title: The case for mistletoe in the treatment of laryngeal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Complementary and alternative medicine usage, though rising, remains largely devoid of a sound scientific basis; however, there is increasing evidence to support its use in cancer therapy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To present the case of a patient with laryngeal carcinoma who made a full recovery following mistletoe therapy, despite failing to respond to chemoradiotherapy and salvage laryngectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case report with relevant literature review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient developed extensive, unresectable stomal recurrence, and it was deemed appropriate to supply palliative care only. Following treatment with mistletoe extract injections after palliative radiotherapy, he recovered fully and was eventually discharged from care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The benefit of mistletoe in laryngeal cancer treatment requires further investigation, and might be considered in selected patients, as an adjunct or when other conventional therapies have failed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shakeel
authors.affiliation: ENT Department, James Paget Hospital, Great Yarmouth, England, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trinidade
authors.affiliation: Camphill Wellbeing Trust, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geider
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Ah-See
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D014784:Mistletoe; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010936:Plant Extracts