Has anyone tried Mistletoe Therapy for PC?

[SoFlaGtr954]

Mistletoe is used extensively in Europe as an alternative cancer treatment, but is relatively unknown in the USA. Curious if anyone has tried it and if your prognosis has improved as a result.

[GP24]

No, its not used extensively in Europe. Its just another alternative cancer treatment.

[SoFlaGtr954 in reply to GP24]

I have read that it is being used extensively in Europe in alternative cancer circles, certainly not amongst those pursuing conventional approaches. Now back to my original question - has anyone here tried it?

Source:

hub.jhu.edu/magazine/2014/s...

"The liquid, derived from the poisonous, semiparasitic mistletoe plant, has been a popular natural remedy in treating cancer in Europe for years, but Hinderberger is one of the few physicians nationwide who regularly use the therapy."

[pjoshea13]

There is nothing in the PCa literature on PubMed.

-Patrick

[SoFlaGtr954 in reply to pjoshea13]

Thanks, but that's not why I posted my original question.

What I am asking, again, is has anyone in *this* group, used or is currently using Mistletoe Therapy to help treat your PC?

[Tall_Allen]

Try putting it in the search bar. Someone in this forum had mistletoe and hyperthermia in Germany.

[SoFlaGtr954 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thanks Allen

[novatimo]

SoFlaGtr954: After my Gleason 9 (4+5) Stage IV diagnosis in 2012, and after much research into conventional and alternative/complementary treatments, I consulted with my very knowledgeable naturopath to began mistletoe injections (the specific type was Iscador brand 'Quercus c.Argentum' - iscador.com/en/mistelpraepa.... In 2013 I sought hyperthermia treatments at Arcadia Klinik in Kassel, Germany and in 2014 received trans-urethral hyperthermia treatments in Vienna, Austria. At both clinics I learned that mistletoe treatment is well known to be used in alternative and complementary cancer clinics in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. My rationale for using the mistletoe was not that it has specific anti-cancer properties per se, but that it works to strengthen the immune system, helping it to battle the cancer. During those years, and prior to receiving 'definitive' treatment in 2015 (IMRT to prostate and pelvic lymph nodes) the cancer did not worsen or metastasize. I credit mistletoe as one of my initial therapies that kept me healthy in those early post-diagnosis years. I no longer take it b/c of the expense and the fact that my PSA has stayed low for the past 4 years.

[SoFlaGtr954 in reply to novatimo]

Thank you! Glad to hear that it was at least helpful for strengthening your immune system. Do you believe you could have beaten this without the IMRT? Or was the IMRT essential in your opinion? What did your naturopath have to say on this?

[novatimo]

I was diagnosed in Canada in 2012 after a standard biopsy. I moved back to California in early 2015, at which time my new docs wanted all new tests, including a new biopsy. This time I went for a color Doppler ultrasound guided biopsy, which showed some cancer was still present and brought a diagnosis of Stage 3b (not Stage 4 as earlier). I stopped the mistletoe before having the IMRT in late 2015. Since the completion of the IMRT (including 4 months of ADT), my PSA slowly rose from 0.00 in Jan 2016 to 0.44 in Jan 2019.

However, in the Nov 2017 I began the Care Oncology protocol (careoncology.com/the-coc-pr... and my PSA dropped to 0.19 by Nov 2019. Was the IMRT a 'silver bullet'? Doubtful. My arsenal was very broad and diverse and I think each component played its part.

The naturopath was in Canada and was no longer in the picture by the time I decided on IMRT but he was not opposed to it.

Bottom Line: Since I didn't approach any treatment (alternative or conventional) in an empirically scientific way, it's hard to say which helped get me get to the point where I am today. Would I do mistletoe again? Absolutely!