MRF-Logo2019-Horizontal-RGB
Has anyone tried Essiac?
REGISTER
The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Content within the patient forum is user-generated and has not been reviewed by medical professionals. Other sections of the Melanoma Research Foundation website include information that has been reviewed by medical professionals as appropriate. All medical decisions should be made in consultation with your doctor or other qualified medical professional.

Has anyone tried Essiac?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Has anyone tried Essiac?

  • Post
    • November 13, 2015 at 5:38 pm
    blessd4x
    Participant

      My husband is using it.  I dont know much about it and wonder if anyone has any experiences with it. 

    Viewing 11 reply threads
    • Replies
        • November 14, 2015 at 5:11 am
        AnitaLoree
        Participant

          Wikipedia has a complete article on Essiac herbal tea which is Caisse spelled backwards, the inventor of the concoction. Wikipedia also has a an entry: "List of ineffective cancer treatments" which includes warnings of those that can cause complications. A.L.

          • November 14, 2015 at 5:11 am
          AnitaLoree
          Participant

            Wikipedia has a complete article on Essiac herbal tea which is Caisse spelled backwards, the inventor of the concoction. Wikipedia also has a an entry: "List of ineffective cancer treatments" which includes warnings of those that can cause complications. A.L.

            • November 14, 2015 at 5:11 am
            AnitaLoree
            Participant

              Wikipedia has a complete article on Essiac herbal tea which is Caisse spelled backwards, the inventor of the concoction. Wikipedia also has a an entry: "List of ineffective cancer treatments" which includes warnings of those that can cause complications. A.L.

              • November 14, 2015 at 7:52 pm
              DZnDef
              Participant

                I haven't tried Essiac tea but I know lots of people swear by it.  To my knowledge it has not been subjected to clinical trials which means that it has not been scientifically proven to be effective.  That also means it has not been proven to be ineffective either.  So it is a scientific "unknown".  If it has not been proven harmful, then why not give it a try if he wants to?  All of those anecdotal stories might be on to something.

                • November 14, 2015 at 7:52 pm
                DZnDef
                Participant

                  I haven't tried Essiac tea but I know lots of people swear by it.  To my knowledge it has not been subjected to clinical trials which means that it has not been scientifically proven to be effective.  That also means it has not been proven to be ineffective either.  So it is a scientific "unknown".  If it has not been proven harmful, then why not give it a try if he wants to?  All of those anecdotal stories might be on to something.

                  • November 14, 2015 at 7:52 pm
                  DZnDef
                  Participant

                    I haven't tried Essiac tea but I know lots of people swear by it.  To my knowledge it has not been subjected to clinical trials which means that it has not been scientifically proven to be effective.  That also means it has not been proven to be ineffective either.  So it is a scientific "unknown".  If it has not been proven harmful, then why not give it a try if he wants to?  All of those anecdotal stories might be on to something.

                    • November 14, 2015 at 8:05 pm
                    Janner
                    Participant

                      This describes the ingredients and what they do:

                      http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/Essiac.html

                      This shows that Essiac Tea may be harmful to breast cancer patients and stimulate cancer growth:

                      http://www.denvernaturopathic.com/news/essiac2.html

                      According to MSKCC's Integrative medicine site:

                      https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/essiac

                      DO NOT TAKE:

                      • You have kidney or liver problems.
                      • You are undergoing chemotherapy (in a case report, levels of a chemotherapy drug were increased in the blood of a patient also taking Essiac, with the potential for increased toxicity.)

                       

                      • November 14, 2015 at 8:05 pm
                      Janner
                      Participant

                        This describes the ingredients and what they do:

                        http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/Essiac.html

                        This shows that Essiac Tea may be harmful to breast cancer patients and stimulate cancer growth:

                        http://www.denvernaturopathic.com/news/essiac2.html

                        According to MSKCC's Integrative medicine site:

                        https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/essiac

                        DO NOT TAKE:

                        • You have kidney or liver problems.
                        • You are undergoing chemotherapy (in a case report, levels of a chemotherapy drug were increased in the blood of a patient also taking Essiac, with the potential for increased toxicity.)

                         

                        • November 14, 2015 at 8:05 pm
                        Janner
                        Participant

                          This describes the ingredients and what they do:

                          http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/Essiac.html

                          This shows that Essiac Tea may be harmful to breast cancer patients and stimulate cancer growth:

                          http://www.denvernaturopathic.com/news/essiac2.html

                          According to MSKCC's Integrative medicine site:

                          https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/essiac

                          DO NOT TAKE:

                          • You have kidney or liver problems.
                          • You are undergoing chemotherapy (in a case report, levels of a chemotherapy drug were increased in the blood of a patient also taking Essiac, with the potential for increased toxicity.)

                           

                            • November 14, 2015 at 8:40 pm
                            DZnDef
                            Participant

                              Thanks for the links, Anonymous.  It took me a while to read through them but they essentially all said what I already said:  Essiac has not been proven or disproven scientifically to be effective (or ineffective) against cancer.  As for the possible harms, there were so many caveats listed which essentially amounted to "we can't prove any harm".  Your last item seems contradictory to what conventional medicine is always saying "don't pay attention to individual case reports".  With all of the thousands of people taking Essiac tea, they found one patient that had a hard time, therefore, no one should take it?  Should we use that same standard when evaluating Yervoy?

