Researchers presented a study at an International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer in Washington that tested a refined extract taken from chaparral called M4N which they injected into the tumours of 8 patients with advanced head and neck cancer that had not responded to other forms of treatment.

The trial was primarily designed to test whether the extract was safe. The results were encouraging - patients seemed to tolerate it well, and there was no evidence of the serious liver damage previously associated with chaparral use.

However, the study also produced some evidence that the extract had begun to shrink the tumours. The researchers now plan a larger study aimed at showing whether the drug really does work.
Link: Ancient remedy 'shrinks cancer'

crikey. how to find out more?

quote:

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They injected it into the tumours of eight patients with advanced head and neck cancer that had not responded to other forms of treatment

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presumably the patients had had chemotherapy?

quote:

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Results of the study were presented at an International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer in Washington.

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any chance of a link to the paper that might have accompanied the presentation?

The 6th International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer ended on the 11 August, and there are probably no publications yet. There is a bit more information about the study in this Reuters article: Desert Shrub May Help Some Cancer Patients-Study

Jenbee - have you seen this article from the Telegraph last month?

http://health.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/07/04/wgene04.xml

I have other info/links that I have found if you are interested and my husband's consultant is also trying to find out more.

crikey, crikey. thanks.