40 percent of Americans think “alternative therapies alone can cure cancer”

Buddy Blank said...
My grandma had ovarian cancer. My grandpa took her to Mexico for Laetrile treatment. She died not long afterward.

I think people go for the snake oil cures because 1.) they're desperate 2.) they've little, or no, science education so tend to believe nonsense 3.) someone famous recommended it.

From Quackwatch: "During 1980, movie star Steve McQueen attracted considerable attention when he was treated with Laetrile at another Mexican clinic under the supervision of William D. Kelley, a dentist who had been delicensed by the State of Texas after several brushes with state and federal law enforcement authorities. Although McQueen gave a glowing report when he began his treatment, he died shortly afterward." https://www.quackwatch.org/01quackeryrelatedtopics/cancer/laetrile.html

It is my guess that- unlike some things most call alternative- there were no good studies on Laetrile, and even more likely there were no good RCTs from reputable institutions. I don't know, I'm just guessing. I can't really recall ever running into a recommendation for Laetrile from any of the folks I follow over the years. Which is to say, people who might recommend some vitamin, herb or diet as at least possibly being helpful, usually with some studies to back them up, have never recommended Laetrile. Makes me wonder how so many folks have been sent to Mexico for that treatment.

BB - she received the Laetrile treatment about 50 years ago. There were no studies of Laetrile, that I am aware of, until the 1970s. There was, however, a great deal of controversy surrounding Laetrile. Quackwatch's article on it is a fascinating read. Here are Dr. Barrett's concluding thoughts on the subject:

"As long as there remain crippling and fatal diseases, there will undoubtedly be individuals eager to offer 'alternatives' to scientific treatment and large numbers of desperate individuals willing to purchase them. The Laetrile phenomenon started with a pharmacist-physician who developed one concoction after another for the treatment of serious diseases, especially cancer. It continued with his son, a self-imagined scientist, who spent many years in college but failed to earn any graduate degree. A man who earned his fortune from gun-running and a catholic newspaper columnist promoted it as a persecuted drug that cured cancer. A cadre of John Birch Society members saw the repression of Laetrile as a sinister plot against their basic freedoms. After it was dubbed 'vitamin B-17,' an army of health food devotees promoted Laetrile, along with vitamins and diet, as nature's answer to cancer.

"After peaking in the late 1970s, the 'Laetrile Movement' ran out of steam in the wake of the Supreme Court decision, the NCI study, the death of Steve McQueen, and other unfavorable publicity. But as the Laetrile fantasy faded, its prime movers added many other 'miracle cures' to their arsenal and added AIDS, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and multiple sclerosis to the list of diseases they claim to treat. Although they appear to speak with sincerity, they still fail to sponsor the type of research which could persuade the scientific world that anything they offer is effective.

"A systematic review that included all reports available through 2005 concluded that the claim that laetrile has beneficial effects for cancer patients is not supported by sound clinical data [10]."

https://www.quackwatch.org/01quackeryrelatedtopics/cancer/laetrile.html

I’ve always enjoyed eating broccoli 🥦

I'm the guy who first brought up Laetril when I commented on my neighbor giving me a book on apricot pits when I was first diagnosed. He has long since moved away. I hope he has never gotten cancer and followed his own advice. This is absolutely relevant to the OP's topic and has nothing to do with broccoli, unless someone is recommending broccoli in place of actual treatment.
Jim

Post Edited (Bohemond) : 11/4/2018 4:37:42 PM (GMT-7)

didn't this thread die 20 posts ago?

My step-daughter is a rigorously trained natureopath, with an ND from Bastyr University. Though she can’t treat her own father, she has been immensely helpful when it comes to advice about quality vitamins and data-driven diet options, etc. and she would never, ever say alternative therapies or nutritional approaches could replace Lupron or Casodex for inhibiting tumor growth.

When my husband was first diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer 5 years ago, an employee who moonlights for Usana suggested we investigate Soneviv, a clinic in Mexico. I looked at it and was appalled. Then I saw her “commission” would have been 10% of the hefty monthly fee. We had words. And have never talked about his condition since. There ARE dangerous, predatory people out there who prey on fears and sell magical thinking.

It is important to do your own research, find doctors you can trust and treat ANY AND ALL treatment claims with a grain of salt. Doctors are not scientists and some don’t keep up with the latest research. We have found that with a little bit of research, this forum and a focus on quality of life, we get by happily. Oh and medical marijuana and Viagara helps, too.

"We have found that with a little bit of research, this forum and a focus on quality of life, we get by happily. Oh and medical marijuana and Viagara helps, too."

And frequent use of Astroglide helps with QOL as well. (and daily cialis for me)

^ troll alert ^

i'm glad I got the message in the first sentence so I didn't have to wade through that massive block of text.

When I was first diagnosed I found this forum, and it helped me a lot (thanks to all for that). One thing I was surprised by is people actually troll cancer forums, pushing fake cures. I had been on other medical forums, for other conditions, but none of those conditions were as deadly as cancer, so seeing trolls show up at other forums saying baking soda could cure X Y and Z wasn't as big of a deal in my mind. Coming to a cancer forum and telling someone iodine, or pot, can cure them is beyond the pale. It's really sick.

And yet, there comes a point when medicine says "we can't do any more". At that point, many people DO go for the "cure"--and fall prey to the hucksters and liars.

I agree, though, to see obvious trolling with things like the "Iodine cure" on a cancer forum is reprehensible.

halbert said...


I agree, though, to see obvious trolling with things like the "Iodine cure" on a cancer forum is reprehensible.

There are times when being a moderator is a PIA. But I must admit I took great pleasure in deleting that piece of cr*p post from "our house". If he posts again with any of that garbage he will simply be banned as a spammer.

Jim

Well, ya know, who wouldn't want to be on fruit juice, vitamin C and honey instead of chemotherapy?