Positive Health Online

Abstract

VAN DAM, Nederlands Kanker Instituut/Antoni van Leeuwenhoek ziekenhuis, afd. Psychosociaal Onderzoek en Epidemiologie, Amsterdam investigated the prevalence of use by cancer patients of alternative diets and other therapies .

Background

Methodology

A written survey was distributed among 429 patients visiting the outpatient cancer clinic of the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek in Amsterdam, in patients were questioned about their use of alternative therapies, reasons for using these therapies and expenses incurred. 405 (patients participated in the study.

Results

121 patients (30%) used an alternative therapy . 51 patients (13%) used an alternative diet, of which 63% used the Houtsmuller diet (diet developed by former internist Dr AJ Houtsmuller, who was cured of aggressive melanoma, which had already metastasised to the kidneys. His regime incorporates practices from Gerson, Moerman, Issels, Kelly and psycho-neuro-immunology as per Prof Dr Ballieux, as well as vitamin and mineral supplements ). 12 years previously, only 8% of patients used an alternative diet, mainly the Moerman diet, a precursor of the Houtsmuller diet. 70 patients (17%) used other alternative therapies, including homoeopathy, vitamins, herbs and psycho-spiritual therapies . The costs of particularly the Houtsmuller diet were about Dfl 480 per month, which were not covered by insurance. Greater than half the patients using a diet felt that it would either cure them, delay tumour progression, or both.

Conclusion

Compared with 12 years previous, the number of cancer patients using alternative diets and other alternative therapies had increased by about 80%. The Houtsmuller diet had supplanted the Moerman diet and was used by 63% of patients using diet.

References

Van Dam FS. Increased use of alternative diets and other alternative treatments for cancer patients: Houtsmuller (diet) is in, Moerman (diet) is out. Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneedskunde 143(27): 1421-4. 3 Jul 1999.

Comment

The fact that only13% of cancer patients in this survey used a diet as a therapy is disappointing to me, given the huge amount of published research and clinical evidence regarding the importance of diet in cancer aetiology and progression.