Dr Max Gerson developed a nutritional programme for which he claimed a high level of success (see WDDTY Guide to Cancer). Gerson's nutritional programme advocates:

A low fat, salt free meat free diet including organically grown fresh fruits and vegetables and 13 glasses of freshly squeezed juices daily, at hourly intervals. After six weeks, small amounts of animal protein are added.Supplements, particularly flax oil, which has been shown to kill cancer cells.

Detoxification with coffee enemas.

Evidence of success:

In one study of patients with melanoma, 100 per cent of Gerson patients diagnosed with stages I and II, and 82 per cent of patients with stage III cancer survived for five years, This compared with only 39 per cent of those with stage IIIA and 6 per cent of those with stage IVA cancer who underwent conventional treatment (Alt Thera, 1995; 1 (4): 29-37).

A computer analysis of those patients listed in records as having "spontaneous remissions" showed 88 per cent of patients had become vegetarians, 50 per cent used some form of intensive detoxification and 65 per cent were taking supplements over an average of four years. Heavy among the survivors were Gerson followers (Townsend Letter for Doctors, April 1996).

Evidence of failure:

Of 22 patients at the Gerson clinic, 18 claimed to have advanced disease at the start of the study, and been unsuccessfully treated with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. All 22 of the patients died, within an average of seven months. In another study, 17 of 18 patients died, after an average of nine months. Six patients had no conventional treatment, and only eight had advanced cancer when they first arrived at the clinic (J Nat Med, 1994; 5 (1): 74-6).