are not able to cure advanced cancer which is caused by hundreds of mutated genes.  The newest of these medications introduced in the last 18 years are able to extend the patient’s life by three months.

The treatment plans at Burzynski Clinic affect over 400 mutated genes by medications from the Antineoplaston (ANP) group.  One of these medications, PB in tablet form, can be prescribed off-label.  Two other medications are investigational infusions available for advanced patients based on the Texas Right to Try Law.  The results of Phase 2 clinical trials of ANP infusions in terminal brain tumor patients revealed that 140 of them survived from over 5 years to over 36 years.  An additional 61 patients diagnosed with 28 other advanced cancers survived from over 10 years to more than 32 years.

Rapid development in research helps to identify mutated genes in cancer patients based on tissue and blood tests.  Current treatment plans at Burzynski Clinic are using medications from the ANP group in combination with prescription targeted therapy medications to affect the genes not covered by ANP.

Personalized Targeted Therapy at the Burzynski Clinic is implemented in the following manner:

• Employing the most currently available technology to help identify the genes (targets) that are causing the progression of cancer through sophisticated blood tests and cancerous tissue testing.
• Based on the extensive testing results, a combination of medications from the ANP group and FDA-approved targeted medications (and possibly low-dose chemotherapy, if needed) is selected which work to destroy these identified targets; thereby selectively destroying what is activating and sustaining the patient’s cancer.

This type of cancer treatment is a much more precise and gentler approach. In essence, we customize our treatment for every patient based on identification of targets and implementation of targeted therapies, not blindly treating patients based on their type and stage of cancer.  

The goal is to be as sophisticated as possible when treating our cancer patients. This sophistication reduces the use of potentially ineffective medications which leads to speedier health improvement, saving time, and saving money.

Approved Targeted Therapies

Targeted therapy includes drugs that are aimed at specific genes or proteins that are only found in cancer cells or their environment and contribute to cancer growth and survival. It is used to block the growth and spread of cancer cells. Currently there are a number of targeted therapies approved by the FDA to treat many types of cancers. These are available for use at the Burzynski Clinic.

The Burzynski Clinic has extensive experience with the drug phenylbutyrate (PB), which targets multiple genetic abnormalities simultaneously. This experience is documented in published articles in the peer-reviewed literature.

• View references to published articles.
• Read more about approved targeted therapies (National Cancer Institute).

We believe the quality of the treatment is determined not only by the effectiveness of the cancer therapy but also by the quality of the patient’s life during and after the treatment.

Burzynski Clinic provides a wide range of services to assure the comfort, convenience and well being of our patients, including 24-hour monitoring, dietary supplements and nutrition counseling.

We take pride in offering the highest quality of personalized patient care. Each patient receives personal attention of a medical team assigned to them for the duration of their treatment.

Our supervision continues after the patient returns home and resumes care under their local physician until the treatment is completed.

Conventional therapy may be utilized in the treatment of some patients at the Burzynski Clinic and is frequently combined with targeted therapies or immunotherapies to maximize the effectiveness and minimize the negative impact of conventional therapy

• Read more about chemotherapy (National Cancer Institute).

Surgery, radiation therapy, and specialized imaging such as MRI, CT and PET scan, are provided at other local medical facilities.

• Read more about radiation therapy (National Cancer Institute).