Shark Cartilage Debunked as Cure for Cancer

Contrary to the claims of people who market shark cartilage as a cure for cancer, sharks contract a wide variety of cancers--including chondromas, or cancers of the cartilage--according to a Johns Hopkins researcher. Biologist Gary Ostrander told a San Francisco meeting of the American Assn. for Cancer Research on Wednesday that more than 40 types of tumors have been documented in sharks and related fishes like skates and rays.

“People are out there slaughtering sharks and taking shark cartilage pills based on very faulty data and no . . . studies to show that it works,” Ostrander said.

Compiled by Times medical writer Thomas H. Maugh II