Alternative cancer treatments: 10 options to consider Alternative cancer treatments can't cure your cancer, but they may provide some relief from signs and symptoms. By Mayo Clinic Staff
Alternative cancer treatments: 10 options to consider
Alternative
cancer treatments can't cure your cancer, but they may provide some relief from
signs and symptoms.
Many
people with cancer are interested in trying anything that may help them,
including complementary and alternative cancer treatments. If cancer makes you
feel as if you have little control over your health, alternative cancer
treatments may offer some feeling of control. But many alternative cancer
treatments are unproved and some may even be dangerous.
To help
you sort out the good from the bad, here are 10 alternative cancer treatments
that are generally safe. Plus, there is growing evidence that these 10
alternative cancer treatments may provide some benefit.
How can alternative medicine help people with cancer?
Alternative
cancer treatments may not play a direct role in curing your cancer, but they
may help you cope with signs and symptoms caused by cancer and cancer
treatments. Common signs and symptoms such as anxiety, fatigue, nausea and
vomiting, pain, difficulty sleeping, and stress may be lessened by alternative
treatments.
Integrating
the best of evidence-based complementary and alternative cancer treatments with
the treatments you receive from your doctor may help relieve many of the
symptoms associated with cancer and its treatment. Discuss all of your options
with your doctor and together you can determine which strategies might work for
you and which are likely to have no benefit.
Work
closely with your doctor to determine the right balance between traditional
medicines and alternative cancer treatments. While complementary and
alternative cancer treatments, such as acupuncture, may reduce nausea or pain,
they generally aren't powerful enough to replace cancer medications from your
doctor.
|
If
you're experiencing:
|
Then
consider trying:
|
|
Anxiety
|
Hypnosis,
massage, meditation, relaxation techniques
|
|
Fatigue
|
Exercise,
massage, relaxation techniques, yoga
|
|
Nausea
and vomiting
|
Acupuncture,
aromatherapy, hypnosis, music therapy
|
|
Pain
|
Acupuncture,
aromatherapy, hypnosis, massage, music therapy
|
|
Sleep
problems
|
Exercise,
relaxation techniques, yoga
|
|
Stress
|
Aromatherapy,
exercise, hypnosis, massage, meditation, tai chi, yoga
|
Which alternative cancer treatments are worth trying?
These 10 alternative cancer
treatments have shown some promise in helping people with cancer. Talk to your
doctor if you're interested in trying:
·
Acupuncture. During
acupuncture treatment, a practitioner inserts tiny needles into your skin at
precise points. Studies show acupuncture may be helpful in relieving nausea
caused by chemotherapy. Acupuncture may also help relieve certain types of pain
in people with cancer.
Acupuncture
is safe if it's performed by a licensed practitioner using sterile needles. Ask
your doctor for names of trusted practitioners. Acupuncture isn't safe if
you're taking blood thinners or if you have low blood counts, so check with
your doctor first.
·
Aromatherapy. Aromatherapy
uses fragrant oils to provide a calming sensation. Oils, infused with scents
such as lavender, can be applied to your skin during a massage, or the oils can
be added to bath water. Fragrant oils can also be heated to release their
scents into the air. Aromatherapy may be helpful in relieving nausea, pain and
stress.
Aromatherapy
can be performed by a practitioner, or you can use aromatherapy on your own.
Aromatherapy is safe, though oils applied to your skin can cause allergic
reactions. People with cancer that is estrogen sensitive, such as some breast
cancers, should avoid applying large amounts of lavender oil and tea tree oil
to the skin.
·
Exercise. Exercise
may help you manage signs and symptoms during and after cancer treatment.
Gentle exercise may help relieve fatigue and stress and help you sleep better.
Many studies now show that an exercise program may help people with cancer live
longer and improve their overall quality of life.
If
you haven't already been exercising regularly, check with your doctor before
you begin an exercise program. Start slowly, adding more exercise as you go.
Aim to work your way up to at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the
week.
