Antineoplaston Therapy for End-Stage Cancer: Questions to Consider. When you have advanced or end-stage cancer, the way you think about treatment can change.
A therapy that might seem unreasonable to a newly diagnosed patient may look very different to someone who has exhausted several lines of treatment, whose cancer is refractory, or who has been told that conventional medicine has little left to offer.
I understand that situation personally.
I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1994. After undergoing conventional cancer therapies and eventually reaching end-stage multiple myeloma, I underwent antineoplaston therapy (ANP) through the Burzynski Research Institute from November 1997 until April 1999.
I subsequently achieved complete remission.
That experience is part of my cancer history. But it is not proof that antineoplaston therapy cures multiple myeloma—or any other cancer.
More than two decades later, I think that distinction is essential.
If you are considering antineoplaston therapy because you or someone you love has advanced cancer, I don’t think the right question is simply:
“Does antineoplaston therapy work?”
A better set of questions is:
- What does the scientific evidence actually show?
- What treatments have I already exhausted?
- Are there FDA-approved therapies I haven’t tried?
- Are there clinical trials available for my cancer?
- What are the risks and potential benefits of ANP?
- What will the treatment require physically and financially?
- What evidence would convince me that the treatment is working?
- At what point would I stop?
Those are the questions I would want a cancer patient to consider before making this decision.
Don’t misunderstand me. I am forever grateful to the Burzynski Research Institute for putting me into complete remission. However, I am now speaking (writing) as a cancer coach. I believe that cancer patients and survivors must think more broadly about their situation.
My research and experience with evidence-based non-conventional therapies are the reason why I have lived in complete remission from my incurable blood cancer since achieving complete remission in early 1999. I have learned that the best way to manage aggressive cancers is to combine the best of conventional and evidence-based non-conventional therapies.
I have come to believe that therapy-induced side effects can be life-threatening while ruining quality of life. Consider therapies shown to reduce possible side effects.
Scroll down the page and post a question or a comment if there’s anything you’d like to know about antineoplaston therapy.
Good luck,
David Emerson
What Is Antineoplaston Therapy?
Antineoplastons are chemical compounds originally identified in human blood and urine and later manufactured synthetically.
Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski began investigating these compounds as a possible cancer treatment in the 1970s.
Two of the best-known formulations are:
Antineoplaston A10
and
Antineoplaston AS2-1
The proposed theory has been that these compounds may influence biological processes involved in abnormal cell growth.
Laboratory research and a number of clinical reports have investigated antineoplastons in cancer. However, the crucial issue for patients is the quality of that evidence.
What Does the Evidence Show?
This is where patients need to distinguish between several very different kinds of evidence.
There have been:
- laboratory studies,
- case reports,
- small clinical studies,
- Phase II studies,
- and reports published by researchers associated with the Burzynski Research Institute.
Some of those publications have reported responses in patients with difficult-to-treat cancers, particularly certain brain tumors.
But there is a major limitation.
Randomized controlled clinical trials demonstrating that antineoplastons improve survival compared with established treatment have not been published in the peer-reviewed medical literature.
That substantially limits what can scientifically be concluded about ANP.
The National Cancer Institute classifies antineoplastons as an experimental cancer therapy and states that the FDA has not approved them for the prevention or treatment of disease.
PeopleBeatingCancer Evidence Rating
| Question |
Evidence |
| Laboratory evidence suggesting biological activity |
Moderate |
| Published case reports/small clinical studies |
Limited |
| Phase II clinical evidence |
Limited |
| Independent replication |
Very Limited |
| Randomized controlled trials |
None published |
| Evidence of improved overall survival |
Unproven |
| FDA approval for cancer treatment |
No |
| PBC overall evidence rating |
Experimental / Insufficient Clinical Evidence |
PBC interpretation
Antineoplaston therapy should not be presented as a proven cancer treatment.
At the same time, the existence of limited or inadequate evidence is different from proving that a therapy has absolutely no biological activity.
For patients with end-stage cancer, that distinction can matter.
The problem is that we currently lack the kind of independent, controlled clinical evidence necessary to determine reliably who might benefit, how often benefit occurs, and whether ANP improves survival.
My Experience Is Evidence of What Happened to Me—Not Proof of Efficacy
This is probably the most important point I can make on this page.
I underwent antineoplaston therapy.
I had end-stage multiple myeloma.
I subsequently achieved complete remission.
Those are facts about my medical history.
But one person’s outcome cannot establish cause and effect.
Cancer patients frequently receive multiple therapies before, during, or after an experimental treatment. Cancer biology varies enormously between patients. Occasionally, patients experience unusually long remissions for reasons medicine cannot fully explain.
Therefore, I cannot tell another cancer patient:
“ANP cured me, so ANP will cure you.”
I don’t know that.
What I can say is:
ANP was part of my treatment history before I achieved the long-term remission that changed my life.
Those are two very different statements.
Why End-Stage Cancer Changes the Risk-Benefit Calculation
This is the aspect of the antineoplaston debate that I think deserves more discussion.
Imagine two patients.
Patient A
A newly diagnosed cancer patient has a cancer for which standard treatment produces a high cure rate.
Choosing an experimental therapy instead of that treatment could mean giving up a substantial probability of cure.
That is an enormous risk.
Patient B
Another patient has metastatic or refractory cancer after five previous lines of therapy.
His oncologist tells him that additional conventional treatment has only a small probability of producing another meaningful remission.
The calculation is different.
The evidence supporting ANP hasn’t suddenly become stronger.
What changed is the patient’s alternative.
That distinction is central to medical decision-making.
The question isn’t simply:
“Is this therapy proven?”
The patient should also ask:
“What happens if I don’t pursue it?”
Before Considering ANP, Ask About Every Evidence-Based Option
End-stage does not necessarily mean that there are no treatment options.
Cancer treatment has changed dramatically over the past decade.
Depending on the cancer, patients may now have access to:
- targeted therapies,
- immunotherapies,
- antibody-drug conjugates,
- bispecific antibodies,
- CAR-T cell therapy,
- precision oncology based on tumor mutations,
- new chemotherapy combinations,
- radiation approaches,
- surgical interventions,
- and clinical trials.
A patient told several years ago that treatment options were exhausted might have additional choices today.
Therefore, before pursuing an experimental treatment, I strongly recommend obtaining an opinion from an oncologist who specializes in your particular cancer.
For complicated or refractory disease, consider getting a second opinion from a major comprehensive cancer center.
Seven Questions I Would Ask Before Considering Antineoplaston Therapy
1. Have I truly exhausted established treatments?
Ask your oncologist:
Are there any FDA-approved treatments appropriate for my cancer that I haven’t tried?
Don’t assume the answer is no.
2. Have I had comprehensive biomarker or genomic testing?
Modern oncology increasingly treats cancers according to their molecular characteristics rather than simply where the cancer originated.
Testing may uncover an actionable mutation or biomarker that opens another treatment pathway.
3. Are there clinical trials for my cancer?
This would be high on my list.
A clinical trial may provide access to an experimental therapy while also giving patients structured monitoring and contributing to scientific knowledge.
Search for trials involving your:
- cancer type,
- stage,
- mutations,
- previous treatments,
- and geographic area.
4. What evidence supports ANP for my specific cancer?
This is critical.
Evidence involving glioma should not automatically be extrapolated to:
- multiple myeloma,
- breast cancer,
- pancreatic cancer,
- prostate cancer,
- lung cancer,
- or another malignancy.
Cancer is not one disease.
Ask specifically:
- How many patients with my cancer have been treated?
- How many responded?
- How long did those responses last?
- Were the results independently verified?
- Were they published in a peer-reviewed journal?
5. What are the risks?
“Experimental” does not mean “non-toxic.”
Reported adverse effects associated with antineoplastons have included:
- nausea and vomiting,
- fatigue or sleepiness,
- headache,
- dizziness,
- anemia,
- blood-pressure abnormalities,
- electrolyte disturbances,
- swelling,
- confusion,
- seizures,
- and other neurologic complications.
Some reported neurologic toxicities have been serious.
Patients with advanced cancer may already have compromised kidney, liver, bone marrow, cardiovascular, or neurologic function. That can make the tolerance of any additional treatment particularly important.
6. What will treatment cost—financially and physically?
Cancer treatment isn’t just about tumor response.
There is also what I call the time and financial toxicity of cancer treatment.
Ask about:
- treatment costs,
- insurance coverage,
- travel,
- housing,
- laboratory testing,
- imaging,
- medications,
- caregiver requirements,
- time away from home,
- and how treatment will affect daily quality of life.
For someone with limited remaining time, these issues become even more important.
7. What is my stopping rule?
I think every patient pursuing an experimental therapy should decide this before treatment begins.
Ask:
How will we know whether this treatment is working?
Establish objective measures whenever possible:
- tumor imaging,
- blood markers,
- bone marrow testing,
- measurable disease,
- symptoms,
- functional status.
And establish a timeframe.
If objective evidence shows that the cancer is progressing, you need to know when it is time to reconsider the strategy.
Hope matters.
But hope should not prevent us from measuring results.
ANP vs. Standard Therapy vs. Clinical Trials
| Consideration |
FDA-Approved Therapy |
Clinical Trial |
Antineoplaston Therapy |
| Evidence varies by cancer |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Randomized evidence may exist |
Often |
Sometimes |
No published randomized controlled trials |
| FDA-approved for cancer treatment |
Yes |
Investigational |
No |
| Structured research protocol |
No/standard care |
Yes |
May be investigational |
| Potential benefit |
Established to varying degrees |
Unknown/emerging |
Uncertain |
| Potential toxicity |
Known to varying degrees |
Under investigation |
Reported, including potentially serious toxicity |
| Insurance coverage |
Often |
Varies |
Must be investigated |
| Appropriate before standard treatment? |
Often |
Sometimes |
Evidence does not support replacing effective standard therapy |
| Possible consideration after options exhausted? |
Depends |
Yes |
Requires especially careful evaluation |
What About Terminal or End-Stage Cancer?
