Lesley Stahl | 04/11/2008 12:08 pm

On '60 Minutes:' New Machine to Kill Cancer Without Drugs, Radiation, Surgery or Side Effects

By Lesley Stahl

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Here’s a sneak preview of this Sunday’s ‘60 Minutes’ …

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I also warned CDC chief Julie Gerberding and NIH chief Zerhouni, both enthusiastic about the Merck vaccine’s potential, it was a hopeless venture which would distract the scientific community from exploring novel solutions to prevent HIV infections. Unfortunately, federal health leadership is more interested in good public relations and appropriations than dealing with the facts. Here’s a very good example of bad drug company science using public relations to sneak a potentially blockbuster seller likely to cause widespread harm through the FDA. About 5 years ago Proctor & Gamble began a massive publicity campaign tooting the testosterone patch Instrina as the female “Viagra”. The company filed for an accelerated review to get it on the market. A shareholder I was flabergasted P&G would market a testosterone drug knowing it would likely be toxic to a large number of women. In addition to public safety concerns I was fed up with my drug companies getting slammed with mega dollar damages for marketing drugs they should have known would cause widespread problems while bringing little benefit, e.g. Fen Phen. P&G’s studies showed the “Viagra” effect was very slight. After complaining to no avail to the company and the FDA, I filed a formal objection and appeared to testify at the drug’s approval hearing. I was the only physician to appear and object. Suspect because I bothered to get in the FDA’s face in public the agency’s advisory committee backed my position and refused to license Intrinsa. (Googling Intrinsa & Mark Klein for links to news stories on the matter.)

By MARK KLEIN, M.D. on 04/12/2008 9:59 am

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Mark, you seem to be very passionate about your skepticism. I am curious to know if there are any trials or new cancer devices or therapies out there that you are hopeful might work. If we all give up on trying new things, we might still believe the world is flat, no? :)

By Amelie Poulain on 04/12/2008 4:25 pm

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Cancer is not my field. Neverthless I recommend catching problems very early by regular checkups. Critical to avoid the common mistake I’ve seen so many times of patient denial when something suspicious appears. For women that includes breast and cervical exams. If you’ve got a positive family history for a serious disease, be sure your doctor knows. Breast cancer does run in families so best to get more frequent checks. If you do get cancer, go to the very top treatment centers. Makes a difference seeing someone who handled 100s of cases versus a doctor however skilled and committed who’s seen fewer. Think passionate skepticism is the natural outcome of 40+ years in medicine and psychiatry, reaching 67 years, and raising 4 children. Rose colored glasses are for the young for whom it helps take off the edge of just how hard life really is. Only now watching my daugther and my son-in-law with their young three children do I appreciate just how important optimism and innocence are for young parents!

By MARK KLEIN, M.D. on 04/12/2008 7:38 pm

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I’m for thinking outside the box. It’s fine with me if this current test cure doesn’t pan out. High risk-high gain. Look where current federal funding has gotten us on the whole…..a lot of money spent to “answers” that were often more likely than not going to be exactly what was suspected. Reading Ossler’s Web changed my mind on the state of modern medicine and the profession as a whole. DD

By Deborah Dickman on 04/12/2008 10:50 pm

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Dr. Klein, Although some of the letters acknowledge that you have experience in the medical field, it doesn’t seem to do with any cancer treatments. It takes but one person — with an idea —and a dream — and the probllem may be THE one that has been looked for — for years and years. Let’s give the two institutions that have agreed to apply this cancer treatment the privlige of learning what they can from this procedure — whether it be a success in their eyes, or a road on which they can travel to a better program.

By June Clark-Stahnke on 04/13/2008 5:32 pm

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i would probably still have needed the hysterectomy to get rid of the cancer. it may help some people, though.

By mary lou s on 04/11/2008 10:53 pm

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My husband’s been fighting cancer of one kind or another for 13 yrs. This last round we were told gives him 6 months to a year to live, if he can endure the latest treatment. A new machine to rid the world of cancer? WONDERFUL! Every new treatment is full of hope and faith…it has to be. Shame on Dr Klein’s less than hopeful odds—stinky bedside manner. I’m happy you’re not my husband’s doctor. ~vnf

By vn f on 04/12/2008 12:21 am

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To: vn f I hope your husband continues his fight and that he endeavors to stay positive; it is very important. And your struggle too is important. But please be more considerate of Dr. Klein. I do not know the good doctor but he has probably seen a lot more than we have and knows that “easy cures” are most unlikely. Dollars are needed for treatment and also for research, hopefully prevention will be arrived at via various vaccines. Those dollars are not plentiful so let us all be hopeful that maybe this new machine will work, but we dare not be dazzled by that hope. My best wishes are with you and your husband.

By Bonnie Oliver on 04/12/2008 1:56 am

TO: B. Oliver, Thank you for your thoughts and well wishes. We’re in this fight together, and easy cures are not what we look for. Our fight begins with that positive attitude you speak of and that includes hope and faith. We walked out on the first doctor who said he had 6-8 wks to live when he hadn’t even read his file; it was in October 2007. Human instinct is to survive, and anything that rings negative in that process I throw out. The medical field can help patients by believing in that hope and faith. ~vnf

By vn f on 04/12/2008 11:48 am

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I guess Dr. Klein never heard of - Open Mind.

By Ken Jarvis on 04/12/2008 8:17 am

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I look forward to seeing this program. Even though the universe is infinite, it’s still a “closed” system, so wherever there’s a problem, there’s a solution, it’s just a matter of finding it or creating the solution to it. The right configurations of research events and analysis are all possible even though it may take a long time. Often, profit motives stand in the way of solutions, but most people in medical research are motivated by the right reasons. I truly hope that the findings are accurate.

By DM P on 04/12/2008 12:47 am

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It’s so exciting that someone is thinking outside the box! Even if the treatment only extend life by a month. That would be a precious month.

By Sharon L on 04/12/2008 4:01 am

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Let’s hope that if this thing really works it is not skewered like Dr. Max Gerson’s methods were years ago. There is always a time and place for conventional methods. Each patient should be allowed to make their own choices. And we need to respect everyone’s point of view. I really look forward to hearing more about this tomorrow night.

By Lita Perkins on 04/12/2008 8:13 am