Source: Cancer Resource Room
First Thoughts...
A cancer diagnosis brings many challenges. Beginning to learn about your diagnosis
and medical treatment is one of these. It may be hard to know where to begin
and what questions to ask. This might be particularly true as you hear about
complementary or alternative therapies. Many of these therapies have been
used for centuries to promote overall health as well as treat illness. Now
with the public’s increased awareness about them, you may be wondering
if these are options that you should be considering too.
Some points to keep in mind:
- The term conventional treatment is often used to refer to standard medical
treatment. Complementary/alternative therapies may sometimes be referred
to as unconventional therapies.
- There is no one formula for blending conventional therapies with unconventional
and there are no expectations that you should do so. It is your own personal
choice.
- If you choose to investigate complementary/alternative therapies, there
is no particular “right” time to do this.
- Whenever you do so is the right time for you.
- Some of the most commonly used complementary therapies fall into the category
of self-care, for example, massage or support groups.
Natalie Lawton, a former patient at Massachusetts General
Hospital Cancer Center, tells about her own experience. She wanted to learn
about these unconventional therapies and discovered that they may be simple
as some relaxation techniques or more complex, like taking herbs or using
acupuncture. And while each person’s story and choices are unique, we
strongly encourage you to discuss a total plan of care with your physicians.
Other health care professionals can also help you consider these choices.
Thoughts from someone who has been there…
If you have recently been diagnosed with cancer, you may be feeling scared
and overwhelmed. You may find that the body on which you have depended on
for so long is suddenly doing strange things and you seem to have very little
control over what is happening to you. In addition to all the medical information
provided by your oncologist, well-meaning friends offer you advice and information
on complementary and alternative therapies. This can be confusing as you try
to decide what to do.
Before you look into any of these complementary/alternative therapies, it
might be helpful for you to take some time to really think about yourself-
your lifestyle, your personality, your greatest concerns, needs and wants.
You need to consider how active a role you wish to take in decisions regarding
your treatment, and what changes you are willing to make in order to include
any of these therapies in your care. Now, more than ever, you need to take
good care of yourself- physically, emotionally and spiritually so that your
mind /body can use its energies to help your treatments work for you benefit.
There are many complementary/alternative therapies to consider and it may
not be easy to choose among them. After giving it some thought, if you decide
to try any of them, it is important to discuss this with your oncologist.
We have created this booklet to provide you with some questions you might
wish to consider as you learn more about this subject.
Natalie Lawton
Ovarian Cancer Survivor
Are you confused about all these terms:
What is conventional cancer treatment?
Conventional cancer treatment refers to those therapies widely practiced in
major U.S. cancer centers and usually consists of surgery, radiation therapy
and chemotherapy. These therapies may be used alone or in combination.
What are unconventional cancer therapies?
This term refers to a large number of healing approaches that are considered
outside of conventional cancer treatment. The purpose of these therapies may
range from simple self-care to complex treatment of disease.
How are conventional and unconventional cancer therapies tested for
safety and effectiveness?
Most conventional cancer treatments are tested for safety and effectiveness
through multiple-phase clinical trials. Because unconventional therapies include
so many different types, testing varies widely. With increased attention to
unconventional therapies, more research is underway. The challenge to the
individual is to evaluate the information that is available.
What is meant by complementary/alternative therapy and integrative
medicine?
Complementary means unconventional therapy used along with conventional cancer
treatment. Alternative may be the name used for those therapies used instead
of conventional cancer treatment. Therefore, a particular therapy can be considered
complementary or alternative depending on how it is used. When conventional
medicine is combined with complementary therapies, the blend is often called
integrative medicine.
What are some examples of complementary/alternative cancer therapies?
Acupuncture
Diet therapies
Herbals
Homeopathy
Massage Therapy
Relaxation Techniques
Vitamins
Therapeutic touch
Traditional Chinese medicine
And there are many more…
Questions for you to think about...
- Do I understand my diagnosis and the conventional treatment my health
care team and I have decided on?
