Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds

by Kelly A. Turner

In her New York Times bestseller, Radical Surviving Cancer Against All Odds, Dr. Kelly A. Turner, founder of the Radical Remission Project, uncovers nine factors that can lead to a spontaneous remission from cancer—even after conventional medicine has failed.

While getting her Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkley, Dr. Turner, a researcher, lecturer, and counselor in integrative oncology, was shocked to discover that no one was studying episodes of radical (or unexpected) remission—when people recover against all odds without the help of conventional medicine, or after conventional medicine has failed.  She was so fascinated by this kind of remission that she embarked on a ten month trip around the world, traveling to ten different countries to interview fifty holistic healers and twenty radical remission cancer survivors about their healing practices and techniques. Her research continued by interviewing over 100 Radical Remission survivors and studying over 1000 of these cases.  Her evidence presents nine common themes that she believes may help even terminal patients turn their lives around.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Self Help, Medical, Psychology, Spirituality, Medicine

325 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 18, 2014

About the author

Dr. Kelly Turner is a researcher, lecturer, and consultant in the field of integrative oncology. Her specialized research focus is the Radical Remission of cancer, which is a remission that occurs either in the absence of conventional medicine, or after conventional medicine has failed. Her research is summarized in her upcoming book RADICAL REMISSION (HarperOne, March 18, 2014), available wherever books and e-books are sold. Dr. Turner has a B.A. from Harvard University and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. When she's not studying incredible cases of healing, you'll find her either cozying up in Brooklyn with her family, waterskiing, or screenwriting. For more information, please visit http://www.DrKellyTurner.com .

Reviews

[Alexandra Chauran · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's nothing "radical" about the advice in this book, but there are lots of nourishing stories and ideas. This book's title should have been "Let's Freak Out About Cancer... in 2015!" New revisions every year. It's kind of a handbook to what people do these days socio-spiritually to cope with all the sequelae of cancer and/or its treatment. It's fascinating in an anthropological sense, hearkening back to the Kellogg days of alternative health treatments for hysteria. I was struck not by how different these survivors are, but by how similar they are to so many people I know, survivors and not-so-survivors. I'm in the uniquely cynical position of having done all the natural anti-cancer stuff before I ever got cancer. I wish that the diet and supplements chapters weren't first. Even though the author stresses that there's not one specific diet that is supported by research, hers or otherwise, she then goes back on that and you have to swim through a wall of bullshit to get to the rest of the book. I think future editions would be well-served by an encyclopedic format, allowing people to read more deeply into whatever they wish. Warning to readers: Though this book appears positive, it's written such that she will be also telling you things that will supposedly kill you. This can be disturbing and possibly damaging to vulnerable readers. Also, the author very much has an agenda. Though the marketing copy and introduction suggest this book is written to be used along with Western medicine, she cherry picks her volunteers (without discussing volunteer bias) so as to glorify those who refuse treatment. She also seems to confuse being an "active" patient with being a combative and noncompliant patient. Overall, this book should be read with critical thinking. Don't abandon your brain at the door. Don't give this book to a person who is losing his or her marbles with grief about treatment. That said, this was a fast and easy read, enjoyable for its various zany stories.

[Deirdre Vogel · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my chemo nurses recommended this book to me. Read after very-near fatal experince while on chemotherapy. I highly recommend this book.Traditional medicine does not have all the answers when it comes to cancer, even though I continue with traditional therapies I have found that many of the suggestions in this book have helped me deal with my diagnosis. I also have tried some of the alternative approaches that have slowed the progression of my dieease.

[David McGill-Soriano · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this book twice in just a couple of weeks. This is a must read for any cancer patients or anyone with family or friends that have cancer. This is by far one of the best books I ever read. It includes inspiring stories of cancer patients, and it gives you detailed steps on how to beat cancer. The lessons in here were life changing, they create hope for all cancer patients to achieve a radical remission. The only thing I am mad about is that I didn't read this book sooner. The author is amazing, she is really making a difference for the cancer fighting world.

