Papers p 224 and Reviews p 268

Wonder cures for cancer appear regularly. The latest comes from Italian physiologist Luigi Di Bella, whose “multitherapy” comprises a mixture of melatonin, bromocriptine, somatostatin, a solution of retinoids, and, depending on the kind of cancer, either cyclophosphamide or hydroxyurea. Political and media support for Di Bella's treatment led to the courts ruling that Italian hospitals must provide it.1 But research that we publish today (p 224),2 which has already been reported in the media, suggests that the treatment is ineffective and toxic. The research could, however, have been better designed.

The researchers, who were funded by the Italian government, conducted 11independent uncontrolled multicentre trials …