Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these to spread, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion, or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis (where cancer cells are transported through the bloodstream or lymphatic system). Cancer may affect people at all ages, but risk tends to increase with age. It is one of the principal causes of death in developed countries.
There are many types of cancer. Severity of symptoms depends on the site and character of the malignancy and whether there is metastasis. A definitive diagnosis usually requires the histological examination of tissue by a pathologist. This tissue is obtained by biopsy or surgery. Most cancers can be treated and some cured, depending on the specific type, location, and stage. Once diagnosed, cancer is usually treated with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. As research develops, treatments are becoming more specific for the type of cancer pathology. Drugs that target specific cancers already exist for several types of cancer. If untreated, cancers may eventually cause illness and death, though this is not always the case.
The unregulated growth that characterizes cancer is caused by damage to DNA, resulting in mutations to genes that encode for proteins controlling cell division. Many mutation events may be required to transform a normal cell into a malignant cell. These mutations can be caused by radiation, chemicals or physical agents that cause cancer, which are called carcinogens, or by certain viruses that can insert their DNA into the human genome. Mutations occur spontaneously, and may be passed down from one cell generation to the next as a result of mutations within germ lines. However, some carcinogens also appear to work through non-mutagenic pathways that affect the level of transcription of certain genes without causing genetic mutation.
Many forms of cancer are associated with exposure to environmental factors such as tobacco smoke, radiation, alcohol, and certain viruses. Some risk factors can be avoided or reduced.

Alternative approach

Alternative medicine is defined as “any of various systems of healing or treating disease (as chiropractic, homeopathy naturopathic, or faith healing) not included in the traditional medical curricula taught in the United States and Britain”. Complementary medicine is defined as “any of the practices (as acupuncture) of alternative medicine accepted and utilized by mainstream medical practitioners”. The term complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is an umbrella term for both branches. CAM includes practices that incorporate spiritual, metaphysical, or religious underpinnings; non-evidence based practices, non-European medical traditions, or newly developed approaches to healing.
The list of therapies included under CAM changes gradually. If and when an unproven therapy is proven to be safe and effective, it becomes adopted into conventional health care and gradually ceases to be considered “alternative”, since adoption and acceptance often take time. If a CAM therapy is proven dangerous and ineffective, it should cease to be advocated by CAM practitioners, although there are no clear instances of this happening.
A growing number of people with cancer are now beginning to realize the benefits offered by alternative medicine as a means of cancer treatment. Many cancer patients are realizing that supplementing their conventional cancer care with alternative medicines is a wise and beneficial undertaking. Those people who are no longer able to continue with conventional cancer care i.e. chemotherapy, due to advanced stages of their cancer, have the added benefit of another option available to them as a last ditch attempt to fight their cancer. It does not make sense to users of alternative medicine to simply accept the fact that nothing more can be done by conventional medicine when they have the free option of using alternative medicines at this point in the late stages of their cancer. In fact, many cancer survivors who had little to no hope with conventional medicines, claim that if it was not for alternative medicines, they would not have survived after being sent home.
Some of the alternative methods provide help by strengthening the body and controlling the side effects of conventional treatments. Other approaches, because of their gentle noninvasive nature, may in some cases be preferred over more orthodox treatments offered by modern medicine.

  • Most alternative therapies have a common theme. Many are based on the belief that a truly healthy body is less vulnerable to cancer and more able to fight off and kill cancer. They emphasize that cancer develops as the result of a problem with the immune system and or an imbalance in the body. Many people believe the imbalance is created by to free radical damage in the body from improper lifestyle habits and poor dietary habits. Stress is also considered to contribute to creating this imbalance.
  • Alternative medicine techniques try to reduce or eliminate the underlying problem that allowed the cancer to develop by activating the body’s own inherent healing process so that the body can heal itself. Of all the Alternative medicine techniques used, essiac is still the first choice alternative medicine for cancer care and it is still considered to be one of the best alternative medicine therapies.
  • Alternative medicine is usually HOLISTIC in approach. Holistic means that the goal is to treat the whole body, rather than just the affected area. Many also aim to treat the individual on a number of different levels, including physical, mental, spiritual and emotional.

Always tell your doctor before you begin taking any complementary and alternative medicine treatments. This is especially important if you’re currently taking chemotherapy. In some instances, combining complementary and alternative treatments with your chemotherapy regimen can cause great harm, either by rendering the chemotherapy ineffective or by increasing the side effects or toxic effects of the chemotherapy drugs.

Here’s a look at products and therapies that are often marketed as cancer treatments:

Nutrition and herbs

Nutritional therapy and herbal therapy are often touted as “natural,” which might sound appealing. But natural doesn’t always mean safe. Talk to your doctor about how these options might complement or interfere with your current cancer treatment.