There is another conversation that patients sometimes avoid.
When cancer has become truly refractory, the choice isn’t necessarily:
conventional treatment versus alternative treatment.
There may be four choices:
- another conventional therapy,
- a clinical trial,
- an experimental/non-conventional therapy,
- or treatment focused primarily on comfort and quality of life.
Palliative care can be provided alongside active cancer treatment.
Hospice becomes appropriate when the goal shifts away from disease-directed treatment toward comfort.
Neither choice means “giving up.”
Sometimes another therapy makes sense.
Sometimes spending your remaining time outside hospitals and treatment centers makes more sense.
Only the patient and family can decide what matters most.
A Special Warning About Desperation
End-stage cancer creates one of the most difficult decision-making environments imaginable.
Patients and families understandably search for something—anything—that might work.
That makes this population particularly vulnerable to claims of miraculous cures.
Be cautious whenever anyone tells you:
- conventional oncology is hiding a cure,
- one treatment works against virtually every cancer,
- testimonials prove effectiveness,
- doctors don’t want you to know about a therapy,
- or questioning the evidence means being “closed-minded.”
At the same time, I don’t believe patients should automatically dismiss every experimental approach simply because it lies outside standard oncology.
Ask for evidence.
That principle should apply to conventional, complementary, integrative, and experimental therapies alike.
The Question I Would Ask Today
If I were facing end-stage cancer today, my question would not be:
“Should I choose conventional medicine or alternative medicine?”
I think that is the wrong framework.
I would ask:
“What combination of evidence-based conventional treatment, clinical trials, supportive care, complementary therapies, and—if appropriate—carefully evaluated experimental therapies gives me the best balance of survival, quality of life, toxicity, cost, and personal priorities?”
That is the philosophy behind PeopleBeatingCancer.
My Bottom Line on Antineoplaston Therapy for End-Stage Cancer
I cannot tell you that antineoplaston therapy will treat your cancer.
The scientific evidence does not justify that claim.
I also cannot erase ANP from my own cancer history simply because the treatment remains controversial.
I underwent antineoplaston therapy after reaching end-stage multiple myeloma, and I subsequently achieved a complete remission that has lasted for decades.
That experience profoundly influenced the way I think about cancer.
But an individual survivor’s experience should generate questions, not substitute for clinical evidence.
If you are considering ANP because you have end-stage cancer, investigate it with the same skepticism you should apply to every cancer therapy.
- Ask about the evidence.
- Ask about the risks.
- Ask about alternatives.
- Ask about clinical trials.
- Ask what success will look like.
- And perhaps most importantly:
- Ask whether the possible benefit is worth the time, toxicity, financial cost, and opportunity cost for you.
- There may not be one correct answer.
- But there should be an informed one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is antineoplaston therapy FDA-approved for cancer?
No. Antineoplastons are not FDA-approved for the prevention or treatment of cancer or other diseases.
Have antineoplastons been studied in humans?
Yes. Clinical studies and case reports have been published, including studies involving difficult-to-treat brain tumors and other cancers. However, the evidence base has major limitations.
Have randomized clinical trials proven that antineoplastons work?
No randomized controlled trials demonstrating the effectiveness of antineoplastons have been published in peer-reviewed medical literature.
Does that prove antineoplastons don’t work?
No. Absence of adequate evidence does not establish that a therapy can never have biological activity or benefit an individual patient. It means we cannot reliably determine its effectiveness, magnitude of benefit, or which patients are likely to benefit.
That uncertainty is exactly why ANP should be considered experimental rather than proven cancer therapy.
Should someone with newly diagnosed cancer try ANP instead of standard treatment?
For cancers with established effective treatments, the evidence does not support replacing potentially curative or life-prolonging standard therapy with antineoplaston therapy.
What about someone with end-stage cancer?
The risk-benefit calculation becomes more complicated when established treatments have been exhausted. Patients should discuss remaining FDA-approved therapies, biomarker-directed treatments, clinical trials, supportive/palliative care, and experimental options with an oncology team before deciding.
Did antineoplaston therapy cure David Emerson’s multiple myeloma?
I don’t know.
I received ANP after reaching end-stage multiple myeloma and subsequently achieved complete remission. That chronology is part of my medical history, but it cannot prove that ANP caused my remission.
That distinction is important to me and to the editorial philosophy of PeopleBeatingCancer.
Recommended Reading
To Learn More About Antineoplaston Therapy:
To learn more about managing multiple myeloma:
To Learn More About Cancer Management:
To learn more about managing your cancer:
Antineoplaston Therapy for End-Stage Cancer Antineoplaston Therapy for End-Stage Cancer Antineoplaston Therapy for End-Stage Cancer
