Hello,

My husband, Norman, was diagnosed with Stage 2 tongue cancer this past January. He was given surgery and radiation. Now whether he had a recurrence or this cancer hid, his doctors aren't sure but this past September we learned he has a massive tumor affecting most of his tongue. Soon he'll be undergoing chemotherapy for three months. After that, his doctors will see if the cancer shrunk enough to do another surgery.

My question is Norman discovered laetrile in his research and we bought some pills. I don't believe the boasts that laetrile will cure cancer by itself but is there any harm in Norman taking laetrile along with his chemo?

I have not heard of anything that will eliminate cancer on its own besides conventional treatments. I have not heard of any new breakthru's with medicines either. For any medication or procedure I have not yet heard of, I always do a quick check on Quackwatch.org Unfortunately, several articles showed Laetrile AKA Amygdalin does not do what it promises. Im very sorry this medicine is not going to help your husband. As far as how it interacts with all the different chemos, thats something only an oncologist could answer.

The only newer chemo Ive heard of that has shown to have a major effect on OC specifically in recurrences is Keytruda AKA Opdivo. This was fast-tracked thru the FDA and went thru trials quickly to bring it to the market years earlier. Its been very successful with patients with mets to the lungs which is common with OC patients.

Im very sorry I didnt find more positive info. I wish you all the very best in your quest to find something that can help your husband.

Quackwatch, Laetrile

Trisha,

Christine is correct! Laetrile, also known as B-17, are Apricot pits, and can be poisonous like Cynide, and such treatment is banned by the FDA. Late actor Steve McQueen used that in Mexico before his death in 1980.

I’ve had cancer 7x, and wouldn’t touch that with a 10 foot pole! I would be open to adequate nutrition, improving my immune system, light exercise to help get through Chemo, which sounds like it may be “induction chemo”, which are several high dose chemo combinations, including targeted therapies now, and possibly, and that’s only if my doctors suggests, certain vitamins if I’m deficient. With these chemo’s he is going to be taking so many medications to help with adverse effects that any can negatively interact with them and chemo. Vitamins and supplements aren’t overseen by the FDA, so there’s all kind of stuff out there, including fraud and potencies.

Good luck

Thank you for your replies. I never thought much of laetrile but I thought there might be a placebo effect. If Norman believed the pills were helping that the power of positive thinking might help him. I've looked into other holistic remedies like dandelion and mistletoe tea. Has anyone had experience with those?

Paul B, yes we were told Norman would be receiving induction chemo. Is there a difference between that and other chemo therapies? I'm not a lazy caregiver. I've looked online and no one seems to tell caregivers the difference.

Hi Trisha,

Yes, there is a difference between induction chemo and other chemo therapies. It's a combination of three types in "High Doses", sometimes two, which is the original, PF, and the most popular type of induction chemo being TPF; Taxotere, Cisplatin and 5-FU. There are different variations to this type including different taxanes, platinum based chemo's, and addition of Erbitux or its substitution for another chemo, and their acronyms.

I had neoadjunct induction chemo back in 2009, and there was even less info than there is now. I didn't even know the chemo's that I was going to be getting. It didn't work out quite well for me toxicity wise, and only had 5 days of it, but it killed all my cancer; primary and two lymph’s, almost me too, and have read extensively about it since 2010 after not getting many answers as to what happened, and why. I've posted many times after joining in 2012. It's concept is not new, probably about 40 years old, and originally used in studies for organ preservation for the larynx by the the department of veterans affairs.

It's controversial, and still is, has high toxicities, and probably around 50% of the patients never finish the full treatment, some not being able to continue to have curative treatment that usually follows or surgery, but it works well in reducing tumor size, distant metastases, and in some cases, completely, which was my case, but it doesn't last. Usually in a year or less the tumor returns, although my tonsil tumor never did return, but I did have radiation over a year later after my treatment was stopped, which is the time it took me to partially recover, for a recurrence 8 months later.

When I had mine, you were hospitalized for the week. They gave you 75mg Cisplatin, 75mg Taxotere on day one, and a continuous infusion of 1,600mg 5-FU for 4 days, sometimes it’s 1,000mg a day, and other medications to help reduce side effects. Now they may do it as an outpatient, and have the 5-FU infused via a fanny pack. Regular chemo with Cisplatin weekly is 40mg or the big bag every three weeks is 80mg, so there is a difference right there in the amount of chemo in one week.

Many people have had different experiences than mine, although I can’t completely knock it as I'm here. I think it's best in select patients. My ENT said it was rough treatment, and thought it may not be suited for it, but laughed it off at the time, and MO said like General Patton, I was a strong young man, so I said, "bring it on”, but wouldn’t say that now!

I understand there is a 5-FU antidote now in cases of overexposure, adverse events called, VISTAGARD.

Here is an older article that offers more information, I have dozens, many posted if you search here under "Induction Chemo". Another doctor that used it extensively in trials is Dr. Marshall Posner from Mt Sinai Hospital, and where I had mine, if you look up his articles too.

http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.org/content/15/suppl_3/3.full.pdf

Thank you for giving me honest answers and solid information. It means a great deal to me to have this forum I can come to. Bless all of you, those diagnosed and those caring for their loved ones.