We have spoken with several researchers working on cartilage in general, and it does look like there are some promising advances coming out of this work which we will report in later issues. The theory is that since there are no blood vessels in cartilage, there must be some other substance in cartilage that inhibits the growth of blood vessels. However the majority of researchers feel that ingesting cartilage, taking it by mouth, will not be helpful. Very little of the chemical required to shrink the tumor will make it through the digestive tract to the tumor. When used as an effective therapy, this chemical is administered intravenously.

For both points of view, see I. William Lane, Sharks Don't Get Cancer (Avery Publ. Group, Garden City Park, NY, 1992) and T. Beardsley, "Sharks Do Get Cancer: Cartilage Cure Relies on Wishful Thinking," Scientific American, 269 Oct 1993, pp. 24ff.

See also article and notes from members' experiences with shark cartilage, The Brain/Body Connection.

As published in the VHL Family Forum 2:1, March 1994. For permission to reprint, please contact the VHL Family Alliance at editor@vhl.org. Further information is available from the VHL Family Alliance at info@vhl.org.

shark cartilage