For Patients & Caregivers
How It Works
There is no evidence to support use of cesium chloride as a cancer treatment. 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.
Purported Uses
Do Not Take If
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 after 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.
A 42-year-old woman who received cesium chloride as a treatment for metastatic breast carcinoma, experienced a seizure, and died 48 hours later. High levels of cesium were found in blood and organs, including her brain.
A 61-year-old woman died of cesium chloride toxicity, following intratumoral injection of oral CsCl around a mass in her breast. Prior to the injection, she took CsCl orally for about an year to treat her breast mass.
For Healthcare Professionals
Clinical Summary
Cesium is an alkali metal that is stable in its natural form. The radioactive isoform (Cesium 137) is used in radiation therapy. Cesium chloride, the non-radioactive salt, is promoted as an alternative treatment, also known as “high pH therapy,” for cancer. This is based on the findings that cancer cells have an affinity for cesium ions (1). Proponents claim that the increased cellular pH following uptake of cesium prevents cancer cells from undergoing mitosis and neutralizes the toxic material present in them. But there are no data to substantiate these claims. According to a case series report, half of the patients with terminal cancers who used a cesium-based regimen survived after one year. However, one quarter of the patients died in the first two weeks which suggests that the treatment is highly toxic (2).
Reported adverse effects of cesium chloride intake include syncope, hypokalemia, diarrhea, and ventricular tachycardia with prolonged QT interval (3) (4). No randomized clinical trials have been conducted using oral cesium chloride as a cancer treatment.
Mechanism of Action
Proponents of cesium chloride therapy 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 via loss of potassium due to repetitive diarrhea (5). Intravenous administration of cesium has been shown to cause arrhythmias in animals (4).
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 after treatment and discontinuation of cesium intake (10).
A 42-year-old woman who received cesium chloride as a treatment for metastatic breast carcinoma, experienced a seizure, and died 48 hours later. High levels of cesium were found in blood and organs, including her brain (11).
A 61-year-old woman died of cesium chloride toxicity, following intratumoral injection of oral CsCl around a mass in her breast. Prior to the injection, she took CsCl orally for about an year to treat her breast mass (12).
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).