Customer Reviews

Alive and Well: One Doctor's Experience With Nutrition in the Treatment of Cancer Patients

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After frequenting alternative medicine newsgroups, which are full of "cancer cure" vendors, it's nice to see a book that is written with a large degree of humility. Dr. Binzel has, for many years, used the controversial chemical "laetrile" to treat cancer. The first 96 pages are stories of his legal struggles and court appearances (including a few major newsworthy cases in which he was called to witness to the efficacy of laetrile). In some ways his run-ins with the state read like a good novel. While a very conservative company publishes the book, I (a moderate) did not find any grand conspiracy theories.

The last 40 pages are devoted to his controversial approach (diet, laetrile, enzymes, Vitamin A, etc) and his results using his therapy. He even includes photos of some of his success cases. The results are clinical data and are thus not considered as scientifically valid as a randomized test. However, his statistics suggest that he is onto something. For instance, his five year survival rates for metastasized cancers (cancers that have spread throughout the body) are impressive at 60%. His results for primary tumors are higher at an 80% 5 year survival rate. However it is important to remember that his data have not been published scientifically and thus have not been peer-reviewed. However his statistics do show that the laetrile-metabolic approach should not be characterized as "completely worthless." I would say to read this with an open, yet critical mind (as all non-fiction should be read). Anybody who has read the popular 70s book, "Laetrile Case Histories," will see an immediate similarity between that book and, "Alive and Well." In some ways this is the "Laetrile Case Histories" for the new millenium.

What if there was an medical doctor with an outstanding nutritional program for cancer? Would the FDA try to squelch the doctor's findings and try to prevent him from practicing? Cancer treatment is a huge industry for big pharmaceutical companies and cancer treatment centers. Would they go out of business if there was a simple, nutritional protocol with excellent results against cancer? What if simple nutritional methods to nourish the body's own immune system and prevent cancer's spread are much better than the expensive, toxic radiation and high-priced proprietary toxic chemo drugs dispensed at today's oncology centers? What if the cancer drug your doctor dispenses depends on which drug company's pharmaceutical rep takes him out to lunch? This book tells you that "what if," in detail, and in real life. It details various government agencies' attempts to harass Dr. Binzel through "enforcers" and the legal system. Binzel presents an astonishing record of 85% 5-year survival among his patients with primary cancer and 60% survival for those with metastatic cancer. These results can't be verified, because of the privacy of his patients' medical records. But some of the survivors agreed to let their names and medical histories be released, and they are shown in this book. The book also shows you the 3-part treatment system Binzel used - 1. Vitamins and enzymes, 2. vegetarian diet, and 3. nitrocilides, or vitamin B17, which is found in everyday foods like millet, lentils, alfalfa sprouts, garbanzo beans and apple seeds. This is an enjoyable read if you suffer from cancer, or know someone who does. It is not the promise of a cure. The basic idea is to support and enhance your body's own natural defenses against cancer. Highly recommended, whether you support today's cytotoxic chemotherapy methods or not. The FDA would never try to lie to you, or manipulate the results of drug studies funded by big drug companies, would they? Drug companies contribute to political campaigns, but that doesn't influence laws about our health, does it?

Dr. Binzel backs up the information found in "World Without Cancer" with actual case histories and results.

For those that think that Laetrile is the only component in cancer treatment, this book shows why, and how, cancer needs to be treated - a combination of vitamins, diet and laetrile.

Actual programs used to achieve 82% success rates in treating primary cancer, and 65% in treating metastates cancer, show you the vast difference between "orthodox" cancer treatment, with success rates of less than 10%, to this "un-approved" treatment.

Most definitely something you want to share with your friends.

Many of the pro-Laetrile works that I have read were written by private citizens and laymen, and as a result one would say that these were not qualified to make claims. And such accusations have been made.

Now we have hard evidence in favor of Laetrile from a MEDICAL DOCTOR! Finally! A qualified source since Dr. Ernst Krebs' initial discovery has been found. A must read to accompany World Without Cancer by G. Edward Griffin.

Fabulous book! I am a cancer patient, and this is my favorite book (of about 15) of alternative cancer treatments. It gives so much hope, is an easy read, and seems to be very credible- important when one's life hangs in the balance! I can get all of the recommended supplements (especially vitamins B-15 and B-17) on-line and another book, Treating Cancer Through Nutrition (more scholarly), lists nutritional doctors state by state. One other book I'd recommend is Outsmart Your Cancer (hopeful, easy read)- it has info on many alternative treatments. I'm ordering my third copy of this book, as I give many of mine away to newly diagnosed, terrified people. I'm also ordering Dr. Lorraine Day's videos- look for a future review.

