Luigi di Bella
Luigi di Bella (July 17, 1912 – July 1, 2003) was an Italian medical doctor and physiology professor. In the late 1990s, he created a purported treatment for cancer that precipitated an international controversy. Di Bella was born in Linguaglossa, Sicily. He studied medicine at Bari University, and worked as an army doctor in Greece. In 1948, he became a professor of physiology at the University of Modena.
During the late 1990s, di Bella developed a cocktail of drugs, vitamins and hormones (Melatonin, ACTH and Somatostatin) which he argued would be useful in fighting cancer. Following national exposure in 1997 and 1998, several cancer patients from around the world traveled to his clinic seeking access to a "miracle cure". Medical authorities later found his treatment to be without scientific merit, although di Bella rejected their conclusions and argued that drug companies were conspiring against him.
Di Bella's work fomented of a political controversy in Italy. The centre-left government of Romano Prodi was skeptical of his research, while right-wing parties such as the AN supported him.
In May 2007, comes the final rejection in a letter written December 30, 2005 by the Chairman of the Board of Health Mario Condorelli to the then Health Minister Francesco Storace AN : "The Working of the Board of Health considers that it had not any evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of multitherapy Di Bella and therefore do not recommend a new clinical trial ministerial and this could be not only ineffective but also harmful to the patients by denying them (or procrastinating) access to anti-cancer drugs of proven effectiveness."
Books
- Di Bella L Ruolo del. sistema abenulo-epifisario nella regolazione del tasso piastrinemico. Bol. SIBS, 1969, 45,
- Di Bella L et al. Dinamica midollare dopo trattamento subacuto e cronico con Melatonina. Boll. SIBS, 1971, 47, Com.125.
- Di Bella L Orientamenti fisiologici nella terapia delle emopatie. Boll. Sc. Med. 1974, 1-3.
- Di Bella L Physiological Basis for a rational therapy of bone marrow diseases. XVIth Internat. Congr. of Hematol., Kyoto, 1976, 9-45.
- Di Bella L et al. Azione mielotropa della Melatonina (MLT). Boll. SIBS, 1976, 52, Com.26.
- Di Bella L et al.Effetti della somatostatina sulla funzione del midollo osseo. Boll. SIBS, 1977, 53, Com.42.
- Di Bella L et al. Perspectives in Pineal functions. Progress in Brain Research, vol.52, Elsevier Publ. Co., Amsterdam, 1979.
- Di Bella L et al. L’aggregazione piastrinica in presenza di melatonina (MLT). Relazione alla Riunione della Società Italiana di Fisiologia, 25-26 Maggio 1979.
- Di Bella L et al.Effetti della Melatonina (MLT) sulle piastrine in vitro. Boll. SIBS, 1979, 55, Com.114.
- Di Bella L et al. Sul ruolo fisiologico della Melatonina (MLT) nella regolazione del tasso piastrinemico, Boll. SIBS; 1979, 55, Com. 68.
- Di Bella L et al.Melatonin: an essential factor for the treatment and recovery from leukemia and cancer. International Symposium on Melatonin, 1980, N.Birau & W.Schloot (Eds), pag 161-162.
- Di Bella L et al.Platelet turnover as influenced by melatonin. International Symposium on Melatonin, 1980, N. Birau & W.Schloot (Eds.), pag.173-174.
- Di Bella L et al.Red blood cells generation and melatonin. International Symposium on Melatonin, 1980, N.Birau & W.Schloot (Eds.), pag.175-176.
- Di Bella L et al. Somatostatin in cancer therapy. 2nd International Symposium of Somatostatin, 1981.
- Di Bella L et al. Neurotropic action of melatonin. Satellite Meeting of International Society for Neurochemistry, 1981.
- Di Bella L et al. Molecular mechanism of bone marrow thrombocytogenesis by melatonin. Second Colloquium of the European Study Group,1981.
- Di Bella L et al.Bone marrow platelet production after melatonin i.v. infusion. Third colloquium of the European Pineal Study Group, Pécs, 1984.
- Di Bella L et al.Some aspects of the neurothropic action of melatonin. Third colloquium of the European Pineal Study Group, Pécs, 1984.
- Di Bella L et al. Melatonin in thrombocytogenesis. First Internationa Congress on Melatonin in humans, Vienna, 7 settembre 1985.
- Di Bella L et al. The bone marrow on the megacariocytes as a substrates of melatonin action. XXX Congress Proceedings of the International Union of Physiological Sciences, Vancouver, July 13, 1986.