[Pamela · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a cancer conqueror, I was expecting a great read as I began this book! What could be more encouraging than learning from someone who had researched and talked to over a thousand radical survivors of cancer and asking what they had done to bring about those changes? I certainly wanted to hear what they had to say. The author noticed a pattern of nine factors that seemed pivotal in many of these accounts of healing. Of these nine factors, only two are physical things I could do- radically change my diet and use herbs and supplements. The other chapters are very spiritually orientated. The spirituality presented in this book was new age faith healing with next to no representation of healing from a Christian perspective. In fact, I don't believe the name of Jesus was mentioned at all.

Radical Remission's message, turned out to be: If you want to be healed of cancer, change your diet, take some supplements and turn to eastern religion. Encouragement to experiment with paganism fills its pages. After reviewing 1000 cases and interviewing over 100 people Kelly Turner could not find space in her book for any who had found healing by turning to Christianity. Although this book is about healing cancer it had a huge emphasis on teaching a certain kind of spirituality. I wasn't expecting to find that in this book and wish I would have known that before I purchased it.

When I was a young woman I was also interested and participated in many of the new age ideas presented in this book. Having turned from those things, I am now a believer in Jesus, and quite honestly I no longer want anything to do with those practices. Having been in both camps, I found this book to be an uncomfortable advertisement for new age faith healing and paganism in its many different forms. Story after story is presented of patients and healers employing new age and eastern spiritual practices for healing. There is a glaring absence of those who have a strong biblical faith and found healing in Jesus. Christianity is only represented here in one or two very short accounts. Where it does come up in the longer stories is only to say how badly they felt under that oppressive old way they used to live.

This book will offer you encouragement:

- If your interests lie in learning more about medical intuitive's with clairvoyant abilities who can read your energy fields and guide your healing journey.
- If you might be interested in following a mans journey to Bangkok where he meets a sikh who tells his fortune and he gets deeply into energy healing.
- If you believe God is a force or energy or an "it" that you can awaken, involve and tell that divine force to help you.
- If you want to read about what someone learned under the teaching of a Native American Shaman.
- If you want to hear about someone's experience with awakening kundalini rising in their spine.
- If your interested in Matrix Energetics.
- If your into Reiki.
- If your interested in energy healing.
- If you'd like the terms chi, qi, or prana explained.
- If you want to read about someone's 10 day silent meditation retreat at a Buddhist enlightenment center where this person has a spiritual experience and wonders if he is hallucinating or if he experiencing God.
- If your into hypnosis.
- If your into acupuncture.
- If your into reincarnation.
- If guided meditation and tapping to release energetic and emotional blockages interests you.
- If you chose not to be around people carrying bad energy and purposefully surround yourself with the highest vibration frequencies possible.
- If studying Traditional Chinese Medicine and learning about the meridian system, auras, and chakras interests you.
- If exploring the many different modes of new age thought and healing interest you.
- If you want to feel encouraged in throwing off the Christian God of your youthful upbringing.

Then you might find what you are looking for in Radical Remission.

[Lindsay Wycherley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I chose this book in the hope and expectation of advice and help that had at least some scientific basis. There was some merit in the first chapter on nutrition but after that, all rationality ended. What I find most disturbing is the lengthy chapter on 'John of God,' a charlatan who is now serving a prison sentence for rape and sexual abuse of women and girls, and a number of whose patients, supposedly 'healed,' have subsequently died. Who is to say that all the other healers mentioned in the book are any better? I have always been sceptical of so-called 'faith healing,' which relies heavily on the placebo effect and nothing else. This book has confirmed my beliefs. If someone is going to write a book of this nature which encourages sick, often desperate, patients to seek 'alternative' treatments, the author has a duty of care to properly research the methods and outcomes, rather than relying solely and anecdotes, which are very subjective.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I very much enjoyed this book, I would have liked to know that there were objective differences between those who did and did not experience remission. This is really a book about how people make meaning of their unlikely survival. I am sure many people who don't experience remissions do similar things in an effort to prolong their survival. Therefore, it's still hard to know what the difference is between those who do and don't go into remission. What it due to the behaviors and practices outlined in the book? There is no way to know this. The implication is that what these people did made a positive difference (though the author tries to explain that her methods don't support such assumptions), but I am ambivalent about the implied message.

Regardless of this critique, I thought the book was still a valuable contribution - to have tracked down and interviewed so many people who have recovered from dire prognoses is impressive. We have a lot to learn from these examples and knowing that such stories of profound healing exist, regardless of the reasons.