Written from a Doctors' perspective, the journey he took to educate himself in order to help his cancer patients and the hurdles and objections from the medical establishment he endured to continue his successful treatments.

Dr. Binzel grew up in "traditional" medicine, yet choose to follow a different path, much to the scorn and dismay of his colleagues. But he stayed true to his oath and sought alternatives which would benefit his patients. His experiences are very interesting, and his results are too intriguing to ignore. The book is written in a folksy, entertaining, yet serious manner. You don't need a medical degree to read it -- just an open mind

This book is an essential read for anyone with, or being watched for cancer. It tells a remarkably believable story, especially for skeptics, of the truth of the causes and microbiology of cancer, an amazingly successful cancer treatment regimen based on those truths, and very scary government, big medicine and big pharmaceutical intimidation of this humble doctor who was successful in his attempts to help people discarded by those same governmental, medical and pharmaceutical elitists. Believe it or not, there IS hope for cancer patients, without the horrors of "tradition" medical treatments.

I would rather not recommend this book as an introduction to the cancer treatment with vitamin B17. I would suggest to read first World Without Cancer: The Story of Vitamin B17 to have a broader perspective on cancer treatment with vitamin B17.

Dr Binzel tells us in this book his story of 400 cancer patients he treated with vitamin B17.

The most spectacular patient history in this book is from Grace Laman, who survived more than 18 years - by the time of publication of this book - the most dangerous cancer we know : cancer of the pancreas. With surgery and/or radiation and/or chemotherapy, the chances of surviving more than one year - ONE YEAR - with cancer of the pancreas are about 1 in 10.000. Grace Laman was still ALIVE AND WELL after 18 years on vitamin B17 therapy !

What makes this book very interesting are the statistics worked out by Dr. Philip Binzel, comparing the patient survival percentage of his patients, five years after treatment with vitamin B17, with the survival percentage of patients treated by "orthodox" methods.

Treating a primary cancer with B17 shows a patient survival rate of 87.3 % of Dr. Binzel's patients, vs. only 15 % of the patients treated by an "orthodox" method.

The difference increases substantially with metastatic cancer. In this case vitamin B17 shows more than 60 % patient survival after 5 years, compared to only 0.1 % with "orthodox" methods...

Complementary reading is Dr. Richardson's Laetrile Case Histories: The Richardson Cancer Clinic Experience would treated 4.000 cancer patients in his clinic.

Ultimately, YOU are the only person on earth really concerned in your own health.

Question the authority of your doctor - the man in the white coat. He is not that wise as he wishes to project himself. He was educated at university always to prescribe patented drugs, and he participates, the whole length of his professional career, in conferences and congresses in exotic resorts all over the world, paid by Big Pharma, who want him to continue to push their newest patented drugs. So don't expect him to agree with (cheap) vitamin B17-treatment.

On top of that, doctors will always focus on the size of the tumors, not on well being or life expectancy. Dr. Binzel says : "In my medical training, I remember well seeing patients who were getting radiation and/or chemotherapy. The tumor would get smaller and smaller, but the patient would be getting sicker and sicker. At autopsy we would hear, 'Isn't that marvelous ! The tumor is gone!' Yes, it was, but so was the patient."

Ultimately, it's your choice.

It is an odd thing to say about a book on cancer, but I enjoyed reading this book. I especially liked this doctor and how he was unafraid to take on the medical establishment. Once when he was threatened with losing his medical license, he told them this: "I was not placed on earth to please the State Medical Board. I was placed on earth to please God!" It's hard not to like the guy.

Many of the short case histories in his book were from the 1970's and 1980's - back before the internet made alternative medicine accessible to the masses. He was a pioneer - one of a then small number of physicians willing to break with tradition.

I found this book very hopeful. Not at all depressing. It is written in a very friendly, easy-to-read manner; and it explains in the simplest of terms how Laetrile and other vitamins, etc. work against cancer. It also breaks down the myth that Laetrile is dangerous. The author died in 2003. He really deserves a lot of thanks for the work he carried out. Know anyone with cancer? Give them this book.