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Alternative cancer treatments describes alternative and complementary treatments for cancer which have not been approved by a governing body (for instance, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as being effective. These treatments include chemicals, mixtures, herbs, devices, and manual procedures. They are relatively nontoxic, unlike chemotherapy and radiation, which destroy normal cells. They aim to cleanse the body, to stimulate its natural defenses and tumor-destroying capacity.
A growing number of people with cancer are now turning to alternative means of cancer treatment. Some of the available alternative therapies provide help by strengthening the body and controlling the side effects of conventional treatments. Many cancer patients who were pronounced "terminal" or "hopeless" by their orthodox doctors went on to use alternative therapies, recovered fully, and are alive and well for five, ten, twenty, or more years after their fatal diagnoses. Not everyone does well on alternative cancer therapies; many die.
TYPES OF ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS
Most of the alternative treatments used in cancer therapy fall into one of the following categories:
- Biologic and pharmacological therapies
- Immunologic therapies
- Herbal therapies
- Metabolic therapies
- Mind-body therapies
- Nutritional therapies
Although there is a certain amount of overlapping between categories----an immunologic therapy, for instance, may have nutritional components-----these categories do serve to highlight the central focus of the many treatments and regiments that fall within them. |
Be aware though, that the following discussion by no means mentions all of the individual therapies available. It is meant to familiarize you with the various approaches that may be used. Nor should this be seen as a recommendation for any of the following methods of treatment. The choice to seek alternative approaches of treatment for any illness must be made illness must be made by the individual for the individual after a great deal of research and soul-searching.
HERBAL THERAPIES
In these therapies, herbal remedies--probably the oldest form of treatment in the world-are used to strengthen the body’s ability to eliminate cancer cells. Hoxsey therapy, for the instance, first tested in the 1920s, employs internal and external herbal preparations, along with diet, vitamin and mineral supplement and psychological counseling, to strengthen the body and fight the cancer. Many herbs (including astragalus, dong quai, echinacea, and Asian ginseng) supposedly "boost" the immune system and so shore up the body against future or existing cancer.
Herbal medicine (especially Chinese) is one of the most commonly used complementary and alternative therapies by people with cancer. Studies have shown that as many as 60% people with cancer use herbal remedies alongside conventional cancer treatments. This is known as ‘ wholistic healthcare’. This means that therapists look at you as a whole person, including your emotional and psychological needs, not just your physical ones. There is scientific evidence that herbal therapies can help to control symptoms and side effects of cancer and treatments. Among many herbal remedies the best are Canelim (Ping Xiao) capsules, Cordyceps Lingzhi (Reishi) and Hericium.
BIOLOGIC & PHARMACOLOGICAL THERAPIES
These therapies use biologic substance or nontoxic pharmacological agents-nontoxic medications usually derived from biological sources, such as plants or human cells. Each of these treatments works in a different works in a different way.
Antineoplaston therapy, for instance, uses amino acid derivatives to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.Dr.Stainslaw Burzynski maintains that antineolastons are part of the body’s defense system and appear to be absent in people with cancer. He has been able to construct synthetic antineoplastons and administer them to cancer patients.
Russian immunologist Dr.Valentin Govallo,s VG-1000 theory, developed in the 1960s,is based on the belief that cancer results when a tumor evades and suppresses the immune system.Dr.Govallo believes that placenta extracts allow the immune system to readjust and attack the tumor that had escaped its attention in the first place. This method of treatment is called immuno-placental therapy.
The Revici method, developed by Dr.Emanuel Revici, is based on the premise that tumors are a result of an imbalance of lipids in the cells. After analysis of the tumor, the doctor delivers a compound into the tumor to establish the proper balance within the cells.
French physician Dr.Gaston Naessens developed a system of treatment known as 714-X treatment, which consists of injections of nitrogen-rich camphor and organic salts directly into the lymphatic system. The theory behind this treatment is that cancer cells excrete a poisonous compound that shuts down the immune system. The 714-X allows the immune
System to reestablish itself and fight the cancer.
IMMUNOLOGIC THERAPIES
Immunologic therapy is defined as the use of medicines that act to enhance the body's immune response as a means of treating disease. The drugs can also aid in the recovery of the body from the harmful effects of immune-compromising treatments like chemotherapy and radiation. Immunologic therapies are based on the belief that cancer develops because of a breakdown of the immuno system. The aim of these therapies is to bolster those parts of the immune system that combat and destroy cancer cells. An example of the treatments in this category is Dr.Josef Issels’whole-body programs, which use detoxifying diets, uncontaminated water, and vitamins.
