Medical science continues to remain silent about milk thistle as a cancer remedy

[BABY1]

TweetNaturalNews) Milk thistle, or silymarin, has been used as a natural herb to assist liver function for thousands of years. Well established as a liver herb in both alternative and scientific literature, milk thistle strengthens liver cell membranes, decreases "bad" cholesterol levels, boosts the immune system, and is a powerful antioxidant. Milk thistle has also been demonstrated clinically to have a positive effect on certain cancers. However, medical science continues to remain silent about milk thistle as a cancer remedy despite clinical support, according to a recent statement published by the National Cancer Institute.

Supporting science for milk thistle as a cancer remedy

Integrative Cancer Therapies published a review of several clinical trials involving milk thistle for cancer in 2007. In the review, a comment was made that "promising results" were being reported about milk thistle's ability to protect the body from certain types of cancer. The researchers stated that the future of milk thistle for cancer was, again, "promising."

In the same issue, Integrative Cancer Therapies stated that milk thistle protects the liver and kidneys from chemotherapy drug toxicity. The herb reduces liver enzyme levels, helps reduce inflammation, and assists in modulating T-cells. This study mentioned clear evidence of milk thistle's ability to fight reproductive system cancer cells in both males and females, as well as skin cancer. Milk thistle is generally accepted as safe and well-tolerated.

If the National Cancer Institute knows milk thistle works, why not say so?

The National Cancer Institute readily admits there are case studies proving the effectiveness of milk thistle for cancer. In one case study, a woman with leukemia had to stop chemotherapy because her liver enzyme levels were abnormal. When milk thistle was administered, those levels were normalized, and the woman was able to continue her cancer treatments.

In a second case, a man's liver tumors regressed before beginning chemotherapy simply by taking milk thistle.

Yet a third, placebo-controlled study involving 50 children with leukemia showed improvement over a four week period when the experimental group of children took milk thistle. Tests showed that milk thistle was able to protect the children's livers from the toxic effects of chemotherapy to the point where these children did not have to have their dosages reduced. Unfortunately, there was not enough improvement to be documented as "significant."

The National Cancer Institute goes on to mention clinical studies which support the use of milk thistle for a variety of liver diseases, hepatitis C, and diabetes. So why not say milk thistle "works?"

Revisited and reconfirmed in August 2012, the National Cancer Institute stated that it cannot recommend the use of milk thistle in cancer therapy because of a qualifying standard called "evidence scores."

An evidence analysis looks at the strength of the statistics used in any clinical study and the strength of the endpoint, or outcome of any given treatment. Combining these analyses produces an evidence score, which is assigned to every study submitted to the National Cancer Institute for review.

In the case of milk thistle, the problem lies not in the herb, but in the limited number of clinical studies. Until more well-designed research is performed, the National Cancer Institute cannot recommend milk thistle as a remedy for cancer.

Learn more: Medical science continues to remain silent about milk thistle as a cancer remedy

[bandaidwoman]

TweetThe last line is key "In the case of milk thistle, the problem lies not in the herb, but in the limited number of clinical studies. Until more well-designed research is performed, the National Cancer Institute cannot recommend milk thistle as a remedy for cancer."


Two case studies and a clinical trial with 50 children just doesn't cut it for the NCI to make any recommendations. The many clinical trials with protecting the liver has been mixed. If you want the list of trials I can get it for you . In a market driven medical economy like ours, you won't see anyone sponsoring this kind of clinical trial. Some of the best AM alternative medicine) studies come from places like Cuba ( due to embargoes of regular pharmaceuticals) or other universal health care countries. Milk thistle seems innocuous with little side effects , look to countries in europe or canada, for this type of research not here.

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The last line is key "In the case of milk thistle, the problem lies not in the herb, but in the limited number of clinical studies. Until more well-designed research is performed, the National Cancer Institute cannot recommend milk thistle as a remedy for cancer."


Two case studies and a clinical trial with 50 children just doesn't cut it for the NCI to make any recommendations. The many clinical trials with protecting the liver has been mixed. If you want the list of trials I can get it for you . In a market driven medical economy like ours, you won't see anyone sponsoring this kind of clinical trial. Some of the best AM alternative medicine) studies come from places like Cuba ( due to embargoes of regular pharmaceuticals) or other universal health care countries. Milk thistle seems innocuous with little side effects , look to countries in europe or canada, for this type of research not here.

I agree with you darlin but thats where the problem lies,there seems to never be enough clinical trials allowed to "prove" this.There are so many studies done for SO MANY different natural remedies and cures and everyone continues to say "WE DONT HAVE ENOUGH CLINICAL RESEARCH DONE" but why not????? WHEN WILL THERE BE?????

