Beware of Some So-called Cancer Remedies

Remember the old cliché: If something sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't [true]. This is definitely the case in conversations and advertisements about so-called cancer remedies. It is very easy to read glowing reports that X (think tea or supplement or herb) can cure cancer and impossible to find empirical data to back up the claims. If you have cancer, you almost certainly have been approached by family members or friends who are convinced they know what you should do to beat back the cancer.

It is also true that most cancer patients and survivors use some kind of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies. Most doctors ask that you fully inform them of these choices, and that you avoid anything that you ingest during active treatment. Studies have not been done to test the possible interference of supplements, mega-vitamins, or herbs on chemotherapy drugs, and, clearly, you don't want to do anything that might reduce the efficacy of your treatment.

There are certainly some complementary and alternative medicine therapies that can be helpful. We know, for example, that there is some evidence that acupuncture can help to reduce nausea, increase energy, and promote a general sense of wellbeing. We also know that some advertised CAM therapies are shams and expensive. Did you know that the business of CAM therapies makes $37 billion a year?

There are passionate feelings on both sides of the debate about the value of complementary and alternative medicine therapies. Remember, too, that there is a big difference between suggesting that a certain therapy (such as Reiki, massage, or acupuncture) might help you feel generally better and suggesting that Supplement X will cure your cancer. Western medicine is data-based and relies on careful clinical trial studies. There is little comparable objective information about CAM therapies. The National Cancer Institute (NIH) offers information on complementary and alternative medicine. I highly recommend their website for accurate information.

The specific focus today is intended to be on advertising for products that are said to cure or prevent cancer. Don't you think that, if such a thing existed, our doctors would share that information? In spite of the occasional paranoid comment about the existence of cancer cures that are not shared by the pharmaceutical companies and medical world because they want to continue to make money, most of us know that this is not true. We would know and such a substance would be celebrated worldwide.

Remember that just because something is described as natural, it is not necessarily helpful and could even be dangerous. Used in advertising, natural means that the particular substance was grown, not created in a laboratory. It is not a guarantee of effectiveness or safety. Describing something in this way says nothing at all about its intrinsic value.

Now for some examples of things that are not only a waste of money, but might even be harmful. You may have read about alkaline, or low acid, diets. Since studies have shown that cancer cells can't survive in an alkaline environment, the theory is that eating certain foods will change your body's chemistry to mimic this outcome. Here is the catch: the food we eat or don't eat does not alter our body's basic chemistry; our bodies do that on their own. Black salve is a cream or ointment made of zinc chloride and herbs. The ads tell us that the salve kills cancer cells in/on your skin. That is just plain not true, and the cream can cause scarring or infection. For years, the theory that mega doses of Vitamin C can fight or destroy cancer has circulated. We now know that, not only do big oral doses of Vitamin C do nothing for cancer patients, they may even inhibit the efficacy of radiation or some chemotherapy drugs.

You get the point here. We all wish that there were easier and even more effective treatments available for cancer, and we certainly all wish that we could just make an online purchase to insure our lasting good health. I am reminding you of the importance of common sense and the suggestion that you spend your money in another way.