Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Cancer

You or your health care provider may want to try a cancer treatment that's not part of standard medical care. Standard medicine is practiced by providers. They use treatments that have been:

Scientifically tested in clinical trials.
Found to be safe and effective.
Approved by the FDA.

Sometimes, they may also advise other therapies. These may be used to complement, or complete, a conventional treatment plan. Sometimes people hear about alternative therapies and want to know if these could help.

It's important to understand the difference between these 2 types of therapy:

Complementary medicine is any type of therapy used along with standard medicine. It often tries to ease symptoms and improve quality of life.
Alternative medicine is used alone or in place of standard medical treatment. These treatments can delay access to standard treatments that have been shown to help. Some of these treatments can be harmful.

What's thought to be complementary and alternative medicine sometimes changes. This is because they may be eventually proven to be safe and effective based on research. They then become part of standard medicine.

Different types of therapies

Therapies that may be included in your treatment plan may include:

Hypnosis.
Massage.
Biofeedback.
Yoga.
Meditation.
Acupuncture.
Aromatherapy.
Tai chi.
Guided imagery.

Things to think about

Most complementary and alternative medicine fields are not standardized. They may not be controlled by standard medical guidelines. Talk with your provider before trying any of them. This is important because some of these therapies may interfere with your standard treatment.

It's important to learn as much as you can when thinking about complementary or alternative therapies. Before starting any new therapy, you should:

Talk with your provider.
Use your local library to research books, articles, and scientific journals.
Use the Internet to do research. (Be careful of sites selling these products.) Ask your provider for reputable websites for organizations, such as the American Cancer Society or National Cancer Institute.
Look for information on controlled, scientific studies on the therapy you are thinking about.
Talk with others who have actually tried the therapy.

Warning signs to look for

It's better not to try any treatment with the following warning signs:

It's based on unproven theories.
It promises or guarantees a cure.
It's a secret and can be given only by certain providers.
You must travel to another country to get it.
The provider criticizes standard medicine or tells you not to use standard medicine.

Working with your provider

Before spending your time and money, it's best to talk with your provider about any complementary or alternative therapy. There may be ways to safely use some of these treatments. But some might cause problems if you use them along with standard treatments. Learn as much as you can so you can make the choices that are best for you.

Online Medical Reviewer: Jessica Gotwals RN BSN MPH
Online Medical Reviewer: Susan K. Dempsey-Walls RN

Date Last Reviewed: 3/1/2025