- Am I looking for a complementary/alternative therapy to treat my
disease? Treat its symptoms? Treat side effects? Prevent recurrent
cancer?
- Are there other benefits I would like to achieve by using complementary/alternative
therapy, for example, to help me relax or gain a sense of peace?
- Am I interested in a therapy that involves a major lifestyle change,
for example, a complex diet?
- Am I interested in a complementary/alternative therapy that involves
a procedure, like acupuncture or one that doesn’t, like meditation?
- Am I looking for a therapy to assist in changing a habit or behavior,
for example, to help quit smoking?
- Do I want something I can do on my own or do I want to be guided
by a practitioner?
Perhaps we can be helpful finding answers to
these...
- What information is available to help me narrow my search?
- Are there complementary/alternative therapies that are particularly
helpful at different stages of treatment or when treatment is over?
- What information can I get that tells me about the potential benefits,
risks and side effects of these therapies?
- Are there complementary/alternative therapies for which I should
have a practitioner? If so, how do I find one?
- If I want to pursue this on my own, how do I get reliable information
in order to make decisions?
- How can I find out if there are particular therapies that might interfere
with my chemotherapy or other treatment?
Some further thoughts…
- How should I discuss the use of complementary/alternative therapies
with my doctor?
- How might my family, friends or others around me respond to my use
of such therapies?
- What are my concerns as I explore complementary/alternative therapy,
for example, cost, time involved or difficulty coordinating providers?
- Does my health insurance cover any costs of these therapies and how
can I find out?
Questions for you and your oncologist…
You and your oncologist will be talking about your cancer treatment. Here
are some suggestions to guide your discussions to guide your discussion about
use of unconventional cancer therapies.
- How do you feel about my use of complementary/alternative therapy
as part of my cancer treatment?
- Is there information that would be helpful to have in order for us
to discuss my use, or possible use, of complementary/alternative therapies?
- Are you aware of, or would you recommend, any of these therapies
to aid in my treatment or with managing symptoms?
- Are there any complementary/alternative therapy providers that you
would refer me to?
- Are you willing to exchange information with that therapy provider?
- If I choose to pursue any of these therapies on my own without a
provider, for example, using antioxidants or vitamins, how much can
I expect you to advise me on this?
- Would you recommend that I have a provider for the consultation on
use of therapies, such as dietary and herbal remedies?
- Do you need to know about any particular therapies that I may use?
- Are there times during my conventional treatment that a complementary/alternative
therapy would be particularly helpful or should be avoided?
- Are there risks associated with these therapies?
- Can these alternative therapies interfere with the effectiveness
of my conventional treatment or increase the risks of toxicity?
Questions for you and your complementary/alternative
therapy provider…
If you choose to work with a complementary/alternative
therapy provider, these are some questions you may want to ask about unconventional
therapies.
- What is your educational background as a provider of complementary/alternative
therapy and how long have you been in practice?
- Are you licensed or certified to practice this therapy?
- What is your experience in treating people with cancer?
- Are you willing to work with me while I am using conventional cancer
treatment and will you exchange information with my oncologist?
- Is this therapy effective treatment of my cancer? My symptoms? Side
effects of my cancer treatment? Stress, anxiety, or other?
- How are safety and effectiveness of this therapy tested, and what
are the side effects and risks of therapy?
- How much can I expect you to advise me on other complementary/alternative
therapies?
- How many visits will this therapy require, how often, and for how
long? What other time commitments, if any, will be necessary to undertake
this therapy?
- Are there times during my cancer treatment that this complementary/alternative
therapy would be particularly helpful or should be avoided?
- Can you give me references of patients who have used this therapy
(ideally for the same condition)?
- What are the costs involved? Is this therapy covered by my insurance?
If not, do you offer a sliding fee scale?
By HOPES Program: Complementary/Alternative Therapies Committee , November
2000
Thoughts from someone who has been
there...
Are you confused by all of the
terms?
Questions to think about...
Questions for you and your oncologist...
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