Complementary and Alternative Cancer Therapy Treatments

Article by Karan Naidoo

Much can be said about cancer therapy and treatments. However, very little has been written about the so-called questionable cancer therapies. This is made even more difficult from what is defined by questionable.

There are many terms used to refer to these treatments, but all mean the same thing. Some of these terminologies and definitions include ‘unorthodox, ‘unconventional’, ‘alternative’ and even more recently ‘complementary.’ Over the decades these terms have changed dramatically and each of these terms reflect the varying degrees of approval as applied in its history.

A clearer definition, accepted today by the medical community is that of complementary and alternative medicine. It is defined as diagnosis, treatment and prevention which complement mainstream medicine by contributing to and satisfying the demands that are not met by orthodox methods and ones that diversify the conceptual framework of medicine.

In cancer therapy, alternative methods are perceived as literally the ones that are promoted instead of the mainstream therapy while complementary therapies are taken to be those that are used for symptom management and those that enhance the quality of life of the patients and as adjuncts to mainstream care. …