  • Antioxidant supplements. Antioxidants occur naturally in many foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and some meats. Some studies have reported that antioxidants may slow cancer growth in the test tube, but no proof exists that this occurs in humans. Doctors aren’t sure if supplements — sometimes with antioxidant levels thousands of times higher than those found in food — are as safe as food sources of antioxidants. These supplements might interfere with your cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, and could be dangerous. One study showed that smokers who used antioxidant supplements had a higher risk of lung cancer than those who didn’t use the supplements.
  • Alkaline diet. A diet rich in certain alkaline foods, meaning foods that aren’t acidic, won’t cure cancer. Proponents of this diet claim foods such as soft drinks and meats make your body acidic, allowing cancer to flourish. They suggest eating mainly alkaline foods, such as fruits and vegetables, and restricting acidic foods. The theory that acid causes cancer isn’t true, and it isn’t clear that what you eat has any impact on your body’s overall acidity or alkalinity.
  • Essiac. Essiac is an herbal tea mixture that has been touted to relieve pain and reduce the size of tumors. The original formula contained four herbs: burdock, rhubarb, sheep sorrel and slippery elm. Some newer products and knockoffs have other herbs added as well. Though some early tests have shown that chemicals in the herbs used in Essiac have some antioxidant, anti-inflammatory or anti-cancer activity, Essiac hasn’t been proved to have any effect on cancer.
  • Laetrile (amygdalin). Taken orally or as an injection, laetrile is a purified form of amygdalin, a chemical found in lima beans, raw nuts and the pits of many fruits. Amygdalin produces cyanide, which proponents claim kills cancer. But laetrile hasn’t been proved to work against cancer and has even caused several deaths.
  • Macrobiotic diet. The macrobiotic diet is strictly vegetarian and requires you to consume about half of your daily calories from whole grains, about a quarter of your calories from vegetables, and the rest of your calories from beans, seaweed and soups. The macrobiotic diet is marketed for both prevention and treatment of cancer, though no proof exists that it does either. Eating plenty of vegetables can reduce your risk of cancer, but how much you should eat or which vegetables you should choose is unknown.
  • Megavitamin treatments. Megavitamin treatments usually combine high doses of vitamins A, C and E — sometimes requiring you to take hundreds of pills a day. These vitamins are an important part of everybody’s diet, whether you have cancer or not. But if you already eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, you probably get enough of these vitamins without taking supplements. Too much of a vitamin can even be dangerous and can interfere with your cancer treatment.
  • Mistletoe. Mistletoe injections are given two to three times a week. They’re used mostly in Europe and aren’t available in the United States. Mistletoe extracts have been shown to kill some cancer cells in laboratory and animal experiments. Studies in people have had mixed results.

Benefits of Certain Foods

While scientists often seek to identify the precise nutrients and substances that might be responsible for preventing or promoting cancer, we eat foods, not just nutrients. For this reason, groups such as the National Cancer Institute and AICR provide guidelines for an overall healthy, cancer-protective diet.
It is most realistic and practical — not to mention more enjoyable and economical — to focus on eating more of the foods that contain potentially beneficial substances, namely fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, than on downing individual nutrients or chemicals. Besides, much of the earliest evidence suggesting foods might help protect against cancer came from observing the typical diets of select populations in which the incidence of certain cancers was much lower than in the general population. Attempts to tease out specific nutrients that might be responsible for the protection have not been successful.
When the benefits are linked to a diet made up of whole foods, it is often difficult to say for certain that the protective effects were caused by one specific nutrient rather than by the interplay of all the potentially helpful substances (sometimes called phytochemicals) that are found naturally in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The recommendations, therefore, encourage the consumption of the whole foods rather than the single nutrients so that people don’t miss out on these other potentially beneficial substances (some of which scientists may not even have identified yet).
We will review what we know so far, what we suspect, and what we don’t know about some of the foods and nutrients that may help protect against cancer and those that may promote cancer. With this knowledge, you can create a diverse diet that includes more foods that may help to protect you and your family.

Foods With Emerging Promise

Compelling evidence is accumulating for the anticancer properties of more foods and food components. For example, the antioxidants in tea, called catechins, may inhibit the growth of cancerous cells. Green tea contains more of these antioxidants than black tea, possibly because it is subject to less processing. One catch: To release about 80 percent of its catechins, you must steep your tea for about five minutes.
Red wine is rich in phytochemicals, particularly compounds called polyphenols, which include catechins and resveratrol. These anticancer antioxidant compounds are found in the skin and seeds of grapes. And garlic contains organic allyl sulfur compounds that seem to help slow or prevent the growth of tumor cells.

