Alternative Breast Cancer Treatment

Alternative breast cancer treatment options are available. The words "complementary" and "integrative" are often used interchangeably. They describe non-traditional breast cancer treatments. But, they have different meanings.

Most non-traditional cancer therapies are NOT alternatives to standard treatments. The standards are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Some people consider breast cancer hormone therapy an alternative.

Cancer patients should be told about complementary therapies. They complement or help the traditional treatments. Integrative care considers how the disease affects the whole person-body, mind, and spirit. Once you decide on a breast cancer option, treatment is widely available.

Complementary Treatments

There are five types of treatment recognized by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. They are:

• Whole medical systems include culturally based healing solutions. They are acupuncture (traditional Chinese) and ayurveda (from India that uses herbs, massage, and yoga.) There are Western medical systems such as homeopathy and naturopathy.
• Mind-body medicine therapies involve the mind's capacity to influence the body's functions. They include prayer, hypnotherapy, meditation, imagery, visualization, music therapy, and art therapy.
• Biologically based practices include nutritional therapy, supplements, vitamins, and herbal medicine.
• Manipulative and body-based practices include massage therapy and chiropractic and osteopathic procedures.
• Energy medicine uses the energy fields that surround and permeate the body. This is called reiki and qigong.

Proof about these therapies really working is scarce. The most evidence that exists is in relieving the side effects of the traditional treatments. However, alternative breast cancer treatment is your choice to make. Be sure to ask questions about your treatment plan.

Breast Cancer and Nutrition

Post-menopausal women who have estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer are at an increased risk for obesity. Therefore, exercise and diet are crucial. "It has been demonstrated that increased physical activity improves survival among women with breast cancer."(Donald Abrams, MD) Abrams suggests a diet low in animal fats and high in fruits and vegetables. Those vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, and kale. He also likes the seasonings garlic, onions, and turmeric, and drinking green tea. They are all thought to have anti-cancer properties.

Most non-traditional cancer therapies are NOT alternatives to standard treatments

What Is Hyperthermia?

It is an FDA approved alternative cancer treatment. As an alternative breast cancer treatment, it is available at theValley Cancer Institute in Culver City, California. It is simply applying heat to the tumor. The temperature is raised to about 108F.

Hyperthermia can be compared to an artificial fever that attacks cancer cells. This is worth considering as a breast cancer option; treatment like this may be helpful.

Dr. James Bichner is the pioneer in this field. He combines the hypothermia with low dose radiation. Many patients suffer no side effects at all. Duke University in North Carolina has been using this approach since 2006. The results are excellent.

Clinics in Germany apply whole body hyperthermia. It is not approved in the United States. The Valley Cancer Institute does local hyperthermia combined with low dose radiation. It provides a much higher treatment response rate and there are longer survival times.

Breast cancer hormone therapy is sometimes suggested as an alternative treatment. The goal is to block the release of estrogen. Zoladex is one of the drugs that is a synthetic hormone. Another one is Faslodex that is helpful for women resistant to Tamoxifen. Faslodex destroys the estrogen receptors. The majority of breast cancers are estrogen driven.

Since there are no alternative drug treatments that will cure cancer, you need to look at the alternatives. The advantages of most alternatives are to help you cope with the side effects of conventional treatments.

Written by Margaret Stenerson-Reynolds
8/26/2009