Preventing Cancer: The ROOT Protocols

Drs. Paul Marik and Justus Hope introduce the ROOT Protocols—combining nutraceuticals and repurposed drugs to reduce cancer risk—featured in the latest edition of the Journal of Independent Medicine.

A Data-Driven Blueprint for Cancer Prevention

Cancer is one of the greatest public health challenges of our time—its incidence rising steadily across all age groups, with an alarming surge among younger adults. In the last decade alone, the risk of cancer has increased by 17%, translating to over 2 million new cases and 600,000 deaths annually in the United States.

A new paper published in the Journal of Independent Medicine offers a proactive response. “Preventing Cancer: The ROOT Protocols” presents a novel framework to help individuals lower their cancer risk using accessible, evidence-based interventions.

Authored by Paul Marik, MD, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of the Independent Medical Alliance, and Justus Hope, MD, the study identifies synergistic combinations of nutraceuticals and repurposed medicines that disrupt cancer pathways at multiple stages of development.

“Cancer is to a large degree a preventable disease,” says Dr. Marik. “There are active interventions that people can take to reduce their risk. Most individuals over the age of 65 should at least adopt the ROOT 3 Protocol, and those with higher risk factors can choose a more comprehensive approach.”

📖 Read and Download the Full Paper

Preventing Cancer: The ROOT Protocols (JIM Vol. 1, No. 4, 2025)

👉 Visit the Journal of Independent Medicine to create a free account and download the full article.

From Prevention to Empowerment

This publication also marks yet another milestone in IMA’s expanding cancer initiative, following the recent launch of the Cancer Resource Hub: a dedicated space where patients and practitioners can explore the latest science, tools, and strategies for prevention and care.

Drs. Marik and Hope have been central contributors to that effort, co-authoring multiple Cancer Care resources that examine repurposed and metabolic approaches to treatment. Their latest Journal of Independent Medicine article continues the same mission, that is, offering practical, data-driven pathways toward reducing cancer incidence worldwide.

“Within the last 10 years, the risk of cancer has gone up 17%, with over 2 million new cases annually,” says Dr. Marik. “By using AI and pharmacological data, we’ve developed the ROOT Protocols—practical, tiered strategies anyone can use to reduce their cancer risk.”

A Continuation of Groundbreaking Research

This is the second major collaboration between Drs. Marik and Hope in the Journal of Independent Medicine. Their first, Mechanisms of Turbo Cancer, explored the biological drivers behind the alarming rise in aggressive post-mRNA cancers.

They also co-authored several of IMA’s Cancer Care Sub-Guides and Monographs, including the popular resource, The Approach to Repurposed Drugs for Cancer.

In fact, the synergy between these works is striking. Many of the compounds Marik and Hope identified as promising treatments in their Approach to Repurposed Drugs in Cancer—such as ivermectin, mebendazole, and celecoxib—are also featured in the ROOT Protocols, where they play a preventive role.

Together, their research connects prevention, early intervention, and care into a single, unifying framework that redefines how we think about cancer.

👉 Read more: The 4th Issue of the Journal of Independent Medicine

Proactive Models for Cancer Prevention

The study underscores that up to 40% of cancers may be preventable through changes in lifestyle, environment, and nutrient support. By combining the best-studied compounds in integrative oncology—such as green tea extract (EGCG), curcumin, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids—with carefully selected repurposed drugs, the ROOT Protocols form a scalable, multi-tiered approach to cancer prevention.

“This paper should be shared widely among patients and families,” says Dr. Marik. “It’s one of the few diseases where proactive, evidence-based prevention is within reach.”

The ROOT Protocols

The ROOT Protocols are structured, tiered regimens combining nutraceuticals and repurposed medicines designed to disrupt cancer pathways at multiple stages of development.

Each protocol builds on the last, using AI-assisted modeling to identify synergistic effects across cellular, metabolic, and immune pathways. All components are available as over-the-counter supplements or approved medications, offering an accessible framework for risk reduction.

ROOT 3–ROOT 9 Overview

• ROOT 3: EGCG + Curcumin + Vitamin D

• ROOT 4: Adds Omega-3

• ROOT 5: Adds Berberine

• ROOT 6: Adds Sulforaphane

• ROOT 9: Adds Celecoxib, Ivermectin, and Mebendazole

Each step adds new protective mechanisms, enhancing anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, metabolic, and immune modulation effects that collectively reduce cancer incidence.

Key Highlights

🌿 Green Tea Extract (EGCG)

EGCG, a powerful polyphenol in green tea, interrupts cancer metabolism, inhibits tumor growth, and enhances immune surveillance. It converts “cold” tumors into “hot” ones by activating cytotoxic T cells and suppressing immunosuppressive cells, making it a unique bridge between prevention and immunotherapy.

🌼 Curcumin (Turmeric)

This polyphenol from turmeric downregulates inflammation, suppresses cancer-promoting pathways like NF-κB and PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and induces apoptosis in multiple cancer types. It has demonstrated synergy with both vitamin D and omega-3s in reducing tumor signaling.

☀️ Vitamin D

Vitamin D regulates more than 200 genes involved in cell growth and immunity. The study highlights its roles in DNA repair, anti-inflammatory control, and inhibition of angiogenesis.

🐟 Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3s—EPA and DHA—counterbalance the pro-inflammatory effects of omega-6 fats, disrupt tumor metabolism, and promote cancer cell death via oxidative stress and ferroptosis.

🌱 Berberine

Berberine induces cell cycle arrest, enhances tumor suppression, and reduces metastasis. It also improves insulin sensitivity, linking metabolic health to cancer prevention.

🥦 Sulforaphane (Broccoli Sprout Extract)

Sulforaphane targets cancer at the epigenetic level, reactivating tumor suppressor genes silenced by DNA methylation and histone modification. It also enhances detoxification pathways that neutralize carcinogens.

💊 Celecoxib, Ivermectin, and Mebendazole

In higher-tier protocols (ROOT 9), these repurposed drugs further expand protection for those with inherited or high-risk cancer profiles.

• Celecoxib: FDA-approved COX-2 inhibitor that reduces polyp formation in familial adenomatous polyposis.

• Ivermectin: Inhibits tumor-promoting pathways such as WNT-TCF and PAK1, and induces apoptosis via mitochondrial disruption.

• Mebendazole: Targets hypoxia and tubulin disruption, reducing metastasis and enhancing the effects of other agents.

ROOT 4 Mechanistic Synergies (Table 1)

Suggested Dosages (Table 2)

⚠️ Disclaimer: The ROOT Protocols are not substitutes for medical treatment. Consult a healthcare provider before use, especially if pregnant, immunocompromised, or on anticoagulant therapy.

The Bigger Picture

The ROOT Protocols are more than a supplement regimen—they represent a systems-based approach to prevention. Developed through artificial intelligence and rooted in over a hundred peer-reviewed studies, the model demonstrates how targeted synergy can influence multiple stages of carcinogenesis simultaneously.

This approach aligns seamlessly with IMA’s broader mission in cancer care: to connect research, prevention, and clinical practice through transparency, education, and physician-led innovation.

Explore More from IMA

• 🔗 Cancer Resource Hub

• 🔗 Cancer Care Monographs & Sub-Guides

• 🔗 Our Approach: Repurposed Drugs for Cancer

• 🔗 Mechanisms of Turbo Cancer

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