Shark Cartilage, Cancer and the Growing Threat of Pseudoscience
Shark Cartilage, Cancer and the Growing Threat of Pseudoscience
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DOI：
10.1158/0008-5472.can-04-2260
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发表时间：
2004-12
期刊：
影响因子：
11.2
通讯作者：
G. Ostrander;K. Cheng;J. Wolf;M. Wolfe
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
G. Ostrander;K. Cheng;J. Wolf;M. Wolfe
推广鲨鱼软骨粗提物作为治疗癌症的方法，至少造成了两个显著的负面结果：鲨鱼数量急剧下降和患者从有效的癌症治疗中分流。据称鲨鱼中没有癌症，这是使用它的关键理由。在这里，描述了鲨鱼及其近亲的恶性肿瘤和良性肿瘤，包括以前从低等动物肿瘤登记处未报告的病例，以及两条鲨鱼各患两种癌症。使用鲨鱼软骨的另一个理由是在软骨中发现了抗血管生成和抗侵袭物质的不合逻辑的延伸。到目前为止，科学证据既不支持软骨粗提物的功效，也不支持有效成分到达并根除癌细胞的能力。人们认为食用鲨鱼软骨可以治愈癌症的事实说明了伪科学的严重潜在影响。虽然鲨鱼软骨的成分可以起到抗癌的作用，但粗提物是无效的。技术的效率(例如捕捞鱼类)、大众媒体接触普通公众的力量以及公众对伪科学的敏感性放大了使用鲨鱼软骨的负面影响。为便利将理性作为公共和私人决策的基础，科学界每天使用的循证评价机制应加入媒体和政府专业人员的培训。为了确保人类和生物圈的可持续未来，有必要更多地使用合乎逻辑的合作讨论。
The promotion of crude shark cartilage extracts as a cure for cancer has contributed to at least two significant negative outcomes: a dramatic decline in shark populations and a diversion of patients from effective cancer treatments. An alleged lack of cancer in sharks constitutes a key justification for its use. Herein, both malignant and benign neoplasms of sharks and their relatives are described, including previously unreported cases from the Registry of Tumors in Lower Animals, and two sharks with two cancers each. Additional justifications for using shark cartilage are illogical extensions of the finding of antiangiogenic and anti-invasive substances in cartilage. Scientific evidence to date supports neither the efficacy of crude cartilage extracts nor the ability of effective components to reach and eradicate cancer cells. The fact that people think shark cartilage consumption can cure cancer illustrates the serious potential impacts of pseudoscience. Although components of shark cartilage may work as a cancer retardant, crude extracts are ineffective. Efficiencies of technology (e.g., fish harvesting), the power of mass media to reach the lay public, and the susceptibility of the public to pseudoscience amplifies the negative impacts of shark cartilage use. To facilitate the use of reason as the basis of public and private decision-making, the evidence-based mechanisms of evaluation used daily by the scientific community should be added to the training of media and governmental professionals. Increased use of logical, collaborative discussion will be necessary to ensure a sustainable future for man and the biosphere.