Laetrile is the name for a synthetically produced version of a natural chemical, amygdalin, that is found in the kernels of apricots, almonds and peaches. Laetrile is also sometimes called Vitamin B17 but it isn’t a vitamin.

Many websites promote laetrile as a substance that can prevent, treat or cure cancer. But, unfortunately this isn’t the case. There is no reliable evidence that laetrile is an effective treatment for cancer. Because of this and because of potentially serious side-effects it is not licensed for sale in the European Union or in the USA.

Laetrile was first made in the 1950s and it became a popular alternative therapy for cancer in the USA in the 1970s. Up to this time there had been a few small studies that tested laetrile as a treatment for cancer but none of these had provided convincing evidence it was beneficial. Because of this, in 1982, the National Cancer Institute in the USA carried out a clinical trial of amygdalin involving 175 people with advanced cancer. Everyone in the trial had 21 days of injections with amygdalin then continued taking the compound in tablet form. But, the results of the study were disappointing. Only one patient had a temporary improvement in their condition. Based on this evidence cancer experts agreed amygdalin wasn’t an effective treatment for cancer.

More recently in 2006 an expert group looked into all the available evidence for laetrile as a cancer treatment. They found 36 reports on its use, none of them proved that laetrile is effective against cancer. They concluded that there wasn’t any satisfactory evidence that laetrile works.

Laetrile can also cause harmful side-effects. It contains small amounts of cyanide, and some people taking it have developed cyanide poisoning. People who eat certain foods that naturally contain amygdalin or who take vitamin C supplements, while taking laetrile may be at greater risk of cyanide poisoning. Cyanide poisoning can cause headaches, sickness, dizziness, confusion, problems with balance and walking, liver damage, loss of consciousness and even death.

Some websites promoting laetrile say that people taking it shouldn’t use any other type of cancer therapy. This is worrying. Many people with early cancer can be cured by standard treatments. Using unproven therapies in place of conventional medical treatments can seriously affect your health.

If your doctor has told you that there aren’t any conventional treatments that could cure your cancer, this can be very difficult to accept. And, often this is the time people consider alternative therapies. It is understandable that you and those close to you would want to consider anything that might help to treat your cancer. But, be cautious about people or websites that make extravagant claims for treatments they are promoting. Look at all the available information and check who provides it. And, talk things over with your cancer specialist before deciding to try any treatment.

Reference:

• A Milazzo et al. Laetrile treatment for cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2006.