[Christina Jain · Rating 1 out of 5]

This title is incredibly misleading. Turner is looking for shared traits among statistical anomalies, then leading you to believe (but never explicitly outlining) that following her suggestions would lead you to healing. She admits she has no scientific data to backup her claims, though she has plenty of anecdotes. It's a clear case of survivorship bias.

If she had stayed away from nutritional recommendations, many which I've found to be false based on Cochrane.org and reputable medical institutions, her introductions to alternative therapies (QiGong, meditation, willful being, spiritual energy practices, herbalism, etc) would have been better received.

That said, she does present "inspiring" stories of survivors which may give some hope that they too will win the lottery.

[Lori Wilk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to thank this author for writing this book and including so many examples of patients who have had radical remissions. This book came at a time we are helping a loved one suffering with 4th stage prostate cancer which has moved into his bones and spread.. it's been pretty emotionally painful and horrible to see the suffering that Cancer brings. We have been uplifted and inspired by this author and look forward to opportunities to see her at upcoming live events. I would like to interview Kelly A.Turner on an upcoming episode of my talk show "Successipes." Again, thank-you and keep writing and sharing more with us. We need good news and to have hope. You will help so many people with this book.

[Kat · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a scam. It designed to prey on desperate people(who are suffering from or whose loved one is suffering from cancer), who will willingly spend money buying this book in the hopes of finding the solution/cure they so desperately seek.

The author makes the claim that if you follow her nine tips/tricks you could beat the odds by curing your cancer and going into remission. She may seem to make a convincing case at first, but when you take a closer look at the numbers things start to look a little iffy.

To start off, her sample size for her study is 1000 people. This may seem fairly large, but to put things in perspective, 9.5 million people die of cancer every year worldwide. So if 1000 people out of those 9.5 million miraculously survive every year, that's a 0.01% survival rate. That's super low, and probably not even accurate, as the people in the study probably didn't all have cancer in the same year, which would make the survival rate even smaller.

So basically, don't waste your money by giving it to the manipulative bitch that wrote this book. Fuck her!

[Jamie Newman · Rating 4 out of 5]

.5 star for writing
1 star premise
1 star for liking it
1 star for research
1 star for impact

Kindly written and lots of ideas and options.

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Radical Remission was a book I wasn't overly interested in, despite a good friend telling me how great it was. For some reason, the cancer aspect didn't peak my curiosity, even though I am interested in alternative healing methods for cancer patients. Having finally read it, I can say this is an amazing book that is less about cancer, and more about natural healing and ways to "miraculously" heal your body that are not so mysterious after all.

If you are in any way interested in holistic living, please read this book. It's full of incredible information and jaw-dropping stories of people brave enough to blaze their own path with their healthcare in order to save their own lives.

The information in this book is applicable to every day life, as well. You do not need to be sick in order to benefit from and be inspired by the wealth of information in Radical Remission.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was apprehensive at first to read this book but it has come highly recommended in the cancer community. I figured it would make me feel like I wasn't doing the right things or choices I make were bad. It was not that at all. It gave me hope. We don't only have Western medicine to heal our bodies. Will alternative ways work for everyone... probably not, but traditional ways don't either so why not use hope, faith and stress free living too. Kelly tells about her research in the cancer community, things that can't always be explained from a scientific stand point but it happens just the same. She never made me feel as though I was doing things wrong and each chapter had practical advice to bring more balance in your body and mind. I now believe that anyone touched by cancer should read this book.

[Huang · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book gives a very collective and comprehensive digest of hundreds of people recovered from cancer using alternative treatment. It is not exaggerating the importance of nonconventional treatment but objectively analyzed the common ways these recovered patient adopted. Each chapter is composed of a single key factor, underlying rationality or scientific proof, sounding examples and technics. It also incorporated some theory of Chinese medicine and other Asian or ancient perspective for healing. The book is not only applied to cancer but also good for keeping healthy life and enjoying a better quality of life.

