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Other common
name(s): Kelley's treatment, Gonzalez treatment, Issels
whole body therapy, Gerson therapy
Scientific/medical
name(s): none
Description
Metabolic therapy uses a combination of special diets,
enzymes, nutritional supplements, and other measures in an attempt to
remove "toxins" from the body and strengthen the body's defenses
against disease.
Overview
There is no convincing scientific evidence that metabolic
therapy is effective in treating cancer. However there are many
different practices that make up metabolic therapy. Some of these
practices may be harmful.
How is it promoted for use?
Metabolic therapy is based on the belief that toxic substances
in food and the environment build up in the body and create chemical
imbalances that lead to diseases such as cancer, arthritis, and
multiple sclerosis. Some proponents of this approach say that metabolic
therapy rids the body of these toxins and strengthens its resistance to
disease. Some claim that a special diet can cure serious illnesses,
including cancer. Others claim that they can evaluate a patient's
metabolism and diagnose cancer before symptoms appear and that they can
locate tumors and learn the tumor's size and growth rate.
What does it involve?
Metabolic therapies vary a great deal depending on the
practitioner, but all are based on special diets and detoxification.
This usually involves natural, whole foods such as fresh fruits and
vegetables, as well as vitamins and mineral supplements. Other measures
may include colonic irrigation with coffee or hydrogen peroxide enemas,
juicing, enzyme supplements, visualization, and stress-reduction
exercises. At least one metabolic therapy system also includes the drug
laetrile (see Colon Therapy,
Enzyme Therapy,
Imagery, Juicing,
and Laetrile).
Among the better known types of metabolic therapy are Kelley's
treatment, the Gonzalez treatment, Issels whole body therapy, and
Gerson therapy (see Gerson
Therapy).
Kelley's treatment includes dietary supplements (such as
enzymes and large doses of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids),
detoxification (such as fasting, exercising, and using laxatives and
coffee enemas), a restricted diet, chiropractic adjustments, and
prayer. Practitioners classify people into different metabolic types
that form the basis for individual dietary and supplement
recommendations.
The Gonzalez treatment is similar to Kelley's treatment and
includes extracts or concentrates from animal organs such as thymus and
liver (taken from beef or lamb) and digestive enzymes as part of the
plan (see Cell Therapy).
Another form of metabolic therapy is Issels whole body
therapy. Patients are asked to remove teeth that contain mercury dental
fillings, follow a strict diet, and eliminate the use of tobacco,
coffee, tea, and other substances that are considered harmful (see Biological Dentistry).
Some patients are encouraged to undergo psychotherapy to relieve stress
and deal with anger and emotional distress (see Psychotherapy).
Gerson therapy involves a strict dietary program, coffee
enemas, and various mineral or chemical supplements.
What is the history behind it?
Gerson therapy was introduced by Max Gerson, MD, a German-born
physician who immigrated to the United States in 1936. Gerson initially
used the therapy for treating migraine headaches and tuberculosis and
began using it for cancer in 1928. Kelley's treatment was developed in
the 1960s by American orthodontist William Donald Kelley, DDS, MS.
Nicholas Gonzalez, MD, became interested in metabolic therapy as a
medical student in 1981 when he was asked to review Dr. Kelley's work.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Harold Manner, PhD, a biology
professor, was also a major proponent of metabolic therapy. He claimed
to have cured cancer in mice with injections of laetrile, enzymes, and
vitamin A. In his version of metabolic cancer therapy, patients often
received another unproven alternative substance, a chemical compound
called dimethyl sulfoxide (see DMSO). In
the early 1980s, Dr. Manner moved to Tijuana, Mexico, to treat patients
(see Questionable Cancer Practices in
Mexico). His clinic there is still open despite
his death in 1988.
What is the evidence?
There is general agreement among scientists that there are
differences in the metabolism of certain cells in people with cancer
compared to people without cancer. There is also general agreement
regarding the importance of attention to optimal nutrition as a
component of conventional oncology care. Otherwise, there is no
convincing clinical evidence that supports the claims made for
metabolic therapy or any of its components. Some aspects of metabolic
therapy may in fact be harmful.
An article on metabolic therapies on the Memorial
Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Web site concludes that
"…retrospective reviews of the Gerson, Kelley, and Contreras
metabolic therapies show no evidence of efficacy." And a review article
in the Journal of
Clinical Gastroenterology, "Colonic Irrigation and the
Theory of Autointoxication," concludes that
"[c]offee enemas are a
hazardous derivative of colon therapy…. Its proponents claim
that caffeine is absorbed in the colon and leads to a vasodilatation in
the liver, which in turn enhances the process of elimination of toxins.
None of this is proved, nor is there any evidence of the clinical
efficacy of coffee enemas. Coffee enemas are associated with severe
adverse reactions."
In a 1990 report from the Congressional Office of Technology
Assessment, 3 oncologists reviewed the "best cases" collected by Dr.
Gonzalez. In the vast majority of these cases, they found claims of
benefit from metabolic therapy to be unconvincing. In addition, they
found a few cases to be "unusual" at best, meaning that these patients
lived longer than typical people with the same type and stage of cancer
but concluded that this difference was probably due to statistical
variation that occurs when "best cases" are selected from a large group
of patients. A group of physicians who practiced alternative medicine
(none of whom were cancer specialists) concluded that the alternative
regimen was beneficial in some cases.
