The short answer
This page checks the claim that cancer is a fungus that baking soda can cure, using NCI, FDA, and MedlinePlus sources. It is general education, not individual medical advice.
NCI says cancer is a genetic disease caused by changes to genes that control how cells grow and divide.
Cancer starts in the body's own cells. It is not described by NCI as an infection by a fungus.
FDA warns that fake cancer cures can cause harm by delaying or interfering with proven treatment.
MedlinePlus says a baking soda overdose can cause vomiting, muscle weakness, convulsions, and heart rhythm problems.
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The fact: cancer is a genetic disease of the body's own cells. The claim being checked says cancer is a fungus that baking soda can wash away. The federal sources do not support that, and swallowing large amounts of baking soda can be dangerous.
What cancer actually is
NCI defines cancer as "a disease in which some of the body's cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body."
NCI also says "cancer is a genetic disease—that is, it is caused by changes to genes that control the way our cells function, especially how they grow and divide." Those gene changes can come from:
- Errors that happen as cells divide
- Damage to DNA from things like tobacco smoke and UV rays from the sun
- Changes passed down from parents
None of these is a fungus. Cancer comes from the body's own cells.
Why the baking soda claim does not hold up
No source we checked shows baking soda treating cancer in people. FDA warns about products sold with phrases like "treats all forms of cancer," "miraculously kills cancer cells," and "more effective than chemotherapy." FDA treats these as warning signs of fraud, not as findings.
FDA also says fake cures "may cause harm by delaying or interfering with proven, beneficial treatments." Time matters with cancer. Please do not delay proven treatment while trying something unproven.
Large amounts of baking soda can hurt you
Baking soda is a normal kitchen product. MedlinePlus says large amounts of sodium bicarbonate can be poisonous. Possible effects include:
- Vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation
- Muscle weakness
- Convulsions (seizures)
- Irritability
MedlinePlus warns that serious dehydration and electrolyte (blood salt) imbalances can develop. These can lead to dangerous heart rhythm problems.
If someone swallowed a large amount, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222. For a seizure, trouble breathing, or passing out, call 911. Do not make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to.
What to do instead
FDA urges people to "always discuss cancer treatment options with their licensed health care provider." If you want to try something new, ask your care team about clinical trials. FDA says clinical trials are a legal way to get access to experimental treatments.
If a symptom is new or lasts, get it checked. Most symptoms have causes that are not cancer, but a care team can find out.
This page is general education, not medical advice. Talk with your care team about your own situation.
Common questions
Is cancer caused by a fungus?
No. NCI says cancer is a disease in which some of the body's cells grow uncontrollably and spread. It is caused by changes to genes that control how cells grow and divide.
Can baking soda cure cancer?
No fetched federal source shows baking soda curing cancer. FDA lists 'treats all forms of cancer' and 'miraculously kills cancer cells' among red-flag claims used to sell unproven products.
Is it dangerous to swallow a lot of baking soda?
Yes. MedlinePlus says a baking soda overdose can cause vomiting, diarrhea, muscle weakness, and convulsions. Serious dehydration and salt imbalances can lead to dangerous heart rhythm problems.
What should I do if someone swallowed too much baking soda?
Call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222. If the person is very sick, having a seizure, or not breathing well, call 911. MedlinePlus says not to make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to.
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Plain-language explanation of the published sources cited on this page. AI-assisted, source-checked, not clinician-reviewed.
Sources last checked: 2026-09-27 what this meansLast updated: 2026-09-27Next planned review: 2027-03-27
Review details and limits
Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes, and this is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status — Source checked. This page was written with AI assistance and then compared with the sources listed on it, looking for statements those sources do not back up. That check is not a sentence-by-sentence record and can miss errors. It is not a medical review, and it does not confirm the page is complete or right for your situation.
High-risk topic — talk to your care team. This topic can involve urgent, individual medical decisions. This page is general education only: it cannot tell you whether your situation is an emergency or what you personally should do. Follow your oncology team's instructions and contact them for individual guidance.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
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How this page was created
Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes, and this is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status: Source checked — This page was written with AI assistance and then compared with the sources listed on it, looking for statements those sources do not back up. That check is not a sentence-by-sentence record and can miss errors. It is not a medical review, and it does not confirm the page is complete or right for your situation.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
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