Cancer care

Fact checks about cancer risks, treatments and cures

8 August 2023

Influencer Ellie Grey makes unsupported claims about cancer cures

The influencer claimed there are hundreds of alternative cures for cancer, listing several. None of these have been shown to work.

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Influencer Ellie Grey makes unsupported claims about cancer cures
7 August 2023

Selenium not shown to cause ‘dramatic reduction’ in certain cancers

A viral video on Facebook claims the essential trace mineral selenium can fight certain cancers. This isn’t borne out in the data.

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Selenium not shown to cause ‘dramatic reduction’ in certain cancers
15 June 2023

Sugar-free alkaline diets won’t ‘starve’ cancer

A video on social media claims that avoiding refined sugar and eating an ‘alkaline’ diet will have an anti-cancer effect. This isn’t supported by the evidence.

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Sugar-free alkaline diets won’t ‘starve’ cancer
31 March 2023

Mammogram radiation levels aren’t comparable with nuclear bomb

An old video contains false claims about the amount of radiation in mammograms and the effect of screening on death rates.

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Mammogram radiation levels aren’t comparable with nuclear bomb
21 March 2023

Misleading claims about ginger and cancer

A Facebook post claiming ginger kills 91% of leukaemia cells omits some important details.

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Misleading claims about ginger and cancer
15 March 2023

‘Vitamin B17’ from apricot seeds does not cure cancer

It’s been claimed on social media that amygdalin, a substance found in some nuts and seeds, kills cancer cells. The evidence for treating cancer is not there, and the substance …

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‘Vitamin B17’ from apricot seeds does not cure cancer
3 February 2023

Cannabis has not been shown to definitively cure cancer

A social media post repeats the common claim that cannabis cures cancer. There is not enough strong evidence to support this claim.

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Cannabis has not been shown to definitively cure cancer
23 January 2023

Insufficient evidence fenbendazole cures cancer says Cancer Research UK

Although studies have been done in cancer cells in the lab, and in mice, there isn’t sufficient evidence that it can cure cancer in humans.

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Insufficient evidence fenbendazole cures cancer says Cancer Research UK
10 January 2023

Sodium bicarbonate is not ‘lethal’ to all cancers

because there’s no evidence sodium bicarbonate can be used to cure cancer. Some studies have looked at its use in reducing tumour pH levels, but none have suggested it could …

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Sodium bicarbonate is not ‘lethal’ to all cancers
15 December 2022

Facebook post claiming lemons treat cancer better than chemotherapy is false

A social media post that has circulated many times in recent years states that lemons are proven to treat and prevent cancer—but this is not true.

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Facebook post claiming lemons treat cancer better than chemotherapy is false

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