Revici Guided Chemotherapy Detailed Scientific Review

Overview

General Background

Emanuel Revici, M.D., developed a system of individually-guided and lipid-based chemotherapy based on his early research beginning in the 1920s and continuing until the end of his life in 1998.

Dr. Revici’s complex theories focused on lipids, elements, the organization of matter, and the forces that create and affect matter. Some of his theories such as those concerning the bioactivity of leukotrienes as regulators of inflammatory and allergic reactions, the development of a safe and effective means of lipid transport, the use of selenium to treat cancer and the value of omega-3 fatty acids derived from marine fish oil were later validated by conventional researchers in chemistry and biology¹.

He used his theories to develop treatments for many diseases, including cancer. These medicines consisted of lipids combined with various elements chosen to correct acid-base and or "organizing" versus "disorganizing" imbalances. These treatments were provided by the Institute of Applied Biology (IAB) in New York City from 1947 until its closing in 1990^2,3. The concepts and practice of Dr. Revici were continued as the Revici Life Science Center under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Korins, who, however, died in 2001⁴. It is now directed by a niece of Dr. Revici, Elena Avram, and known as the Revici Foundation for Lipid Biomedical Research⁵.

Aside from case reports, three attempts have been made to assess the effectiveness of this treatment approach, and these are included in the Summary of Research and Annotated Bibliography sections.

Toxicity

No known toxicity

Theory/Mechanism of Action

Revici’s comprehensive and complex approach is described within a summary of his life provided to the former University of Texas Center for Alternative Medicine by Marcus A. Cohen of the IAB and reviewed by Mark David Noble, Ph.D., and Gerhard N. Schrauzer, Dr.rer.nat. Interested readers may go to the Detailed Summary of Life and Theories of Emanuel Revici, or go directly to the Summary of Research.

Summary of Research

Amount and Type of Research

Based on our review of the literature between 03/01/2005 and 05/15/2007, we have not identified any new references.

Based on our review of the literature and other sources between 10/1/97 and 12/31/02, we identified eight articles, of which six were applicable to Dr. Revici or his method, and we retrieved all six of these articles. The prior searches to 10/1/97 had identified 19 references, of which 13 (68%) were applicable to cancer. Thus, a total of 27 articles have been identified, of which 19 were applicable, and we retrieved 19 (100%). We classified these 19 references in the following types of information:

*Some articles within the "Human" category were testimonials about patients that could not be classified as case reports due to missing information and not being published in peer-reviewed journals.

Of the human related articles, we coded the studies (4) by the following study designs:

Human Research

One clinical series⁶ identified in the literature reported on 33 patients for whom conventional therapy had not worked or whose cancers were not amenable to conventional therapy. All were treated with the Revici method and survival was assessed. Twenty-two of the patients died while on therapy and no instances of tumor regression were reported. A clinical appraisal group formed to evaluate the method of Revici concluded that the treatment was "without value." (This review is discussed further in the Detailed Summary of the Life and Theories of Emanuel Revici.)

The retrospective study⁷ done by Dr. Revici’s institute concluded that, of 1047 patients, the outcome of 545 (52%) patients could not be determined. For the other 502 patients, 206 were favorable (100 objectively and subjectively, 95 subjectively only and 11 objectively only). Patients with low urinary sulfhydryl responded better; however, lipid measurement methods were of limited value.

The best cases⁸ series and case reports⁹ demonstrated favorable outcomes; however, follow-up times varied and in some cases were unknown.

Summary Table of Human Studies Concerning the Revici Therapy

Study descriptions and sources for these data are available in the Annotated Bibliography.

Annotated Bibliography

⁶Lyall D, Schwartz M, Herter FP, et al. Treatment of cancer by the method of Revici. JAMA. 1965;194:279-80.

Purpose: To evaluate effectiveness of Revici method on cases not amenable to conventional therapy, or where conventional methods failed.
Type of Study: Clinical series
Methods: (Various) Thirty-three cases ranging from 36 years of age to 82 were treated with the Revici method. Periods of treatment ranged from three weeks to 15 months.
Results: Twenty-two cases of the 33 died of cancer or its complications while receiving therapy. No instance of tumor regression was observed in any of cases. Necropsies in 15 cases failed to demonstrate gross or microscopic evidence of tumor alteration. Clinical appraisal group concludes that the Revici method of treatment of cancer is "without value."

⁷Ravich R. Evaluation of 1047 patients with advanced malignancies treated from 1940-1955. Unpublished Manuscript included within the Office for Technology review⁵³.

Purpose: To review the clinical experiences during the nine year period.
Type of Study: Retrospective cohort with historical controls.
Results: Table omitted

⁸Brenner, S. Protocol and patient histories. Unpublished series presented and discussed in the Office for Technology Assessment review.

