THIS WEEK'S QUESTION

Q. Does Tylenol prevent, or cause, cancer? In particular, can it prevent a recurrence of ovarian cancer?

A. Dr. Daniel W. Cramer of Harvard Medical School, Boston, has done exciting work on the anticancer effects of Tylenol (acetaminophen or paracetamol). He showed that regular use of Tylenol was associated with half as many cases of ovarian cancer as sporadic or non-use. (Aspirin reduced ovarian cancer incidence but only by one-quarter.) At first sight, it would seem advisable to take Tylenol to prevent an occurrence or recurrence of ovarian cancer.

Unfortunately, there are potential side effects with long-term use. In fact, predicting Tylenol toxicity has been called "medical fortune telling" because individual results are so unpredictable.

Daily use of regular strength Tylenol triples one's risk of kidney disease and is associated with an elevated risk of kidney cancer.

One possible solution is to take lower or intermittent doses of Tylenol to prevent ovarian cancer. If you do decide to take Tylenol you should also take steps to protect your kidneys. Here are some ideas:

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR KIDNEYS

Antioxidants: An article in the journal Renal Failure concluded that "supplementation with vitamins E and C, use of soy protein diets, and drinking green tea could be sufficient to confer remarkable improvements" in cases of kidney damage. Try taking the full program described in my book Antioxidants Against Cancer.

In addition to green tea, drink two quarts of pure water every day. This will help flush out the kidneys.

Some recent animal studies suggests that melatonin protects against kidney damage. The usual dose is one to three milligrams two hours before bedtime. (Adjust the dose up or down depending on how it makes you feel.)

We have a Moss Report on the topic of ovarian cancer. Please see my book Antioxidants Against Cancer for a detailed discussion of my suggestions for antioxidant use.

ABOUT OUR Q & A SERVICE: Each week we answer a new question from a visitor to our website. Questions posted at this site are chosen based on their general relevance and become the property of Equinox Press. They may be edited for reasons of space.

Moss Reports clients can ask followup questions by us at mail@ralphmoss.com

If you have questions about purchasing a Moss Report for a particular kind of cancer, you can call our office at 718-636-4433 or you can order your Moss Report BY CLICKING HERE via our secure order form, and ask your question in the box provided.

Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D. is director of the The Moss Reports for cancer patients. Dr. Moss is the author of eleven books and three documentaries on cancer-related topics. He is or has been an advisor on alternative cancer treatments to the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute, the American Urological Association, Columbia University, the University of Texas, the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the German Society of Oncology. He wrote the first article on alternative medicine for the Encyclopedia Britannica yearbook. He is listed in Marquis Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the World, Who's Who in the East, and Who's Who in Entertainment (as a film documentarian). This Web site does not advocate any particular treatment for cancer. We urge you to always seek competent medical advice for all health problems, especially cancer. Before consulting our site please read our full Disclaimer statement.

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