Gerson Therapy (PDQ®)
Cancer Information Summaries « English « Patients « G
Overview
- The Gerson therapy is a complex regimen that has been used to treat cancer and other diseases (see Question 1 ).
- The key parts of the Gerson therapy are a strict diet, dietary supplements, and enemas (see Question 1 ).
- The theory is that disease can be cured by removing toxins from the body, boosting the immune system, and replacing excess salt in the body’s cells with potassium (see Question 3 ).
- The Gerson therapy requires that the many details of its treatment plan be followed exactly (see Question 4 ).
- Few clinical studies of the Gerson therapy have been published (see Question 6 ).
- Taking too many enemas of any kind can be harmful (see Question 7 )
- The US Food and Drug Administration has not approved the Gerson therapy for the treatment of cancer or other diseases (see Question 8 ).
- Cancer patients should talk with their health care providers about an appropriate diet to follow (see Question 8 ).
This record was last updated on September 6th, 2007.
About the PDQ Cancer Information Summaries from the National Cancer Institute
PDQ (Physician Data Query) is a comprehensive cancer database published by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It contains peer-reviewed summaries on cancer treatment, screening, prevention, genetics, and supportive care, and complementary and alternative medicine; a registry of cancer clinical trials; and directories of physicians, professionals who provide genetics services, and organizations that provide cancer care.
The PDQ Cancer Information Summaries are peer reviewed and updated monthly by six editorial boards comprised of specialists in adult treatment, pediatric treatment, supportive care, screening and prevention, genetics, and complementary and alternative medicine. The Boards review current literature from more than 70 biomedical journals, evaluate its relevance, and synthesize it into clear summaries. Many of the summaries are also available in Spanish.
Linked medical terms appearing on this page are added by Healia to help readers find more information and are not part of the original PDQ document.