·
Hypnosis. Hypnosis
is a deep state of concentration. During a hypnotherapy session, a therapist
may hypnotize you by talking in a gentle voice and helping you relax. The
therapist will then help you focus on goals, such as controlling your pain and
reducing your stress.
Hypnosis
may be helpful for people with cancer who are experiencing anxiety, pain and
stress. It may also help prevent anticipatory nausea and vomiting that can
occur if chemotherapy has made you sick in the past. When performed by a
certified therapist, hypnosis is safe. But tell your therapist if you have a
history of mental illness.
·
Massage. During
a massage, your practitioner kneads your skin, muscles and tendons in an effort
to relieve muscle tension and stress and promote relaxation. Several massage methods
exist. Massage can be light and gentle, or it can be deep with more pressure.
Studies
have found massage can be helpful in relieving pain in people with cancer. It
may also help relieve anxiety, fatigue and stress.
Massage
can be safe if you work with a knowledgeable massage therapist. Many cancer
centers have massage therapists on staff, or your doctor can refer you to a
massage therapist who regularly works with people who have cancer.
Don't
have a massage if your blood counts are very low. Ask the massage therapist to
avoid massaging near surgical scars, radiation treatment areas or tumors. If
you have cancer in your bones or other bone diseases, such as osteoporosis, ask
the massage therapist to use light pressure, rather than deep massage.
·
Meditation. Meditation
is a state of deep concentration when you focus your mind on one image, sound
or idea, such as a positive thought. When meditating, you might also do
deep-breathing or relaxation exercises. Meditation may help people with cancer
by relieving anxiety and stress.
Meditation
is generally safe. You can meditate on your own for a few minutes once or twice
a day or you can take a class with an instructor.
·
Music therapy. During
music therapy sessions, you might listen to music, play instruments, sing songs
or write lyrics. A trained music therapist may lead you through activities
designed to meet your specific needs, or you may participate in music therapy
in a group setting. Music therapy may help relieve pain and control nausea and
vomiting.
Music
therapy is safe and doesn't require any musical talent to participate. Many
medical centers have certified music therapists on staff.
·
Relaxation techniques. Relaxation
techniques are ways of focusing your attention on calming your mind and
relaxing your muscles. Relaxation techniques might include activities such as
visualization exercises or progressive muscle relaxation.
Relaxation
techniques may be helpful in relieving anxiety and fatigue. They may also help
people with cancer sleep better.
Relaxation
techniques are safe. Typically a therapist leads you through these exercises
and eventually you may be able to do them on your own or with the help of
guided relaxation recordings.
·
Tai chi. Tai
chi is a form of exercise that incorporates gentle movements and deep
breathing. Tai chi can be led by an instructor, or you can learn tai chi on
your own following books or videos. Practicing tai chi may help relieve stress.
Tai
chi is generally safe. The slow movements of tai chi don't require great
physical strength, and the exercises can be easily adapted to your own
abilities. Still, talk to your doctor before beginning tai chi. Don't do any
tai chi moves that cause pain.
·
Yoga. Yoga
combines stretching exercises with deep breathing. During a yoga session, you
position your body in various poses that require bending, twisting and
stretching. There are many types of yoga, each with its own variations.
Yoga
may provide some stress relief for people with cancer. Yoga has also been shown
to improve sleep and reduce fatigue.
Before
beginning a yoga class, ask your doctor to recommend an instructor who
regularly works with people with health concerns, such as cancer. Avoid yoga
poses that cause pain. A good instructor can give you alternative poses that
are safe for you.
You may find some
alternative treatments work well together. For instance, deep breathing during
a massage may provide further stress relief.
Cancer:
Exploring the Alternatives
Cancer:
Exploring the Alternatives
FROM THE WEBMD ARCHIVES
When cancer strikes, most people will try
anything to win the battle. One place most people with cancer are
turning is complementary or alternative medicine.
And while most cancer patients
feel that this treatment definitely benefits them, recent findings cast doubt
on the safety of this decision.
People diagnosed
with cancer are at a "frightful" time in their life, says B. Jay
Brooks Jr., MD, chairman of the department of hematology/oncology at the
Ochsner Clinic in Baton Rouge. "When they hear what we have to offer them,
they often look to explore other ways to help themselves."