Benefits of Vitamins

To help stack your deck against cancer, consider stocking your diet with more of the foods listed in this section. Don’t just add them to what you’re already eating, though, unless you’re trying to gain weight. Cut back on fatty foods, sugary foods that don’t provide many nutrients, and other foods discussed later in this article. Instead, replace them with more foods filled with the potential cancer fighters such as the vitamins discussed below.

Beta-Carotene: Bad News and Good News

For a short time, beta-carotene, a form of vitamin A, was a star among supplements. There was good reason, too — solid research suggested that beta-carotene could lower cancer risk.
Vitamin manufacturers jumped on the bandwagon and began replacing all the vitamin A in their pills with beta-carotene, until results from a study called CARET (Beta-Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial) brought things to a screeching halt. This landmark study, published in 1996, tested synthetic beta-carotene and vitamin A supplements in people at high risk for lung cancer — smokers, former smokers, and asbestos-industry workers. The study was quickly discontinued when it became clear that those taking beta-carotene supplements (about 30 milligrams a day) actually had a higher rate of lung cancer and higher mortality rate than those taking a placebo (an inert pill).
Nevertheless, beta-carotene’s action as an antioxidant can significantly slow or prevent oxidative damage in the body that can increase the risk of certain types of cancer, including oral cancers and tumors of the stomach, breast, cervix, uterus, prostate, and colon.
Because vitamin A can be toxic in large doses, the emphasis is on getting it from fruits and vegetables, where it is primarily found in the form of beta-carotene, and not from supplements of vitamin A.
Other carotenoids, especially lutein and lycopene, may be protective, too, but they have not been studied as well, and information on their content in foods is somewhat limited.

Vitamin C Vindicated

Researchers are still arguing over vitamin C and colds. But vitamin C may offer protection against lots of other conditions, including cancer.
A diet high in vitamin C has been strongly linked to a lower risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, stomach, and pancreas. Weaker data exist for cancers of the breast, cervix, and rectum. However, it’s hard to separate the effects of vitamin C from those of beta-carotene, because many fruits and vegetables are rich in both.
In fact, studies show it may be the combination of the two that’s important, which is yet another reason to get your antioxidants from foods rather than supplements whenever possible. Indeed, the few studies in which vitamin C was provided by supplement have not shown any cancer-fighting benefits.

Optimism Over E

Research appears to support vitamin E’s contribution to cutting the risk of some types of cancers. The evidence is strongest for prostate cancer, where vitamin E, along with selenium, seems to offer protection. Other links include a possible reduction in the risk of cancers of the stomach and lung and perhaps of the bladder, colon, and rectum.
But vitamin E is unique. While its merit as an antioxidant is accepted by many scientists, it only appears to be of value when consumed in amounts far greater than what you can get from foods. Because vitamin E is fat soluble, the foods richest in it tend to be high in fat — such as vegetable oils, sunflower seeds, nuts, and wheat germ — so it’s not a very practical nutrient to seek out in large amounts in the diet. Otherwise, you may find yourself overloading on calories.
What to do? As a start, be sure to eat lots of whole grains, fortified cereals, leafy greens, and fish to obtain a baseline level of E. To boost your intake into the potentially cancer-fighting range — about 100 International Units (IU) daily — without overdosing on fat, however, you would need to add a supplement. (Many studies are conducted using 800 IU, but there’s evidence to show you don’t need this much to gain benefits.) Although many experts are optimistic about vitamin E’s possibilities, they have stopped short of recommending such a supplement until further research is done. Certainly, at this point, if you are considering a vitamin E supplement, discuss it with your health care professional first.

Detoxifying treatments

Proponents claim that detoxification treatments clear your body of harmful substances and stimulate your immune system to attack the cancer in your body. But detoxification therapy can be invasive and dangerous.

Most people with cancer have a functioning immune system, so the need to further stimulate it is unnecessary. And because cancer cells seem to hide from normal immune systems, stimulating your immune system won’t help your body fight off your cancer. Also, no evidence exists to support the theory that removing “harmful substances” affects cancer.

