complementary and
alternative medicine and
cancer
A small number of CAM
therapies, which were
originally considered to be
purely alternative
approaches, are finding a
place in cancer
treatment--not as cures, but
as complementary therapies
that may help patients feel
better and recover faster.
One example is acupuncture.
In 1997, a panel of experts
at the National Institutes
of Health (NIH) Consensus
Conference found acupuncture
to be effective in managing
chemotherapy-associated
nausea and vomiting and in
controlling pain associated
with surgery. In contrast,
some approaches, such as the
use of laetrile, have been
studied and found
ineffective or potentially
harmful.
What is complementary and
alternative medicine?
Complementary and
alternative medicine is a
group of diverse medical and
health care systems,
practices, and products that
are not presently considered
to be part of conventional
medicine. Conventional
medicine is medicine as
practiced by holders of M.D.
(medical doctor) or D.O.
(doctor of osteopathy)
degrees and by their allied
health professionals, such
as physical therapists,
psychologists, and
registered nurses. Some
health care providers
practice both CAM and
conventional medicine.
-
Complementary medicine is
used together with
conventional medicine.
-
Alternative medicine is
used in place of
conventional medicine.
-
Integrative medicine
combines treatments from
conventional medicine and
CAM for which there is
some high-quality evidence
of safety and
effectiveness. It is also
called integrated
medicine.
When considering CAM, what
questions should patients
ask their health care
providers?
-
What benefits can be
expected from this
therapy?
-
What are the risks
associated with this
therapy?
-
Do the known benefits
outweigh the risks?
-
What are the potential
side effects?
-
Will the therapy interfere
with conventional
treatment?
-
Is this therapy part of a
clinical trial? If so, who
is sponsoring the trial?
-
Will the therapy be
covered by health
insurance?
Reasons People with Cancer
Choose CAM
People with cancer may use
CAM to:
-
Help cope with the side
effects of cancer
treatments, such as
nausea, pain, and fatigue;
-
Comfort themselves and
ease the worries of cancer
treatment and related
stress;
-
Feel that they are doing
something more to help
with their own care;
-
Try to treat or cure their
cancer.
complementary and
alternative medicine and
Mesothelioma Cancer
Some treatments that are
considered alternative can
help alleviate some of the
symptoms of mesothelioma.
Many cancer patients,
including those who suffer
from mesothelioma, find
alternative methods
soothing, as they focus not
only on the physical
ailment, but also on the
spiritual, emotional and
mental aspects of the
disease. Many mesothelioma
patients choose these
remedies as a complement to
their more conventional
medical treatment. Many
patients find the focus on
the ‘well-being’ of the body
as comforting.
Research
NCCAM sponsoring clinical
trials on CAM for cancer.
NCCAM is sponsoring a number
of clinical trials to study
complementary and
alternative treatments for
cancer. Some of these trials
study the effects of
complementary approaches
used in addition to
conventional treatments,
while others compare
alternative therapies with
conventional treatments.
Recent trials include the
following:
-
Acupuncture to relieve
neck and shoulder pain
following surgery for head
or neck cancer
-
Ginger as a treatment for
nausea and vomiting caused
by chemotherapy
-
Massage for the treatment
of cancer pain
-
Mistletoe extract combined
with chemotherapy for the
treatment of solid tumors.
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