Questionable and Unproven Cancer Therapies

Barrie R. Cassileth, PhD 

Surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy have been "accepted" cancer treatments for a long time. They are accepted because they were developed after years of study with animals and then
humans. The studies were based on logical,
scientific principles, and the treatments were
then shown to be effective against the
growth of tumors in thousands of people.
    These conventional cancer treatments
are responsible for dramatic improve-
ments in survival over the past few
decades. Where few people used to
survive for long after a cancer diagnosis,
about half of all diagnosed patients are
now cured.
    Every few years or so, the media
present a startling report on some new