  • Colon therapy. Colon therapy removes waste from your colon through a process called a high colonic, in which a plastic tube is inserted through your rectum and into your colon. Up to 20 gallons of liquid — usually water, herbal solutions or coffee — is pumped into your large intestine. This is repeated several times. No evidence exists to support the use of colon therapy, and treatment can cause infection and mineral and electrolyte imbalances that can be dangerous.
  • Gerson therapy. The Gerson therapy uses minerals, enzymes and hormones to “detoxify” and “cleanse” your body. The therapy requires that you consume 13 glasses of organic fruit and vegetable juice every day. You must also follow a vegetarian diet and have coffee or chamomile enemas. No conclusive proof of the Gerson therapy’s effect on cancer is available. Some people on this regimen report feeling more energetic, often due to the large amounts of caffeine absorbed through the colon as part of this therapy.
  • Gonzalez treatment. The Gonzalez treatment incorporates special diets, supplements, pancreatic enzymes and coffee enemas to treat cancer. Proponents believe that the main anti-cancer component in this regimen is pig pancreas enzymes. The Gonzalez treatment is highly controversial but showed some promise in a small study. It’s currently being investigated in a larger study sponsored by the National Cancer Institute.

Chemical and animal-based treatments

These treatments are based on chemicals or components that come from humans or animals.

  • 714-X. This treatment is a solution of camphor, nitrogen, ammonium salts and ethanol. It’s purported to stabilize your immune system, so your body regains its ability to fight your cancer. It can be injected or inhaled. No scientific proof exists of 714-X’s effectiveness, and it isn’t available in the United States.
  • Antineoplastons. Proponents claim that antineoplaston therapy causes tumor cells to die by stopping some of the processes involved in their growth. Antineoplastons are isolated from horse urine and are taken orally or by injection. Trials of antineoplaston therapy haven’t shown any anti-cancer activity. Several more clinical trials of antineoplaston therapy are currently under way.
  • Cancell (Entelev, Cantron, Jim’s Juice, Crocinic Acid). Cancell is a dark brown liquid that is taken orally or rectally, or applied to your wrist or foot. Its manufacturers say it changes cancer cells so that your body recognizes them as foreign and eventually destroys them. Cancell contains 12 compounds, including inositol, nitric acid, sodium sulfite, potassium hydroxide, sulfuric acid and catechol. No proof exists that these compounds cure cancer. Cancell has never been scientifically tested on people.
  • Coenzyme Q10. Your body naturally produces coenzymes to help stimulate chemical reactions in your body. Proponents of coenzyme Q10 believe that people with cancer and other conditions have lower levels of coenzyme Q10, though no evidence of this exists. When you take coenzyme Q10, either as an injection or a pill, it may act as an antioxidant and stimulate your immune system. No definitive studies have shown that coenzyme Q10 has any effect on cancer. Some practitioners claim coenzyme Q10 protects your heart from damage caused by certain chemotherapy drugs, though research has yet to prove this claim.
  • Oxygen therapy. Oxygen therapy uses ozone or hydrogen peroxide to supposedly add extra oxygen to your body. Proponents believe cancer cells need a low-oxygen environment to survive, and that flooding your body with extra oxygen will kill cancer cells. Ozone gas can be mixed with water or air, and users usually drink or inhale the solution. It can also be injected into a muscle. Hydrogen peroxide is sometimes injected into a vein, though it can also be administered rectally. Oxygen therapy hasn’t been studied in people. Hydrogen peroxide bubbles in the blood can block blood flow and lead to death.
  • Shark cartilage. Proponents believe that shark cartilage stops a tumor’s growth by preventing it from growing new blood vessels (angiogenesis). The rationale behind this theory is the belief that sharks don’t get cancer, although that has since been proved false. Some anti-tumor substances have been found in cartilage, though, and shark cartilage has been used in clinical trials. The Food and Drug Administration found no conclusive evidence that shark cartilage works and recommends against using shark cartilage as a cancer treatment. Clinical trials using substances isolated from shark cartilage are currently under way.

Benefits of Minerals and Fiber

Minerals and fiber can both be allies in the fight for cancer prevention. Still, the exact benefits that each brings is up for debate. In this section, we explore the ways in which fiber and minerals can be beneficial.

Selenium’s Tight-Rope Act

Selenium is not actually an antioxidant. Rather, it is part of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which is part of the body’s antioxidant defense system, helping protect it against free radicals. You don’t hear as much about selenium, however, because we still don’t know that much about it. Preliminary evidence suggests a link between selenium and a reduced risk for cancers of the lung, colon, and prostate.
Getting the right amount is a balancing act that Mother Nature handles fairly well. Selenium is widely available in such foods as grains, lean meat, poultry, and fish. There is a narrow margin, however, between safe and toxic amounts of selenium. So high-dose supplements are a distinctly bad idea.

