The Medical Board of California revoked the license of an oncologist who provided "sham treatment" to 1,000 patients, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Nov. 30.
Kenneth Matsumura, MD, who runs a solo practice, exhibited "cruel and dangerous conduct" with patients by providing what he called "side effect-free chemotherapy," according to board findings. The board became aware of Dr. Matsumura's conduct after three patients with metastatic cancer filed complaints between 2018 and 2020.
Dr. Matsumura's "side effect-free chemotherapy" was an intravenous drug therapy involving mesna and carboplatin. He claimed the treatment could achieve remission even in patients with extensive metastasis without typical side effects. Three patients who filed complaints were receiving care from Dr. Matsumura and physicians at other California medical centers. Dr. Matsumura allegedly told patients his treatment was working and their cancer was regressing, though tests at the other facilities contradicted these assertions, according to the board's findings.
The patients were charged between $30,000 and $100,000 for Dr. Matsumura's treatment. All patients died.
Dr. Matsumura told the board he has been offering the treatment to about 1,000 patients since 2002.
The experience "diminished their quality of life" during the patients' last months, the order said. In all three patients, the board found the treatment was "incompetent" and that "the evidence in aggregate shows that (he) preys on vulnerable patients and their families by exploiting their fear and denial about impending death to extract payment for worthless treatments. This conduct is despicable."
Dr. Matsumura said he provided an "alternative or complementary medicine" that was exempt from discipline under the state board, but the board found it did not qualify under that designation because the treatment offered no therapeutic gain and he did not perform exams on the patients or obtain their records from providers.
The revocation will take effect Dec. 8.