http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/gerson/patient/page1/AllPages"...
4 How is the Gerson therapy administered?
The Gerson therapy requires that the many details of its treatment plan be followed exactly. Some key parts of the regimen include the following:
Drinking 13 glasses of juice a day. The juice must be freshly made from organic fruits and vegetables and be taken once every hour.
Eating vegetarian meals of organically grown fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Taking a number of supplements, including:
Potassium.
Lugol's Solution (potassium iodide, iodine, and water).
Coenzyme Q10 injected with vitamin B12. (The original regimen used crude liver extract instead of coenzyme Q10.)
Vitamins A, C, and B3 (niacin).
Flaxseed oil.
Pancreatic enzymes.
Pepsin (a stomach enzyme).
Taking coffee or chamomile enemas regularly to remove toxins from the body.
Preparing food without salt, spices, or oils, and without using aluminum cookware or utensils.
5 Have any preclinical (laboratory or animal) studies been conducted using the Gerson therapy?
No results of laboratory or animal studies have been published in scientific journals.
6 Have any clinical trials (research studies with people) of the Gerson therapy been conducted?
Most of the published information on the use of the Gerson therapy reports on retrospective studies (reviews of past cases). Dr. Gerson published case histories (detailed reports of the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of individual patients) of 50 of his patients. He treated several different types of cancer in his practice. The reports include Dr. Gerson's notes, with some X-rays of the patients over time. The follow-up was contact with patients by mail or phone and included anecdotal reports (incomplete descriptions of the medical and treatment histories of one or more patients).
In 1947 and 1959, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) reviewed the cases of a total of 60 patients treated by Dr. Gerson. The NCI found that the available information did not prove the regimen had benefit.
The following studies of the Gerson therapy were published:
In 1983-1984, a retrospective study of 38 patients treated with the Gerson therapy was done. Medical records were not available to the authors of the study; information came from patient interviews. These case reviews did not provide information that supports the usefulness of the Gerson therapy for treating cancer.
In 1990, a study of a diet regimen similar to the Gerson therapy was done in Austria. The patients received standard treatment along with the special diet. The authors of the study reported that the diet appeared to help patients live longer than usual and have fewer side effects. The authors said it needed further study.
In 1995, the Gerson Research Organization did a retrospective study of their melanoma patients who were treated with the Gerson therapy. The study reported that patients who had stage III or stage IV melanoma lived longer than usual for patients with these stages of melanoma. There have been no clinical trials that support the findings of this retrospective study.
A case review of 6 patients with metastatic cancer who used the Gerson therapy reported that the regimen helped patients in some ways, both physically and psychologically. Based on these results, the reviewers recommended that clinical trials of the Gerson therapy be conducted.
7 Have any side effects or risks been reported from use of the Gerson therapy?
Reports of three deaths that may be related to coffee enemas have been published. Taking too many enemas of any kind can cause changes in normal blood chemistry, chemicals that occur naturally in the body and keep the muscles, heart, and other organs working properly.
Warboel
