INSIGHT: How true is the claim that herbal remedies and specific fruits cure cancer?

Social media has been inundated with medical misinformation on the effectiveness of natural remedies such as lemon, cloves, snail slime, honey, garlic, turmeric, etc as curative care.

Additionally, there has also been other misinformation on questionable treatment methods shared by herbal practitioners or random persons who claim that products derived from natural sources are treatment options for various diseases. These herbal remedies could be plants or fruits either used alone or combined with other items to cure a disease.

As seen on Facebook, where there are several videos touting herbal remedies as life-saving.  In most cases, the narrative is that one remedy cures a long list of ailments including premature ejaculation, infertility, malaria, stroke, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, cancer, and several other ailments.

CANCER 

Cancer is a leading cause of death globally. There is ongoing research carried out to identify causes and how it can be cured or managed. As of 2022, the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that the most common types of cancer are breast, lung, colon and rectum, prostate, skin and stomach cancer.

The influence of social media on health awareness cannot be overemphasised as millions of people source their information from the internet. Social media has made it easier and faster to share inaccurate health information, among other issues. 

CLAIM 1: GUAVA, PAWPAW LEAVES, SOURSOP, AND STRAWBERRIES ARE EFFECTIVE IN TREATING CANCER

Through social media posts, many individuals have been made to believe that guava leaves and soursop can cure cancer, ovarian cysts, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), low sperm count, fibroid, etc.

STRAWBERRY

A particular group on Facebook by the name Cancer cures and natural healing with over 35.6k followers shared health-related content claiming that  “eating 200g strawberries daily” helps to make cancer tumours smaller. 

Similar claims can be found on numerous Facebook groups.

PAWPAW LEAVES 

A Facebook post by a user named, Aramide Olamide Olaleye, claimed that pawpaw leaves can be used as both preventive and curative treatment against cancer.

Another Facebook user claimed that “recent research” shows that the leaf extract of papaya – the botanical name for pawpaw – is effective against ten different types of cancer cells tested. The cancer cells include that of the liver, lung, cervix, pancreas, and breast.                 

“Here are 5 Great Ailments that pawpaw leaf extract can help you fight naturally. 1. Cancer: Yes, Cancer, you heard me right. If you are scared of cancer and you are looking for a natural shield to insure your health with, in a world full of many carcinogenic substances, then using papaya leaves will work well for you,” the post reads.

Furthermore, several groups on Facebook and X are sharing different remedies for cancer – either for survivors who want a healthy lifestyle or patients who are currently undergoing treatment.

‘SOURSOP AS CURE FOR CANCER’

Another fruit that has been touted as a cure for cancer is soursop. Also known as Graviola, the fruit extract is said to have cytotoxic properties which contain chemicals that are toxic to cells, preventing their replication or growth. Therefore many have said due to these properties, they are effective in treating cancer.

Several other Facebook posts also shared similar narratives.

WHAT EXPERTS HAVE TO SAY

Soursop or Graviola are edible, green heart-shaped fruits. Several studies have indicated that parts of soursop can suppress cell growth, in particular malignant cell growth. Tests carried out on animals, rats, and mice, in particular, indicated that soursop leaf extract can suppress cancerous cells or inhibit cancer cell growth. Some research has shown that soursop fruit extract, including the bark, leaves, roots, and seeds, are used as a natural medicine for diseases and for other health benefits. The extracts contain bioactive compounds and phytochemicals with health benefits.

ONCOLOGIST SAYS PAPAYA, SOURSOP, AND GUAVA LEAVES WON’T CURE CANCER

Just like Soursop, Papaya has been reported to reduce the risk of cancer. According to a study, consuming the beta-carotene – an antioxidant – found in papaya may reduce cancer risk. 

TheCable spoke with Dr Amaka, an oncologist, to confirm the accuracy of the claim that fruit extracts cure cancer.

“There is evidence that suggests that soursop has a role to play in reducing the multiplication of cancer cells. Some evidence shows that soursop can halt or disrupt the growth of cancer cells. Now, how much soursop needs to be consumed in terms of the dosage is not known,” Amaka said. 

