MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE CANCER ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA
CANSA warns against Insulin Potentiation Therapy (IPT) for cancer patients
The Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) is warning cancer patients about false promises that have been made about so-called Insulin Potentiation Therapy (IPT). During the past few weeks there has been a campaign, especially using the radio, to present IPT as a breakthrough in cancer therapy. Some desperate cancer patients have grasped at this treatment, especially when conventional treatment has failed to arrest the growth of their cancers.
“CANSA researchers have looked into IPT and discovered that it is not a new breakthrough but was developed in Mexico in the 1930s,” said Dr Carl Albrecht, CANSA Research Advocate. “Since then there has not been a single published report in a peer-reviewed journal of a clinical trial showing any tumour regression or complete response (disappearance). The best that was found was a reported 7 percent decrease in tumour growth or 4 millimeters less growth over 49 days relative to a tumour of 61 millimeters in diameter compared to controls. The bottomline is that the tumours continued to grow in this study and no cures, or even partial responses (50 percent decrease) have ever been published in reputable journals. These results are of no clinical significance and IPT has not been proven as a treatment for cancer”, Dr Albrecht said.
“The treatment is based on the theory that cancer cells need and absorb glucose more than normal cells and that by injecting a cancer patient with sufficient insulin, cancer cells could be made far more sensitive to chemotherapy. Consequently far less chemotherapy would be required and cancers could be eradicated more effectively. If this were true, there would be world-wide excitement around this approach, however, it is reported in only one publication in 1981 and the idea has not progressed since. It is certainly no breakthrough”, Dr Albrecht said.
“Furthermore it was reported that 10 percent of the IPT-treated patients showed low blood sugar symptoms within 20 minutes of treatment and had to receive glucose injections. Doctors have warned that this treatment is potentially lethal because insulin can cause a rapidly falling blood sugar level, which can produce coma, shock, stroke, and even death”, Dr Albrecht said.
The Mayo Clinic in the United States has referred to IPT as being a dangerous alternative cancer treatment and has stressed that there is absolutely no scientific evidence that it works or is safe. The world famous Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center has referred to IPT as being unproven and questionable with potentially lethal side-effects. A South African cancer patient enquired about the IPT treatment and was told that he would need to go to Mexico for treatment which would cost R36 000 a month and in his case could last up to three years. The patient remarked that he would “ have to sell a farm to cover these costs “. After being shown the facts concerning IPT he opted for conventional therapy in South Africa.
The representative association of oncologists in South Africa has expressed support for CANSA and the data presented.
CANSA is warning all cancer patients to stay away from Insulin Potentiation Therapy.
Issued by Martha Molete, Head: Communication & Advocacy, CANSA National Office 011-616-7662 or 083-399-5934 or email 083-399-5934. For more information, contact Dr Carl Albrecht 084-208-5150 or at calbrec@iafrica.com
“CANSA researchers have looked into IPT and discovered that it is not a new breakthrough but was developed in Mexico in the 1930s,” said Dr Carl Albrecht, CANSA Research Advocate. “Since then there has not been a single published report in a peer-reviewed journal of a clinical trial showing any tumour regression or complete response (disappearance). The best that was found was a reported 7 percent decrease in tumour growth or 4 millimeters less growth over 49 days relative to a tumour of 61 millimeters in diameter compared to controls. The bottomline is that the tumours continued to grow in this study and no cures, or even partial responses (50 percent decrease) have ever been published in reputable journals. These results are of no clinical significance and IPT has not been proven as a treatment for cancer”, Dr Albrecht said.
“The treatment is based on the theory that cancer cells need and absorb glucose more than normal cells and that by injecting a cancer patient with sufficient insulin, cancer cells could be made far more sensitive to chemotherapy. Consequently far less chemotherapy would be required and cancers could be eradicated more effectively. If this were true, there would be world-wide excitement around this approach, however, it is reported in only one publication in 1981 and the idea has not progressed since. It is certainly no breakthrough”, Dr Albrecht said.
“Furthermore it was reported that 10 percent of the IPT-treated patients showed low blood sugar symptoms within 20 minutes of treatment and had to receive glucose injections. Doctors have warned that this treatment is potentially lethal because insulin can cause a rapidly falling blood sugar level, which can produce coma, shock, stroke, and even death”, Dr Albrecht said.
The Mayo Clinic in the United States has referred to IPT as being a dangerous alternative cancer treatment and has stressed that there is absolutely no scientific evidence that it works or is safe. The world famous Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center has referred to IPT as being unproven and questionable with potentially lethal side-effects. A South African cancer patient enquired about the IPT treatment and was told that he would need to go to Mexico for treatment which would cost R36 000 a month and in his case could last up to three years. The patient remarked that he would “ have to sell a farm to cover these costs “. After being shown the facts concerning IPT he opted for conventional therapy in South Africa.
The representative association of oncologists in South Africa has expressed support for CANSA and the data presented.
CANSA is warning all cancer patients to stay away from Insulin Potentiation Therapy.
Issued by Martha Molete, Head: Communication & Advocacy, CANSA National Office 011-616-7662 or 083-399-5934 or email 083-399-5934. For more information, contact Dr Carl Albrecht 084-208-5150 or at calbrec@iafrica.com