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Clinical Summary

Cesium is an alkali metal and is stable in its naturally occurring form. The radioactive cesium (Cesium 137), used in radiation therapy. However, the non-radioactive salt of cesium, cesium chloride, is promoted as an alternative treatment for cancer. Also popularized as the ‘High pH Therapy,’ it was first used to treat cancer by a physicist Keith Brewer in the 1930s based on his findings that cancer cells have an affinity for cesium ions (1). Proponents claim that the alkaline environment resulting from increased pH following uptake of cesium prevents cancer cells from undergoing mitosis and also neutralizes the toxic cellular material inside the tumor cell. However, there is no data to substantiate any of the claims. According to a small non-randomized study done on patients with metastasized cancers, only half of the study patients survived after one year of treatment using cesium chloride along with supplements (2). Reported adverse effects of cesium chloride intake include syncope, hypokalemia, diarrhea, and ventricular tachycardia with prolonged QT interval (3) (4).

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Purported Uses
  • Cancer treatment
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Mechanism of Action

Proponents of cesium claim that it exerts antitumor effects by increasing the intracellular pH of tumor cells. The resulting alkaline environment is thought to prevent cancer cells from undergoing mitosis and eventually result in cell death.  Cesium causes hypokalemia by inhibiting potassium channels used for absorption of dietary potassium or for reabsorption of renal potassium. It may also cause hypokalemia indirectly by loss of potassium due to repetitive diarrhea (5). Intravenous administration of cesium has been shown to cause arrhythmias in animals (4).

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Pharmacokinetics

Upon oral administration, cesium is widely distributed in the body with high concentrations in liver and is retained for a long time in soft tissues, especially in the skeletal muscle (6).

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Adverse Reactions

Reported (Oral)A 52-year-old woman with colon cancer developed syncope, hypokalemia, and ventricular tachycardia with a prolonged QT interval following several weeks of self treatment with 3 grams/day of cesium chloride. The symptoms reduced after four days following cessation of cesium chloride intake (5).
A second case reported in 2004 was that of a 43-year-old woman with brain cancer. She developed symptoms of prolonged QT interval and sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia following 10 days of self administration of cesium chloride (9 grams/day). The QT interval returned to normal after six weeks of initial onset of symptoms. The hypokalemia was treated by potassium and magnesium supplementation (3).
A 16-year-old girl with metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma experienced cesium-induced QT-interval prolongation after the start of a cesium chloride-based alternative treatment regimen. The symptoms abated following treatment and discontinuation of cesium chloride (8).
Repeated episodes of torsades de pointes ventricular tachycardia were observed in a 45-year-old woman with metastatic breast cancer patient following ingestion of oral cesium chloride for several months. Her condition improved with treatment and cessation of cesium chloride (9).
A 65-year-old lady experienced recurrent syncope attacks following use of anticancer naturopathic drugs which included one containing 89% Cesium chloride. Her symptoms abated afer treatment and discontinuation of cesium intake (10).
 

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Herb-Drug Interactions

Cesium use causes hypokalemia that may be exacerbated when taken with drugs such as diuretics and corticosteroids that reduce serum potassium levels (2).

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Literature Summary and Critique

Sartori HE. Cesium therapy in cancer patients. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior 1984;21: 11-13.
Fifty patients with terminal metastatic cancers were treated with cesium therapy for three years. The patients were given cesium chloride (6 -9 grams daily in three equally divided doses), vit A, vit C, vit K, magnesium salts, zinc, selenium, amygdalin, chelating agent EDTA, and a special diet consisting of whole grains, vegetables, linolenic acid rich oils and other supplements. The study found that 13 patients (26%) died in the first two weeks and 12 (24%) died within an year. It is unclear whether the deaths were due to cesium toxicity or due to the progression of disease. A few autopsies that were performed following treatment showed absence of tumor cells. However, since the study was performed on patients with metastatic disease, the effect of cesium therapy in newly diagnosed patients is not known. As there were no control groups in this study, no conclusion can be drawn on the efficacy of the treatment.

