Cancer Quack or Miracle Worker?

Who: Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski.

What: The subject of much controversy for use of antineoplastons in treating Cancer.

Where: Burzynski Clinic
9432 Katy Freeway, Suite 200
Houston, TX 77055

http://www.burzynskiclinic.com/ph/index.html

Why: The Food and Drug Administration continues to investigate whether Dr. Burzynski's treatment has actual success in curing cancer. Many doctors disagree with Dr. Burzynski's treatments and label him a quack, but studies coming out in the doctor's favor.

How: The theory is the number of antineoplastons circulating in a body is always higher in a healthy body than one with cancer. They regulate cell division: the problem that comes with cancer. Prescribing these proteins for patients is Dr. Burzynski's defense.



Roy Hash was just 16 months old when he was rushed in to emergency surgery to remove a brain tumor the size of a racquetball.

After thinking back to the picture of her two-year-old on a ventilator, his entire body covered in scabs, she says,"I know my son would not be here had his body been put through the strain of traditional therapy and that was from the mouth of the pediatric oncologist who wanted to do traditional therapy on my son."

Enter Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski.

The Burzynski Clinic in Houston specializes in the treatment of cancer by administering antineoplastons, amino acids isolated from blood and urine.

The discovery of antineoplastons happened when Dr. Burzynski found that certain proteins present in the blood of perfectly healthy individuals were absent from those suffering with cancers.

Dr. Burzynski has classified this peptide he calls an antineoplaston, a regulator of the body's cell division and the needed defense against cancer.

Because the human body responds to antineoplastons with little or no side effects, as opposed to chemotherapy and radiation treatment, which leaves the immune system run down, the overall health of the body is maintained through treatment.

Roy has now been cancer free since December 2002 and is a thriving teenager.

Oma Hash described the experience of seeing her son, Roy, pull through this deadly brain cancer as her "miracle."

Of the many alternative treatments found in America gaining attention from media, this is one of the biggest attention grabbers.

Not just the media, but the Food and Drug Administration and the general public have taken interest in this treatment, which has begun the final stage of FDA trials. As it continues to prove helpful to fighting off cancer with little or no harsh side effects, (as chemotherapy or radiation treatment) the possibility of having a cure for cancer is closer than ever.

This treatment has been advertised by Dr. Burzynski as the cure people are looking for and, while the FDA has attempted to shut down this doctor's clinic several times in the last 30 years, patients testify to going home cancer free as a result of his care.

As Dr. Burzyski's treatments drew attention, the FDA also stepped in to check things out.

The idea of urine having anything to do with providing a cure to cancer has appeared questionable, resulting in several near closures of this clinic by the FDA.

Dr. Green, a biochemist who has 23 years of cancer research experience, notes on Quackwatch.com that he could see no reason to believe the treatments Dr. Burzynski prescribed as a true cancer cure.

"These facts indicate to me that Burzynski's claims that his "antineoplastons" are effective against cancer are not credible," he says.

This article was written in 1997. A lot has happened since then.

In January 2009, permission was finally granted by the FDA, allowing the third and final research phase to begin at Burzynski Clinic.

This was a huge step for the doctor. Not only has he passed the first two phases of clinical trials, but the third trial may just prove this therapy as more helpful than any conventional treatments have ever been.

Here's why.

The third clinical trial consists of studying the effects of radiation therapy with or without antineoplaston therapy. This study is based on treating colon cancer and inoperable brain cancer in children.

The later cancer is incurable.

Radiation has proved to slow this cancer growth but no one has survived past five years. Chemotherapy won't help at all.

If Dr. Burzynski's antineoplaston therapy does work against this incurable cancer it would mean something huge for the health care system, the future of medical research and the world.

The Houston based clinic has already drawn the attention of other countries seeking to learn more about this cancer cure.

According to Fox 26 news, "It was evidence from patients in Japan that convinced the FDA here (U.S.) to allow further studies in stage two trials." Dr. Masakazu Sawanobori also appeared on Fox 26 news while visiting the clinic to learn how Dr. Burzynski's treatments are conducted.

"His method is very safe and also very effective so I'm sure that this is the new strategy of cancer treatment," Dr. Sawanobori commented.

The comparison of the alternative treatment to other conventional treatments is hard to find.

The Houston News says that Dr. Timothy Gorski disagrees with Dr. Gurzynski's studies and he believes that people who are cured do not take in the whole group of those treated with antineoplasons.

"People who are dead do not get up and say, 'Burzynski did nothing for me,'" Dr. Gorski said referring to the amount of people that this treatment may not have cured for one reason or another.

In the end, two things must be admitted.

First, while there are victims in both conventional and alternative treatments crying from the grave, "my doctor killed me," the amount of patients who want to testify that Dr. Burzynski cured their cancer is much higher then the number of those praising chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Second, the FDA which spent the first 20 or so years trying to shut the Burzynski Clinic down, is now working alongside the clinic. After two phases of clinical trials, they admit that his medicine is actually working.

It's crazy to think that the cure to cancer could be this simple, but hard to deny the proof that this alternative cure may just be the answer.