Alternative Medicine for Cancer Treatment
By Sara Calabro | Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH
Some cancer patients are adding yoga, acupuncture, and other alternative treatments to a traditional cancer treatment regimen.
Cancer treatment is becoming more specific. Thanks to medical advances such as targeted therapies, immunotherapy, and hormonal therapy, many cancer types are being tackled with unprecedented precision, increasing remission rates, and improved quality of life. However, cancer remains a debilitating disease for many patients, some of whom are turning to complementary cancer therapies and alternative treatments in an effort to help boost their immune systems, reduce medication side effects, and lower stress levels.
Estimates vary on the use of alternative medicine for cancer because not all cancer patients report usage to their physicians, nor are surveys on complementary therapies for cancer frequently conducted. One study involving 102 cancer patients noted that 88 percent of them had used complementary cancer care.
Complementary and alternative treatments are most often used as supportive care rather than in place of conventional cancer treatment. “Treatment-oriented protocols for complementary cancer therapies have not yet produced significant results,” says dietitian Elena Ladas, MS, RD, a director within Columbia University’s integrative therapies department. “There is more interesting research that supports using integrative medicine as a supportive care modality.”
The National Cancer Institute’s Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine recognizes the following eight major categories of cancer therapies. Read more
Some cancer patients are adding yoga, acupuncture, and other alternative treatments to a traditional cancer treatment regimen.
Cancer treatment is becoming more specific. Thanks to medical advances such as targeted therapies, immunotherapy, and hormonal therapy, many cancer types are being tackled with unprecedented precision, increasing remission rates, and improved quality of life. However, cancer remains a debilitating disease for many patients, some of whom are turning to complementary cancer therapies and alternative treatments in an effort to help boost their immune systems, reduce medication side effects, and lower stress levels.
Estimates vary on the use of alternative medicine for cancer because not all cancer patients report usage to their physicians, nor are surveys on complementary therapies for cancer frequently conducted. One study involving 102 cancer patients noted that 88 percent of them had used complementary cancer care.
Complementary and alternative treatments are most often used as supportive care rather than in place of conventional cancer treatment. “Treatment-oriented protocols for complementary cancer therapies have not yet produced significant results,” says dietitian Elena Ladas, MS, RD, a director within Columbia University’s integrative therapies department. “There is more interesting research that supports using integrative medicine as a supportive care modality.”
The National Cancer Institute’s Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine recognizes the following eight major categories of cancer therapies. Read more
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