Review by Slater678 -- Winning the War on Cancer
Posted: 03 Oct 2020, 10:20
[Following is a volunteer review of "Winning the War on Cancer" by Sylvie Beljanski.]
In the introduction section of her book, Winning the War on Cancer: The Epic Journey Towards a Natural Cure, Sylvie Beljanski provides some startling statistics pertaining to cancer. She paraphrases a statement issued in 2012 by the World Health Organization, which predicts that new cancer cases are expected to clock 22 million within two decades worldwide. In terms of the resources expended on cancer, on the other hand, Beljanski quotes another statement issued in 2014 by the National Cancer Institute, which states that the medical costs of cancer care are projected to hit $173 billion by 2020.
Moreover, despite the increase in scientific discoveries over the past years, Beljanski provides evidence that the cost of cancer drugs is on the rise. As a result, she rephrases yet another article featured in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, which contends that the public is craving for natural and unpatentable solutions (dietary supplements) that are effective yet affordable. In a few words, natural solutions are contrasted with synthetic medicines, which are expensive and patentable. This is because synthetic medicines are produced by pharmaceutical companies after having been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which guarantees them market exclusivity.
The aspect I liked the best about Beljanski’s book touched on the substantiated information she gave on the problem of cancer treatment. Professor Shmuel Shoshan, an Israeli scientist, summarized this problem quite well when he said that the outcome of conventional cancer treatment—surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy—provided by the pharmaceutical companies is poor. Yet, on the other hand, there was a huge discrepancy between the number of clinical trials of dietary supplements and their approval by the FDA. Furthermore, unbelievably, pharmaceutical companies lobbied members of Congress to eliminate the public’s ability to make meaningful choices concerning their health and well-being.
In an ardent tone, Beljanski goes on to describe how it’s illegal for a company that produces dietary supplements to, for example, list the specific health benefits of their products on the label. The companies can only provide general information about nutrients and their bodily function, as opposed to, say, writing on the product label that cardamom lowers blood pressure.
That said, the purpose of Beljanski’s book is to publicize the work done by her late father, Mirko Beljanski, Ph.D., in demonstrating the efficacy of two plant extracts against several cancer stem cells. Indeed, the senior Beljanski’s work was so revolutionary that his laboratory, where he was working, was raided—SWAT-style—by military agents. In short, Beljanski’s nutritional supplements are potentially advantageous to cancer patients, either alone or in a combination with conventional treatments.
As I finish, while the book’s not exceptional in its editing, the number of errors wasn’t enough to penalize it. Secondly, Beljanski’s writing is appropriately referenced, and her ideas have been communicated in the clearest and most accessible way possible, with the limited use of medical jargon. I, as a result, rate it 4 out of 4 stars.
I recommend the book to anyone who has been affected by cancer, AIDS, or environmental pollution. It’s also a good read for the health-conscious individual, as it gives insights into some common nutritional supplements, e.g., green tea.
******
Winning the War on Cancer
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
In the introduction section of her book, Winning the War on Cancer: The Epic Journey Towards a Natural Cure, Sylvie Beljanski provides some startling statistics pertaining to cancer. She paraphrases a statement issued in 2012 by the World Health Organization, which predicts that new cancer cases are expected to clock 22 million within two decades worldwide. In terms of the resources expended on cancer, on the other hand, Beljanski quotes another statement issued in 2014 by the National Cancer Institute, which states that the medical costs of cancer care are projected to hit $173 billion by 2020.
Moreover, despite the increase in scientific discoveries over the past years, Beljanski provides evidence that the cost of cancer drugs is on the rise. As a result, she rephrases yet another article featured in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, which contends that the public is craving for natural and unpatentable solutions (dietary supplements) that are effective yet affordable. In a few words, natural solutions are contrasted with synthetic medicines, which are expensive and patentable. This is because synthetic medicines are produced by pharmaceutical companies after having been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which guarantees them market exclusivity.
The aspect I liked the best about Beljanski’s book touched on the substantiated information she gave on the problem of cancer treatment. Professor Shmuel Shoshan, an Israeli scientist, summarized this problem quite well when he said that the outcome of conventional cancer treatment—surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy—provided by the pharmaceutical companies is poor. Yet, on the other hand, there was a huge discrepancy between the number of clinical trials of dietary supplements and their approval by the FDA. Furthermore, unbelievably, pharmaceutical companies lobbied members of Congress to eliminate the public’s ability to make meaningful choices concerning their health and well-being.
In an ardent tone, Beljanski goes on to describe how it’s illegal for a company that produces dietary supplements to, for example, list the specific health benefits of their products on the label. The companies can only provide general information about nutrients and their bodily function, as opposed to, say, writing on the product label that cardamom lowers blood pressure.
That said, the purpose of Beljanski’s book is to publicize the work done by her late father, Mirko Beljanski, Ph.D., in demonstrating the efficacy of two plant extracts against several cancer stem cells. Indeed, the senior Beljanski’s work was so revolutionary that his laboratory, where he was working, was raided—SWAT-style—by military agents. In short, Beljanski’s nutritional supplements are potentially advantageous to cancer patients, either alone or in a combination with conventional treatments.
As I finish, while the book’s not exceptional in its editing, the number of errors wasn’t enough to penalize it. Secondly, Beljanski’s writing is appropriately referenced, and her ideas have been communicated in the clearest and most accessible way possible, with the limited use of medical jargon. I, as a result, rate it 4 out of 4 stars.
I recommend the book to anyone who has been affected by cancer, AIDS, or environmental pollution. It’s also a good read for the health-conscious individual, as it gives insights into some common nutritional supplements, e.g., green tea.
******
Winning the War on Cancer
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon