‘Dangerous, irresponsible, quackery’: doctors slam Elle’s cancer claims

The supermodel says her ‘holistic’ approach means she is now in remission for her breast cancer but specialists warn alternative treatments increase the risk of death six-fold.

Supermodel Elle Macpherson. Picture: Jason Edwards

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Doctors have slammed Elle Macpherson’s claim that her breast cancer disappeared after she refused to undergo conventional treatment despite the advice of 32 doctors, describing her book promotion as “incredibly irresponsible”.

The supermodel claims her decision to rely on a “holistic approach” meant she was now in clinical remission after being diagnosed seven years ago, but cancer specialists warn that choosing alternative treatment for breast cancer significantly increases the risk of death.

Macphersons’s unproven claims, made in a new book, have been decried by doctors as dangerous.

“It sounds bizarre - breast cancer is a progressive disease that is fatal without medical treatment,” said internationally recognised oncologist and breast cancer specialist John Boyages, from the ANU Medical School.

“It is vitally important for women to follow the specialist advice of their doctor,” Professor Boyages told The Australian. “In my 40 year career, I have never seen breast cancer disappear on its own or through alternative, holistic treatments.”

Macpherson disclosed her diagnosis, which she had kept secret until now, in her upcoming memoir Elle: Life, Lessons and Learning to Trust Yourself. A publicity tour for the book includes an interview with The Australian Women’s Weekly and an upcoming 60 Minutes story.

The 60-year-old, who is the founder of wellness company WelleCo, was diagnosed with HER2-positive oestrogen-receptive intraductal carcinoma – a type of breast cancer – after undergoing a lumpectomy to remove cancerous tissues.

Her doctor suggested a mastectomy with radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, plus reconstruction of her breast.

Elle Macpherson and Andrew Wakefield Picture: Janice Hall/Twitter

However, Macpherson decided to forgo the use of traditional medicine to treat the cancer and instead explained that she was being “true” to herself in trusting her own body and opting for “an intuitive, heart-led, holistic approach” to treating her cancer.

At the time of her diagnosis, the mother of two was in a relationship with disgraced British doctor Andrew Wakefield, who fabricated evidence, published in respected medical journal The Lancet in 1998, to make a link between the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine and autism in young children, triggering a worldwide panic about the safety of vaccination.

Wakefield was struck off the medical register in the UK and forbidden from practising in 2010, but in the years since, has been feted by conspiracy theorists and tours the world speaking to anti-vaxxer groups.

Macpherson says she rented a house in Phoenix, Arizona, for eight months and stayed there under her doctor’s care, “focusing and devoting every single minute to healing myself”.

However, medical professionals are concerned that many women will follow the supermodel’s lead and ignore the best medical advice.

Professor Boyages said he had seen people die because they placed their faith in unproven alternative treatments.

“They might leave it for a couple of years and try alternative medicine, and then they come back two years later in a far worse, desperate state.

“It’s worrying that some people will take these messages and try therapies because what I have seen is people go from curable situations to incurable situations.”

Elle Macpherson

University of Sydney professor of oncology Frances Boyle said the message being conveyed by Ms Macpherson was puzzling because she appeared to have a non-invasive pre-cancer known as DCIS, and seemed to have had some surgery for that condition, as doctors would recommend.

“Mostly people with DCIS are cured with surgery followed by radiotherapy and sometimes tablet hormone-blocking treatment and don’t need chemotherapy, which is never given in DCIS.”

As for Ms Macpherson’s claim that her doctor suggested a mastectomy with radiation, chemotherapy and reconstruction of her breast, Professor Boyle said the supermodel was “probably describing all the things that are discussed in the treatment of breast cancer, but not all of them are relevant to her particular circumstances.

“And perhaps in thinking about all that scary stuff, she actually missed out on the things that could have improved her chances of staying free of a new breast cancer, like radiotherapy and hormone blocking tablets,” Professor Boyle said.

“Whatever she did in the desert, I’m glad she felt well, but it isn’t the standard of treatment we would recommend.”

Breast Council Network Australia director of policy and advocacy Vicki Durston said: “When high profile figures like Elle speak out about their breast cancer decisions, it does have an enormous impact, but driving fear and confusion is not something we support”.

“We support people following the clinical guidelines and the clinical expertise of their treating team. We want people to come to trusted sources of information like Breast Council Network Australia.”

Oncologist Grant McArthur, CEO of the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Alliance, said there had been remarkable improvements in outcomes for breast cancer in recent decades based on strong evidence of a variety of treatments.

“This area of alternative medicines and complementary medicines remains uncertain as to its impact, and it’s extremely important that people reach out to get evidence based treatments - extremely important,” Professor McArthur said.

Renowned British breast surgeon Liz O’Riordan said there was “proof that women like Elle Macpherson who choose not to have mainstream cancer treatments for breast cancer are 6 times more likely to die.”

“I’d urge women not to assume that because it’s worked for her so far, it will work for you,” Dr O’Riordan wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Elle Macpherson and son Cy Busson in 2022.

Cancer specialist Skyler Johnson, a professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute, said it was incredibly irresponsible of Macpherson to claim her cancer was cured holistically when she had an upfront lumpectomy, but “I hope for her sake she remains cancer free and that others don’t follow her dangerous advice.”

The supermodel says her decision was supported by her then 14-year-old son Cy, who “simply thought that chemo kills you” but opposed by then 19 year old Flynn who “wasn’t comfortable with my choice at all”.