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Types of Treatment - Alternative Therapies

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)-also referred to as integrative medicine-includes a broad range of healing philosophies, approaches, and therapies. A therapy is generally called complementary when it is used in addition to conventional treatments; it is often called alternative when it is used instead of conventional treatment.

Types of Treatment

What is Complementary and Alternative Medicine?

Conventional treatments are those that are widely accepted and practiced by the mainstream medical community. Depending on how they are used, some therapies can be considered either complementary or alternative. Complementary and alternative therapies are used in an effort to prevent illness, reduce stress, prevent or reduce side effects and symptoms, or control or cure disease. Some commonly used methods of complementary or alternative therapy include mind/body control interventions such as visualization or relaxation; manual healing, including acupressure and massage; homeopathy; vitamins or herbal products; and acupuncture.

Are Complementary and Alternative Therapies Widely Used?

Research indicates that the use of complementary and alternative therapies is increasing. A large-scale study published in the November 11, 1998, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association found that CAM use among the general public increased from 34 percent in 1990 to 42 percent in 1997.

Several surveys of CAM use by cancer patients have been conducted with small numbers of patients. One study published in the February 2000 issue of the journal Cancer reported that 37 percent of 46 patients with prostate cancer used one or more CAM therapies as part of their cancer treatment. These therapies included herbal remedies, old-time remedies, vitamins, and special diets. A larger study of CAM use in patients with different types of cancer was published in the July 2000 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. That study found that 83 percent of 453 cancer patients had used at least one CAM therapy as part of their cancer treatment. The study included CAM therapies such as special diets, psychotherapy, spiritual practices, and vitamin supplements. When psychotherapy and spiritual practices were excluded, 69 percent of patients had used at least one CAM therapy in their cancer treatment.

Complementary therapies include therapies that seek to support the mind, body, and spirit during or after conventional cancer therapies. A therapy is generally considered complementary when it is used in addition to conventional treatments. A therapy is considered alternative when it is used instead of conventional treatment. Some therapies can be considered either complementary or alternative.

Complementary and Alternative Therapies

Supportive surgery is used to assist with other cancer treatments. Central venous catheter insertion is one example.

Alternative Medical Systems

Treatments that are based on practices outside conventional Western medicine. Examples include Ayurveda and Homeopathy.

Mind-Body Therapies

Therapies that include a variety of approaches to the mind to facilitate the capacity to affect bodily function and symptoms. Examples are visualization and meditation.

Biological-Based Therapies

Therapies that include herbal/plant, animal or other substances as approaches.

Manipulative/Body-Based Therapies

Therapies that manually manipulate the body. An example is massage.

Energy Therapies

Therapies that focus on energy perceived to be within or outside the body. Examples include Yoga, magnets, healing touch, Qigong, and Reiki.

How are Complementary and Alternative Approaches Evaluated?

It is important that the same scientific evaluation which is used to assess conventional approaches be used to evaluate complementary and alternative therapies. A number of medical centers are evaluating complementary and alternative therapies by developing clinical trials (research studies with people) to test them.

Conventional approaches to cancer treatment have generally been studied for safety and effectiveness through a rigorous scientific process, including clinical trials with large numbers of patients. Often, less is known about the safety and effectiveness of complementary and alternative methods. Some of these complementary and alternative therapies have not undergone rigorous evaluation. Others, once considered unorthodox, 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. According to a panel of experts at a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Conference in November 1997, acupuncture has been found to be effective in the management of chemotherapy-associated nausea and vomiting and in controlling pain associated with surgery. Some approaches, such as laetrile, have been studied and found ineffective or potentially harmful.

What Should Patients Do When Considering Complementary and Alternative Therapies?

Cancer patients considering complementary and alternative therapies should discuss this decision with their doctor or nurse, as they would any therapeutic approach, because some complementary and alternative therapies may interfere with their standard treatment or may be harmful when used with conventional treatment.

When Considering Complementary and Alternative Therapies, What Questions Should Patients Ask Their Health Care Provider?

Where Can I Find More Information on Complementary and Alternative Therapies?

There are many websites devoted to complementary and alternative methods; however, not all of them are good, reliable sources of information. Patients researching CAM should be cautious when reading about different therapies and treatments.

Here are some resources you may find helpful

The NIH National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) facilitates research and evaluation of complementary and alternative practices, and provides information about a variety of approaches to health professionals and the public.

The NCI Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (OCCAM) coordinates the activities of the NCI in the area of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). OCCAM supports CAM cancer research and provides information about cancer-related CAM to health providers and the general public.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates drugs and medical devices to ensure that they are safe and effective.
Food and Drug Administration
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