“The dynamics and the kinesis are also something that has not been fully documented. Even though people are using it, we don’t know how much of it to use to be able to have an effect, we don’t know in what form it should be used.

“Some of these cancer treatments are given as injectables, either IV in drips or IM or tablet form. So, the composition that will be beneficial is still investigational.”

Amaka added that the same thing applies to Papaya and Guava leaves.”For the Papaya and Guava leaves, I think the evidence…some efficacy is stronger with soursop than with any other thing. That one is the one that there’s quite a lot of interest in, that has more research to try to explore the benefits of in cancer treatment.”

NUTRITIONIST ADVISES CANCER PATIENT TO GET MEDICAL HELP 

Although different studies have shown that soursop extracts may have anticancer potential, no broad clinical human study has been published on its efficacy as a standard medical treatment for cancer.

Tabitha Olajumoke, a nutritionist, also told TheCable that fruit extracts can only help to boost the immune system.

“During cancer management, if your immune system is not strong enough, it will increase your risk of dying from cancer. The fruits will only help to enhance your immune system to fight against the condition,” she said.

To date, there are no reviews of studies showing that those fruits can cure cancer. No fruit can cure cancer.

“Also, before you can say a particular leaf extract cures cancer, scientists would have tested it on humans to see its efficacy. 

“I have a cancer patient that I am managing and she has been taking this soursop, she is not yet cured. She had to go for chemotherapy.”

She added that these fruit extracts can reduce the rate at which cancerous cells grow/multiply but can not cure cancer wholly. 

“It cannot destroy the cancer cells,” she said.

CLAIM 2: FASTING OR SUGAR DEPRIVATION REDUCE THE GROWTH OF CANCER CELLS IN THE BODY

Apart from fruit extract and other herbal remedies, several posts on social media show that a good number of individuals across the globe believe that sugar deprivation reduces the growth of cancer cells in the human body.

It is believed that “cancer loves sugar” and if deprived, the cancerous cells will not grow.

Ssentamu Abbey claimed that fasting outrightly cures cancer. The claim by the Facebook user was posted under a group named Cancer Cures and Natural Healing. In the same group, another individual who claimed to be a cancer survivor, also said that fasting worked for her. 

Checks by TheCable revealed that similar claims have been existing on X (formerly known as Twitter), as far back as 2016. 

FASTING MIGHT HAVE HEALTH BENEFIT, BUT CAN’T CURE CANCER

On how fasting reportedly helps in cancer treatment and the role of sugar in cancer, Amaka said these have not been proven to be effective.

“Fasting as a treatment for cancer has not been proven to be effective. The same thing goes with eliminating sugar from the diet,” she said.

“These two things that have been mentioned are not established forms of treatment. Their effects on cancer treatment/care have not been documented. 

“There is a lot of talk about living a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of developing cancer. Perhaps, that is what people are trying to extrapolate as being effective in cancer treatment. But in all, none of them have been proven in treating cancer.”

Asked if doctors advise patients to use these alternative remedies, she replied: “In a nutshell, they are not one of the proven drugs that can cure cancer. 

“You would not ask patients to take them and jettison the already established drugs that have proven effect. We understand their mechanism of action, we understand their safety profile. All of that is not well-documented for soursop and others.”

NUTRITION EXPERT SAYS FASTING AT BEST MIGHT REDUCE RISK OF CHRONIC INFECTION

“Fasting can only reduce the risk of chronic conditions; like if you are already at risk of a chronic disease/condition, intermittent fasting in the right way can reduce that but it can never cure cancer.”

According to the National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health, no complementary health approach has been shown to prevent or cure cancer.

Currently, the main cancer treatment modalities include surgery, radiation-based therapy, chemotherapy, gene therapy, hormonal therapy, stem cell transplant, and hyperthermia treatment etc.

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This article was produced with mentorship from the African Academy for Open Source Investigations (AAOSI), to tackle disinformation that undermines our democracies, as part of an initiative by the International Centre for Journalists (ICFJ) and Code for Africa (CfA). Visit https://disinfo.africa/ for more information.