Laetrile Flunks

Test shows cancer quackery

Supporters of Laetrile were overjoyed 2 1/2 years ago, when the National Cancer Institute announced that it would sponsor human testing of the controversial cancer therapy. Last week the first results were reported at a meeting in Washington of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and they gave the apricot-derived substance a royal raspberry. Said N.C.I. Director Vincent DeVita Jr.: "The findings ... present public evidence of Laetrile's failure as a cancer treatment.

The hollow promise of this drug has led thousands of Americans away from potentially helpful therapy of scientific validity."

DeVita's conclusion is based on studies of 156 patients at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA and the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center in Tucson. The patients had advanced cancers, usually of the lung, breast, colon and rectum, that could no longer be treated by standard methods. Laetrile was given intravenously for 21 days, then orally three times daily.

In addition, patients received the metabolic program prescribed by most Laetrile advocates: vitamins, pancreatic enzymes and a diet emphasizing fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Within one month, disease had progressed in 50% of the patients and after three months in 90%. Only a fifth were alive at the end of eight months. The findings are comparable to those when patients receive no therapy at all. Only one patient showed a shrinkage in tumor size, and that lasted just ten weeks. Even this improvement is in doubt since the patient moved in the course of the study, and his new physicians might have evaluated his condition more favorably. At the end of ten weeks of Laetrile therapy, only 3% of patients showed any weight gain, and only a few said they felt better. Preliminary results with 14 patients treated with very high doses of Laetrile and vitamins also indicated no improvement.

Laetrile advocates, who have forced legalization of its use in 23 states, charge that the drug used in the tests was not pure Laetrile. The N.C.I, says the material is structurally identical to that found in Mexico's Laetrile clinics. Says Robert Bradford of the Committee for Freedom of Choice in Cancer Therapy, a Laetrile lobbying group: "The whole thing, as far as we are concerned, is a put-up deal to discredit Laetrile." Replies Dr. Charles Moertel of the Mayo Clinic: "We like to be optimistic about the good sense of the public ... But we are not going to stop some people from chasing rainbows.''

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.