# chelation therapy

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chelation-therapy/350735>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [March 31, 2006, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chelation-therapy/350735 "2006-03-31T18:16:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![khannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58f4c7/32.png) [@khannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/khannah)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chelation-therapy/350735/1 "2006-03-31T18:16:45Z")

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In Cecil’s column of 10 March, he states that “current consensus is that chelation is effectively snake oil.”  
This is generally true. However, chelation is a recognized effective treatment for severe childhood lead poisoning. I realize this was not the thrust of the column but wanted to make you aware of this fact.

Sincerely,

Karen L. Hannah  
Epidemiologist  
West Virginia Medical Institute

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**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2006, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chelation-therapy/350735/2 "2006-04-01T02:15:20Z")

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And I confess I find myself vaguely wondering whether chelation might be used to speed up recovery after Oxyplatin therapy (Folfox).

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chelation-therapy/350735/3 "2006-04-02T19:00:15Z")

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Welcome to the SDMB, Karen.

A link to the column is appreciated. Providing one can be as simple as pasting the URL into your post, making sure to leave a blank space on either side of it. Like so: [http://www.straightdope.com/columns/060310.html](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/060310.html)

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**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chelation-therapy/350735/4 "2006-04-02T21:02:15Z")

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The [wikipedia article on chelation therapy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelation_therapy) lists some of the conventional uses.

As far as chemo is concerned, I don’t know if it’s used or not. Although this makes me feel like a bad chemist, I must admit that I don’t know how well EDTA complexes to Pt(II). My guess is that it will displace both the diamine and the oxalate on oxyplatin, but I’m not sure.  
It seems that the ligand actually enhances the effects of cisplatin [[cite](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15014364&dopt=Abstract)], but it might be useful for cleanup afterward as you suggest.

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**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chelation-therapy/350735/5 "2006-04-04T05:35:08Z")

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By the magic of deletion, I have spared you an uncommonly lame joke about chelation versus timeliness. I blush to even think of it. Move along, nothing to see here. Keep it moving.