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References
  1. Brewer AK. The high pH therapy for cancer tests on mice and humans. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 1984; 21 Suppl 1:1-5.
  2. Sartori HE. Cesium therapy in cancer patients. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 1984; 21 Suppl 1:11-13.
  3. Dalal AK, Harding JD, Verdino RJ. Acquired long QT syndrome and monomorphic ventricular tachycardia after alternative treatment with cesium chloride for brain cancer. Mayo Clin Proc 2004; 79(8):1065-1069.
  4. Jones DL, Petrie JP, Li HG. Spontaneous, electrically, and cesium chloride induced arrhythmia and afterdepolarizations in the rapidly paced dog heart. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 2001; 24(4 Pt 1):474-485.
  5. Lyon AW, Mayhew WJ. Cesium toxicity: a case of self-treatment by alternate therapy gone awry. Ther Drug Monit 2003; 25(1):114-116.
  6. Centeno JA, et al. Blood and tissue concentration of cesium after exposure to cesium chloride: a report of two cases. Biol Trace Elem Res 2003; 94(2):97-104.
  7. Low JC, Wasan KM, Fazli L, et al. Assessing the therapeutic and toxicological effects of cesium chloride following administration to nude mice bearing PC-3 or LNCaP prostate cancer xenografts. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2007;60:821-829.
  8. O'Brien CE, Harik N, James LP, et al. Cesium-induced QT-interval prolongation in an adolescent. Pharmacotherapy. 2008 Aug;28(8):1059-65. Review.
  9. Wiens M, Gordon W, Baulcomb D, et al. Cesium chloride-induced torsades de pointes. Can J Cardiol. 2009 Sep;25(9):e329-31.
  10. Chan CK, Chan MH, Tse ML, et al. Life-threatening Torsades de Pointes resulting from “natural” cancer treatment. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2009 Jul;47(6):592-4.
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How It Works

Bottom Line: There is no clear evidence that cesium chloride can treat cancer in humans. Cesium chloride can cause heart problems.

Cesium chloride is promoted as an alternative cure for cancer treatment. Supporters claim that cesium neutralizes the toxic material produced by tumor cells and prevents them from dividing. There is no scientific evidence to support these claims. Cesium taken orally is known to cause diarrhea, nausea, loss of potassium, and irregular heartbeat.

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Purported Uses

Treatment of Cancer

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Research Evidence

Cancer treatment:
Fifty patients with terminal cancers participated in a small study to determine the effects of cesium therapy. The patients were given 6-9 grams of cesium daily along with vitamins and a special diet. The study showed that 13 patients died in the first two weeks of treatment and 12 more patients after one year of treatment. Only half the patients survived after 12 months.

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Do Not Take If
  • If you are taking corticosteroids (both cesium and corticosteroids cause loss of potassium and the combined effects may be serious).
  •  If you taking certain diuretics (the combination of cesium and diuretics may severely reduce serum potassium levels).
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Side Effects
  • Nausea
  • Syncope (loss of consciousness due to insufficient blood flow to the brain)
  • Ventricular tachycardia (rapid heart beat that originates in one of the ventricles)
  • Hypokalemia (reduction in potassium levels)
  • Diarrhea


Several cases of heart problems have been reported with use of oral cesium chloride:

A 52-year-old woman with colon cancer developed syncope, hypokalemia, and ventricular tachycardia with a prolonged QT interval following several weeks of self treatment with 3 grams/day of cesium chloride. The symptoms reduced after four days following cessation of cesium chloride intake.
A second case reported in 2004 was that of a 43-year-old woman with brain cancer. She developed symptoms of prolonged QT interval and sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia following 10 days of self administration of cesium chloride (9 grams/day). The QT interval returned to normal after six weeks of initial onset of symptoms. The hypokalemia was treated by potassium and magnesium supplementation.
A 16-year-old girl with metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma experienced cesium-induced QT-interval prolongation after the start of a cesium chloride-based alternative treatment regimen. The symptoms abated following treatment and discontinuation of cesium chloride.
Repeated episodes of torsades de pointes ventricular tachycardia were observed in a 45-year-old woman with metastatic breast cancer patient following ingestion of oral cesium chloride for several months. Her condition improved with treatment and cessation of cesium chloride.
A 65-year-old lady experienced recurrent syncope attacks following use of anticancer naturopathic drugs which included one containing 89% Cesium chloride. Her symptoms abated afer treatment and discontinuation of cesium intake.
A 45-year-old woman with metastatic breast cancer experienced repeated episodes of torsades de pointes polymorphic ventricular tachycardia following oral cesium therapy for many months. Her symptoms resolved after discontinuation of cesium therapy.

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Dosage (Inside MSKCC Only)
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Last updated: January 26, 2012