We know your patients are using complementary or alternative therapies to help fight their disease. Studies have continued to show use by a growing number of patients (in some studies up to 80%), many of whom DO NOT TALK to their healthcare providers about it. There are several things to be accomplished through reading these pages: 1) You may thereafter find it easier to speak to your patient on the subject since you will know some terminology. 2) Your patient may feel more comfortable with you, and feel that you are not dismissive of their interest. 3) You will better understand why they have chosen to pursue this area. 4) There are relevant studies, you might like to start your journey by looking under the 'Studies' heading. 5) Take a look at 'Meeting Summaries'. You will note that ASCO held a symposium in this area in May 1999 (and again in 2001 and 2002). Please see NOAT-a group that discusses adjuvant therapy in nutrition. Also take a look at the AICR-American Institute for Cancer Research. SEARCH on any topic of interest, there are many pages here. We strongly support the need for scientific evaluation of "alternative" therapies. We can no longer dismiss them as unproven when no efforts have been made to explore them. This is ideology NOT science. If mortality had been greatly reduced, your patients would probably not be looking at/for/to this stuff. Certainly many patients look to "complementary" medicine to help reduce/relieve toxic 'side' effects. But the promise of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery simply has not been kept-FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE. Good luck. Thanks for stopping by. We appreciate you caring. Please contact us with any questions and comments. Ann Fonfa, patient and activist annfonfa@aol.com Said in another context but it works for us: "The good physician knows the general rules provided by guidelines and consensus reports. The excellent physician knows the exception to the rules." J. Willis Hurst, MD Consultant of the Division of Cardiology Emory University School of Medicine; Former Professor and Chairman How to find what you need to know Oncology Issues, 3/02 Popular Complementary Therapies Ethical Considerations of CAM:Conventional Setting Practitioners' Sources for Clinical Info on CAM Benefit of Individualized Programs CAM in UK Survey Educators CAM in Conventional Health Ctrs USA, Canada, includes PubMed for CAM site link NIH and PubMed for CAM Harvard to Invest in Alt Med Program Mainstreaming CAM: Improving Studies World Health Org Studies Traditional/Complementary Therapies Integration of Acupuncture into the Oncology Clinic Publication Bias for CAM trials - US LESS Positive A Look at CAM by (Lord) Edward Baldwin Children's Oncology Group Looks at CAM Right Approach in ChemoPrevention Studies? Chemistry & Biodiversity August, 2007 online JAMA Study January 2001 Survey of Toxicity Assess & Reporting Health System Failing Cancer Patients-Presidential Commission 20% New Drugs Later Show Serious Adverse Effects Adverse Effects Reporting Standards NEEDED Analysis: FDA Warning Ltrs to Investigators Onc Clin Trials Randomized Trials Stopped Early : Systematic Review LINK to National Cancer Institute section, funding, information, studies A database of articles from their website read this and link Patient use of Complementary/Alternative medicine, Drug Interactions Patient Use of Unconventional Therapy CAM, Integrative or Unconventional Med? From the Washington Post CAM and Pediatric Patients Cancer Specialists Avoid Alt Therapies Patient Track-abstract (presented at conferences) Alternative Medicine Used Worldwide As Quoted in Artemis, 2/3 Americans use CAM Patient's Need Information on Nutrition Use of Alt Med Not Rejection of MD's Perceived Cancer Causes Use of CAM Perceptions on CAM Among Adults Who Use Conventional & CAM Alt Med &New Theories in Conv'l Med Study on Dietary Supp Shows Bias & Misunderstanding Mainstreaming CAM: Improving Studies Update on Natural Product-Drug Interactions Communication Barriers:Pt Perspective Decision to Forgo Conventional Treatment CAM During Cancer Treatment Internet for Medical Info Percptns/Attitudes/Clin Onc CAM: Japan Am Med Association Article Supports CAM Use of Mind-Body Medical Therapies Knowledge & Attitudes Toward CAM Among ASCO talk presented by Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel,NCI May, 2001 Pre-treatment: Dietary Supplements/Cisplatin Value of Anthracyclines Questioned Early Stage Colon Cancer/Chemo (Patient perspective) Prognostic Disclosure: Near End of Life Protective effect of hawthorn extract:cyclophosphamide (Mice) Second & Next Chemo: What do we KNOW? Chemo-induced Toxicities Reviewed Antioxidants in Cancer Therapy-Review of Literature Lung Ca Chemo MORE Costly, No Diff in Survival Oral Oncology Products Lancet: Comparison of Chemo for Colon Ca Less Cycles of CMF (adj chemo) Opening Line of this Paper tells a Sad Tale Cancer Medicine's Dark Corners Carcinomatous Menigitis:Taxane Induced? Acute Myeloid Leukemia:Doxi & RTx Circadian Timing of Cancer Chemotherapy Taxanes in Adj Early Stage Bca Excessive Tearing & Canalicular Blockage:Docetaxel Effects of Black Cohosh on Chemotherapies Chemo for Brain Mets Based on Chemosensitivity of Tumor Severe Hepatic Sinusoidal Obstruction W/ Oxaliplatin Bowel Perforation & Fistula Formation W/Bevacizumab Chemo-induced Diarrhea & Dosing Intensity PABA Enhances Conventional Cancer Therapies High-dose Chemo and Cell Support HER2 & Response to Paclitaxel in Node-Positive Breast Cancer Many facilities have 'alternative' practitioners fully involved- Integrative Medicine Integrating Alt Med into Conventional Education Docs Want Education on CAM:Enhanced Commun w/Pts Summary of "Integrative Medicine for Healthcare Orgs U of Pennyslvania Expands CAM Program Natl Education Dialogue to Advance Integrated Health Care Canadian Medical Association Journal February, 2001 Letter: Naturopathic Med Has Standarized Licensure Exams Medscape: Oncology Issues 15(6):20-22, 2000 Acupuncture (from the ABC's) Aromatherapy Bach Flower Remedies Herbals (from the ABC's) Homeopathic (from the ABC's) Magnet Therapy (from the ABC's) Massage Therapy (from the ABC's) Meditation (from the ABC's) Therapeutic Touch (from ABC's) Yoga (from ABC's) Spiritual Needs (from ABC's) Another reason why patients are looking at natural, non-toxic therapies Clinical Relevance of Doctor/Patient Empathy Up to 1.9 Million Adverse effects-180,000 FATAL Deaths in Error/Conventional Medicine Psycho-Oncology, May 2001 Empathy Development in Physicians Pain Mgment CME Changes Physican Practice Patterns Survey Med Onc Fellows' Burnout, Communication Skills Two Books by Daniel J. Benor: Healing Research Speaking to Lesbian/Gay/Transgendered Patients Good Communication Skills - Benefit Doc & Pt Abstract, CA Cancer J Clin, 2001 Introduction on Nutrition: Need for Guidance Decision-making Uncertainty/Nutritional Issues During Phases Dietary Supplements Nutritional Issues for Common Cancer Sites Phase I: Cancer Treatment & Food Choices/Nutritional Supplements Phase II:Recovery From Treatment/Phase III:Preventing Recurrences Phase IV: Living with Advanced Cancer Specific Nutritional Issues for Survivors Physical Activity Nutritional Issues in CAM Nutritional Issues for Common Cancer Sites Cancer Prevention for Family Members Promoting Informed Decision-Making by Survivors Evaulation System: Courtesy of the AICR Who Wrote This Report? References 2002 Prevention Guidelines For Nutrition/Physical Activity ACS Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort Dr.James M. Metz presents at ASCO, 2001 What Docs Feel When Pts Scour Health News Impact of Media & Internet-Oncology Patient/Doctor Communications IMPORTANT Doctor-Patient Talks May Impact Care of Elderly Bca Pts Internet Project: Mediterranean Eating - Scotland Impact of Internet: From First Health Info Natl Trends Survey healthscout.com Tainted Medicine? Beware Technological Imperatives/Commercial Interests Fed of Euro Cancer Soc, 10/01 Confusion over Dietary Recommendations Dietary Attitudes/Changes After Breast Ca How Food Preparation Affects Nutrients Nutritional Counseling Benefits From Physician Knowledge LINK to Alternative Health Information for Professionals Iwon.com, 5/02 CALLS for Studies J Clinical Oncology, 5/02 Psychosocial Health Needs of Ca Pts Not Met This page will contain articles, studies, LINKS, etc. Herb-Drug Interactions UCLA Study of Herbal Remedies Spices/Herbs Herbal Medicine: Predictors of Recommendation by Physicians Protective Effects of Boerhaavia diffusa L. Against Radiation—Induced Damage Nutrition Tools For HEALTHCARE Professionals LINKS to pharmaceutical sources and non-pharma resources Pharmaceuticals Annals of Oncology, October 2007 Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.