Alternative treatments

Alternative cancer treatments are treatments used by alternative medicine practitioners. These are a group of non-related interventions that do not fit the rigors of Western medicine and include mind–body interventions, herbal preparations, massage, acupuncture, reiki, electrical stimulation devices, and a variety of strict dietary regimens among others.

Alternative cancer treatments have never been shown to be effective at killing cancer cells in research studies, but remain popular in some cultures and religions. Some are dangerous, but most are harmless or provide the patient with a degree of physical or emotional comfort. Alternative cancer treatment has also been a fertile field for hoaxes aimed at stripping desperate patients of their money.^[89]

Many physicians are supportive of patients using alternative medicine in addition to standard management, especially for symptom management, though certain types of alternative herbs or diets could actually interfere with treatments and should be discussed with an oncologist if undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatments.^{[90][91][92][93]}