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CNN Live Saturday
Study Says Popular Organic Extract Taken by Cancer Patients May Harm Health
Aired May 12, 2001 - 16:18 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: When actress Suzanne Somers revealed that she was taking mistletoe extract to treat her breast cancer, many doctors said the herb was useless. Well, now one study says it could be worse than useless. CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen reports that there is a study that will be presented at a major U.S. cancer research conference next week.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Suzanne Somers isn't the only one taking mistletoe to fight cancer.
DR. ALEXANDER EGGERMONT, ONCOLOGIST: This use is so widespread in Central Europe that it actually is estimated to be used by 60 to 70 percent of cancer patients.
COHEN: Dr. Alexander Eggermont, an oncologist in Holland, has studied some 200 patients with advanced malignant melanoma, or skin cancer. He said his findings, which have already been presented in Europe, show mistletoe might cause brain tumors. He said the skin cancer metastasized to the brain in 19 percent of the patients who took mistletoe, but in only 7 percent of the patients who didn't take it.
EGGERMONT: There's strong suggestion from our data that it could -- that it could harm, and actually significantly harm.
COHEN: The medical director of Weleda, a Swiss company that makes mistletoe extract, said in a statement: "Weleda cannot offer a comprehensive response because Weleda has not yet received a final report of the study." He said other studies have shown that mistletoe, sold as Iscar, is not only harmless, but actually shrinks tumors.
(on camera): Many American oncologists say these European studies are seriously flawed. So despite the herb's popularity in parts of Europe, most American doctors have not embraced it.
(voice-over): Dr. Molly McMullen-Laird, an internist in Michigan, is an exception. She advises many of her patients to use conventional treatments, like chemotherapy, and mistletoe.
DR. MOLLY MCMULLEN-LAIRD, INTERNIST: By stimulating the immune system, patients almost universally say that they have more energy, they sleep better, their appetite is improved.
COHEN: But Dr. Larry Norton, incoming president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, said there's no proof mistletoe stimulates the immune system.
DR. LARRY NORTON, AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY: Natural products are not necessarily safe by definition. Strychnine is a natural product. Hemlock is a natural product. Tobacco is a natural product.
COHEN: As for Suzanne Somers, her spokeswoman says that actress still believes in mistletoe injections, just as she did in March when she appeared on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "LARRY KING LIVE")
SUZANNE SOMERS, ACTRESS: This is what I'm doing for me. I'm not telling anybody else to do this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: So, she says she'll continue, even though her own doctors are against it.
Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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