Although the term CAM combines complementary and alternative medicine, distinguishing the two is important. Complementary interventions are only intended to supplement mainstream care and are used primarily to control symptoms and bolster physical and emotional well-being throughout treatment. Although we cant rely on complementary therapies to shrink a tumor, if given together with chemotherapy or radiation therapy, such interventions may improve quality of life and possibly survival as well, said Gary Deng, MD, PhD, interim Chief of Integrative Medicine at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. Its a common misconception that cancer treatment is all about shrinking the tumor. Reducing anxiety or pain can make an enormous impact on a patients day-to-day quality of life. Alternative therapies, however, are meant as a substitute for mainstream care. Both supporters and skeptics of complementary treatments agree that alternative modalities are not viable substitutes for mainstream care and that using any in lieu of conventional medicine is dangerous. medscape/viewarticle/830552
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 09:17:39 +0000
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