|
Table of Contents Overview
Questions and Answers About Cancell
Changes To This Summary (04/09/2008)
General CAM Information
Evaluation of CAM Approaches
Questions to Ask Your Health Care Provider About CAM
To Learn More About CAM
Overview
Back to Top Questions and Answers About Cancell
-
What is Cancell?
Cancell is also called Sheridan’s Formula, Jim’s Juice, JS–114, JS–101, 126–F, and "Cancell-like products" (Cantron and Protocel). It is a liquid that was promoted as a treatment for cancer and other diseases. Cancell was made using different mixtures of ingredients, mainly by two companies, since the late 1930s.
None of the common chemicals in these products is known to be effective in treating any type of cancer.
Since 1989, it has been illegal in the United States to make, sell, or give Cancell as a treatment for any disease. Mixtures similar to Cancell, such as Cantron and Protocel, are available as dietary supplements. (See Question 8.)
See the PDQ health professional summary on Cancell/Cantron/Protocel for more information.
-
What is the history of the discovery and use of Cancell as a complementary or alternative treatment for cancer?
Cancell was first made in the late 1930s by James V. Sheridan, a biochemist who called the mixture Entelev and gave it free to cancer patients. In 1984, another company began making Entelev under the name Cancell. That company gave it free to patients with cancer, AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), and other conditions.
See the PDQ health professional summary on Cancell/Cantron/Protocel for more information on the history.
-
What is the theory behind the claim that Cancell is useful in treating cancer?
The exact ingredients used to make Cancell are not known. One sample of the liquid mixture Cancell was found to contain 12 different ingredients, none of which is known to be helpful in treating any type of cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has listed the following ingredients in Cancell:
The first maker of Cancell said the ingredients work together by changing cancer cells so they are seen by the body as “foreign” and are destroyed. The second maker stated that Cancell changes cancer cells so they “self-digest” and are replaced by normal cells. The waste matter made by this self- digestion was said to be passed from the body in urine, sweat, and other body fluids.
See the PDQ health professional summary on Cancell/Cantron/Protocel for more information on theory.
-
How is Cancell administered?
Cancell has been taken by mouth, inserted into the rectum, or applied to the skin of the wrist or the ball of the foot. Patients taking Cancell were advised by the makers to take bromelain to help digestion and to avoid high doses of vitamin C and vitamin E. Makers of Cancell stated that vitamins raise the energy of the cell while Cancell lowers it.
See the PDQ health professional summary on Cancell/Cantron/Protocel for more information on how Cancell is administered.
-
Have any preclinical (laboratory or animal) studies been conducted using Cancell?
Research in a laboratory or using animals is done to find out if a drug, procedure, or treatment is likely to be useful in humans. These preclinical studies are done before any testing in humans is begun. Some research studies are published in scientific journals. Most scientific journals have experts who review research reports before they are published, to make sure that the evidence and conclusions are sound. This is called peer review. Studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals are considered to be better evidence.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) did animal studies on Cancell in 1978 and 1980 and laboratory studies in 1990 and 1991. Laboratory studies using human tumor cells concluded that Cancell could not be taken in doses high enough to kill cancer cells in the body.
The NCI decided that Cancell did not show enough anticancer activity to continue the studies. See the PDQ health professional summary on Cancell/Cantron/Protocel for details on the results of these studies.
The makers of Cancell reported doing animal studies with the liquid mixtures, but none of these studies have been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. No information has been given on these studies, beyond stating that some of the studies tested the toxicity (harmful and unwanted side effects) of Cancell.
See the PDQ health professional summary on Cancell/Cantron/Protocel for more information on preclinical studies.
-
Have any clinical trials (research studies with people) been conducted using
Cancell?
No clinical trials of Cancell have been reported. The makers of Cancell have stated that more than
15,000 patients have used the mixture and that it is safe and effective in treating 50% to
80% of all cancers. Their findings have not been published in
peer-reviewed, scientific journals. Testimonials (information given by people who state that they have been helped by a particular treatment or product) and anecdotal reports (incomplete descriptions of the medical and treatment histories of one or more patients) have been made available by the manufacturers.
See the PDQ health professional summary on Cancell/Cantron/Protocel for more information on clinical trials.
-
Have any side effects or risks been reported from Cancell?
The company that made Cancell stated that the side effects of the mixture include feeling tired during the first few weeks of treatment. Nausea is also a reported side effect. One patient who took more than the maker's advised dose reported diarrhea that lasted for a few hours.
See the PDQ health professional summary on Cancell/Cantron/Protocel for more information on side effects and risks.
-
Is Cancell approved by the FDA for use as a cancer treatment in the United States?
Cancell is not approved for use in the United States.
In 1989, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration judged Cancell to be a new, unapproved drug. The FDA requested and received a court order making it illegal for manufacturers to send Cancell across state lines. The mixture may no longer be made, sold, or given to patients as a treatment for cancer or other diseases.
See the PDQ health professional summary on Cancell/Cantron/Protocel for more information on the FDA approval status.
Back to Top Changes To This Summary (04/09/2008)
The PDQ cancer information summaries are reviewed regularly and updated as
new information becomes available. This section describes the latest
changes made to this summary as of the date above.
Changes were made to this summary to match those made to the health professional version.
Back to Top General CAM Information
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)—also referred to as integrative medicine—includes a broad range of healing philosophies, approaches, and therapies. A therapy is generally called complementary when it is used in addition to conventional treatments; it is often called alternative when it is used instead of conventional treatment. (Conventional treatments are those that are widely accepted and practiced by the mainstream medical community.) Depending on how they are used, some therapies can be considered either complementary or alternative. Complementary and alternative therapies are used in an effort to prevent illness, reduce stress, prevent or reduce side effects and symptoms, or control or cure disease.
Unlike conventional treatments for cancer, complementary and alternative therapies are often not covered by insurance companies. Patients should check with their insurance provider to find out about coverage for complementary and alternative therapies.
Cancer patients considering complementary and alternative therapies should discuss this decision with their doctor, nurse, or pharmacist as they would any therapeutic approach, because some complementary and alternative therapies may interfere with their standard treatment or may be harmful when used with conventional treatment.
Back to Top Evaluation of CAM Approaches
It is important that the same rigorous scientific evaluation used to assess conventional approaches be used to evaluate CAM therapies. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) are sponsoring a number of clinical trials (research studies) at medical centers to evaluate CAM therapies for cancer.
Conventional approaches to cancer treatment have generally been studied for safety and effectiveness through a rigorous scientific process that includes clinical trials with large numbers of patients. Less is known about the safety and effectiveness of complementary and alternative methods. Few CAM therapies have undergone rigorous evaluation. A small number of CAM therapies originally considered to be purely alternative approaches are finding a place in cancer treatment—not as cures, but as complementary therapies that may help patients feel better and recover faster. One example is acupuncture. According to a panel of experts at a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Conference in November 1997, acupuncture has been found to be effective in the management of chemotherapy-associated nausea and vomiting and in controlling pain associated with surgery. In contrast, some approaches, such as the use of laetrile, have been studied and found ineffective or potentially harmful.
The NCI Best Case Series Program, which was started in 1991, is one way CAM approaches that are being used in practice are being investigated. The program is overseen by the NCI’s Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (OCCAM). Health care professionals who offer alternative cancer therapies submit their patients’ medical records and related materials to OCCAM. OCCAM conducts a critical review of the materials and develops follow-up research strategies for approaches deemed to warrant NCI-initiated research.
Back to Top Questions to Ask Your Health Care Provider About CAM
When considering complementary and alternative therapies, patients should ask their health care provider the following questions:
- What side effects can be expected?
- What are the risks associated with this therapy?
- Do the known benefits outweigh the risks?
- What benefits can be expected from this therapy?
- Will the therapy interfere with conventional treatment?
- Is this therapy part of a clinical trial?
- If so, who is sponsoring the trial?
- Will the therapy be covered by health insurance?
Back to Top To Learn More About CAM
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) facilitates research and evaluation of complementary and alternative practices, and provides information about a variety of approaches to health professionals and the public.
- NCCAM Clearinghouse
- Post Office Box 7923 Gaithersburg, MD 20898–7923
- Telephone: 1–888–644–6226 (toll free) 301–519–3153 (for International callers)
- TTY (for deaf and hard of hearing callers): 1–866–464–3615
- Fax: 1–866–464–3616
- E-mail: info@nccam.nih.gov
- Web site: http://nccam.nih.gov
CAM on PubMed
NCCAM and the NIH National Library of Medicine (NLM) jointly developed CAM on PubMed, a free and easy-to-use search tool for finding CAM-related journal citations. As a subset of the NLM's PubMed bibliographic database, CAM on PubMed features more than 230,000 references and abstracts for CAM-related articles from scientific journals. This database also provides links to the Web sites of over 1,800 journals, allowing users to view full-text articles. (A subscription or other fee may be required to access full-text articles.) CAM on PubMed is available through the NCCAM Web site. It can also be accessed through NLM PubMed bibliographic database by selecting the "Limits" tab and choosing "Complementary Medicine" as a subset.
Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine
The NCI Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (OCCAM) coordinates the activities of the NCI in the area of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). OCCAM supports CAM cancer research and provides information about cancer-related CAM to health providers and the general public via the NCI Web site.
National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Information Service
U.S. residents may call the NCI Cancer Information Service toll free at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. Deaf and hearing impaired callers with TTY equipment may call 1-800-332-8615. A trained Cancer Information Specialist is available to answer your questions.
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates drugs and medical devices to ensure that they are safe and effective.
- Food and Drug Administration
- 5600 Fishers Lane
- Rockville, MD 20857
- Telephone: 1–888–463–6332 (toll free)
- Web site: http://www.fda.gov/
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces consumer protection laws. Publications available from the FTC include:
-
Who Cares: Sources of Information About Health Care Products and Services
-
Fraudulent Health Claims: Don’t Be Fooled
- Consumer Response Center
- Federal Trade Commission
- CRC-240
- Washington, DC 20580
- Telephone: 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) (toll free)
- TTY (for deaf and hearing impaired callers): 202-326-2502
- Web site: http://www.ftc.gov/
Back to Top |
