Editorial process
How we review treatments
Our review process is designed to be transparent, consistent, and honest. Here's exactly how we evaluate and rate every treatment, protocol, and product on this site.
Reminder: We are not medical professionals. Our ratings and reviews represent editorial opinions and aggregated reader experiences — not clinical judgements. Nothing here should be taken as medical advice.
Our review process
01
We gather publicly available research
We review published papers, preprints, and observational studies available in the public domain. We do not conduct original research. We summarise what is available and note its limitations.
02
We collect reader-reported experiences
We gather first-hand accounts from patients and caregivers who have used a treatment. These are personal opinions and anecdotal reports — not clinical evidence. We present them as-is, including negative experiences.
03
We assign an evidence tier
Based on the available research, we assign one of four evidence tiers (see below). This reflects the current state of published evidence — not our personal endorsement of a treatment.
04
We update regularly
Science moves fast. We review our ratings periodically and update them when new evidence emerges. Publication date is shown on every review.
Evidence tiers explained
Every treatment on this site is assigned one of four evidence tiers. This is our editorial interpretation of the available published literature — not a medical or regulatory classification.
Clinical trials
Human clinical trial data exists
At least one published human clinical trial has evaluated this treatment in a cancer context. This does not mean the treatment is proven effective or approved — only that human trial data exists.
Emerging evidence
Observational or early-phase data
Observational studies, case series, or early-phase trial data suggest possible benefit. Evidence is preliminary and not yet sufficient to draw firm conclusions.
Preclinical
Lab or animal data only
Research has been conducted in laboratory or animal settings. Human data is limited or absent. Preclinical results frequently do not translate to human outcomes.
Anecdotal
Reader reports only
No published research we are aware of. Rating is based entirely on reader-submitted experiences. Treat with significant caution.
What our star ratings mean
Star ratings on this site are aggregated from reader-submitted reviews. They reflect reader satisfaction and reported experience — not clinical efficacy. A 5-star rating does not mean a treatment works. A 1-star rating does not mean it doesn't.
We do not manipulate, filter, or selectively publish reviews to inflate ratings. Negative reviews are published alongside positive ones.
Conflicts of interest
This site earns revenue through affiliate commissions when readers purchase products via our links. We disclose this clearly on every page. Our affiliate relationships do not influence our evidence tier ratings or editorial opinions. A product we earn commission on may still receive a low rating if reader experiences are negative.