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A Primer on the Perils of Unproved Treatments

Gregory A. Curt, MD; Gale Katterhagen, MD; Francis X. Mahaney, Jr

JAMA. 1986;255(4):505-507.

Abstract
Immunoaugmentative therapy is an unproved cancer treatment that until recently was offered to patients by zoologist Lawrence Burton, PhD, at a facility in Freeport, Bahamas. The therapy consists of serum measurements of certain "immune deficiencies" and purportedly restores immune function by injection of products variously derived from tumor tissue and blood from individuals with cancer and healthy volunteers. Immunoaugmentative therapy represents a potentially serious public health risk, since it is capable of transmitting hepatitis B and the presumed etiologic agent for the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Physicians and health officials who learn of patients receiving this therapy are advised that its efficacy remains unproved and that the risk of receiving contaminated blood products is considerable.

(JAMA 1986;255:505-507)

Author Affiliations
From the Division of Cancer Treatment (Dr Curt) and the Office of Cancer Communications (Mr Mahaney), National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Md; and the Oncology Department, Multicare Medical Center, Tacoma, Wash (Dr Katterhagen).

Footnotes
Reprint requests to the Division of Cancer Treatment, National Cancer Institute, Bldg 31, Room 3A-49, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20205 (Dr Curt).

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