A small study of patients with pancreatic cancer -- conducted
by Dr. Gonzalez and published in Nutrition
and Cancer in 1999 -- found that patients treated with
pancreatic enzymes survived longer than typical patients with
pancreatic cancer. In a recent review of alternative cancer cures, an
expert in integrative oncology research methods noted that, "The study
was small and obviously prone to several biases. Not only is the
comparison with national averages unadjusted for confounders (other
factors that can affect outcome), but the principal results are based
on patient selection; twelve patients who did not comply with treatment
were excluded from analysis." A randomized clinical trial has been
sponsored by the National Cancer Institute to evaluate the Gonzalez
regimen for treating pancreatic cancer, but no results of this trial
have yet been published in any available peer-reviewed medical journal.
Are there any possible problems or
complications?
These
substances may have not been thoroughly tested to find out how they
interact with medicines, foods, or dietary supplements. Even though
some reports of interactions and harmful effects may be published, full
studies of interactions and effects are not often available. Because of
these limitations, any information on ill effects and interactions
below should be considered incomplete.
Some aspects of metabolic therapy are considered dangerous.
There are reports of complications related to liver cell injections, as
well as nutritional deficiencies due to restricted diets. Several
deaths have been directly linked to injecting live cells from animals
(a practice called cell therapy). The drug laetrile may cause nausea,
vomiting, headache, dizziness, and even cyanide poisoning, which can be
fatal. Care should be taken to make sure that any diet containing raw
meat or raw meat juice is free from contamination, given the increasing
number of diseases that are known to be transmitted from animals to
people.
Reports of illness and even deaths linked to colonic
irrigation have been published in several medical journals. (See Colon Therapy
for more information.) People with diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis,
Crohn's disease, severe hemorrhoids, or rectal or colon tumors, or who
are recovering from bowel surgery, may be at higher risk of bowel
injury when using enemas. People with kidney or heart failure may be
more likely to experience fluid overload or electrolyte imbalances.
Enemas can also cause discomfort and cramps.
Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should not use this
method. Relying on this type of treatment alone and avoiding or
delaying conventional medical care for cancer, may have serious health
consequences.
Additional Resources
More information from your American Cancer
Society
The following information on complementary and alternative
therapies may also be helpful to you. These materials may be found on
our Web site (www.cancer.org)
or ordered from our toll-free number (1-800-ACS-2345).
References
Aetna InteliHealth. Colonic Irrigation. Accessed at:
http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH?d=dmtContent&c=358752&p=~br,IHW|~st,24479|~r,WSIHW000|~b,*|
on June 10, 2008.
American Cancer Society. Unproven methods of cancer
management. The metabolic therapy of Harold W. Manner, PhD. CA: Cancer J Clin.
1986;36:185-189.
American Cancer Society. Questionable methods of cancer
management: 'nutritional' therapies. CA Cancer J Clin.
1993;43:309-319.
Barrett S, Herbert V. Questionable cancer therapies. Accessed
at: http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/cancer.html on
June 10, 2008.
Barrett S. Manner Metabolic Therapy. Accessed at:
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/Cancer/manner.html on
June 10, 2008.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Amebiasis
associated with colonic irrigation: Colorado. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep.
1981;30:101-102.
Eisele JW, Reay DT. Deaths related to coffee enemas. JAMA.
1980;244:1608-1609.
Ernst E. Colonic irrigation and the theory of
autointoxication: A triumph of ignorance over science. J Clin Gastro.
1997;24:196-198.
Eyre HJ, Lange DP, Morris LB. Informed Decisions: The Complete
Book of Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment, and Recovery, 2nd ed.
2002; Atlanta: American Cancer Society.
Gonzalez NJ, Isaacs LL. Evaluation of pancreatic proteolytic
enzyme treatment of adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, with nutrition and
detoxification support. Nutr
Cancer. 1999;33:117-124.
Green S. Nicolas Gonzalez treatment for cancer: gland
extracts, coffee enemas, vitamin megadoses, and diets. Accessed at:
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/Cancer/kg.html on
June 10, 2008.
Green S. A critique of the rationale for cancer treatment with
coffee enemas and diet. JAMA.
1992;268:3224-3227
Istre GR, Kreiss K, Hopkins RS, et al. An outbreak of
amebiasis spread by colonic irrigation at a chiropractic clinic. N Engl J Med.
1982;307:339-342.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Metabolic therapies.
Accessed at: http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69299.cfm on June 10,
2008.
National Cancer Institute. Gemcitabine compared with
pancreatic enzyme therapy plus specialized diet (Gonzalez Regimen) in
treating patients who have stage II, stage III, or stage IV pancreatic
cancer. Accessed at:
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00003851?order=1 on June 10, 2008.
US Congress, Office of Technology Assessment. Unconventional
Cancer Treatments. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office; 1990.
Publication OTA-H-405.
Note:
This
information may not cover all possible claims, uses, actions,
precautions, side effects or interactions. It is not intended as
medical advice, and should not be relied upon as a substitute for
consultation with your doctor, who is familiar with your medical
situation.
Last Medical Review: 11/01/2008
Last Revised: 11/01/2008
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