Mistletoe Therapy for Cancer Treatment: A Conversation with the authors of Mistletoe and the Emerging Future of Integrative Oncology

Mistletoe and the Emerging Future of Integrative Oncology is a new book co-authored by a team of seven dedicated and collaborative physicians who are actively working with mistletoe therapy. We asked two of the authors a few questions about their new book.

Let’s start at the beginning – most of us think of mistletoe as the plant we stand beneath during the holidays if we want to be kissed. How does a practitioner introduce mistletoe as a therapy to their patients?

MARK HANCOCK, MD: Personally, I will often start with the simple observation that mistletoe is a very odd and individual plant in its growth behavior. Mother nature says that plants should grow straight up to the sun, transform their leaves as they grow, and have roots in the soil, but Viscum album (the Latin word for European mistletoe) grows out in all directions. It keeps a characteristic germinal-shaped leaf and puts a haustrum full of chlorophyll into the tree on which it grows like a semi-parasite. When we extract mistletoe and inject it into a person, their own human organization meets these botanical rule-breaking forces.

In human beings, the organizational I forces – expressed in the immune system – must grapple with and learn from mistletoe’s unconventional ways. Seen this way, each mistletoe injection is an exercise to build the organizational forces that the patient needs. We see this expressed in the proliferation of immune cells after a mistletoe injection. In studies that examine mistletoe therapy, the skin reactions are swarming with an anti-cancer immune militia.

We are strengthening the organizational force of the immune system through regularly using mistletoe to address cancer – a state where rebellious cells are not governed by the rules of the human organism. This is just one way to look at mistletoe – this plant is not only challenging and stimulating but also very supportive and warming.

What is mistletoe’s history as a cancer treatment?

STEVEN JOHNSON, DO: Dr. Rudolf Steiner and Dr. Ita Wegmen, MD, first introduced mistletoe in the early 1900s as a treatment for cancer. They were impressed with the phenomenological picture of the plant fruiting in the winter months and flourishing according to its own particular seasonal rhythm. There were also many peculiar physiological observations, such as the fact that mistletoe could stimulate warmth and fever within the human being, leading to foundational principles in anthroposophic cancer treatment.

A century later, with hundreds of studies and many anti-cancer and salutogenic health benefits recorded, a lot has been discovered about mistletoe. We have even learned more about the subtle effects that particular host trees have on mistletoe and how they impact the qualities of the plant in treating specific cancer types. Dr. Peter Hinderberger writes about the fascinating relationship host trees have to mistletoe varieties in Chapter Four of Mistletoe and the Emerging Future of Integrative Oncology.

MH: Dr. Ita Wegman worked with Rudolf Steiner’s indications in specific patients and was able to document favorable responses. In the early decades, mistletoe was only known and used among select providers, mostly in Europe. Today, physicians across the world continue working with this healing plant, and it is extracted and distributed by Anthroposophic pharmacies (Uriel, for instance). In the last twenty-five years, more robust research methods have been applied to larger studies that have been published in several respected medical journals. In Europe, mistletoe is the most prevalent adjunctive to cancer therapy. Recent surveys show that as many as 75% of patients with cancer use mistletoe with their standard treatments. In fact, many countries cover mistletoe therapy in their health insurance.

In the early years, the United States had only a few providers knowledgeable about mistletoe until Suzanne Somers used Iscador with her breast cancer in 2011. More recently, with the pioneering work of the Believe Big Foundation and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine clinical trial, Viscus album extract (VAE) is becoming recognized and highly sought after by patients who have learned about this healing path.

Is mistletoe therapy found in the larger oncology departments of major hospitals? If not, how would a patient learn about or access the therapy?

MH: While VAE is not currently in use at any mainstream oncology departments, there is sincere interest in certain key studies. Mistletoe faces many issues: it is not FDA approved, many oncologists dismiss most natural remedies or over-worry about interactions, and natural products like this have far less scalability in the billion-dollar drug industry. These days patients hear about VAE through support groups, word of mouth, and the important work of the Believe Big Foundation. The Physicians’ Association for Anthroposophic Medicine (PAAM) is currently training hundreds of providers in both the basic and advanced use of mistletoe so that more interested patients can access the treatment.

SJ: Many cancer centers are aware of VAE and list mistletoe as a natural substance to watch going forward, such as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. There is currently a mistletoe study going into Phase II at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and the emergence of modern targeted immunotherapy is doing wonders to raise awareness of mistletoe therapy. However, it is a slow process – which is okay because there is still a limited number of properly trained practitioners. As the director of the Mistletoe and Integrative Oncology training program, I am pleased that our incredible faculty have come together to create an in-depth training with all the special gifts each member has to offer. Our faculty includes Nasha Winters, ND, FABNO, Mark Hancock, MD, Peter Hinderberger, MD, Paul Faust, ND, FABNO, Marion Debus, MD, and Adam Blanning, MD.

We have trained and mentored almost 200 physicians these past three years. We do have a few oncologists taking the training – which is a promising beginning – but for now, the therapy is mostly provided by family doctors, internists, naturopaths, and nurse practitioners. The PAAM website (AnthroposophicMedicine.org), Metabolic Terrain Institute of Health (MTIH.org), and the Believe Big Foundation (BeliveBig.org) are all good resources to find doctors and to learn more about this therapy. Mistletoe and the Emerging Future of Integrative Oncology, however, is the best source we can offer, and more information about ordering the book, the physician authors, and links to further resources for both patients and practitioners can be found at www.TheMistletoeBook.com.