[Rosa]

DNF. I tried. I wanted to like it. I wanted it to open up something in me that could help me see that these elements could be an accompaniment (but not, god forbid, an alternative) to standard medicine, but it’s a load of rubbish. It’s full of baseless and honestly infuriating case studies. It’s written poorly. I watched a documentary where the author was interviewed and that gave me a pretty good impression of what we are working with with this person. I’m here for anything that can add hope to somebody’s life when it comes to cancer, but this felt totally snake oil esque. Sorry.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just because that's all we know, doesn't mean that it is all there is to know. I spent 4 years studying the mind-body connection during my undergraduate work in Biopsychology. Way back then it was still an emerging field. It just felt like common sense to me, and still does. My positivity through my breast cancer is genuine, I've decided to be well.
I am not someone who thinks in terms of this OR that. I am all about the "and." I am working with amazing doctors on traditional western medicine and surgeries. I am also working on improving my diet, exercising more, lowering stress, continuing to meditate, and will soon be meeting a spiritual healer. My thoughts are - let's do it all and lead the best life I can create.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspiring and well-written book about people who have survived cancer, and some of the ways in which they have addressed their disease. Chapters include: Radically changing your diet; Taking control of your health; Following your intuition; Using herbs and supplements; Releasing suppressed emotions; Increasing positive emotions; Embracing social support; Deepening your spiritual connection; and Having strong reasons for living. It could have been called: a blueprint for living. Reccommended.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is AWESOME. I recommend that anyone who either had/has or might get or know anyone with either cancer or any chronic disease read this. I feel that it validated some of my beliefs already. I would never advise anyone to skip western medical treatment but think that the principles in this book would help anyone with just about any diagnosis.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book while in active treatment for breast cancer and it was so inspirational and empowering. These are the tips and stories that I was looking for and not finding anywhere. I find the author's research so valuable and powerful. I highly recommend this book for anyone living with cancer or those looking to get one step ahead of the game.

[Katja · Rating 1 out of 5]

Many fellow cancer survivors recommend this. Vibrating cells at different rates. Enough said. Sorry I put money in this person's pocket. World give negative stars if I could for the unethical profiting off sick people.
👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎

[Ryan Carter Haney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book club pick- very glad I read this, there were some great takeaways and it sparked interesting conversations with Jared and I

[steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

My goal in reading this book was to a) learn more about cancer and b) to have hope. To me, Turner delivered on both fronts. I found it fascinating to read each of the personal stories shared in every chapter. The mind/body connection explored so thoroughly in 7 if the 9 key factors was fascinating and had me reflecting on what emotions may be stored in my body that I need to work to release. Also reading about how your diet can impact your odds to both getting and beating cancer, made me reflect on the role sugar plays in my life and how I could cut back to benefit my overall health. I’d love to say “eliminate” here but I think I’d need to read more about the best way to go about this for long-term success because while this book points to the solutions, it doesn’t provide a step-by-step guide on how to get there especially for the chapter on diet.

As someone without cancer and who has never had it, I wonder how people with cancer would feel about this book. Would it be inspiring and empowering or frustrating and condescending? I guess it would depend on where you are at and what it is you need to hear to help you get through. One of my friends was diagnosed with cancer this year and he mentioned he was reading this book, so I wanted to read it in solidarity. On discussing it with him, his view was you need to tailor it to your situation. I agree with him, critical thinking is necessary here and you need to cherry pick what may work for you. While Turner focuses on one of the key factors in each of the survivor stories, they do mention that most of the people mentioned in this book focused on 8 out of the 9 factors. I can see that this would be potentially frustrating as we still don’t know exactly what has led to each of the survivor’s success. I also wish that Turner at focused more on how western and eastern medicine could work in conjunction with one another to yield results whereas most of the people in this book had rejected western medicine for the most part. That said, if you had tried all western medicine had to offer and were looking for other solutions, I imagine this book would prove valuable.

In the end I think this book was intended to provide hope and I think it does that pretty well. It’s an easy read and one that will spur me on to get better educated about the themes it explores.

[Mish Middelmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear, courageous, direct: Kelly Turner navigates the stormy waters of cancer treatment and recovery with aplomb. I really like the way she combines storytelling with thorough data analysis. As a cancer survivor I deeply value her even handedness embracing both conventional medicine and complementary health practices. The last thing I need right now is some kind of shaming right/wrong finger-wagging about the dilemmas of responding to a cancer diagnosis.

