William Kelley
Encyclopedia
William Donald Kelley, DDS, MS (November 1, 1925 – January 30, 2005), was an orthodontist who developed the Kelley cancer therapy, an alternative cancer treatment based on the concepts that "wrong foods (cause a) malignancy to grow, while proper foods (allow) ... body defenses to work" defeating the cancer.
and gave him only months to live and told that no treatment was available. Kelley then used diet and alternative medical methods as proposed by Max Gerson
to "cure" his cancer. He then went on to formulate his cancer approach that included pancreatic enzymes, an individualized diet of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, and detoxification including coffee enema
s. In 1971, the American Cancer Society
added his regimen to a list of "unproven methods". In 1976 his dental license in Texas was revoked and he moved to Winthrop, Washington
.
In 1980, his most famous patient, Steve McQueen
, came to him in Winthrop, and after medical experts had given up on McQueen, in July 1980, Kelley's regimen was applied to McQueen in Mexico. Kelley became known as "McQueen's Holistic Medicine Man" (People Magazine) Although McQueen died only 3 months later, Kelley's regimen was sought out by many patients with terminal cancer.
. He wrote a book entitled One Answer to Cancer detailing his experiences as well as his methods. By the 1980s, his marriage had broken up, he lost control of his once-thriving organization, and his mental and physical health deteriorated. Kelley died of a heart attack on January 30, 2005 in Arkansas City.
started to develop and investigate Kelley's methods further. A randomized phase III clinical trial
for the possible treatment of pancreatic cancer
with the Gonzalez Regimen was funded by a $1.4 million grant from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and co-sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, awarded in 1999 to Columbia University
's Rosenthal Center for Alternative Medicine. The results of a clinical trial of the Gonzalez regimen on patients with pancreatic cancer
were reported in 2009; compared to patients receiving conventional care, those taking part in the Gonzalez regimen died faster and experienced worse quality of life.
Kelley's cancer therapy
In 1962, Kelley, then a practicing dentist in Texas, developed a disease involving body pains, weight loss, and depression. Using x-rays his doctor diagnosed pancreatic cancerPancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
and gave him only months to live and told that no treatment was available. Kelley then used diet and alternative medical methods as proposed by Max Gerson
Max Gerson
Max Gerson was a German physician who developed the Gerson Therapy, an alternative dietary therapy, which he claimed could cure cancer and most chronic, degenerative diseases. Gerson described his approach in the book A Cancer Therapy: Results of 50 Cases...
to "cure" his cancer. He then went on to formulate his cancer approach that included pancreatic enzymes, an individualized diet of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, and detoxification including coffee enema
Coffee enema
Coffee enemas are the enema-related procedure of inserting coffee into the anus to cleanse the rectum and large intestines. This procedure, although well documented, is considered by most medical authorities to be unproven, rash and potentially dangerous....
s. In 1971, the American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
added his regimen to a list of "unproven methods". In 1976 his dental license in Texas was revoked and he moved to Winthrop, Washington
Winthrop, Washington
Winthrop is a town in Okanogan County, Washington, United States. It is east of Mazama and north of Twisp. The population of the Winthrop area was 1,916 at the 2000 census; however, the incorporated town had a population of 349. The 2010 census showed an increase to 394 within the town limits...
.
In 1980, his most famous patient, Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen
Terrence Steven "Steve" McQueen was an American movie actor. He was nicknamed "The King of Cool." His "anti-hero" persona, which he developed at the height of the Vietnam counterculture, made him one of the top box-office draws of the 1960s and 1970s. McQueen received an Academy Award nomination...
, came to him in Winthrop, and after medical experts had given up on McQueen, in July 1980, Kelley's regimen was applied to McQueen in Mexico. Kelley became known as "McQueen's Holistic Medicine Man" (People Magazine) Although McQueen died only 3 months later, Kelley's regimen was sought out by many patients with terminal cancer.
Controversy and decline
In the 1970s, Kelley was tolerant in speaking about medical orthodoxy and looked forward to a fair and proper evaluation of his metabolic diet methods, which had become controversial, but he eventually became despondent that this could ever happen. He also became paranoidParanoia
Paranoia [] is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concerning a perceived threat towards oneself...
. He wrote a book entitled One Answer to Cancer detailing his experiences as well as his methods. By the 1980s, his marriage had broken up, he lost control of his once-thriving organization, and his mental and physical health deteriorated. Kelley died of a heart attack on January 30, 2005 in Arkansas City.
The Gonzalez regimen
In the 1980s, New York physician Nicholas GonzalezNicholas Gonzalez (doctor)
Dr. Nicholas James Gonzalez, M.D., is a New York-based physician. Dr. Gonzalez has received significant attention for his controversial therapies that target cancer. His practice is currently based in New York City. He developed the Gonzalez protocol, a treatment of cancer based on the belief that...
started to develop and investigate Kelley's methods further. A randomized phase III clinical trial
Clinical trial
Clinical trials are a set of procedures in medical research and drug development that are conducted to allow safety and efficacy data to be collected for health interventions...
for the possible treatment of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
with the Gonzalez Regimen was funded by a $1.4 million grant from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and co-sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, awarded in 1999 to Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
's Rosenthal Center for Alternative Medicine. The results of a clinical trial of the Gonzalez regimen on patients with pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
were reported in 2009; compared to patients receiving conventional care, those taking part in the Gonzalez regimen died faster and experienced worse quality of life.
Publications
- Dr. Kelley's self test for the different metabolic types (1977), ISBN 978-0966942217 (paperback 1999)
- The Kelley Program: The Science of Optimum Health (Paperback - Jan 1, 1980)
- Kelley metabolic ecology program: Workshop manual for nutritional counseling service (1982)
- One answer to cancer: A way to win the cancer war (1982)
- One Answer to Cancer (A do-it-yourself booklet) (Paperback - May 15, 1997)
- Cancer: Curing the Incurable Without Surgery, Chemotherapy or Radiation ISBN 0970429002 (paperback - Jan 1, 2001)
- One Answer to Cancer: reviewed after 30 years, 1967-1997 : the metabolic approach to the successful resolution of malignancy ISBN 0968217400