Questionable cancer practices in tijuana and other mexican borderclinics

Tijuana, Mexico, has become a refuge for cancer patients who have beenconvinced that they may be cured of their terminal illness byunconventional, unproved, and disproved methods offered in the borderclinics. About a dozen United States promoters have joined with Mexicancolleagues to offer a variety of treatments. Some patients are diagnosedusing standard methods prior to arrival at the clinics, but many healthyindividuals are misdiagnosed as having cancer or “precancer” and are thentreated there. Others are told they have been cured or are improving eventhough they still have active disease. The modalities and regimens used areoften referred to as “metabolic therapy” and, for the most part, are eithernot based on sound scientific principles or have been shown in controlledclinical trials to be useless or even dangerous. A basic metabolic regimenconsists of three phases: detoxification with fasting and bowel cleansing, strengthening the immune system with numerous “supplements,” and attackingcancer with “natural and non‐toxic” chemicals. Popular treatments includeinjections of hydrogen peroxide, large quantities of pressed liver andcarrot juice, coffee enemas, infusions of Laetrile mixed with massive dosesof vitamins and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), special diets, and a host ofother pseudoscientific regimens. Unfortunately, no evidence exists that anyof these modalities is more effective than no treatment at all. Patientstraveling to the Mexican border clinics for metabolic therapy aresubjecting themselves to costly and hazardous regimens, especially if theyforgo responsible medical care in the process. The American Cancer Society, therefore, strongly urges individuals with cancer not to seek treatmentwith metabolic therapies in the Mexican border clinics.