Cancer Alternative Therapies
Summary
You have many choices to make about your cancer treatment. One choice you might be thinking about is complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). CAM is the term for medical products and practices that are not part of standard care. Examples of CAM therapies are acupuncture, chiropractic, and herbal medicines.
People with cancer may use CAM to:
- Help cope with the side effects of cancer treatments
- Ease worries of cancer treatment and related stress
- Feel that they are doing something more to help their own care
CAM treatments do not work for everyone. Some methods, such as acupuncture, might help with nausea, pain and other side effects of cancer treatment. Talk to your doctor to make sure that all aspects of your cancer care work together.
NIH: National Cancer Institute
- Cancer and Complementary Health Approaches: What You Need To Know
(National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health) Also in Spanish - Complementary and Alternative Medicine (National Cancer Institute)
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Patients (National Cancer Institute)
- Complementary and Integrative Methods (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
- PDQ Cancer Information Summaries: Integrative, Alternative, and Complementary Therapies (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Talking about Complementary and Alternative Medicine with Your Health Care Providers: A Workbook and Tips (National Cancer Institute) – PDF