In fact, in a
study of 356 cancer patients at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in
Seattle, 70% of those surveyed had used some form of alternative medicine
during the previous year -- either receiving care from an alternative healthcare provider or taking at least
one alternative supplement (other than a daily multivitamin). In addition,
almost all said they noticed a significant improvement in their well-being.
That doesn't
mean that if you're suffering from cancer you should join them.
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"A lot of
people take supplemental medicines," says Brooks. "Unfortunately,
these products are totally unregulated by the FDA and we don't really know
what's in them."
One such
supplement was PC-SPES, a popular alternative treatment for prostate cancer. In recent months, however,
the product was found to contain various prescription medications such as the hormone DES, the blood thinner warfarin,
and the arthritis drug indomethacin.
"In effect, the 'herbal' ingredients appeared to be a camouflage for the
prescription ingredients, allowing the product to be sold as a supplement and
avoiding the scrutiny of the FDA," says Tod Cooperman, MD, president of
ConsumerLab.com Cooperman. PC-SPES was voluntarily recalled by the company
following these reports.
"Patients don't like to hear this," says Brooks. "But people are
spending enormous amounts of money on things that can hurt them."
Some of these supplements in
and of themselves are not harmful, Brooks says, but when taken by people with
certain cancers, or those undergoing certain treatments, they can be dangerous.
High doses of vitamin C,
for example, can be detrimental for those with head and neck cancer; St. John's
wort and milk thistle can
interfere with the body's metabolism of
certain chemotherapy agents;
and natural estrogens and
soy products can increase the chance of having a heart attack, stroke, and breast cancer.
"People
need information and they need to understand that these supplements aren't 100%
benign," Birdsall cautions. "That doesn't mean you necessarily have
to avoid them (St. John's wort, for example, can be helpful for people
suffering from mild to moderate depression, but it should only be taken at a
certain point during the chemotherapy cycle). But you need to talk to your
doctor about what you'd like to take.
Which is
something not many patients are willing to do. Forty to 60 percent of patients
will not tell their medical doctors that they are taking so-called natural
supplements, says Birdsall. Why? Because they're afraid of the doctor's
negative reaction, Birdsall says, and because they assume that if the doctor
didn't bring it up, it's not important.
Terri Ades, MS,
director of quality of life/health promotion strategy and health content
products for the American Cancer Society, says it's important to distinguish
between alternative and complementary therapies.
Alternative
medicine is generally thought to be any therapy used instead of
the current standard treatment. "Laetril [vitamin B-17], for example, used
alone as the only cancer treatment would be considered an alternative,"
says Ades.
Complementary
therapies, on the other hand, are used along
withstandard cancer treatment, and are typically used to improve the
quality of life and not to treat the cancer. Relaxation, guided imagery, massage, tai chi,
music, and art therapy are examples.
As more and more
people learn about complementary therapies and their benefits, says Ades, and
understand that alternatives haven't been proven to be effective, there will
very likely be a change in current trends, and it may have begun already.
According to
Ades, those who typically turn to alternative (as opposed to complementary)
therapies, are those who have limited or no standard treatment for their cancer
or those who fear the effects of cancer treatment. "Most people want to
know that something can be done and if it means turning to an alternative, some
will make this choice. They are willing to try an alternative even knowing that
it hasn't been through the appropriate clinical trials to
prove its safety and effectiveness."
Birdsall won't
give his patients a blanket veto when it comes to herbal supplements. But he
does want them to know that each individual case is different. "You have
to look at the individual parameters," he says. "Breast cancer is
different from ovarian cancer which
is different from colon cancer which is different from prostate cancer."
Even chemotherapy regimens differ from cancer to cancer, from patient to
patient.
"What I
tell patients varies with what type of cancer they have and what kind of
treatment they're undergoing," he says.
And what Brooks
tells all cancer patients is, "Be aware that with many of these
alternatives, there is no scientific evidence that they can help, and that in
some instances, they can actually harm. Talk to your doctor and show him what
you're taking -- before you take it."
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