⁹Van Alen JH. Transcript of case presentations at Beth David Hospital. Report on the Revici Cancer Control. 1955.

Reference List

1. Lerner M. Choices in Healing: Integrating the Best of Conventional and Complementary Approaches to Cancer. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1994.
2. Cohen M. Emanuel Revici, MD: Innovator in nontoxic cancer chemotherapy 1896-1997. J of Alternative & Complementary Medicine Summer98;4(2):140-5.
3. Cohen MA, McGrady P Jr. Emanuel Revici, MD, age 101, medical innovator. Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients 1998 Apr;(177):30-1.
4. Cohen MA. Eulogy for Dr. Kenneth Korins. Townsend Letter for Doctors 2001 Dec;(221):103.
5. Metropolitan Wellness Group [Web Page].
6. Lyall D, Schwartz M, Herter FP, Hudson PB, Wright JC, Findlay CW, et al. Treatment of cancer by the method of Revici. JAMA 1965 Oct; 194(3):279-80.
7. Ravich R. Evaluation of 1047 patients with advanced malignancies treated from 1940-1955. Unpublished Manuscript within review by Office for Technology Assessment⁵³.
8. Brenner SM. Protocol and patient histories. Unpublished series presented and discussed within the Office for Technology Assessment review53.
9. Van Alen JH. Transcript of case presentations at Beth David Hospital, New York, NY. Report on the Revici Cancer Control 1955 Aug.

Reference List for Detailed Summary of the Life and Theories of Emanuel Revici

50. Revici E. 1955 Affidavit, sworn and notarized, 2/3: Specific utilization uncertain. Except as otherwise noted, this document serves as the basis for all the biographical information included here.
51. Personal communication from C. Pouret, archivist, Academy of Sciences, to Revici, 5/21/85, giving the deposit numbers and years: 11273 (4/12/37),113pp (8/30/37), 11391 (2128/38), 11417 (4/25/38), 11440 (7/4/38).
52. Personal communication from Andre Girard to Laurence H. Eldredge, Esq., 4/12/65.
53. Office of Technology Assessment 1990 Unconventional Cancer Treatments. US Congress, Washington: p. 116-120. A of this reference has been archived by Princeton University. (Accessed 2001 Aug 6).
54. Personal communication from Gerhard N. Schrauzer, PhD, to the Board of Regents of the University of the State of NY, 2/14/86, in an administrative proceeding that is a matter of public record.
55. Revici E. 1961 Research in physiopathology as basis of guided chemotherapy: With special application to cancer. D. Van Nostrand, Princeton.
56. Samuelsson B. Leukotrienes. Science 1987;237:1171-1176.
57. Revici E. 1950 The influence of irradiation upon unsaturated fatty acids. Paper read before the Sixth International Congress of Radiology, London.
58. Revici E. Research and theoretical background for treatment of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Townsend Letter for Doctors 1987;45.
59. Revici E. 1961 b A physiopathological basis for therapy: Lecture to the Society for Promoting International Scientific Relations. American Foundation for Cancer Research, NY.
60. Mizushima Y., et al. Use of lipid microspheres as a drug carder for antitumor drugs. J Pharm, Pharmacol 1986;38:132-134.
61. Schrauzer GN. 1981 Se and ca: Historical developments and perspectives. In Spallholz JE et al. (eds) Selenium in biology and medicine. AVI Press, Westport, pp. 98-102.
62. Revici E, Ravich A. Anti-hemorrhagic action of n-Butanol in advanced cancer. Angiology 1953;4:510-515.
63. Willheim R, Revici E, Fluss P, et al. Further experiments concerning the lytic power of blood serum against ascites tumor cells. Experimental Medicine and Surgery 1959;17:272-281.
64. Kaempffert W. Bums are treated with n-butanol. The NY Times, 3/4/51.
65. Schmeck HM, Jr. Chemists study adrenal action. The NY Times, 9/19/59.
66. Leake CD et al. A Mexican treatment for cancer: A warning, correspondence. JAMA 1945;128:1186.
67. Council on pharmacy and chemistry. Cancer and the need for facts. JAMA 1949; 1 39:93-98.
68. Personal communication from Robert Ravich, MD, to William D. Stovall, MD, 4/18/49.
69. ACS. Unproven methods of cancer management. Ca: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians 1989;39.
70. Personal communication from Benjamin C. Ribman, Esq. to the American Medical Association, 1/28/49.
71. Unpublished paper titled "Cancer: Concept, Method, Therapy of Emanuel Revici, MD" 1962; addenda states that it "was the topic of discussion" with the National Cancer Institute, 615-6.
72. Lyall D et al. Treatment of cancer by the method of Revici. JAMA 1965;194:165-166.
73. Francis Delafield Hospital. Delafield clinical appraisal protocal (undated).