The Calcium Connection

The evidence supporting this newcomer to the cancer-prevention scene is a bit less conclusive yet still promising. The research suggests calcium plays a role in reducing the risk for colorectal cancer, perhaps by thwarting the ability of cancerous cells to gain a foothold in the lining of the intestines or by binding with them, rendering them benign. Calcium-rich foods seem to offer more protection than calcium supplements.
Many Americans fall short of the recommended daily intake for calcium, which is 1,300 milligrams for teenagers; 1,000 milligrams for adults 19 to 50 years of age; and 1,200 milligrams for adults 51 years of age and older. Amounts of 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams have been linked to an anticancer effect. On the other hand, there is evidence that an intake of more than 2,000 milligrams of calcium per day, primarily from supplements, may increase the risk for prostate cancer.
In light of this, both men and women are best off meeting recommended levels of calcium primarily from food sources (since it’s far more difficult to overdose on a vitamin or mineral when you get it from food than when you take supplements). Calcium sources include milk, yogurt, cheese, fortified juice, sardines with bones, salmon, and some leafy green vegetables (bok choy, broccoli, kale, and turnip and collard greens). If you obtain much of your calcium from dairy products, select low-fat or nonfat varieties to help keep your intake of total and saturated fat low. If you take a calcium supplement, consult with a registered dietitian or your doctor to determine how much is appropriate for you to take.

Fiber Fallout

The research on fiber in the prevention of colon cancer is positive, even if the link is somewhat shaky. There are a variety of ways that fiber may protect: by diluting toxins, by altering conditions within the bowel, and by literally getting carcinogens out faster. The numerous variables are what confuse the issue. In fact, as more knowledge of fiber’s potential actions has accrued, the link has become less clear.
This may be partly due to the failure of many past studies to separate out the effects of soluble versus insoluble fibers. It’s the insoluble type — as in wheat bran — that probably provides the most protection. But other studies have also found a protective effect from fruits and vegetables, which are higher in soluble fiber. To confuse matters further, several large studies even found that overall fiber intake does not seem to have any significant effect on lowering colon-cancer risk. Fiber’s effect also may depend on whether your diet is high in fat, too.
But don’t mistake the forest for the trees. Because fiber is clearly beneficial to many other conditions, it’s wise to make sure you are consuming adequate amounts. Furthermore, foods high in fiber are also known to contain other healthful substances that do have protective effects against cancer.

Complementary and alternative medicine to ease side effects of cancer treatment

Most people with cancer who use complementary and alternative medicine don’t expect the treatments to cure their cancer. They may use complementary and alternative medicine to treat the pain associated with their cancer and control the side effects of treatment, such as nausea and weakness. Your doctor might recommend conventional medications or complementary and alternative medicine therapies, such as acupuncture or massage, for these signs and symptoms. These types of therapy aren’t specific to cancer and can treat pain and side effects of many other conditions, as well.
In general, these treatments aren’t invasive, making them safer than other complementary and alternative medicine treatments. Still, talk to your doctor about these types of therapy before using them.

  • Acupuncture. In this treatment, tiny needles are inserted into your skin to stimulate your body’s natural energy, or qi (pronounced “che”). By restoring the natural flow of qi, acupuncture is supposed to help your body heal itself. Acupuncture has been effective in treating pain and nausea in some people with cancer.
  • Aromatherapy. Proponents believe that fragrant oils from plants can affect your mood. About 40 oils are commonly used in aromatherapy. They can be smelled at home or at a spa, or applied as oil during a massage. Though little proof of its benefit exists, aromatherapy is said to help pain, depression and stress, and promote a general sense of well-being.
  • Hypnotherapy. This relaxation method effectively relieves some chronic pain, and it may also reduce nausea and vomiting in people with cancer. Although you may look like you’re asleep during hypnosis, you actually go into a state of deep concentration. While you’re under hypnosis, your practitioner may suggest you focus on goals, such as controlling your pain and reducing your stress.
  • Massage therapy. During a massage, your practitioner kneads your skin, muscles and tendons in an effort to relieve muscle tension and stress and promote relaxation. Several massage methods exist. If you’re currently receiving conventional chemotherapy, check with your doctor before undergoing massage. If you have a low platelet count because of chemotherapy, deep massage can cause bleeding or bruising. Certain types of massage and spinal manipulation can also be unsafe if the bones in your back or neck have been weakened by cancer.
  • Therapeutic touch. Touch therapy practitioners claim to use their hands to transmit “energy forces” that can heal the energy force that runs through you. By moving their hands back and forth across your body, they claim to be able to locate and remove your energy force disturbances. Practitioners believe this reduces pain and encourages relaxation.

Many other types of complementary and alternative medicine are promoted for pain relief. They include homeopathy, reflexology, relaxation, spirituality, and art and music therapy.

Sources: Howstuffworks, Mayo Clinic, Cancer-Info

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