“A lot of people are selling hope,” says Dr. Ann Partridge, an oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. But there’s often little to no evidence that vitamin pills, herbal supplements, or homeopathic products can treat cancer. Some of these alternative therapies can actually decrease the effectiveness of proven treatments — chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiation or surgery — prescribed by your doctor.
Alternative therapies, as well as complementary ones you may take alongside prescribed treatment, sound more appealing than standard medical treatments, Partridge says. But unfortunately, people who choose these therapies have a two-fold greater risk of death compared to patients who don’t use complementary treatments, according to a recent study published in the journal JAMA Oncology.
If you are thinking of taking any complementary or alternative supplements, bring them to your doctor’s appointment to make sure they are okay. Or better yet, try mind-body interventions that can be integrated into your standard care without causing any harm, like mindfulness, psychotherapy, yoga, and exercise, Partridge says. These won’t interfere with conventional medicines, and may help improve your quality of life.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
Dr. Ann Partridge is an oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the founder and director of the Program for Young Women with Breast Cancer. Read More
“A lot of people are selling hope,” says Dr. Ann Partridge, an oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. But there’s often little to no evidence that vitamin pills, herbal supplements, or homeopathic products can treat cancer. Some of these alternative therapies can actually decrease the effectiveness of proven treatments — chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiation or surgery — prescribed by your doctor.
Alternative therapies, as well as complementary ones you may take alongside prescribed treatment, sound more appealing than standard medical treatments, Partridge says. But unfortunately, people who choose these therapies have a two-fold greater risk of death compared to patients who don’t use complementary treatments, according to a recent study published in the journal JAMA Oncology.
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If you are thinking of taking any complementary or alternative supplements, bring them to your doctor’s appointment to make sure they are okay. Or better yet, try mind-body interventions that can be integrated into your standard care without causing any harm, like mindfulness, psychotherapy, yoga, and exercise, Partridge says. These won’t interfere with conventional medicines, and may help improve your quality of life.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
Dr. Ann Partridge is an oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the founder and director of the Program for Young Women with Breast Cancer. Read More
