Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)

Types of Complementary Medicine

Complementary medicine is utilized alongside traditional medical treatment but is not considered standard treatment on its own. For instance, acupuncture is used to mitigate certain side effects of cancer treatment. However, there is relatively less research available on most complementary medicine practices, such as:

• Acupuncture
• Dietary supplements
• Massage therapy
• Hypnosis
• Meditation

Types of Alternative Medicine 

Alternative medicine is employed in place of standard medical treatment. For example, some individuals opt for special diets to treat cancer instead of using prescribed cancer drugs from an oncologist. However, there is relatively limited research on most types of alternative medicine. Examples of alternative medicine include: 

• Special diets
• Megadose vitamins
• Herbal preparations
• Special teas
• Magnet therapy

The Efficacy of CAM

CAM includes botanicals, dietary supplements, and vitamins that are not FDA-approved for the treatment of cancer. Although several complementary and alternative medicine therapies, such as acupuncture, yoga, and meditation, have been evaluated and found generally safe and effective, certain natural remedies have the potential to interact negatively with medications or may have adverse side effects.