Can alternative medicine help?

In addition to standard (Western, conventional) medicine, which is practiced by doctors with a medical degree and other health professionals (nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, etc.), and which is based on so-called evidence-based medicine (knowledge is acquired through scientific research), there is also complementary and alternative medicine, which are practices that are not part of standard medical practice. Complementary medicine refers to treatments that can be used alongside standard medicine but are not part of it (e.g. acupuncture to relieve some symptoms of cancer). Alternative medicine, on the other hand, is used instead of standard treatment (e.g. a special diet that attempts to cure cancer, instead of using standard treatment such as chemotherapy). Integrative medicine, on the other hand, is an approach that attempts to encompass the use of standard medical procedures in addition to alternative ones, and aims to achieve an effect on the mind, body and spirit of a person.

​Are complementary and alternative medicine safe to use? Some forms of these treatments have undergone safety analyses and are safe to use, but many of them are not known to be safe or are known to be harmful to the patient. As a rule, scientific studies to analyze the effectiveness and safety of these therapies are very rarely conducted, while for standard therapies this is mandatory before they can be used in practice. In short, for almost all alternative preparations there is no evidence of effectiveness or safety because no scientific studies have been conducted to answer this question. People and companies that sell such products will often make contradictory claims, but without any scientific support for such claims, and sometimes they will deliberately provide false information in order to improve sales.

Figure 1. Patients should definitely inform their oncologist about all alternative medicine preparations they use, as they can also affect the effects of standard oncology therapy.

Natural does not necessarily mean safe! Alternative remedies include a wide range of products and procedures that can be divided into a large number of categories (herbal remedies, special diets, vitamins and minerals, etc.). Patients generally believe that such products are safe because they contain ingredients that are present in nature or produced naturally. However, this may not always be the case. Some of these "medicines" can themselves cause harm to the human body, and some can lead to a reduced effect of standard treatment (e.g. chemotherapy). Oncology patients often use various vitamin and mineral supplements, which can have unwanted consequences. It is known, for example, that high doses of vitamins (when taken uncontrolled without a doctor's recommendation), and even vitamin C, can affect the effectiveness of oncology therapy. Too many vitamins are not safe, even in otherwise healthy people.

As a rule, the use of any form of alternative medicine is not recommended because there is no scientific evidence for their effectiveness and safety. However, many patients turn to such forms of "treatment" as a supplement to standard therapy, wanting to "do everything" they can to improve their health. In any case, it is a good idea to inform your doctor about all the dietary supplements you are taking. Remember that dietary supplements do not have to undergo the rigorous testing that standard drugs do before they can be sold to the public, and they do not require a prescription. Therefore, it is up to the patient to decide whether to use such products or not, but they should be aware of the possible consequences.

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