According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, treatments that fall under the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) umbrella can be defined as "a group of diverse medical and healthcare systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine."

"Complementary" vs. "alternative"

The difference between the two is that complementary medicine enhances -- or works in complement to -- conventional treatments, while alternative medicine actually replaces them. So, those of us who take herbs to help our chemotherapy drugs do their job are using complementary medicine; those of us who take herbs instead of chemotherapy drugs are using alternative medicine.

Complementary therapies

Some of the most often used complementary therapies, meant to be used in conjunction with conventional treatments, include:

• Acupuncture: In cancer treatment, acupuncture has proven effective in treating the nausea that can be caused by chemotherapy drugs and is being looked at as a way to relieve symptoms of some advanced cancers.

• Herbal medicine: Practitioners say that herbal medicines, such as ginkgo and ginseng, can actually prevent and even cure some cancers. There are some clinical trials underway to look at herbal medicine for cancer, including one that's assessing the combination of mistletoe extract and chemotherapy for the treatment of solid tumors.

• Massage therapy: Massage therapy may be able to relieve cancer-related fatigue, as well as offer relief from depression, anxiety, and pain.

• Yoga: The practice of yoga may help us to relax and strengthen our bodies while we're undergoing our cancer treatment.

Alternative therapies

There are currently no well-studied or approved alternative therapies for cancer. Although there is evidence that some alternative treatments do more harm than good, there are still many such therapies available. Some of them include:

• 714-X: A cocktail of chemicals that is said to stabilize your immune system so it can fight cancer.

• Essiac: An herbal mixture with supposed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

• Gerson therapy: One of several treatments that are said to rid your body of cancer-causing toxins.

• Liver flush: Involves the drinking of juices and oils to cleanse the liver of cancer-causing agents.

• Shark cartilage: Used to hinder or stop the growth of cancer cells.

Choosing a cancer therapy

The main difference between CAM and conventional medicine is the amount of published, peer-reviewed evidence of its efficacy. While that's not to say that any one alternative treatment is less -- or more -- reliable than a conventional one, it does place the burden of responsibility on our shoulders.

It can be difficult to be sure that a complementary or alternative treatment is safe or effective without that sort of paper trail that most conventional treatments have. Physicians are unlikely to be well-versed in this arena, so it is up to us to to do our homework before making a choice.

In addition, when choosing a particular complementary therapy, it's important to talk to a doctor about any possible interactions with conventional treatments.

Discuss therapies with your doctor

People who decide to try complementary or alternative therapies should always communicate with their doctor about what they plan to do. Some remedies and therapies can actually harm a person with cancer. Certain forms of massage, for example, can agitate different types of cancer.

Similarly, let your complementary therapist know that you have been diagnosed with cancer. Clear communication can only benefit good health.

See also

• Treatments in other countries
• How to decide on a treatment
• Conventional treatment options
• Planning your treatment
• Holistic Treatment Approach