Tata Memorial doctors refute Navjot Singh Sidhu's cancer cure for wife: 'Unproven remedies'

The oncologists clarified that while research is ongoing into certain natural products, there is currently no clinical data to recommend their use as anti-cancer treatments.

The director of Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, along with over 260 oncologists, has refuted the claims made by Navjot Singh Sidhu regarding his wife’s recovery from stage 4 breast cancer. Sidhu had asserted that his wife, Navjot Kaur Sidhu, overcame cancer through a strict diet and fasting, statements which have prompted medical professionals to caution against spreading unverified health advice.

Speaking at a press conference outside his Amritsar residence on Thursday, Navjot Singh Sidhu announced that his wife was cancer-free. He attributed her recovery to a strict diet that purportedly deprived cancer cells of sugar and carbohydrates.

Sidhu elaborated on his wife’s regimen, claiming that she consumed lemon water, raw turmeric, and apple cider vinegar. This was followed by neem leaves, tulsi, and juices from pumpkin, pomegranate, carrot, amla, beetroot, and walnuts. He also emphasised the use of water with a pH level of 7 as a critical component of her treatment.

According to Sidhu, these dietary measures were instrumental in starving cancer cells, but his assertions lacked citation of scientific evidence.

In response, 262 oncologists from Tata Memorial Hospital issued an open letter, warning against delaying proven cancer treatments in favour of unverified remedies. The letter, shared by the hospital’s director and thoracic surgeon Dr CS Pramesh on social media, directly addressed Sidhu’s claims.

“A video of a former cricketer describing his wife's treatment for her breast cancer has been circulating widely on social media. Parts of the video imply that ‘starving the cancer by not eating dairy products and sugar’, consuming haldi (turmeric) and neem helped cure her ‘incurable’ cancer. These statements have no high-quality evidence to support them,” the letter stated.

Issued in public interest pic.twitter.com/gMuCTZmwzZ
Pramesh CS (@cspramesh) November 23, 2024

The oncologists clarified that while research is ongoing into certain natural products, there is currently no clinical data to recommend their use as anti-cancer treatments.

They further urged the public to rely on proven medical interventions for cancer, stating: “Cancer is curable if detected early and proven treatments for cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.”

Dr Pramesh addressed the potential damage caused by such claims and highlighted the collective responsibility to counter misinformation. “The duty of all of us is to keep fighting misinformation,” he stated when asked about the impact of the claims circulating online.