Globally, cancer continues to be the number one killer among humans. Modern medicine and drug-targeted treatments have successfully provided relief to cancer patients. However, aggressive and advanced cancers continue to evade human efforts to treat them effectively.
Alternative cancer treatment and home remedies for cancer are an ongoing field of interest and research among medical experts. It usually involves treatment remedies where phytochemicals – which are bioactive chemicals in plants, play a central role.
For those checking out ‘alternative cancer treatment centers near me’ and what types of treatment they offer, here’s everything you need to know.
Alternative cancer treatments – what are they?
The use of alternative medicines is not a new phenomenon as plants and herbal medicines have been used for several types of treatment for thousands of years. However, using home remedies for cancer is still a developing field of research collectively called integrative oncology.
For the uninitiated, integrative oncology is a field where alternative medicines, herbal, hormone, laser, and targeted therapies are used complimentary for the treatment of cancer. In addition, alternative treatments are also used to relieve pain and other symptoms, which are very common in cancer patients undergoing treatment.
However, alternative remedies for cancer are not used as standalone but as complementary to conventional treatment methods in order for them to be very effective.
Alternative cancer treatments
There are several alternative cancer treatments other than conventional ones, and the most common ones include:
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is an alternative treatment for chemotherapy in cancer patients. It is, essentially, a biological therapy that aims to boost the natural defenses of the body in order to control or get rid of the cancer cells. In immunotherapy, the cancer patient’s immune system is stimulated to recognize and attack the cancer cells.
Alternative cancer treatment with immunotherapy can be quite effective since the patient’s immune cells can target the cancer cells without affecting the other normal cells.
Hormone therapy
Hormone therapy is often used as a very effective alternative treatment for certain types of cancers, including prostate, breast, and endometrial cancers. Blocking or manipulating cancer-causing hormones can reduce the severity of cancer, and may even stop it.
Among home remedies for cancer, hormone therapy is very common since it can be administered orally at home. However, if the hormone therapy for cancer treatment requires injections or infusion, an online search for ‘alternative cancer treatment centers near me’ can produce helpful results.
Photodynamic therapy
Also called PDT, photodynamic therapy relies on a light source to activate the drugs required to kill the cancer cells. PDT as an alternative cancer treatment is used for cancers including skin cancer, lung cancer, lymphoma, and lining of the organs.
During PDT treatment, a cancer patient usually ingests or uses a topical photosensitive drug and waits for 24 to 72 hours, so the cancerous cells absorb the drug. Thereafter, the doctor or the physician uses a laser or another strong source of light to expose the cancer cells to the light so that they are killed.
The advantages of using PDT as an alternative cancer treatment are that it leaves little to no scarring and the healthy cells are largely untouched.
Targeted therapy
As the name suggests, targeted therapy as an alternative cancer treatment also targets the tumor cells while preserving the healthy cells. Doctors that use targeted therapy for cancer treatment usually use molecule drugs or monoclonal antibodies to stop the growth or kill the cancerous cells.
Laser therapy
Laser therapy is another alternative cancer treatment, especially when it is related to internal organs. Physicians that administer laser therapy for cancer treatment use it to destroy pre-cancerous growths and tumors, especially if it is not large one.
As an alternative cancer treatment, laser therapy is also used to seal lymph and nerve endings after cancer involving surgery. The use of laser therapy after surgical treatment of cancer helps reduce swelling, pain, and decelerates the rate at which cancer cells spread in the body.
Ayurvedic/herbal therapies
Using plant, herbal, or ayurvedic medicines is very popular among home remedies for cancer. Some of the popular herbs and plant compounds that have been used as an alternative treatment for cancer include:
- Echinacea
- Turmeric
- Carotenoids
- Ginseng
- Green tea
- Burdock
- Black cohosh
- Flax seed
Some of these plants/herbs are used as they are by cancer patients to relieve pain and other side effects from conventional treatment. On the other hand, chemical compounds in the plants are also extracted and used as home remedies for cancer treatment.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is also very common as a home remedy for cancer since it can be administered without the help of a practitioner. It involves the use of essential and fragrant oils, which are usually used topically through massages or in a bath.
In addition to essential oils, cannabis oil is also often used in aromatherapy to relieve the side effects of cancer treatments.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese alternative medicine, which is also incorporated as an alternative treatment for people with cancer. Using tiny acupuncture needles stimulates the connective tissue that helps to release chemicals that can calm the brain. Acupuncture itself is not used as a direct treatment for cancer but mainly to relieve the side effects caused by chemotherapy.
This alternative cancer treatment helps to reduce nausea, headache, pain, and anxiety in cancer patients.
Conclusion
Conventional cancer treatments have proven to be relatively successful in improving the quality of life for those suffering from this life-threatening disease. However, drug-related treatment for cancer can also have devastating effects on the patients.
Therefore, research for effective alternative treatments for cancer and home remedies continues to be an ongoing field of research in the medical community.
The above-mentioned home remedies for cancer and alternative cancer treatment options have shown promising results. Some alternative treatments are used as dedicated treatments, while others are used as complementary along with conventional drug treatments. Nevertheless, alternative cancer treatments can be a wonderful option for many with this widespread disease and can hopefully relieve the side effects and stop cancer in its tracks.