Osteosarcoma

Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:

Pokeweed Antiviral Protein (PAP) [1, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present. Warning! All parts of the plant, Pokeweed (Phytolacca Americana), is poisonous and should not be ingested. Thoroughly cooking the plant reduces that toxicity. The effects of the improperly prepared plant include vomiting, diarrhoea, cramps, headache, confusion, convulstions, low blood pressure, heart block and death. Only plant extracts (PAP) or thoroughly prepared plants should be ingested, and even then, under professional medical guidance.

Recommendation: weakly in favor (Laboratory studies show that PAP may hold promise in the treatment of sarcomas, but more clinical trials are needed)

Grade of Evidence: very low of evidence

Pau D'Arco (Lapachol, Tabebuia Impetiginosa, Tabebuia Heptaphylla) [1, 14]:

Please note, this treatment has potentially serious side effects. Some of the chemicals in the plant are known to be toxic. High doses are known to cause liver and kidney. Even at low doses, chemicals in the plant may interfere with blood clotting, causing excess bleeding and anaemia. Pau D'Arco should be avoided, especially by pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Recommendation: Strongly against (Laboratory tests have shown that Pau D'arco can be effective in the treatment of sarcomas. However, further studies are needed on its effect in humans. This, combined with its potentially harmful side effects if taken without supervision from a doctor or pharmacist gives enough reason to avoid this treatment.)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Mistletoe (Iscador, Viscum Album) [6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present. WARNING: The mistletoe plant should NOT be eaten because it is poisonous. May cause seizures, coma and death. It should only be taken as a purified mistletoe extract, and only in recommended doses.

Recommendation: No recommendation (Studies on the effect of Mistletoe on osteosarcomas have yielded mixed, conflicting results. More research is needed.)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Cesium Chloride (High pH Therapy, CsCl) [6, 7, 8]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It has been proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has been discounted due life-threatening side effects

Recommendation: Strongly against (Available evidence does not support claims that Cesium Chloride can help prevent or treat osteosarcomas. In addition, Cesium Chloride can cause several potentially dangerous side effects such as heart arrythmia, seizures, loss of conciousness and electrolyte imbalance. NOT TO BE USED)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org

Summary References
Treatments:

1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/318496

2. http://sciencelinks.jp/j-east/article/200407/000020040704A0117028.php

3. http://www.jco.ascopubs.org/cgi/content/abstract/9/10/1766

4. http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/112678410/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

5. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec04/ch044/ch044c.html?qt=Osteosarcoma&alt=sh#sec04-ch044-ch044c-1169

6.  Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009

7. http://www.naturalstandard.com/index-abstract.asp?create-abstract=/monographs/herbssupplements/greatercelandine.asp

8. Sartori H. E. "Cesium therapy in cancer patients." Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1984;21 Suppl 1:11-3.PMID: 6522427.

9.  http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/mistletoe

10. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/mistletoe/ataglance.htm

11. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002883.htm

12. http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/m/mistle40.html

13. http://www.bmj.com/content/333/7582/1293.full?ijkey=56e55886cc53e0c478801e74001edc3bea1c322e&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha

14. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/pau-d-arco   

15. http://www.cbif.gc.ca/pls/pp/ppack.info?p_psn=12&p_type=all&p_sci=sci&p_x=px

16. http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Phytolacca+americana

17. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/315368

18. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002874.htm

19. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/pokeweed