- Di Bella L et al. ‘Melatonin in Thrombocytogenesis’, Intern. Workshop, Tübingen, Sept.6-8, (1987), Rossi M.T. Published in The pineal Gland an Cancer Russel J. (Ed.), Reiter.
- Di Bella L Melatonin in cancer therapy. A satellite symposium of the 8th International Congress of Endocrinology, Hong Kong, Abstract from Symposium on melatonin and the pineal gland, 1988.
- Di Bella L et al. Effect of Melatonin on circadian water intake by normal and tumor-bearing rats, Riunione cong. SIBS-SIF-SINU, Ischia, 1994.
- Di Bella L Melatonina dalla ricerca agli interventi – Atti del convegno – Reggio Calabria 23/01/97
- Di Bella L et al. Cytocalasin B influence on megacaryocyte patch-clamp. Congresso Internazionale di Amburgo, 27 agosto 1998.
- Di Bella L et al.Melatonin effects on megakaryocyte membrane patch-clamp outward K+ current. Med Sci Monit, 2002; 8(12): BR527-531
- Di Bella G. , Colori B.Complete objective response of neuroblastoma to biological treatment.Neuro Endocrinol Lett.:2009, 30(4): 102-113. P.O
- Di Bella G. , Madarena M Complete objective response of oesophageal squamocellular carcinoma to biological treatment..Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2009;30(3):312-2 P.O1
- Di Bella G. “ Il Metodo Di Bella “ Mattioli Editore 3° Edizione 2005
- Di Bella L, Gualano L. Key aspects of melatonin physiology: thirty years of research. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2006; 27(4): 425-432.
- Di Bella L, Rossi MT, Scalera G. Perspectives in pineal functions. Prog Brain Res. 1979; 52: 475-478.
- Di Bella L. Orientamenti fisiologici nella terapia delle emopatie. Bull Sc Med. 1974; 145:1-3
- Di Bella L, Rossi MT, Scalera G. Perspectives in Pineal Function. Prog Brain Res. 1979; 52:475-478
- Proceedings of the Hanseatic Endocrine Conference on Melatonin after Four Decades an assessment of its potential, by James Olcese.ISBN 0-306-46134-X held August 27–30, Hamburg, Germany, 1998
- L. Di Bella, L. Gualano, C. Bruschi, S. Minuscoli, and G. Tarozzi; CYTOCHALASIN B INFLUENCE ON MEGAKARIYOCYTE PATCH-CLAMP, Private Laboratory of Physiology-Via Marianini 45 Modena 1998.
- Il multitrattamento Di Bella: risultati della sperimentazione (Ministero dalla Salute, 15 December 1999)
- (English) Evaluation of an unconventional cancer treatment (the Di Bella multitherapy): results of phase II trials in Italy, British Medical Journal 1999; 318:224-228
- Di Bella L, Bruschi C, Gualano L. Melatonin effects on megakaryocyte membrane patch-clamp outward K+ current. Med Sci Monit. 2002; 8(12):527-531
- Di Bella L, Gualano L. Key Aspects of Melatonin Physiology: Thirty Years of Research. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2006; 27(4):425-432
- Giuseppe Di Bella, Il Metodo Di Bella (2004), Mattioli 1885 Ed.
- Achille Norsa, La multiterapia biologica razionale dei tumori: il Metodo Di Bella (2007), Mattioli 1885 Ed.
- Bruno Vespa, Luigi Di Bella-Si può guarire? (1998), Mondadori
- Luciano Gualano, Homage to Professor Di Bella (2007), Neuroendocrinology Letters; 28(3):219–220
- Complete objective response to biological therapy of plurifocal breast carcinoma.Di Bella GD.
See also
References
- Philip Willan, "Obituary – Luigi di Bella", The Guardian, 8 July 2003, p. 25.
- Di Bella L. Orientamenti fisiologici nella terapia delle emopatie. Bull Sc Med. 1974; 145:1–3
- Di Bella L, Rossi MT, Scalera G. Perspectives in Pineal Function. Prog Brain Res. 1979; 52:475–478
- Di Bella L, Bruschi C, Gualano L. Melatonin effects on megakaryocyte membrane patch-clamp outward K+ current. Med Sci Monit. 2002; 8(12):527–531
- Di Bella L, Gualano L. Key Aspects of Melatonin Physiology: Thirty Years of Research. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2006; 27(4):425–432
- Di Bella G. Complete objective response to biological therapy of plurifocal breast carcinoma. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2008; 29(6):857–866
External links
| Persondata |
| Name |
Di Bella, Luigi |
| Alternative names |
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| Short description |
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| Date of birth |
July 17, 1912 |
| Place of birth |
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| Date of death |
July 1, 2003 |
| Place of death |
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