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Claim: A viral post on WhatsApp claims that putting pineapple in hot water can permanently cure cancer.
Verdict: MISLEADING! According to our findings and medical experts, there is insufficient scientific research to support the claim.
Full Text
The management of a person’s cancer depends on the type and stage of the cancer. When people hear there is a solution to cancer, they get excited and begin to spread different ideas that tend to mislead the public.
Recently, a viral WhatsApp message asserted that pineapple in hot water is the permanent solution to cancer. According to the message, adding three pineapple slices to a cup of hot water can release anticancer substances and permanently defeat cancer.
“The warm fruit of the pineapple kills cysts and tumours. It has been proven to cure all types of cancer,” the claimant added.
The post claimed that Doctor Gilbert Kwok of ICBS General Hospital had insisted that everyone should share the post to save lives. 
The alarm of cancer issues, the recurrent nature of the claim, and the professional standing of the person behind the claim made DUBAWA investigate the assertion.
Verification
We ran a Google advanced search on the claim and found that the post has been circulating on Facebook, LinkedIn, and various WhatsApp groups since 2020. We also checked the doctor’s name in the post, Gilbert A. Kwok, and found a similar profile belonging to a construction lawyer.
We also extensively researched the ICBS general hospital and found no information about it.
We noticed that the Facebook post shared earlier had a different name, Gilbert A. Kwakeye, which signalled a red flag. We researched the name using Google’s Advanced Search, and it led us to the LinkedIn profile of an editor at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, not a doctor.
We later discovered a study that shows that bromelain, found in the fruit and stem of the pineapple plant, may have potential cancer-fighting properties. However, it is currently unclear whether pineapple offers similar benefits in humans.
Another article by Healthline highlights fruits that are known for their anti-cancer properties.
One of the listed fruits was pineapples. However, Healthline’s article “Fruits to Eat During and After Cancer Treatment” notes that these do not equate to a cure or the destruction of cancer cells.
Expert Opinion
According to Dr Pearl, a Medical expert at the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, this was not the first time she had heard such stories. She revealed that other fruits, like lemons, have also been implicated as a cure for cancer, but there is no proof.
She added, “Although a test tube test showed this, no human-based evidence can prove this. For every drug being invented, there are a series of clinical trials done, test tube testing, animal testing, and then testing on a group of people before the drug is released to the public. Pineapple and other fruits are generally good for the body and general health. No fruit has been identified as a cure for cancer.”
Another medical doctor, David Olayinka, from the University of Medical Sciences in Ondo, said the idea of hot water for treatment is a bad idea for cancer patients. He explained that there are also different claims on what can cure cancer, but we have to know that cancer has different types, affects different parts, and there are different stages of cancer. He noted that no fruit can treat cancer.
“There is nothing like a miracle food of fruit for the treatment of cancer. During thermotherapy, where we use heat to treat injuries, one of the contraindications is that you can not use it for cancer patients because heat causes the proliferation of cells. He added, “Cancer is basically the proliferation of cells, so the idea of water for treatment is a bad idea for cancer patients. This is because it may be hard to know when the heat is excessive in most cases. So what type of cancer and what stage is the pineapple in hot water really solving?”
Conclusion
Although different studies have shown that pineapple has some cancer-fighting properties, experts have indicated that further tests and research are needed. This makes the claim misleading.
