A Texas-based doctor who has specialised in cancer treatment has indicated interest in training African medical doctors, especially Ghanaians, in his special method of treating cancer, in order to save lives.

According to Dr Stanislaw R. Burzynski, his clinic treated close to 20,000 patients, some of whom arrived in coma or even at the terminal stage of their cancer.

"They were told nothing else could be done for them. Some of them are even brought in coma. But basically all of these are terminal cancer patients," he told JoyNews in a zoom interview.

"Our goal is to teach the other doctors how to identify the changes in mutation of the genes and how to use this to make sure that the patient will respond to treatment. It takes time, however, to learn because it requires some knowledge of genetics, but obviously they are such doctors in Africa who know what to do and we'll be glad to work with them."

According to Dr Burzynski, it will be much simpler for doctors to come with patients to learn during the course of treatment.

"So, this is the best for instance, when a patient comes together with a doctor because then, the doctor will have the first-hand knowledge on how to use the treatment and then he can continue."

By examining samples from both cancer patients and normal individuals, Dr Burzynski developed the treatment.

"I discovered that there are certain unknown substances which chemically are characterised as peptides and these peptides were deficient in the bladder cancer patients.

“This triggered my interest because I saw that if there is a deficiency, perhaps it has relation to cancer."

However, according to Dr Burzynski, the approach is different.

The present cancer treatment has only been around for a few years, and it was made possible by a new law that was enacted in the United States that allowed the use of investigational drugs like the antineoplaston – which he discovered – and a few other drugs that affect genes.

"So, it changed completely. Previously, it was not possible but the new law really makes it possible to treat patients much more effectively," he added.

Chemical substances known as antineoplastons are typically present in blood and urine. They are composed of peptides and amino acids.

The building components of protein are amino acids. Two or more amino acids are required to form a peptide.

In the 1970s, Dr Burzynski created antineoplaston therapy. According to him, the body's natural defense against cancer includes antineoplastons, which are deficient in cancer patients.

He initially extracted these substances from blood and urine but they can now be created in a lab.

The majority of researchers who have reported encouraging findings are connected to the practice of this medical doctor.

The treatment at the Burzynski Clinic has drawn criticism from other researchers.

However, according to him, "people are taking the name of cancer, and the cancer is different in every patient. So we have to identify what is causing the cancers? The cancer is caused by mutated genes. You have to treat these genes and get rid of them. They are causing the problem for cancer.

“It's completely new for most of the doctors. They've never heard of this, but they will care about this in the next five to 10 years and they will use what we do now but it takes time, unfortunately."

Dr Burzynski was penalised by the Texas Medical Board on March 3, 2017, placing him on probation and imposing a $40,000 fine.

He received penalties for more than 130 offenses but was, nonetheless, permitted to keep his medical licence and carry on with his profession.

He says they have not had any legal disputes in the last five years "but we have got them before, and the most important to legal battles are the ones triggered by large financial companies and a hospital who are really forcing to get rid of us because they didn't like our good results."

"We won and we are moving forward. Alas, five years we didn't have any legal battles."

When others are opposing him and his methods, why does he still want to save lives?

But according to Dr Burzynski, "that's what I like to do. And fortunately, we can move forward and modern people understand what we are trying to accomplish."

He has strong hopes that the new treatment he introduced will soon be adopted by all.

"It is just a matter of persistence. I am a fighter."

The use of biologically active peptides for the treatment of cancer was invented by Dr Burzynski, a doctor and researcher with international renown.

He was the youngest student in his class of 250 at the Medical Academy in Lublin, Poland, graduating first in 1967 at the age of 24.

He discovered human peptides that are naturally produced and are lacking in cancer patients.

He came to the conclusion that these peptides helped stop the spread of cancer cells.

The medical doctor received his PhD in 1968, making him one of the country's youngest doctors and researchers to hold both an MD and a PhD.

He got funding from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) between 1970 and 1977 for his work as an Assistant Professor and Principal Investigator at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.

The Baylor College of Medicine awarded Dr Burzynski a Certificate of Appreciation in May 1977 in recognition of his contributions to the "Advancement of Medical Education, Research and Health Care."

The Burzynski Clinic opened in Houston, Texas, in 1977.