Supermodel Elle Macpherson refuses chemotherapy to treat breast cancer
Australian Press Agency/Alamy
Half of us will develop cancer at some point in our lives, but how many of us can confidently reject mainstream medical advice after consulting dozens of doctors?
In a recent interview Australian Women’s Weekly Australian supermodel Elle Macpherson revealed that she did just that, telling the magazine that she was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago but refused chemotherapy, opting for an “intuitive, heart-led, holistic approach” to her treatment.
According to the magazine, MacPherson mulled over her decision for weeks after consulting with “32 doctors and specialists,” and finally, in February 2017, she decided to pursue non-pharmaceutical treatment under the guidance of her family doctor, who specializes in “integrative medicine.”
Fortunately, MacPherson is currently in clinical remission, or as she prefers to say, “perfect health.” It’s futile to try to assess the risks of her decision to forego chemotherapy without knowing important details, such as the extent of her cancer, her coexisting risk factors, and the advice she received. For example, she underwent an initial operation, a partial mastectomy, to remove a suspicious lump, which some doctors say may have been sufficient treatment.
Nevertheless, the story has sparked outrage online, galvanizing both the growing number of people who distrust “conventional medicine” and those who seek to defend it from growing attacks.
What’s behind this distrust? Some researchers point to the COVID-19 pandemic as the cause of a rise in “science skepticism” around the world, amid heated debates about the severity of symptoms, the merits of lockdowns, and the safety of vaccines. The online “wellness” world is also increasingly being used to harbor anti-science views and conspiracy theories.
For members of black and minority ethnic communities, distrust of doctors – extending to a reluctance to seek cancer testing and treatment – reflects decades of failure of public health and health institutions in many countries to engage with them and ensure equality in care.
In the UK in particular, confidence in the National Health Service’s ability to treat cancer has declined in recent years, with reports of delays of months to the start of essential cancer treatment.
All of this means that if you’re diagnosed with cancer today, your options may seem less clear than they once were. Add to that the typically grueling experience of chemotherapy, and it’s no wonder that MacPherson’s story of a “non-pharmaceutical” alternative therapy has garnered so much attention.
But it’s worth keeping in mind that MacPherson doesn’t represent the vast majority of cancer patients. With an estimated net worth of $95 million, she can afford to decline chemotherapy after seeking multiple second opinions; her wealth acts as a safety net. MacPherson’s story is further complicated by her past relationship with notorious anti-vaxxer Andrew Wakefield, whom she dated from 2018 to 2019, as well as her “ingestible health” company Wellco.
For most people, refusing medical treatment carries real risks: A 2017 study found that cancer patients who chose alternative medicines as their primary treatment were at higher risk of dying within five years than those who chose conventional treatments.
A larger study of nearly 2 million U.S. cancer patients published the following year found that use of complementary medicines was associated with refusal of conventional cancer treatment and a doubling of the risk of death within five years.
Indeed, oncologists are increasingly choosing to reduce the use of chemotherapy or avoid it altogether, reflecting new treatments, research, and the recognition that targeted, customized responses are most effective.
But for now, at least, the advice from organisations like Cancer Research UK is clear: there is no scientific or medical evidence that alternative therapies can cure cancer. At a time when distrust of medicine is widespread, Macpherson’s account risks leading people down a dangerous path by trumpeting positive results without important context.
While anyone may be at risk for developing cancer, Macpherson, who was nicknamed “The Body” at the height of her modeling career, had enormous resources at her disposal and was always going to have a better chance than most of us of surviving cancer, regardless of her choices.
Elle Hunt is a freelance writer and journalist.
