Mistletoe, soursop for cancer refief?
Dear Donovan,
I have stage three cancer and would like to know how I can kill cancer cells during chemotherapy.
I have heard of mistletoe extract and the soursop leaf remedy. Please guide me on what helps best to kill cancer tumours.
The usual goal of cancer treatment is to remove the cancer cells from the body by killing them. The most common treatment is surgery, and in addition, radiation therapy as well as chemotherapy may also be used as a primary treatment.
Many other kinds of products, practices and systems are also used that are not part of mainstream medicine. The treatments are usually referred to as complementary or alternative treatments. Complementary refers to the treatment and practices that are used to improve symptoms and quality of life during cancer treatment. They are used along with other medical treatment. Other methods claim to prevent, treat or diagnose cancer instead of medical treatment. These are known as alternative treatments. These may include acupuncture, detoxing, special diets, traditional medicine, and herbs.
I see where you would like to try some complementary herbal treatment along with your chemotherapy. You have specifically mentioned the soursop plant as well as the mistletoe extract. I must tell you that soursop leaves have been widely touted as an alternative cancer treatment, but there is no medical evidence that it is effective for treating cancer. In fact, I have not seen any robust, large-scale study in humans.
However, studies have shown that soursop is high in antioxidants. These compounds neutralise harmful compounds called free radicals which can damage cells. There is a general thought that antioxidants could play a role in cancer and diabetes treatments. However, more research is necessary to determine the effectiveness of the antioxidants in soursop for the treatment of cancer in humans.
In addition to the antioxidant properties of the soursop plant, it also has antibacterial properties and could also help to reduce inflammation. In addition, soursop has been shown to stabilise blood sugar levels.
Mistletoe has also be touted as an alternative medicine for cancer. Mistletoe is a semi-parasitic plant that grows on several trees. I must tell you that mistletoe is one of the most widely studied substances used for complementary and alternative medical therapies in people with cancer. In Europe, mistletoe extracts are among the most prescribed drugs given to people with cancer. The mistletoe extract is usually given by injection under the skin or into a tumour or into a vein in the pleural cavity. However, it should also be pointed out that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved mistletoe for cancer treatment.
In addition to cancer treatment, mistletoe has also been touted for use to treat epilepsy, hypertension, headaches, infertility, and arthritis.
In the absence of robust scientific evidence that these two plants can treat cancer, I am unable to recommend any one of them. However, I would definitely suggest that you keep up with your doctor as far as cancer treatment is concerned. Maintaining a healthy diet, exercising, and having a positive attitude can definitely be helpful as well.
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