AROUND 150 cancer patients every year are receiving mistletoe treatment at a clinic near Bewdley to help improve their quality of life.

Park Attwood Clinic, in Trimpley Lane, combines mainstream and complementary medicine and began offering the treatment seven years ago

Mistletoe extract, which is in a liquid form, is injected by the patient once or twice a week and is a long-term treatment.

Dr Maurice Orange, the clinic's medical director said: "It helps to improve your own natural defences against cancer and illness. It improves how patients feel and it improves their quality of life."

It is not recommended as a substitute for the conventional treatments - surgery, chemotherapy and radiography.

Dr Orange said the mistletoe could often help patients who had those treatments recover better from their effects as it had been shown to stimulate and strengthen the immunological defences and support the body in fighting the effect of the cancer.

Mistletoe was first used in cancer therapy more than 80 years ago and can help problems including nausea, weight loss and depression and also contribute to a reduction in pain.

Nicola Wicksteed, 51, from Windermere in Cumbria, who was diagnosed with breast cancer, started a course of mistletoe treatment at the clinic in 2003.

The mother of one decided against conventional treatments and Carcatol - a blend of eight Indian herbs and a hormonal treatment called Tamoxifen.

She said she had experienced "remarkable" results as her seven centimetre wide tumour reduced in size and had disappeared.

Dr Orange said it was likely Mrs Wicksteed had benefited because of the combination of the Carcatol and mistletoe.

He added: "She only had three months of hormonal treatment, no chemotherapy and no surgery and her breast lump completely disappeared - it is remarkable."

Mrs Wicksteed, describing the clinic as "the place to go for mistletoe" said: "It is a remarkable result.

"I am considered to be in full remission but with something like breast cancer you can never say you are cured."

Dr Orange said three patients, whose treatment was mostly mistletoe, had similar results and a large number of people had done well when combining it with conventional treatments.

As well as cancer, the clinic also treats people with illnesses including cardio-vascular diseases, musculo-skeletal disorders, neurological problems, immunological disorders and depression and anxiety states. People can also go to Park Attwood for convalescence and rehabilitation.

For further information about the clinic, contact 01299 861444 or visit www.parkattwood.org