Livingston Wheeler Therapy
This treatment modality is used in place of conventional therapies to treat cancer. Seek advice from a qualified physician before replacing standard cancer therapy with Livingston-Wheeler therapy.
What does the Livingston-Wheeler therapy involve?
Virginia Livingston-Wheeler, a trained physician, claimed she identified a microbe (Progenitor cryptocides) that causes cancer only when the immune system is inadequate. She then developed a vaccine she believed would help stimulate the patient's immune system to produce antibodies against P. cryptocides and control it. Livingston-Wheeler's treatment includes a vegetarian whole-foods diet, megavitamins and other nutritional supplements, digestive enzymes, vaccines, antibiotics, anti-parasite medication, enemas, psychosocial intervention, group support and training in relaxation and imagery.
How is the Livingston-Wheeler therapy thought to treat cancer?
An autogenous (self) vaccine is made from each patient's individual strain of bacteria. The specimen is obtained from urine, blood or tumor tissue and is grown in culture, killed and processed into a vaccine. Livingston-Wheeler claimed the autogenous vaccine kills the production of P. cryptocides, and the other therapeutic aspects, such as diet and stress reduction, improve immune function.
What has been proven about the benefit of the Livingston-Wheeler therapy?
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center conducted an extensive human studies literature review of the Livingston-Wheeler therapy and found four studies applicable to cancer. One study found no statistically significant increase in survival among patients using the Livingston-Wheeler therapy. In fact, quality of life was reported to be lower for the Livingston patients. Another study was performed by Livingston-Wheeler herself. MD Anderson Cancer Center found some discrepancies in her statistical reporting and does not feel her self-reported 82% success rate is accurate. No clinical trials have been done to determine efficacy of the Livingston-Wheeler therapy.
What is the potential risk or harm of the Livingston-Wheeler therapy?
The autogenous vaccines have never been shown to be toxic. Side effects of the therapy have included malaise, aching, fever and tenderness at the vaccine injection site.
How much does the Livingston-Wheeler therapy cost?
A ten-day program at the Livingston-Wheeler Clinic in San Diego, California, including all laboratory fees, costs between $6,800 and $7,400. Program maintenance is approximately $400 to $600 monthly.
For additional information:
American Cancer Society
Web information: Livingston-Wheeler therapy information
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
1515 Holcombe Boulevard
Houston, TX 77030
Telephone: 800-392-1611
Web site: www.mdanderson.org/departments/CIMER/
Note: Information about therapies is intended to help you make informed choices, not to endorse any particular therapy. The information is courtesy of "Integrating Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Cancer Patients," a handbook written as an independent study project by Heather Morein. For more information, see the full text of the handbook (PDF), including all references and appendices.