The use of immunologic therapy is not without risk. Paradoxically, given their longer-term enhancement of the immune defenses, some of the administered drugs reduce the body's ability to fight off infection because of a short-term damping-down of some aspects of the immune system.
METABOLIC THERAPIES
These therapies are based on the idea that many factors cause the occurrence of cancer and that a multifaceted healing approach is required to eliminate the disorder. The therapies use detoxification, including colon cleansing, to flush out the toxins; anticancer diets based on whole foods; and vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, which further cleanse the body, repair damaged tissues ,and stimulate immune function. Max Gerson’s therapy –which is based on a diet of organically grown fresh fruits and vegetables, as well was nutritional supplements-is one such regimen.Gerson,s treatment was developed in the 1940s and is based on a theory the 1890s.This treatment uses bacterial vaccines to enhance the immune system. This system is still being used today but with some adaptions.It is normally used as an adjunct to conventional treatment.
MIND-BODY THERAPIES
These treatments focus on the role that emotions, behaviour, and faith play in recovery from illness. In the case of some therapies, councelling, hyposis, biofeedback, or other techniques are used to promote greater emotional and spiritual well-being. In other therapies, the aim is to use mind-body techniques to actually change the course of the illness, possibly bringing the person into remission. For instance,Dr.O.Carl Simonton and Stephanie Matthews-Simonton, based in California, have developed an imagery and visualization technique to help patients increase the effectiveness of their immune system. Yoga has become popular as part of this type of treatment.Dr.Barrie Cassileth of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York has designed a series of complementary treatments for cancer patients. These include massage therapy, meditation, music therapy, imagery, and relaxation techniques.
NUTRITIONAL THERAPIES
Therapies that focus on nutrition are perhaps the most popular alternative approach to cancer, especially since research began showing the link between diet and health.Almost every alternative therapy includes an emphasis on diet as an important component of both prevention and possibly,cure.For instance, studies have indicated that a high-fat diet increases the risk of cancer, while a low-fat diet that is rich in fiber,freash fruits and vegetables, and whole grains actually helps the body to fight cancer. Three of the therapies that fall into the category are wheatgrass therapy, diet based on wheatgrass and other raw foods; the macrobiotic diet, a traditional Japanese diet high in whole grains and vegetables; and the Moerman regimen, a meatless high-fiber diet that includes nutritional supplements.
CHOOSING AN ALTERNATIVE THERAPY
Unless you already have a specific therapy in mind, the first step in choosing one is to learn more about those that are available. By visiting libraries and bookstores and contacting health organization that focus on cancer, you should be able to find a number of comprehensive, up-to-date books that provide additional information about alternative treatments.
The Cancer Cure Foundation does not recommend the abandonment of conventional therapies in favor of alternative therapies. That is a matter of personal choice based upon one's view of the nature of cancer. You should exercise caution before using any cancer treatment, whether conventional or alternative. Every therapy may have potential side effects and should not be used without consulting a health-care practitioner, especially if you are already using another form of therapy, or if you are pregnant or nursing.
When researching a particular therapy, try to get information from other people who have used that treatment. Some information organizations and some alternative clinics will provide lists of recovered patients whom you can call or write to. Focus on those people who have the same kind of cancer you have, and ask them what specific treatments they found helpful.
When screening alternatives practitioners and clinics, ask what their success has been in treating your specific form of cancer. Keep in mind that a therapy that is effective against one type of cancer will not necessarily be effective against another. Ask to see supportive studies, documented cases, and patients’testimonials, and view all information with a healthy dose of skepticism. As much as possible, pin the practitioner down regarding what you can expect from the treatment-short-term improvement or long-term survival, for instance. Finally, consider whether the therapy fits in with your lifestyle, personality, and belief system. Be honest with yourself. Some therapies require a degree of commitment that you may not be willing to make. Others may require too much time, too much travel, or too much money to truly be feasible.However, if you have the fortitude and resources to follow an alternative method of treatment to overcome an illness, the rewards are priceless. It is worth checking to see if your health insurance will cover any part of your alternative medicine. Conventional and alternative treatment may be used together-one method of treatment does not necessarily preclude the other.
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