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Cancer Popular culture Surgery

Not exactly “sensible medicine” for Elle Macpherson’s breast cancer

Adam Cifu and Vinay Prasad at Sensible Medicine defend Elle Macpherson’s decision not to undergo chemotherpay for her breast cancer. Too bad they shortchange the quackery in doing so.

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Cancer Medicine Popular culture Religion

Roxli Doss: A deadly brain tumor shrinks to undetectable without quackery

Roxli Doss is an 11-year-old girl from Texas diagnosed with the deadly brain cancer DIPG. After radiation therapy, her deadly cancer is undetectable, no alternative cancer cures sought or used. What happened?

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Cancer Medicine Skepticism/critical thinking Surgery

Why do some breast cancer patients decline chemotherapy and radiation?

Adjuvant therapy after surgery, such as chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and radiation therapy, has contributed to a 39% decrease in breast cancer mortality since 1989. Unfortunately, a significant number of women decline evidence-based adjuvant therapy. A recent study suggests that distrust of the medical system plays a significant role in such refusal.

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Cancer Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Popular culture Pseudoscience Quackery Science Skepticism/critical thinking

Another irresponsible breast cancer alternative cure testimonial

It just occurred to me that Breast Cancer Awareness Month is fast approaching, not the least of which because I did a Komen event last night as one of the breast cancer experts. I sometimes wonder if I suffer from a bit of the imposter syndrome, because sixteen years on I still sometimes can’t believe […]

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Antivaccine nonsense Cancer Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Quackery Science Skepticism/critical thinking Surgery

“Autism-induced” breast cancer

Gayle DeLong has been diagnosed with what she refers to as “autism-induced” breast cancer.” She’s even given it an abbreviation, AIBC. Unfortunately, as you might be able to tell by the name she’s given her breast cancer, she is also showing signs of falling into the same errors in thinking with respect to her breast […]