                              And while you chose to point out that it might be harmful to breast cancer patients, you neglected to point out that they also showed it stopped tumor growth in prostate cancer patients in the same links you posted.

                              I don't know if Essiac tea works or not.  But I am suspicious of people that rabidly oppose it with no scientific evidence it is harmful.

                              • November 14, 2015 at 8:40 pm
                              DZnDef
                              Participant

                                Thanks for the links, Anonymous.  It took me a while to read through them but they essentially all said what I already said:  Essiac has not been proven or disproven scientifically to be effective (or ineffective) against cancer.  As for the possible harms, there were so many caveats listed which essentially amounted to "we can't prove any harm".  Your last item seems contradictory to what conventional medicine is always saying "don't pay attention to individual case reports".  With all of the thousands of people taking Essiac tea, they found one patient that had a hard time, therefore, no one should take it?  Should we use that same standard when evaluating Yervoy?

                                And while you chose to point out that it might be harmful to breast cancer patients, you neglected to point out that they also showed it stopped tumor growth in prostate cancer patients in the same links you posted.

                                I don't know if Essiac tea works or not.  But I am suspicious of people that rabidly oppose it with no scientific evidence it is harmful.

                                • November 14, 2015 at 8:40 pm
                                DZnDef
                                Participant

                                  Thanks for the links, Anonymous.  It took me a while to read through them but they essentially all said what I already said:  Essiac has not been proven or disproven scientifically to be effective (or ineffective) against cancer.  As for the possible harms, there were so many caveats listed which essentially amounted to "we can't prove any harm".  Your last item seems contradictory to what conventional medicine is always saying "don't pay attention to individual case reports".  With all of the thousands of people taking Essiac tea, they found one patient that had a hard time, therefore, no one should take it?  Should we use that same standard when evaluating Yervoy?

                                  And while you chose to point out that it might be harmful to breast cancer patients, you neglected to point out that they also showed it stopped tumor growth in prostate cancer patients in the same links you posted.

                                  I don't know if Essiac tea works or not.  But I am suspicious of people that rabidly oppose it with no scientific evidence it is harmful.

                                  • November 14, 2015 at 8:44 pm
                                  DZnDef
                                  Participant

                                    Correction to my post – per the MSK link, testing showed Essiac stopped growth of prostate cancer cells (not tumors in patients).

                                    • November 14, 2015 at 8:44 pm
                                    DZnDef
                                    Participant

                                      Correction to my post – per the MSK link, testing showed Essiac stopped growth of prostate cancer cells (not tumors in patients).

                                      • November 14, 2015 at 8:44 pm
                                      DZnDef
                                      Participant

                                        Correction to my post – per the MSK link, testing showed Essiac stopped growth of prostate cancer cells (not tumors in patients).

                                      • November 17, 2015 at 12:01 am
                                      geriakt
                                      Participant

                                        I have tried the tea. Taste is good. I had to stop drinking it during my clinical trial treatment. 

                                        I asked my Dr about canibis oil and Essic and he told me I should do what I want with my body but said I should try the opdivo and yervoy first. 

                                        • November 17, 2015 at 12:01 am
                                        geriakt
                                        Participant

                                          I have tried the tea. Taste is good. I had to stop drinking it during my clinical trial treatment. 

                                          I asked my Dr about canibis oil and Essic and he told me I should do what I want with my body but said I should try the opdivo and yervoy first. 

                                          • November 17, 2015 at 12:01 am
                                          geriakt
                                          Participant

                                            I have tried the tea. Taste is good. I had to stop drinking it during my clinical trial treatment. 

                                            I asked my Dr about canibis oil and Essic and he told me I should do what I want with my body but said I should try the opdivo and yervoy first. 

                                              • December 3, 2015 at 7:00 pm
                                              blessd4x
                                              Participant

                                                thank you everyone for your comments.  My husband is doing the essiac with the Opdivo treadments.  One person said not to use both due to toxicity.  Ill do more research on that!

                                                 

                                                thank you!

                                                • December 3, 2015 at 7:00 pm
                                                blessd4x
                                                Participant

                                                  thank you everyone for your comments.  My husband is doing the essiac with the Opdivo treadments.  One person said not to use both due to toxicity.  Ill do more research on that!

                                                   

                                                  thank you!

                                                  • December 3, 2015 at 7:00 pm
                                                  blessd4x
                                                  Participant

                                                    thank you everyone for your comments.  My husband is doing the essiac with the Opdivo treadments.  One person said not to use both due to toxicity.  Ill do more research on that!

                                                     

                                                    thank you!

                                              Viewing 11 reply threads
                                              • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
                                              About the MRF Patient Forum

                                              The MRF Patient Forum is the oldest and largest online community of people affected by melanoma. It is designed to provide peer support and information to caregivers, patients, family and friends. There is no better place to discuss different parts of your journey with this cancer and find the friends and support resources to make that journey more bearable.

                                              The information on the forum is open and accessible to everyone. To add a new topic or to post a reply, you must be a registered user. Please note that you will be able to post both topics and replies anonymously even though you are logged in. All posts must abide by MRF posting policies.