Like ive said a million times,we know that the cancer treatments we utilize now suck and have such a low success rate and in fact can make your conidtion far worse so that alone would<to me,be enough reason to conduct as much research on "ALTERNATIVE" treatments and cures wouldnt you agree??? So for me the logical thing to do when a study is made aware of using NATURAL treatements and cuures and they were actually successful in these studies,is to start immediately conducting bigger and longer studies to prove or disprove them instead of doctors just saying "WE NEED MORE STUDIES" Make these studies happen then! SPEAK UP AS A DOCTOR AND DEMAND THAT THESE STUDIES HAPPEN!!

TweetHeres something posted right on the American Cancer Society's own website................



Learning About New Cancer Treatments

You’ve just heard about a possible new cancer treatment. It may be a new drug or machine, a new invention, or a new way to give treatment. If you have cancer, you may wonder if this treatment might work for you. Even though your doctor hasn’t mentioned it, you want to find out more about this new method. You want to have every possible chance of cure.

You may be thinking of spending your time, money, and energy on something that science has not yet proven to work. At this point, you don’t know if it can help you, or even if it could harm you. Before you put your time, your money, and your body on the line, you need to know more about what you are looking at so you can decide if it’s worth it.

It may be that the treatment you’ve heard about is “in the pipeline” to become a mainstream cancer treatment in the future. It’s usually not too hard to find information about these kinds of treatments.

Sometimes, the treatment you have heard about is already being used to treat cancer. In that case, it’s usually easy to learn more about it. If the treatment was approved for another type of cancer or a different illness, you can still find information. But it may be harder to find out about how well it works for the type of cancer you have.

Other treatments may be herbs, vitamins, dietary supplements, traditional remedies, “body cleansings,” special diets, and systems, among many others, that are supposed to allow the body to heal itself. While it used to be that there were few studies that looked at these methods, doctors are now researching more of them in the same ways that they study other treatments.

Whatever treatment you are thinking about, you will want to take the time to see what you can find out about it from sources you can trust. Here we will give you some ideas to help you when you are searching for more information.

This document only addresses ways to look at information on methods that are said to be cancer treatments, but some of the same principles can be used when looking at information on screening or diagnostic tests, symptom management, and other aspects of cancer detection and care. If what you have heard about is a method of cancer prevention, see our document, Learning About New Ways to Prevent Cancer.

[bandaidwoman]

TweetThe problem is funding. You have the private sector ( which wants quick returns on investment), the government, and charities. Personally, rather have government or charity funding. This way, it is non-directed research with no motive to suppress negative data or positive data ( for the most part). Getting NIH or NCI etc. funding is so competative for us researchers, it is exhausting and time consuming and more cut throat than Wall Street. For all you Obama haters, under his presidency, basic scientific funding has expanded greater than any other president. it's why 95% of basic research scientists voted for him. This is the best investment in our country for both future economic and physical health.

[bandaidwoman]

Tweet2013 Prediction: Science Funding Remains Strong | Popular Science

but the Republican-led House will likely attempt to cut nondefense research dollars, as it has for the last two years

Those of us in non-defense research, really wish more of our tax dollars went into what we do. ( I'm figuring out mechanism of LADA or Type 1.5 diabetes....no drug company sponsors it since they lose money on fewer patients needing insulin.... I depend on government dollars).

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The problem is funding. You have the private sector ( which wants quick returns on investment), the government, and charities. Personally, rather have government or charity funding. This way, it is non-directed research with no motive to suppress negative data or positive data ( for the most part). Getting NIH or NCI etc. funding is so competative for us researchers, it is exhausting and time consuming and more cut throat than Wall Street. For all you Obama haters, under his presidency, basic scientific funding has expanded greater than any other president. it's why 95% of basic research scientists voted for him. This is the best investment in our country for both future economic and physical health.

I agree completely.Thats whats so sad about it,the gov't are the ones that should be funding these studies and save money on so many other b's ones. Perfect world though,which we are far from.

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2013 Prediction: Science Funding Remains Strong | Popular Science



Those of us in non-defense research, really wish more of our tax dollars went into what we do. ( I'm figuring out mechanism of LADA or Type 1.5 diabetes....no drug company sponsors it since they lose money on fewer patients needing insulin.... I depend on government dollars).

You're right dear.The doctors many times are in the same boat as the rest of us.At the gov't's mercy and control.Again,like I have always said,its the powers that be that make the problems we face.Doctors are getting screwed in many ways and more need to start speaking up publically against this so they can do more good for people and make a great living in their professions.Its sad that so many doctors do have to resort to politically motivated practices to survive and do well when the the govt politicians and corporate america are making all the money.

[Dzone]

TweetSome remedies have worked for centuries.

Milk thistle is a plant whose fruit and seeds have been used for more than 2,000 years as a treatment for liver and biliary disorders.

Milk Thistle (PDQ®) - National Cancer Institute

[unclem]

Tweetboth baby and bandaide woman have helped me in medicine and I feel like a wash up old RN to have to ask questions but hey I was a c student, and the long term effects of prescribed opiate abuse made it so I cant spell. ok, I like milk thistle it does help your hepatic enzymes go down . like that big word " hepatic enzymes" lmfao.

[BABY1]

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