Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Breast Cancer

According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is defined as a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are generally not considered part of conventional medicine. Alternative medicine is not the same as complementary medicine. Alternative medicine consists of non-traditional treatments or practices used instead of standard or conventional medicine, while complementary medicine (also called “integrative medicine”) involves non-standard treatments that are used alongside conventional medicine.

Complementary medicine and breast cancer
Although cancer treatments have now become more specific, it remains a debilitating condition for the vast majority of patients. Complementary therapies may be used to help treat breast cancer itself, but more often treat its side effects and the side effects of standard treatments. For example, they can be used to lessen nausea and other ill effects brought on by chemotherapy or radiation treatments. They can also reduce the stress, anxiety and other psychological affects that typically accompany a cancer diagnosis. These therapies are used extensively by breast cancer patients, both who are undergoing treatment, and by long-term breast cancer survivors.

It is imperative that you discuss with your doctor before you begin any kind of complementary or alternative medicine. He or she can help you decide which treatments would be the safest and most effective for your specific circumstances.

Treating the whole person
Doctors and patients are embracing the philosophy of a whole-person approach with integrative medicine that is designed to not only treat the disease but the whole person – mind, body, and spirit – at the same time. In one study of cancer patients, nearly 88 percent of them had used some form of complementary cancer therapy.

Integrative medicine includes various healing approaches that patients use to prevent illness, reduce stress and symptoms of pain and fatigue. Commonly used methods are visualization; acupressure and massage; homeopathy; vitamins or herbal products; special diets; spiritual practices; and acupuncture.

In recent years, increased use of integrative medicine has prompted researchers to investigate the actual effects of some therapies. Studies have reinforced the use of some common treatments such as acupuncture, mind-body therapy, diet modifications, etc. Many cancer centers have incorporated integrative medicine into their cancer treatments.

Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the most commonly used complementary cancer treatment. It is said to help balance the body's energy and restore the natural energy flow. It has been shown to be effective in treating pain, nausea, and vomiting that are common side effects of chemotherapy. A recent study showed that acupuncture reduces joint pain in nearly 80 percent of breast cancer patients. Researchers at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston demonstrated that an 8-week outpatient course of acupuncture is beneficial for patients with advanced cancer and produces a measurable difference in quality of life.

Massage Therapy
Therapeutic massage has shown to have positive physical and emotional benefits to offset the effects of breast cancer treatments. Breast cancer patients observed a decrease in quality of life within 3 weeks of massage therapy. Side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy greatly reduced and patients perceived improved overall functioning. Massage also relieves nausea resulting from treatment.

Manipulative Body-based techniques
Manipulative and body-based practices focus on body systems such as bones and joints, soft tissues, and lymphatic systems. The two common therapies are spinal manipulation and massage therapy. Chiropractic and spinal manipulation have been used by nearly 9 percent of adults suffering from cancer.

Energy Therapies
Electromagnetic therapies, including magnet therapy and light therapy, are sometimes used to treat cancer. Biofield therapies such as Reiki, qi gong, and therapeutic touch focus on the energy fields surrounding the body. In 2008, Australian researchers found that qi gong (Chinese breathing exercises based on energy meridians) could improve quality of life and decrease inflammation in cancer patients.

Mind-Body Medicine
These techniques focus on ways in which the mind affects body functioning to alleviate symptoms. The most commonly used therapies are meditation, hypnosis, biofeedback, imagery, and art and music therapy. A study conducted in 2009 researched some of the techniques and concluded that self-hypnosis, meditation, and guided-imagery can help improve treatment outcomes and symptoms in leukemia patients.