Alternative Treatment

Because of the poor results obtained with conventional therapies and the great harm they can cause, alternative therapies are gaining in acceptance and popularity. These therapies are all based on assisting the body's own defense systems in destroying the cancer cells. They use various methods to achieve this with most of them requiring a great deal of commitment and determination on the part of the patient. As in the case of conventional treatments, very few, if any, controlled experiments have been carried out on the value of the various therapies, so testimony as to their effectiveness usually comes from former patients and is spread by word of mouth. One notable exception is the megadose vitamin therapy pioneered by Drs. Linus Pauling, Ewan Cameron, and Abram Hoffer.

Megadose vitamin therapy involves the ingestion of large amounts of vitamins. This treatment has been extensively evaluated at the Vale of Leven Hospital in Scotland under the supervision of Dr. Cameron. The experiments found that terminal cancer patients who received large, daily doses of vitamin C along with their regular treatment lived much longer than patients who did not receive vitamin C; they also had less pain and in general, a much improved quality of life.

Metabolic and herbal therapies aim at cleansing the body, boosting the immune system, and assisting the body in ridding itself of the cancer and the toxins created by the breakdown of the tumor.

The Gerson therapy was formulated by Dr. Max Gerson, a German physician who came to the United States just before World War II. Dr. Gerson believed that cancer results from a faulty metabolism and long- term exposure to pesticides and other environmental pollutants. His treatment involves a detoxification program and a meat-free, salt-free, and low-fat diet along with copious quantities of fresh fruit and vegetable juices as well as various supplements. The Gerson program is particularly effective for melanoma, lymphomas, and cancers of the liver, pancreas and colon. Success has also been achieved with inoperable brain cancer, metastasized breast cancer, and prostate cancer. The Gerson therapy is available on an in-patient basis at the Centro Hospitalario Internationale del Pacifico in Tijuana, Mexico.

The Hoxsey therapy was developed by a self-taught American healer, Harry Hoxsey. By the 1950s, the Hoxsey Cancer Clinic in Dallas was the world's largest private cancer clinic. In 1960, however, the American Medical Association, the National Cancer Institute, and the Food and Drug Administration managed to close down the clinic. It later reopened in Tijuana, Mexico as the Bio-Medical Center. The clinic treats all kinds of cancer on an out-patient basis only; best results have been achieved with lymphoma, melanoma, and skin cancer; however, patients with breast, cervical, prostate, colon, and lung cancers have also been successfully treated. The Hoxsey therapy includes the total avoidance of pork, vinegar, tomatoes, carbonated drinks, alcohol, bleached flour, and refined sugar. Various supplements are also given with the main component of the treatment being the Hoxsey tonic which consists of several different herbs, many with potent anti-cancer effects.

Other alternative therapies are based on the use of specific formulations such as the Canadian herbal remedy Essiac which has been used with apparent success since 1922. Shark cartilage has been found to be particularly effective against brain cancer and prostate, liver and breast metastases. It works by interfering with the tumor's ability to create a vitally needed blood supply. Hydrazine sulfate is particularly effective in combatting cachexia, a deadly condition which causes many cancer patients to starve to death. It has also been used with success in Russia to treat lymphatic cancer.

There are many highly respected alternative cancer therapies in use in Europe. The late Johanna Budwig, MD advocated a combination of sulfur-containing protein and essential fatty acids to treat many types of cancer. Dr. Hans Nieper, MD in Hanover, Germany uses a vegetarian diet and various combinations of vitamins, minerals, laetrile, and special vaccines. Dr. Nieper claims that 45 to 48 per cent of those of his patients who have been declared incurable by conventional medicine have their cancer under control after 18 months or less on his program. The Breuss Clinic in Hanover, Germany uses lengthy juice fasts and a totally protein-free diet to bring many cancers under control.