This lecture provides historical background and insight into the nature of cancer. It was given in German in the Summer of 1980 at The Fellowship Community in Chestnut Ridge, NY. Translated by Christine Murphy. Dr. Lorenz was head of the Medical Section of the School of Spiritual Science at the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland.

Open access: Anthromed Library gratefully acknowledges permission to share this publication by Mercury Press and SteinerBooks, 2023.

Mistletoe extracts (Viscum album L., VAE) are among the most widely used integrative cancer care treatments, particularly in Europe [1-5]. They are an old herbal remedy [6,7] and were introduced as cancer treatment in 1920 by Rudolf Steiner and Ita Wegman, founders of Anthroposophic Medicine [8]. Viscum album is a hemiparasitic shrub, growing on different host trees. Different preparations are available for the treatment of cancer (currently Abnobaviscum ® , Helixor ® , Iscador ® , Iscucin ® and Lektinol ® ). They are available from different host trees such as oak, apple, pine and many others. They are applied parenteral, particularly subcutaneous, but also intravenous, intratumoural, intrapleural, intraperitoneal and other sites. Read more…

Background: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) is a common locally invasive skin cancer which rarely metastasises. First-line treatmentis surgical excision, which is curative in most cases. Viscum album extract (VAE) is a widely used herbal cancer treatment with cytotoxic, apoptogenic and immunological effects, but has not been investigated in CSCC.

Case presentation: A 78-year-old patient with histologically diagnosed CSCC refused surgical excision and was treated with peri-lesional high-dose VAE. After 10 months of treatment the CSCC had disappeared clinically. The patient has been recurrence-free for 4 years.

Conclusion: The presented case shows clinical response of a CSCC to high-dose peri-lesional VAE injections. Further research on VAE in CSCC is warranted.

Keywords: Keywords: Mistletoe, Viscum, Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, Case report

Citation: Werthmann, P. G., Sträter, G., Friesland, H., & Kienle, G. S. (2013). Durable response of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma following high-dose peri-lesional injections of Viscum album extracts – A case report. Phytomedicine, 20(3), 324–327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2012.11.001

GS Kienle, F Berrino, A Bussing, E Portalupi, S Rosenzweig, and H Kiene.

Background: Mistletoe preparations are among the most widely used unconventional cancer therapies in Central Europe. Their clinical effectiveness, however is controversial. Objective: To investigate whether prospective, controlled clinical trials provide evidence for efficacy of mistletoe therapy in cancer.

Citation: Kienle, G. S., Berrino, F., Bussing, A., Portalupi, E., & Rosenzweig, S. (2003). Mistletoe in cancer: A systematic review on controlled clinical trials. European Journal of Medical Research, 2003(8), 109–119.

Review: Kienle, G. S., Berrino, F., Bussing, A., Portalupi, E., Rosenzweig, S., & Kiene, H. (2003). Mistletoe in cancer: A systematic review on controlled clinical trials. In Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE): Quality-assessed Reviews [Internet]. Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (UK). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK69731/

Introduction: Viscum album extract (European mistletoe), containing immuno-active compounds with dose-dependent cytotoxic activity, is being used as an adjuvant cancer treatment in Europe. Few studies have yet been done with high-dose, fever-inducing Viscum album treatment.

Objective: To explore whether subcutaneous injections of high-dose Viscum album have a preventive effect on risk of recurrence of bladder cancer.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the case records of patients with resectable bladder cancer who underwent initiation of high-dose Viscum album treatment at our clinic between January 2006 and December 2012.

Main Outcome Measures: We calculated tumor recurrence and progression risk and explored case records to assess whether treatment had a likely, possible, or unlikely beneficial effect.

Results: Eight patients were identified, 7 of whom had nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer and 1 with muscle-invasive cancer. Four patients had frequently recurring tumors before treatment. Among the 8 patients, 28 episodes of recurrence were observed. Median tumor-free follow-up duration was 48.5 months. High-dose Viscum album showed a possible beneficial effect in 5 of 8 patients, could not be assessed in 2 patients, and had an uncertain effect in 1 patient. No tumor progression was observed. Treatment was generally well tolerated and no patient stopped treatment because of side effects.

Conclusion: High-dose Viscum album treatment may have interrupted frequently recurring tumors in individual patients with recurrent bladder cancer. Prospective studies are needed to assess whether this treatment offers an additional, bladder-sparing preventive option for patients with intermediate- to high-risk nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Citation: von Schoen-Angerer, T., Wilkens, J., Kienle, G. S., Kiene, H., & Vagedes, J. (2015). High-Dose Viscum album Extract Treatment in the Prevention of Recurrent Bladder Cancer: A Retrospective Case Series. The Permanente Journal, 19(4), 76–83. https://doi.org/10.7812/TPP/15-018

From the Baltimore Sun:

Ivelisse Page is on a mission.

In 2011, Page launched Believe Big, a nonprofit foundation that helps cancer patients and their families through this traumatic, life-changing diagnosis. Based on her own experience as a colon cancer survivor, Page aims to educate the cancer community about the importance of combining conventional and complementary approaches to treatment.

Citation: Pash, B. (2013, September 11). Cancer survivor drives Hopkins mistletoe therapy trials. Baltimore Sun. https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/baltimore-county/ph-om-believe-big-0905-20130911-story.html