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 risk of her decision to forego chemotherapy without knowing important details about the extent of her cancer, her coexisting risk factors, and the advice she received. For example, she underwent a partial mastectomy, her first surgery to remove a suspicious lump, but Some doctors said That might have been enough 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 say the COVID-19 pandemic “Scientific skepticism” Heated debates are taking place around the world about the severity of the illness, the merits of lockdowns, and the safety of vaccines. More and more Used To hide their anti-scientific views, Conspiracy thinking.

For members of black and minority ethnic communities, Distrust of doctors The reluctance to seek cancer testing and treatment is also being driven by public health and medical institutions. Decades of failure Engaging with them and ensuring equal care in many countries.

In the UK in particular, confidence in the National Health Service's ability to treat cancer has declined. Has fallen in recent yearsand Reports Delaying the start of vital cancer treatment for months.

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 accurately represent the vast majority of cancer patients. Estimated Net Worth With a net worth of $95 million, she can afford to seek multiple second opinions and even turn down chemotherapy. Her wealth acts as a safety net. Her “ingestible health” company WELCOand her historical romantic ties Disgraced anti-vaxxer Andrew Wakefield,she From 2018 to 2019McPherson's story gets even more complicated.

For most people, refusing medical care carries real risks. 2017 Study Cancer patients who choose alternative medicines as their primary treatment have been found to have a higher risk of dying within five years than those who choose conventional treatments.

Larger studies The following year, he published a study of nearly two million American cancer patients that 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 More and more Select Use Reduce chemotherapy or avoid it altogether – New treatments, new research 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.