Two Promising Cures for Cancer

Two common threads relating to cancer research link the lives of these three men. The first thread offers an explanation for the growth of cancers or cancerous cells.

We'll start with John Beard. Back in 1902 John Beard proposed a theory that the formation of cancer was part of the body's normal healing processes. He observed how closely cancer cells resemble the cells surrounding the developing human embryo. These cells are called trophoblast cells so the theory is known as the Trophoblast Theory.

When an egg is fertilized, the rise in estrogen and other steroid hormone levels, trigger trophoblast cells to multiply rapidly-they invade the uterus wall to prepare a place for the embryo to attach. These cells eventually form the placenta and umbilical cord to nourish the embryo. These fast-growing cells continue until the eighth week of embryonic development and then suddenly stop. At this point, the embryo's pancreas begins to function. Why is that significant? It means that the embryo is now producing pancreatic enzymes. These enzymes are apparently the key to controlling trophoblast cell growth.

Let's look at the parallel process when a non-sexual healing process takes place. When a physical injury or cellular injury from a chemical imbalance in the body occurs, trophoblast cells form and trigger increased levels of estrogen and other steroid hormones to stimulate cellular repair. With a healthy body, this process stops once the healing is complete or the chemical balance restored. Benign tumors or polyps are evidence of this healing process stopping at a later stage. If the process is not stopped, of course, the trophoblast cells continue to multiply and a malignant cancer develops.

Those who understand the Natural Health Model have accepted that cancer is a lifestyle disease-that chemical imbalances are triggered by emotional and mental stress, environmental toxins, nutritional deficiencies, and lack of adequate exercise. White blood cells do not stop trophoblast cells. To protect the sexual reproductive or healing trophoblast cell, Nature keeps it safe from attack by providing both white blood cells and trophoblast cells with a negative charge. This protects the trophoblast cell as like charges repel. Unfortunately, the life-saving pancreatic enzymes that stop the trophoblast at a crucial stage in the developing embryo are often not available in sufficient amounts later in life. The lifestyle factors that create the imbalances for the cancer cells to take hold also mean the digestive system is impaired so there are not sufficient pancreatic enzymes circulating in the blood to stop the growth of cancer cells. Pancreatic enzymes in large enough amounts are proving to be effective in reversing cancer.

Dr. Beard's theory faded to oblivion by the time he died in 1924. Ernst T. Krebs Jr., a cancer researcher, rediscovered Beard's theory in 1942. The research of Krebs and his colleagues gave new life to the Trophoblast Theory for cancer. Krebs, however, is also the co-discoverer of laetrile. Laetrile is a chemical derived from apricot pits that has proven effective as a cure for cancer. The second thread in cancer research, the effectiveness of laetrile, is associated with the Trophoblast Theory since Dr. Kreb's research embraced both. While Beard's research led to the use of pancreatic enzymes to reverse cancers, Kreb's focussed on the vitamin factor-the use of B17 or laetrile. Ernst Krebs, Jr. had already discovered another vitamin, B15. He extracted laetrile or B17 from apricot pits. As a result of his research, by 1952 Dr. Kreb's put forth the theory that cancer was a nutritional deficiency disease-like scurvy (deficiency of vitamin C) or pellagra (deficiency of niacin, a B vitamin).

Before his death in 1996, Dr. Ernst T. Krebs, Jr. fully explored how laetrile works. His discoveries leave one in awe of natural body processes and God's grand design: Laetrile contains two toxic elements-cyanide and benzaldehyde. A protective enzyme, rhodanese, neutralizes these toxins in healthy tissue by converting them to healthy byproducts. If the tissue is cancerous, however, there is an excess of the enzyme beta-glucosidase. Rather than protect the tissue, this enzyme unlocks or frees both the toxic elements. Combined cyanide and benzaldehyde are far more toxic. Cancerous cells lack rhodanese so the protective enzyme is not present-the combination of cyanide and benzaldehyde are released to attack the cancerous tissue. Laetrile, therefore, has the unique ability to nourish normal cells yet destroy cancer cells! One official within the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Dr. Dean Burke, was brave enough in 1971 to speak out and confirm that Kreb's research on the effectiveness of laetrile was indeed true. We now have two promising therapies to stop cancer-pancreatic enzymes and laetrile. Since laetrile is derived from apricot pits, many people regularly use ground apricot pits in small amounts to help the body prevent cancerous growth.

"The advocates of vitamin B17 are the first to admit that there is yet much to learn about the natural mechanisms involved in the cause and control of cancer and that there is need for continued caution and understatement. For one thing, there is a growing suspicion among experienced clinicians that B17 in foods is more effective than in the currently processed and concentrated forms." The good news is vitamin B17 is abundant in many foods. Berries, for example, are a rich source as well as seeds of other fruits, sprouted seeds, nuts and grains. The meat from animals also provide vitamin B17 if the animal has fed on grasses such as clover which is rich in nitrilosides. Nitrilosides are rich in vitamin B17.

Enter Ralph Moss into the laetrile research picture in 1977. As a science writer, his career was on the rise with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center-he received regular pay raises and had recently been promoted to Assistant Director of the Department of Public Affairs. Moss explains, "Laetrile had engaged the hostile attentions of the California Cancer Commission since the early '50's, and the national media was focusing on it, taking away interest from the burgeoning official cancer war." Innocently, Moss arranged an interview with Kanematsu Sugiura, D.Sc., one of the Center's cancer researchers, as he wanted to do a feature for the in-house newsletter. He found far more than a story of interest to the newsletter. He was aware, of course, that established medicine had refuted all research claiming laetrile as effective against cancer. During the interview he discovered Sugiura was testing laetrile and getting very promising and positive results. Pressure was on Sugiura to refute his results but he wouldn't. Moss subsequently found that other researchers were asked to test laetrile but told to change amounts so the results would not be positive. Moss faced a dilemma. What should he do?

"I was in a morally untenable position, however. I therefore-with much trepidation-scheduled a press conference of my own at the Hilton Hotel to discuss the topic of laetrile at Sloan-Kettering." Moss had a young family to support but he stood up to the pressure and told the truth about laetrile, Sugiura's positive results, and the corruption of other research projects. He was immediately fired. Moss has since written several books and devotes himself to evaluating and providing information on alternative cancer treatments.

Today, a paper issued by the National Cancer Institute titled, "NCI Fact Sheet: Laetrile - Updated 09/1999" still declares that the research using laetrile during the 1970's "did not find significant evidence that it was effective against animal cancers."

Moss' research also puts forward the work of two scientists operating independently who are corroborating the Trophoblast Theory-that cancer is a natural healing process run amok. Both pancreatic enzymes and laetrile appear to offer a nutritional approach that along with lifestyle change could help many of the one in three people today who develop cancerous growths.

Information and quotes from the book, World Without Cancer, G. Edward Griffin, 1997.

The Ernst T. Krebs Jr. and John Beard Memorial Research Resource.