Published in

Elsevier, International Journal of Surgery, 1(8), p. 81, 2010

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2009.10.005

Elsevier, International Journal of Surgery, 6(7), p. 499-500, 2009

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2009.08.005

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and cancer: The kind face of complementary medicine

Journal article published in 2009 by George Lewith ORCID, Charlotte Paterson, Nicky Britten, E. Ernst
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Upload
Orange circle
Postprint: archiving restricted
Upload
Red circle
Published version: archiving forbidden
Policy details
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a big issue for cancer patients who may feel tempted to use one of the many therapies on offer. In particular, alternative cancer "cures" are being promoted to vulnerable patients. None of these "cures" have been shown to do what they promise, and the very notion of an alternative cancer "cure" is a contradiction in terms. Yet CAM can play an important role in oncology, and that is in supportive and palliative care. Several treatments can decrease the side-effects of cancer drugs or improve quality of life in other ways.