Layatril Treatment for Cancer

During the 1920s, doctor Ernst T. Krebs Sr. proposed the use of Layatril (or Laetrile) for the treatment of cancer. Since that time, whether or not the substance is an effective form of treatment for any type of cancer has been largely debated.

Identification

• Laetrile is a substance related to Vitamin B-17. It is obtained through chemically altering a substance known as amydalin, which is found in the shells of apricot pits and almond shells.

Function

• Proponents of Laetrile for the treatment of cancer hold that cancer cells divide the substance into pieces, one of which is a chemical similar to cyanide, explains MayoClinic.com. When the cyanide-type substance is released, it poisons and kills cancer cells.

Features

• Laetrile is not widely available in the United States, but is offered by some clinics in Mexico. The treatment is very expensive, costing several thousand dollars per week, explains the American Cancer Society.

Expert Insight

• Both the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society caution that Laetrile is likely ineffective for the treatment of cancer.

Risks

• There have been instances of patients dying from cyanide poisoning due to Laetrile treatment, warns the American Cancer Society.