Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Cancer
You or your doctor may want to try cancer treatment alternatives that are not considered
conventional medicine. Conventional refers to standard medicine practiced by medical doctors.
These doctors recommend treatments that have been:
Sometimes, doctors may also recommend some alternative therapies. These therapies
may be used to complement, or complete, a treatment plan.
This type of medicine includes the following:
Complementary medicine. Any type of therapy used along with standard medicine. Complementary therapy
usually tries to ease symptoms and improve quality of life.
Alternative medicine. This is used alone without recommended standard treatment.
What is thought to be complementary and alternative medicine often changes. This is
because once those therapies are proven to be safe and effective, they become part
of standard medicine.
Different types of therapies
Therapies that may be included in your treatment plan include:
Things to think about
Most complementary and alternative medicine fields are not standardized or controlled
by any standard medical guidelines. You should talk with your doctor before beginning
any of these therapies. This is because some therapies may get in the way of your
It is important to be in-the-know when thinking about this type of medicine. Before
starting therapy, you should:
Talk with your doctor.
Use your library to research books, articles, and scientific journals.
Use the Internet to do research.
Look for information on controlled, scientific studies on the therapy you are thinking
Talk with others who have actually tried the therapy.
Warning signs to look for
It is better to avoid any treatment with the following warning signs:
It is based on unproven theories.
It promises or guarantees a cure.
It is a secret and can be given only by certain providers.
It requires travel to another country.
The provider discounts standard medicine and/or tells you not to use standard medicine.
Those who provide the treatment discount standard or conventional medicine and/or
tell the patient not to use standard or conventional medicine.