Last week I began a discussion of new studies that support the use of mistletoe extracts in oncology. I conclude, with references, this week.

This year, at the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting, Washington DC scientists presented the results of a phase I clinical trial on the use of European mistletoe extracts and the drug gemcitabine (Gemzar) in patients with advanced solid tumors (Mansky 2010). The product tested was Helixor (not the more common Iscador). These researchers' conclusions were highly positive. They reported that the combination had limited toxicity, no alteration in gemcitabine uptake, good tolerability and a clinical benefit in 48 percent of patients. (This contrasts well with previously reported levels of benefit from gemcitabine alone.)

They concluded that the addition of European mistletoe extracts "may allow for use of higher doses" of gemcitabine and that the combination of mistletoe and this drug "warrant further study."

Studies of this sort continue to chip away at the standard American oncologists' contention that all useful treatments are routinely employed in US oncology hospitals and that any other ways of treating the disease are without scientific validity. This is simply not true. In fact, American oncologists could learn a great deal from CAM practitioners, if they would recognize that other cultures have different ways of approaching the same problems, and that have something valuable to contribute to the optimal treatment of cancer patients.

--Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D.

References:

Burkhart J, Wälchli C, Heusser P, et al. In vitro investigation into the potential of a mistletoe extract to alleviate adverse effects of cyclophosphamide. Altern Ther Health Med. 2010;16(3):40-48.

Mansky P, et al. NCCAM/NCI phase I study of mistletoe extract and gemcitabine in patients with advanced solid tumors. Abstract No: 2559; J Clin Oncol. 2010;28:15s (suppl; abstr 2559)

Payer, Lynn. Medicine and Culture, revised edition. New York: Holt, 1996.

Schönekaes K, Micke O, Mücke R, et al. [Use of complementary/alternative therapy methods by patients with breast cancer]. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd. 2003;10(6):304-308.

Simon L, Prebay D, Beretz A, et al. [Complementary and alternative medicines taken by cancer patients]. Bull Cancer. 2007;94(5):483-488.

Ziegler R, Grossarth-Maticek R. Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis of Survival and Psychosomatic Self-regulation from Published Prospective Controlled Cohort Studies for Long-term Therapy of Breast Cancer Patients with a Mistletoe Preparation (Iscador). Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2008. Available at:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18955332 [Accessed July 9, 2010].

Resources:

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