In her PhD, she interviewed healers and survivors about their experiences with radical remission: cancer recoveries that beat the odds through natural methods, whether combined with conventional medical treatment or not. By the time she wrote the book she was drawing on over a thousand case studies.

Her writing offers a wonderfully clear, succinct combination of the results of her data analysis with useful cancer research - and lovely, touching, individual stories of miraculous cancer recovery told with loving care and wonder. So we sit -together with both the science and the magic that is our life on this earth.

And then she decodes the magic - at least partially. I encourage you read the book whether or not you have been diagnosed with cancer. We can all improve the quality of our lives by paying attention to the nine empowering and broad-based common factors she identifies - actions and behaviours any person can take, to live more healthily and reduce the chances of cancer cells congregating in your body and starting a rebellion.

I am writing about my personal experience of prostate cancer, and the steps I am taking to respond to the cancer, on the Recovering Man blog and I invite you to visit.

[Nancyann · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am fearful that this book may prevent cancer patients from receiving proven, traditional treatment for their disease. Although there is a modicum of good information in Radical Remission (eat well, have emotional support in your life), most of the book consists of anecdotal stories by people who allowed their cancer to "speak to them" and then sought alternative treatments through diet or Chinese medicine or exercise or music, etc.. These people aren't necessarily cancer free, and they don't have medical scans/tests to see if their cancer is in remission, just that they feel pretty good considering they have a potentially terminal disease. If you are old enough to remember the pop psychology books of the 1970s (think I'm Okay, You're Okay), Radical Remission is the 21st century version of the same but aimed at cancer patients. It has the potential for being dangerous to the health of these individuals.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the profoundest, most positive books I've ever read. Incredible. It was a brilliant idea to study the medical anomaly of radical cancer remissions and find the commonalities in the people who recovered. Different types of cancer have occurred in my immediate family and our questions were always why? why? why? Well here are all the answers. If any book comes close to explaining the meaning of life, this is it! This book also offers amazing insights into the prevention of cancer too. It proves miracles can and do happen and I'm all for that! I want to give it to everyone I know with cancer, (which is sadly, far too many). I like that the author acknowledges that not every cancer sufferer may witness a full remission, but it certainly shows how to set up the conditions in which the miracle of complete healing can take place. Very, very hopeful indeed!

[Kristin Traylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an astonishing book!!! Well worth your time. The author, a medical researcher, notices that doctors will say that some patients experience remission from cancer, but they Never Follow Through - asking the patient what they did!!! So this author does ask, interviewing over 1,000 people who have experienced recovery from cancer though their doctors expected them to die. Each chapter describes one of the 9 factors that come up the most, with many engaging personal stories, and an in-depth account of one person's experience for each chapter/factor. A book that so needed to be written.

[Kanan Jani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this after my own diagnosis and soon I realized that every time I sat down to read this book, at every single page I turned, I was left with a sense of awe and positivity and new courage that I didn't even know existed in me. It is extremely empowering and has brought so much hope to my life that I have told myself to read this book every six months to keep feeling these positive feelings. I'd recommend it to everyone who wants to cure and prevent a cancer. Thank you, Dr. Turner, for writing this book and bringing tremendous amount of hope to me! With gratitude, Kanan

[Elizabeth Grateful Sadhu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am still reading but this book should be required reading for everyone. Not just when you get cancer. I don't have cancer but I'm reading this because it was recommended by a friend who does. As far as I am concerned this book helps understand how to live. It was very confirming to me and the beliefs I have had for close to 50 years. It is about joy, connection, love, intuition, happy, belief.

[Nancy Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic information. Everything shared with wonderful compassion and stories shared from cancer survivors. So much data that can be practiced by everyone. I took my time in reading so I could truly take in all that was said - and will definitely return to the pages again and again.

[Amy Maikkula · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could get this 10 stars. I have recently healed from advanced ovarian cancer. I have done every one of the nine things that Kelley sees, and people who have experienced radical remission. This gives me so much hope!

[Kourtney Prescher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very important book for anyone navigating cancer and their loved ones. 8 simple things that anyone can do to significantly impact their health and potentially their outcomes. It is filled with wonderful stories of inspiration and hope, along with the steps to take for each of us.