Alternative cancer treatments
By: Mercy | Posted: 08th June 2009
Alternative cancer treatments refer to alternative and complementary treatments for cancer that have not undergone rigorous scientific and clinical testing as is expected by medical practitioners. Some of these alternative cancer treatments include herbs, chemicals, mixtures, devices and manual procedures. Such procedures are not usually supported by evidence because they have not been tested or they lack statistically positive results. Concerns have also been raised in regard to the safety of some of these alternatives treatment methods.
These alternative treatment methods can be categorized into three groups. We have the unproven cancer treatments that are used as a substitute to the standard cancer treatment. The second group has treatments administered as a complement to the standard cancer treatment rather than as a substitute. Thirdly, we have treatments that have been proposed in the past but after testing in clinical trials were found to be ineffective. Although some of these treatments have been disapproved, some of them continue to be sold.
The side effects of chemotherapy as well as other cancer treatment methods range from unpleasant to potentially fatal and this has driven some cancer patients to try out the alternative treatment methods. Some of the popular alternative therapies are nutritional and they include macrobiotic diet.
Other alternative cancer treatments include, mind-body intervention, bioelectromagnetics as well as other biologic and pharmacologic treatments. Some of these alternatives have shown some benefits as complementary therapy and they help to reduce pain. The popularity and use of these treatments varies by region. However, early cancer detection can go along way in treating the disease at its initial stage.
Mercy Maranga Reports on Health and Fitness issues. Visit Her Site here for more information on cancer and its treatment Cancer
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Tags: complement, chemotherapy, health and fitness, second group, medical practitioners, clinical trials, mixtures, alternative therapies, initial stage, cancer patients, alternative treatment, cancer treatment, fitness issues, complementary therapy, alternative cancer treatments