The Rise in Fake Cancer News Puts Patients' Lives at Risk

Misinformation and the "rise of fake news" spread through the internet and television are increasing the use of unproven, unscientific treatments by cancer patients, causing harm and death among some patients who could have been treated, and reducing trust in physicians. An article addressing this subject was published in Lancet Oncologyin its September issue. Moreover, this problem occurs not only in our country but worldwide.

A study published in 2017 found that people rejecting modern/scientific treatment regimens and choosing alternative/traditional methods had a 2.5-fold higher risk of death. Today, most cancer patients receive scientifically proven treatments but also turn to alternative methods on the side, such as "herbal supplements," with or without their physicians' knowledge. Alarmingly, however, rates of completely rejecting modern treatment and seeking alternatives are rising. The clearest example is that of an Apple cofounder, Steve Jobs' story.

Everyone working in oncology, including patients and their relatives, must tackle "misinformation and lies" spread through social media, news platforms and marketing channels by focusing on communicating accurate information.

We have worked toward this goal for years through our website, trying to answer as many questions as possible from patients and relatives, and even oncology professionals. Recently, we also began providing live support on our website.

Dealing with fake news and misinformation in oncology is not new. Its best-known example was Dr. Ziya Özel appearing on television in 1973 and claiming that oleander treated cancer . Far from treating cancer, a glycoside substance in oleander leaves has chemical properties similar to digoxin, a widely used heart medicine, and using it in the hope that "my cancer will be cured" harmed many people (the story of testing oleander in cancer can be found in this article ).

When someone is diagnosed with cancer, dozens of people offering advice appear around them. This is not new either, but why are patients and relatives today more inclined to believe people offering all kinds of advice? There is no single reason, but an important one is: "If you tell a lie long enough, loudly enough and often enough, people will believe it. The secret of persuading people to believe a lie is to repeat it constantly. Just say it again, again and again." Is this not true of a significant proportion of the information we encounter on the internet and social media today?! 

Related Topics:

• 7 Reasons People Feel a Need for Complementary and Alternative Cancer Treatments
• How to Become a Charlatan?

Oncology professionals have begun spending a substantial portion of their time investigating the sources of fake news and uncovering the truth.

Experienced oncology teams now train their nurses "to answer people asking questions about things they have heard on the internet."

The internet is unquestionably the most valuable platform for spreading an idea today and has become the most important marketing tool; naturally, this creates an opportunity for those fabricating fake news.

One reason patients turn to complementary and alternative methods is the belief that they are "usually quite harmless" and the thought, "What harm can trying do—there is hope." But is this really true? Let us look at the risks of some commonly used vitamins and supplements below:

Declining Trust in Healthcare Professionals

Despite today's scientific and technological achievements, not all cancers can yet be completely treated; this is another reason for declining trust alongside fake news. In 1971, then United States President Richard Nixonlaunched a "war" on cancer, believing his country's power would defeat the disease. Such statements and initiatives have continued intermittently, often politically, at varying frequencies. Yet anyone familiar with cancer biology now knows that this group of diseases, with more than 1000 types, involves very complex cellular mechanisms and that cancer development has many causes . Frankly, "war on cancer" is not the right expression. Above all, this is not a war, and people who die from this disease, which mainly occurs in older age, are not people who have lost a war...

Related Topic:

• Why Have Cancers Not Been Completely Cured?

Patients increasingly turn to "alternative unproven treatments," while doctors, primarily through overuse of diagnostic tests to avoid lawsuits, practice what is called defensive medicine . For patients with a serious disease such as cancer to receive the best treatment, oncologists and other cancer professionals also need better protection from "spurious legal proceedings, bureaucracy and unnecessary stress."

In the 1970s, out of every 3 people with cancer, only 1 lived 5 years or longer; today, out of every 3 people diagnosed with cancer, 2 live at least 5 years, and worldwide approximately 46 million people are living after completing cancer treatment (cancer survivors). In humanity's thousands of years of history, this progress occurred in just 50 years, with almost no contribution from traditional, complementary or alternative treatments.

Greater effort is needed to tackle the rise in inaccurate cancer news, prevent declining public trust, and ensure that medical information is communicated accurately and accessibly to patients and the public. Otherwise, the major advances in science and medicine that have substantially improved human health worldwide could easily be lost.

• Intelligence and Money May Not Be Enough to Find the Right Path in Cancer Treatment!
•  Herbal Medicine, Phytotherapy and Cancer Prevention—Dream or Reality?