whether people were cured by the unproven method, whether they received conventional treatment before or at the same time as receiving the unproven treatment or if they were, in fact, ever diagnosed as having cancer at all.
Stories told by or about a patient are called anecdotal reports, and they can sound very impressive and persuasive. Even assuming they are true, however, no faith can be placed in anecdotal reports about one or even a few patients. Careful study of many clinically similar patients is required before a legitimate conclusion can be drawn about any new therapy.
The Appeal of New Methods To people with cancer and their families, unproven treatments can look very appealing, especially when no conventional treatment is left to be tried. They may be drawn to some unorthodox remedy even if there is no solid evidence that a product or procedure is beneficial. Patients and families may be ready to try anything, feeling that they have nothing to lose.
But there is something to lose. The financial losses can be considerable for anyone who pursues a useless treatment, usually at an expensive private clinic. For those who are terminally ill and beyond the help of conventional treatment, false hope can also rob them of the good use of what time they have left. When patients can still benefit from conventional treatment and there is a possibility of a long remission or even cure, what can be lost is a life.
It is understandable that you or your family may be attracted to some unproven therapy. The best physical and financial protection, however, is to become an educated health care consumer. Develop a basic understanding of medical procedures and services, including unproven methods.
