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RGCC test
| Against allopathy Alternative medicine |
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| Clinically unproven |
| Woo-meisters |
The RGCC blood-test, also known as "the Greek test" or "the Greece test", is a blood-test purportedly to determine which chemotherapy agent would be most effective in a person with cancer, i.e. a chemosensitivity test.
The name is the forced acronym "Research Genetic Cancer Centre",[1] any resemblance to the RGCC gene responsible for controlling the rate of cell-division is of course purely coincidental.
Supposed method of operation[edit]
Allegedly the tests involve isolating the circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from blood samples, (which are typically ~1 per billion cells in the blood of people with cancer). RCGG claim they capture the CTCs and rapidly culture them to massively increase their quantity using patented-technology, which they have invented, and only they possess. The cultured cancer cells are then tested against various agents, including "natural substances", to see which is most effective at killing them.
Patently untrue[edit]
The RGCC test is only carried out in Greece, however the blood they purportedly test is not just Greek: 25mL samples from across the world[2] are sent there to be analysed. The inventor of the RGCC test is Dr. Ioannis Papasotiriou,[3] who reportedly holds a patent on the process.[4] However, a (2019) patent-search for his name only gives one result: a patent for a proposed cancer-treatment,[5] which is not a patent for a blood-test or patent for a method of cell-culture.
Daily speed-limit[edit]
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The American agent for RGCC, a chiropractor named Dr Ray Hammon,[6] states that their chemosensitivity test involves extracting the "5-200" circulating tumour cells (CTCs) from the 25mL of blood submitted, and culturing those approximately 100 cells up to a population of "trillions" in "just 24-36 hours".[7] Finding the "5-200" needles in the haystack that is a 25mL blood sample, would be very difficult, but not impossible.[8] Whereas producing "trillions" of cancer cells from approximately 100 cells in "just 24-36 hours" is impossible. Dozens of cancer cell-lines are known, their typical doubling-time is approximately daily,[9] i.e. the number of cells doubles every 24 hours: if you started with 100 cells, after 1 day you'd have 200 cells, after 2 days 400, after 3 days 800, et cetera. It would take 34 days to reach a "trillion" cells. (In 2013 a laboratory grew a few cow-muscle cells into a beef-burger: the quarter-pounder only contained about 1/10th of a trillion cells, but took three months to grow in the lab[10] and cost over $300K).
Notably, a blood test will not detect tumor cells unless it is a blood-borne cancer (generally leukemia or lymphoma), or the cancer has metastasized into the blood from its original organ.
The RGCC chemosensitivity test allegedly evaluates the efficacy of so-called "natural substances", as well as pharmaceutical chemotherapy agents. According to RGCC the category of "natural substances" includes these patent-medicines:
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That the test specifies those patent-medicines explains why the RGCC test is only used by integrative-practitioners; they are the only group who would offer those unproven treatments.
As no laboratory could culture sufficient tumor cells to perform the 100+ tests within the turnaround time, the results of the RGCC chemosensitivity test could just be a form-letter[13] recommending to the integrative-practitioner that they prescribe whatever potion they have a surfeit of.
As of 2016, costs for the RGCC chemosensitivity tests range from $1824 to $3126.[14]
See also[edit]
- Live blood analysis — another bogus blood test
External links[edit]
- RGCC has sales "Representatives" across the globe , and three "Colloborative Clinics",
which includes Hallwang Clinic in Germany. - The RGCC YouTube channel.
- Video of a prosperous-looking Dr Papasotiriou claiming he can make human cells divide
"every 20 to 30 minutes".. "If you run the maths", a doubling-time of 20 minutes could theoretically
produce more than a billion-billion cells in 24 hours, so a billion times more than "1.6 billion". - Dr James W. Forsythe, M.D. praises the RGCC test,
however, he has been disciplined by the the Nevada Board for malpractice and overcharging, - Dr James J. Mahoney, D.O. recommends "The Greek test",
however, he is a chelationist who has been disciplined by the Texas medical board. - Dr Juergen G. Winkler, M.D. says he uses RGCC testing,
but he has been disciplined by California's medical licensing board. - Dr Leigh Erin Connealy MD employs RGCC testing, however she has been disciplined
by the California medical Board for negligence and unprofessional conduct. - Evidently Dr David Ira Minkoff M.D. uses the RGCC test, however he has been disciplined
by the Florida & California medical boards, and apparently he is a Scientologist. - The RGCC cancer test is recommended by Dr. William Richard Deagle MD,
who had his medical license revoked in 2007. ( He's all the crazy ). - "Dr. V", a/k/a Veronique Desaulniers, recommends Dr Papasotirou's "Greece Test",
However she is a chiropractor, who has used and sold Amega magic wands, & "GIA-life" amulets. - Naturopath Dr. Tsu-Tsair Chi says the RGCC test has shown his angiostop® product to be effective.
(Who says you can't buy happiness?, not Dr Chi) - Dr Glen Depke has reproduced an article on his website which mentions the RGCC test,
however he is naturopath, who owns the website URL "ThePoopDr.com", (and is an ex-employee of Dr Mercola). - "Dr Nicola Hembry BSc MBBS PgDip MRSB MBPsS" in the UK, offers RGCC testing,
but bear in mind she owns 50% of "RGCC-UK Limited", so there is a potential conflict-of-interest. - Dr Jonathan Stegall MD uses "the Greek test" [1].
Like Dr Winkler (above), Dr Stegall offers Insulin Potentiation Therapy (IPT). - The Cancer Tutor website includes a link to the RGCC website,
A recommendation from Cancer Tutor is a hallmark of quackery: they promote fakes for a commission. - Chris "Beat Cancer" Wark , (whose qualifications are in marketing & management, not medicine),
recommends "the Greek Test", aka "OncoStat Test", carried out by RGCC, (on page 17). - Laura "mum's not having chemo" Bond recommends the RGCC test. She has also recommended the infamous Dr Burzynski.[15]
- RGCC test results suggest vitamin-C infusions at £200 per week will "help healing and recovery".†.
(As £200 of pure vitamin-C would weigh about 200 pounds, they may have been overcharged). - In February 2017 RGCC USA made reference to this RationalWiki article, under the title "misinformation".
References[edit]
- ↑ The meaning of R.G.C.C. acronym, according to its inventor.
- ↑ RGCC's International Network, (click on image to enlarge).
- ↑ Ioannis Papasotiriou listed as managing director of RGCC Central Europe & Hallwang Clinic.
- ↑ Dr. Ioannis Papasotiriou introduced as "patent holder" of RGCC test.
- ↑ Patent search for "Ioannis Papasotiriou".
- ↑ Personnel in the RGCC branch office in the USA.
- ↑ USA agent for RGCC writes "trillions in just 24-36 hours".
- ↑ Proven tests exist to isolate (count) the number of CTCs in blood, (most damage cell viability).
- ↑ List of 60 human cancer cell-lines, (doubling-times in hours)
- ↑ The test-tube-burger took three months to grow.
- ↑ Dr Papasotiriou worked for "Nerium", who makes Anvirzel™
- ↑ CV247 invented by a veterinarian.
- ↑ Fill-in the blanks with your details and save thousands.
- ↑ R.G.C.C. Blood Analysis via CancerCenterForHealing in California.
- ↑ Laura says Dr Burzynski is a brave maverick doctor with the cure for cancer.
