Laetrile Therapy

Laetrile therapy generally includes laetrile (also called amygdalin) as the main ingredient, and is supported by enzyme therapy (proteolytic enzymes), very high dose of oral emulsified vitamin A (up to 1 million iu/d), and high dose of vitamin C (up to 30 g/d injectable). Early laetrile used by Krebs Sr. was less than 1 g/d yet effective, today the dose is up to 12 or more g/d injectable. Some researchers believe that the preparation method in the early laetrile might not be the same as the present day manufacturing process. Today clinics in Tijuana and many states in the U.S. that use laetrile legally (not yet legal in California) all agree that laetrile is only one of the important arsenals against cancer. The name Laetrile therapy is no longer used. Instead, the name “Integrative therapy” that includes laetrile, enzymes, and high dosage of vitamins is more commonly used. Most of the alternative cancer clinics in the U.S. and in Tijuana include laetrile in their protocols.

Laetrile had stirred up a national controversy in the late 1970s to 1980s that was unmatched in the history of medicine in America. Michael Culbert, DSc., one of the champions in the advocate of freedom of choice in medical treatment, has a very informative chapter in “Apricot Power” for laetrile of his recent book “Medical Armageddon, Update 2000”. He thinks that the most important contribution of laetrile is not in the treatment of cancer, but in the political arena of the fight for the freedom of choice in the treatment of not just cancer, but all diseases. The issue is not whether laetrile, or enzymes, or surgery, or radiation, or any other compounds or medical procedures can cure cancer or other disease, but is the freedom of choice of the informed patient to decide which one to use.

Oasis hospital in Tijuana, formerly Contreras Clinic, is one of the champions in the use latrile and other nutritional supplements in cancer treatment. Dr. Contrearas has more than 30 years of experience in Laetrile therapy.

Gerson Therapy

Gerson therapy is one of the best-known and best documented alternative therapies. It is a nutritional program devised by Dr. Max Gerson (1881-1959). One of his patients, the Nobel laureate Albert Schweitzer, MD, wrote: "I see in him one of the most eminent medical geniuses in the history of medicine. The Gerson therapy is divided into 2 components:

Some of the specific elements of the Gerson diet include:

Livingston vaccine therapy

Livingston therapy was pionered by Virginia Livingston, MD, an orthodox-trained physician who believed that cancer was caused by an ever-changing microbe she named Progenitor cryptocides. Dr. Livingston developed a large and successful practice in San Diego, whose centerpiece was a unique "autogenous vaccine" against P. cryptocides. Shortly before her death in 1990, California state health authority prohibited her from using this unique vaccine. The Livingston clinic carries on without her, but also without the use of this vaccine. Someday her vaccine may be rediscovered to be true to what she believed. In her 1984 book "The Conquest of Cancer", Dr. Livingston explained the main features of her treatment program:

University of Texas Center for Alternative Medicine (UT-CAM) did many reviews in various alternative therapies. Below were some of their reviews. These reviews are valuable sources of information on the description and overview of the alternative therapies for cancer in our tour.

Therapy List Reviewed by UT-CAM: