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The Hoxsey Therapy or Hoxsey Method is a alternative medical treatment promoted as a cure for cancer. The term alternative medicine, as used in the modern western world encompasses any healing practice "that does not fall within the realm of conventional Medicine. Cancer (medical term Malignant Neoplasm) is a class of Diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled The sale or marketing of the Hoxsey Method was banned in the United States as a form of quackery by the Food and Drug Administration in 1960. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Currently, the Hoxsey Method is primarily marketed and practiced by the Bio-Medical Center in Tijuana, Mexico. Tijuana (ˌtiːəˈwɑːnə Spanish, ti'xwana|ti'ʍana is the largest city of the Mexican state of Baja California, situated on the U The American Cancer Society has stated that ". The American Cancer Society ( ACS) is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to . . There is no evidence that the Hoxsey herbal treatment has any value in the treatment of cancer in humans. "[1]

Contents

History

Food and Drug Administration warning regarding use of the Hoxsey method, released April 1956
Food and Drug Administration warning regarding use of the Hoxsey method, released April 1956

The Hoxsey Therapy, a mixture of herbs, was first marketed as a purported cure for cancer in the 1920's by Harry Hoxsey, a former coal miner and insurance salesman,[2] and Norman Baker, a radio personality. Coal mining is the extraction or removal of Coal from the Earth by Mining. Insurance, in Law and Economics, is a form of Risk management primarily used to hedge against the Risk of a contingent loss Hoxsey himself traced the treatment to his great-grandfather, who observed a horse with a tumor on its leg cure itself by grazing upon wild plants growing in the meadow. John Hoxsey gathered these herbs and mixed them with old home remedies used for cancer. [3][4]

Harry initially opened a clinic in Taylorville, Illinois for the sale and use of his treatment, one of 17 that he would eventually open. Taylorville is a city in Christian County, Illinois, United States. Dogged in many states by legal trouble for practicing medicine without a license, Hoxsey frequently shut down and reopened the clinics in new locations. In 1936, Hoxsey opened a clinic in Dallas, Texas which became one of the largest privately owned cancer centers in the world. At one point in the 1950's, Hoxsey's gross annual income reached $1. 5 million from the treatment of 8,000 patients. [2] Hoxsey published several books advertising his methods and clinics, and received support from prominent right-wing conservatives and fundamentalist Christians such as Gerald Winrod and H. L. Hunt. In Politics, right-wing, the political right, and the Right are positions that uphold traditional values and/or authorities Conservatism in the United States includes a variety of political ideologies including Fiscal conservatism, Supply-side economics, Social conservatism Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel Gerald Burton Winrod ( March 7, 1900 &ndash November 11, 1957) was an evangelist, author and political activist Haroldson Lafayette Hunt Jr ( February 17, 1889 – November 29, 1974) known throughout his life as "H [2]

The United States National Cancer Institute and Food and Drug Administration and the American Medical Association began a series of efforts to restrict Hoxsey's clinic operations, viewing them as providing "false hope". The National Cancer Institute (NCI is part of the United States Federal government's National Institutes of Health. The American Medical Association (AMA founded in 1847 and incorporated 1897 is the largest association of Physicians and Medical students in the United States Regarding the rationale for this campaign, John Heller, director of the National Cancer Institute, wrote in 1953:

Our efforts in cancer control are directed toward reduction of the intervals between onset and diagnosis of cancer, and between diagnosis and the application of effective treatment. People who fall victims to quacks are diverted from this narrow course for the best clinical management of cancer. [2]

In 1949, Hoxsey sued the Journal of the American Medical Association and its editors for libel and slander after the journal called him a fraud. JAMA The Journal of the American Medical Association is an international peer-reviewed general Medical journal, published 48 times per year by the American Hoxsey won the case, but the judge awarded him only $1. In preparation for the trial, the FDA reviewed the cases of 400 patients treated by Hoxsey and found that many of the patients either did not have cancer, or had cancer for which they had already received appropriate medical treatment elsewhere but were afraid of recurrence. No cases of verifiable cures were found. [5]

The United States government banned the sale of the Hoxsey herbal treatment in 1960. [5] Hoxsey was also forced to close all of his U. S. clinics. In 1963, Mildred Nelson, a nurse who had worked closely with Hoxsey, established the Bio Medical Clinic in Tijuana, Mexico with Hoxsey's approval. A nurse is responsible—along with other Health care Professionals —for the treatment safety and recovery of acutely or chronically Tijuana (ˌtiːəˈwɑːnə Spanish, ti'xwana|ti'ʍana is the largest city of the Mexican state of Baja California, situated on the U Just before Nelson's death in 1999, the clinic was taken over by her sister, Liz Jonas. [6]

In 1967, Hoxsey developed prostate cancer, and his own treatment failed to cure it. Because he failed to respond to his eponymous therapy, Hoxsey underwent surgery and standard medical treatment. [7] He died seven years later, in 1974.

Treatment

Hoxsey herbal treatment includes a paste of antimony, zinc and bloodroot, arsenic, sulfur, and talc as external treatments, and a liquid mixture of licorice, red clover, burdock root, Stillingia root, barberry, Cascara, prickly ash bark, buckthorn bark, and potassium iodide for internal consumption. Antimony (IPA (Received Pronunciation, /ˈæntɪmoʊni/ (US is a Chemical element with the symbol Sb (stibium meaning "mark" and Zinc (ˈzɪŋk from Zink is a Metallic Chemical element with the symbol Zn and Atomic number 30 Bloodroot ( Sanguinaria canadensis) is a perennial, Herbaceous Flowering plant native to eastern North America from Nova Arsenic (ˈɑrsənɪk is a Chemical element that has the symbol As and Atomic number of 33 Sulfur or sulphur (ˈsʌlfɚ see spelling below) is the Chemical element that has the Atomic number 16 Talc (derived from the Persian via Arabic talq) is a Mineral composed of Hydrated Magnesium Silicate with Liquorice (UK or licorice (US (see spelling differences;, or) is the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra, from which a sweet flavour can be extracted Trifolium pratense ( Red Clover) is a species of Clover, native to Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa, but planted Burdock is any of a group of biennial Thistles in the Genus Arctium, family Asteraceae Stillingia is a Plant Genus of the family Euphorbiaceae, comprising about 30 Species. Berberis ( Bér-be-ris, barberry, pepperidge bush) a Genus of about 450-500 species of Deciduous and Evergreen For the genus Hippophae, see Sea-buckthorn. The Buckthorns ( Rhamnus) are a genus (or two genera if Frangula Potassium iodide is an Inorganic compound with formula K[[iodide I]] [8]

In addition to the herbs, the Hoxsey treatment now also includes antiseptic douches and washes, laxative tablets, and nutritional supplements. Antiseptics (from Greek αντί - anti, '"against" + σηπτικός - septikos, "putrefactive" are antimicrobial Laxatives (or purgatives) are foods compounds or drugs taken to induce bowel movements or to loosen the stool most often taken to treat Constipation. A mixture of procaine hydrochloride and vitamins, along with liver and cactus, is prescribed. Procaine is a Local anesthetic drug of the Amino Ester group It is used primarily to reduce the pain of Intramuscular injection of During treatment, patients are asked to avoid consumption of tomatoes, vinegar, pork, alcohol, salt, sugar, and white flour products. The tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum, syn Lycopersicon lycopersicum) is a herbaceous usually sprawling plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family Vinegar is an acidic liquid processed from the Fermentation of Ethanol in a process that yields its key ingredient Acetic acid (also called ethanoic acid Pork' is the Culinary name for Meat from the domestic Pig ( Sus scrofa) often specifically the fresh meat but can be used as an all-inclusive In Chemistry, an alcohol is any Organic compound in which a Hydroxyl group ( - O[[hydrogen H]]) is bound to a Carbon Salt is a Dietary mineral composed primarily of Sodium chloride that is essential for Animal life but toxic to most land plants Sugar is a class of edible Crystalline substances mainly Sucrose, Lactose, and Fructose. Flour is a powder made of Cereal grains It is the key ingredient of Bread, which is a staple food in many countries and therefore the availability [3]

In 2005, the cost of initial evaluation and treatment with Hoxsey Therapy at the Bio-Medical Center in Tijuana, Mexico was reported to be between $3,900 and $5,100, though this price did not include the recommended purchase of an unspecified number of dietary supplements and 3 years of return visits. [6]

Side-effects

Effectiveness

No peer-reviewed medical or scientific research has been published which would allow any conclusions about the effectiveness of the Hoxsey Therapy. Peer review (also known as refereeing) is the process of subjecting an author's scholarly work research or Ideas to the scrutiny of others who are [9] The Bio-Medical Center in Tijuana, Mexico claims a success rate of 50–70%, though these figures have not been independently evaluated and the parameters of "treatment success" are undefined. [6] Several books on herbalism have claimed that some of the herbs in the therapy have anti-tumor effects in vitro. In vitro ( Latin: within the glass refers to the technique of performing a given experiment in a controlled environment outside of a living Organism [10][11]

The American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute do not advise the use of the Hoxsey Therapy, as neither have found any objective evidence that the treatment provides tangible benefit to people with cancer. The American Cancer Society ( ACS) is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to The National Cancer Institute (NCI is part of the United States Federal government's National Institutes of Health. [1] Reviews by the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and M. D. Anderson Cancer Center found no evidence that the Hoxsey Therapy is effective as a treatment for cancer. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC is a Cancer treatment and research institution founded in 1884 as the New York Cancer Hospital. The University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center is one of the nation's original three comprehensive Cancer centers established by the National Cancer Act of 1971 [12][9] A controlled experiment in lab mice did not find any difference in tumor growth between untreated mice and those given the Hoxsey tonic. [13] The Food and Drug Administration investigated 400 people claiming to have been cured by the Hoxsey method, and found that the patients described as cured never in fact had cancer, or had received successful medical treatment elsewhere before being treated with the Hoxsey Therapy. Those who had cancer at the time of the Hoxsey Therapy were uniformly either deceased or alive with active cancer. There were no cases of actual cures among those promoted as such by the Hoxsey clinic. [4][13]

Notable cases

The treatment gained wide press coverage in 2006 due to a court dispute between the family of Starchild Abraham Cherrix and Social Services of the State of Virginia. Starchild Abraham Cherrix (born in June 1990 is a citizen of the U The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state Cherrix has requested to undergo Hoxsey Therapy to treat a recurrence of Hodgkin disease. Hodgkin's lymphoma, also known as Hodgkin's disease is a type of Lymphoma first described by Thomas Hodgkin in 1832 Because at the age of 16 he was still a minor, Social Services considered the parents to be negligent and sought to have Cherrix undergo conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Chemotherapy, in its most general sense refers to treatment of disease by chemicals that kill cells specifically those of micro-organisms or Cancer. Radiation therapy (or radiotherapy) is the medical use of Ionizing radiation as part of Cancer treatment to control Malignant On August 16, 2006, Circuit Judge Glen A. Events 1384 - The Hongwu Emperor of Ming China, Emperor Dong hears a case of a couple who tore paper money bills while fighting Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Tyler announced that both sides had reached an agreement that the parents did not act in a way that was medically neglectful. In addition, it stipulated that Starchild would be treated by an oncologist of his choice who was both board-certified in radiation therapy as well as interested in alternative methods to treat Hodgkin disease. Oncology is the branch of medicine that studies Tumors ( Cancer) and seeks to understand their development diagnosis treatment and prevention Board Certification is the process by which a Physician with either a MD MBChB MBBS or osteopathic (DO degree in the United States documents by Radiation therapy (or radiotherapy) is the medical use of Ionizing radiation as part of Cancer treatment to control Malignant [14]

References

  1. ^ a b Hoxsey Herbal Treatment, from the American Cancer Society. The American Cancer Society ( ACS) is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to Accessed March 11, 2008. Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common
  2. ^ a b c d Cantor D (2006). "Cancer, quackery and the vernacular meanings of hope in 1950s America". J Hist Med Allied Sci 61 (3): 324–68. doi:10.1093/jhmas/jrj048. A digital object identifier ( DOI) is a permanent identifier given to an Electronic document. PMID 16565262.  
  3. ^ a b Fink JM. Third opinion: an international directory to alternative therapy centers for the treatment and prevention of cancer and other degenerative diseases. 3rd ed. Garden City Park, New York: Avery Publishing Group Inc. , 1997:41-42.
  4. ^ a b Janssen WF (1979). "Cancer quackery--the past in the present". Semin. Oncol. 6 (4): 526–36. PMID 394334.  
  5. ^ a b Guzley GJ (1992). "Alternative cancer treatments: impact of unorthodox therapy on the patient with cancer". South. Med. J. 85 (5): 519–23. PMID 1585205.  
  6. ^ a b c Moss RW (2005). "Patient perspectives: Tijuana cancer clinics in the post-NAFTA era". Integr Cancer Ther 4 (1): 65–86. doi:10.1177/1534735404273918. A digital object identifier ( DOI) is a permanent identifier given to an Electronic document. PMID 15695477.  
  7. ^ Hafner AW, editor. Reader's guide to alternative health methods. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: American Medical Association, 1993:128-130.
  8. ^ Spencer JW, Jacobs JJ. Complementary/alternative medicine: an evidence based approach. Toronto: Mosby, 1999:142.
  9. ^ a b Herbal / Plant Therapies: Hoxsey, from the Department of Complementary and Integrative Medicine of M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center is one of the nation's original three comprehensive Cancer centers established by the National Cancer Act of 1971 Last updated July 31, 2006; accessed March 11, 2008. Events 30 BC - Battle of Alexandria: Mark Antony achieves a minor victory over Octavian 's forces but most of his army subsequently Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common
  10. ^ Diamond WJ, et al. An alternative medicine definitive guide to cancer. Tiburon: Future Medicine Publishing, Inc. , 1997:829.
  11. ^ Tyler VE, Foster S. Tyler's honest herbal. New York: Haworth Herbal Press, 1999:316,72.
  12. ^ Hoxsey Herbal Therapy, from the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC is a Cancer treatment and research institution founded in 1884 as the New York Cancer Hospital. Accessed March 11, 2008. Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common
  13. ^ a b "Hoxsey Method/Bio-Medical Center" (1990). CA Cancer J Clin 40 (1): 51–5. PMID 2104568.  
  14. ^ Associated Press. "Teen, court reach agreement over cancer care", MSNBC. com, 2006-9-5. Retrieved on 2008-03-21. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 630 - Byzantine emperor Heraclius restores the True Cross to Jerusalem.  

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