Are the authors of the book working specifically in oncology? Do they treat cancer patients through their whole cancer journey, or are patients referred by an oncologist?

MH: Although I am not an oncologist (I was trained in family practice), most of my work is now with cancer. Our clinic is fortunate to have a wonderful integrative oncologist, and together we do sometimes manage the entire care of patients with cancer. Usually, we are a supplement to the conventionally given care, and patients have their own conventional oncologist. Both of the naturopathic doctors who are co-authors of this book have special training and certification in oncology.

Is the therapy used for all cancers or just some? Do you have more success with specific types of cancer?

MH: I would consider mistletoe to be universal in its benefits for people with cancer. In blood or bone cancers, mistletoe is often used with Helleborus as a big part of the treatment, too. Solid tumors such as breast, ovarian, prostate, colon, and head and neck are often treated with mistletoe, while certain cancers are considered more immunogenic. There are also some exciting studies on bladder cancer, renal cell cancer, and melanoma with mistletoe.

Is VAE used in conjunction with radiation or chemotherapy?

MH: Yes, mistletoe is a big help with both of these, and there are multiple reliable studies showing synergy with these therapies.

Is the treatment expensive? Is it covered by insurance or Medicaid?

MH: The most effective way to receive mistletoe is injected under the skin. This can be achieved at a relatively low cost. Our clinic creates a starting kit that lasts for 2-3 months (and includes the mistletoe book) which we sell for $175. After the initial treatment, the dose is often increased, so the cost may vary more. Intravenous infusions are also available, but this treatment is more expensive since there is a higher mistletoe concentrate in these. Presently, insurance companies in the United States do not cover mistletoe.

What kinds of results are you seeing?

MH: Mistletoe is not a magic wand or cure-all, but certainly, I have seen benefits in all my patients. It clearly improves the quality of life, helps with fatigue, and actively supplements our immune system when experiencing chemotherapy side effects. In certain patients, the results are phenomenal and sometimes dramatically clear. I have a patient I recently met with who was struggling with two aggressive cancers simultaneously. In our last meeting, there was no evidence of disease, and she looks and feels better than at any point since she was diagnosed despite still being in the middle of treatments. Another patient left a local cancer center with no hope nearly four years ago with Stage IV head and neck cancer that surgery, radiation, and immunotherapy had not been able to control. He described to me how he started using mistletoe and could see, over a few weeks, the tumors in the back of his mouth get physically smaller and smaller. He regained his vitality and is doing well. There are now well-performed research studies in medical literature looking at survival benefits in many cancers – with several new studies being published each year.

SJ: There is no doubt that the strongest studies on mistletoe point to success in quality-of-life struggles during cancer, which can impact both the cancer itself and the therapeutic journey in many positive ways: sleep, mood, weight, vitality, pain, and other side effects of conventional therapy (chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and hormonal interventions). Mistletoe can even help with heightening the response to other conventional or holistic therapies. Many medium and small studies demonstrate promising adjunctive benefits with solid tumors like breast, pancreatic, lung, melanoma, bladder, intestinal, and similar cancers. Lymphoma, leukemia, myeloma, and sarcoma have less consistent benefits but combined with other anthroposophic, conventional, and holistic therapies, benefits have been seen.

Who is your intended audience for the Mistletoe book? Is it useful for both practitioners and patients? Is it accessible for readers who might not be part of the medical community?

SJ: This book is both for patients and new or intermediate practitioners who want to learn more about mistletoe therapy and its relationship to other therapies. At the beginning of the book, there is a ‘How to Use This Book’ quick guide, which will help bring the reader to find the most relevant sections for their situation. Readers will also learn more about the origins of this therapy and how it works. They can start to expose themselves to anthroposophic, naturopathic, and holistic ways of thinking about disease and approaching illness. This book was written as a bridge for the medical community, patients, and doctors of any background and orientation. It was a challenging task to write such a book. Few would ever try. We hope it helps to move the pendulum toward better care and open the door for emerging therapies in treating cancer. The book was truly a labor of love as every author gave up something of their own interest to build this bridge.

SJ: I would just add that cancer is a life journey. Mistletoe, anthroposophic medicines, attentive nursing, and other appropriate therapies can improve this journey in a multitude of ways should patients choose to take this challenge on with their doctor. Anthroposophic doctors, naturopaths, and holistic healers take seriously the challenge to care for the whole patient throughout their entire healing journey. I think most doctors and oncologists want to do this and do try to the extent that the current medical system allows them to. This is one of the great challenges today that most holistic and personalized care often has to take place outside of conventional medicine. This is not always the case, but we very much need a new integrative paradigm of health care.

 

Mark Hancock, MD, lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife Enid and six daughters. He works integratively with cancer and sees patients at his clinic Humanizing Medicine.

Steven M. Johnson, DO, is president of the Physicians’ Association for Anthroposophic Medicine (PAAM). He is currently in practice with Kathleen Lazare-Derosa, DO, and Cathy Sims-O’Neil, DO, at Collaborative Medical Arts in Chatham, NY. Visit www.collaborativemedicalarts.net or call 518-721-8417 for additional information on how their practice specializes in cancer support, neurological/musculoskeletal disorders, regenerative joint therapies, pediatrics, and early childhood development.