Laetrile, << LAY uh trihl, >> is a drug that was popular in the 1970’s as a treatment for cancer. It was the subject of a controversy among physicians, lawmakers, and patients over the right of cancer patients to receive any treatment they choose. Today, nearly all cancer specialists regard laetrile as ineffective and even dangerous.
Laetrile is extracted from apricot pits. Certain enzymes in many foods break down laetrile and release a poisonous substance called cyanide. Laetrile’s supporters claim that the enzymes are also present in cancer cells. They believe the injection of laetrile causes cancer cells to release cyanide, which kills the cells. In their view, healthy cells are not affected because they do not contain the enzymes that break down laetrile.
In 1981, a study of laetrile by the National Cancer Institute showed that the drug did not improve the symptoms of cancer in patients. Some patients even had high levels of cyanide in their blood, a condition that can be fatal.
