Mistletoe and Cancer Care - It does more than spark a kiss!
A plant commonly associated with the holidays, Viscum album, also known as mistletoe, is a natural therapy used often in integrative cancer care. Mistletoe is a semi-parasitic plant that grows on a variety of trees from which it obtains its nutrients. It contains a variety of compounds, the most commonly studied of which are lectins, that have been shown to stimulate the immune system and have anti-cancer effects. Cell studies on mistletoe extracts have demonstrated inhibition of cancer cell growth [3] and increase in immune function parameters, including natural killer cells, which are white blood cells responsible for the destruction of tumor cells [4, 5].
Mistletoe is primarily administered as a subcutaneous injection, and commonly used alongside chemotherapy, radiation therapy and/or other conventional treatments in countries such as Switzerland, Germany, and Austria to improve quality of life and manage side effects associated with treatments in patients with cancer [2].
Numerous studies have been conducted on the therapeutic use of mistletoe. One of the best methodologically-designed studies was conducted on mistletoe in advanced pancreatic cancer patients, which suggested that patients in the mistletoe treatment group had longer overall survival times compared to those in the control group [6]. The majority of research on mistletoe suggests it supports quality of life in cancer patients and decreases severity and frequency of treatment-related side effects [8, 9]. Mistletoe is generally well-tolerated and safe to use alongside various common chemotherapeutic agents [7].
To learn more about mistletoe therapy, contact us and/or book an appointment with Dr. Dana Kolenich ND!
[1] Pelzer F, Tröger W. Complementary treatment with mistletoe extracts during chemotherapy: safety, neutropenia, fever, and quality of life assessed in a randomized study. J Altern Complement Med. 2018; 24(9-10):954-961. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30247950/
[2] Melzer J, Iten F, Hostanska K et al. Efficacy and safety of mistletoe preparations (Viscum album) for patients with cancer diseases. A systematic review. Forsch Komplementmed. 2009; 16(4):217-226. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19729932/
[3] Eggenschwiler J, von Balthazar L, Stritt B, et al. Mistletoe lectin is not the only cytotoxic component in fermented preparations of Viscum album from white fir (Abies pectinata). BMC Complement Altern Med. 2007; 7:14. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17493268/
[4] Büssing A, Rosenberger A, Stumpf C et al. Development of lymphocyte subsets in tumor patients after subcutaneous administration of mistletoe extracts. Forsch Komplementmed. 1999; 6(4):196-204. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10529579/
[5] Beuth J, Ko HL, Gabius HJ, et al. Behaviour of lymphocyte subsets and expression of activation markers in response to immunotherapy with galactoside-specific lectin from mistletoe in breast cancer patients. Clin Investig. 1992; 70(8):658-61. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1392440/
[6] Viscum album [L.] extract in patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer: a randomised clinical trial on overall survival. Eur J Cancer. 2013; 49(18):3788-97. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23890767/
[7] Weissenstein U, Kunz M, Urech K et al. Interaction of standardized mistletoe (Viscum album) extracts with chemotherapeutic drugs regarding cytostatic and cytotoxic effects in vitro. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2014; 14:6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24397864/
[8] Beuth J, Schneider B, Schierholz JM. Impact of complementary treatment of breast cancer patients with standardized mistletoe extract during aftercare: a controlled multicenter comparative epidemiological cohort study. Anticancer Res. 2008; 28(1B):523-7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18383896/
[9] Tröger W, Galun D, Reif M, et al. Quality of life of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer during treatment with mistletoe: a randomized controlled trial. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2014; 111(29-30):493-502. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25142075/