I sent a note to Dr. Longo whose research the news article cited. I asked him if they were able to discriminate between the the highest order HSC and daughter self-renewing stem cells.
Specifically I asked if an HSC which has since transposed into an LSC (and therefore become potentially cancerous), might fasting induce LSC division and hence expose more LSC's to our TKI's.
I look forward to his response.
For those who have low level residual disease and that is probably most of us even those whose PCR's are undetectable (except you - you are cured, there are no LSC's left in you or Susan, but that is just my informed opinion) might benefit from a series of 3 day fasts over a period of time to hit LSC's harder. But I agree with you, if the daughter LSC's are the one's the article is strictly referring to - then it probably would help some people achieve PCRU for psychological reasons and may just be sufficient to prevent recurrence.
I personally have engaged in many fasts - even fasts as long as a full 3 days since CML diagnosis. It was mostly due to getting the flu or some other cause not wanting to eat. I am curious if a structured series of fasts with elevated TKI dose during a period just following might be an interesting trial?
A one day fast is easy - three days is tough, especially if you need to perform (work, academia, sport).
Diagnosed 11 May 2011 (100% FiSH, 155% PCR)
with b2a2 BCR-ABL fusion transcript coding for the 210kDa BCR-ABL protein
Sprycel: 20 mg per day - taken at lights out with Quercetin and/or Magnesium Taurate
6-8 grams Curcumin C3 complex.
2015 PCR: < 0.01% (M.D. Anderson scale)
2016 PCR: < 0.01% (M.D. Anderson scale)
March 2017 PCR: 0.01% (M.D. Anderson scale)
June 2017 PCR: "undetected"
September 2017 PCR: "undetected"