Cancer and Complementary Treatment Approaches

While no complementary health approach has been proven to prevent or cure cancer, many may help manage symptoms and the side effects of treatment.

Complementary approaches can be classified by their primary method of input, i.e., how the therapy is delivered: nutritional (such as diet, supplements, and herbs); psychological (such as meditation and relaxation modalities); physical (such as massage and acupuncture); and combinations of physical and psychological (such as yoga and Tai Chi).

Studies show that acupuncture can help manage treatment-related nausea and vomiting in cancer patients. A 2020 review of 14 studies, involving 920 patients, found acupuncture to be associated with a significant reduction in cancer pain. As cancer treatment weakens the immune system, it’s important that acupuncturists follow strict clean-needle procedures to reduce the risk of infection.

Mindfulness-based interventions showed a decrease in anxiety, depression, fatigue, and stress in cancer patients compared with a control group in a 2020 review of over 3,000 participants. Another 2020 review looked at 16 studies of Tai Chi in women with breast cancer. The practice was shown to improve fatigue when used as an addition to conventional care, but not when used as an alternative to it. In a review of Qigong and Tai Chi involving 915 cancer patients, there were meaningful improvements in both fatigue and sleep quality. Various studies on yoga have shown improvements in fatigue, quality of life, and anxiety symptoms, including one on prostate cancer.  A wealth of other research on yoga shows that it can be useful to treat low-back and neck pain, and for stress reduction and sleep. 

The evidence on the value of massage and related manual therapies for cancer mixed. One 2021 review involving 1,100 patients showed benefits for pain, physical function and general well-being but not for fatigue, nausea, anxiety and depression. An earlier evaluation, from 2016, pointed to a reduction in pain and anxiety in the pool of 1,200 participants.  

There is less conclusive research on the value of supplements, vitamins, and herbs for cancer treatment. Caution should be exercised as some may interact in harmful ways with conventional cancer drugs.  While there are no well-controlled clinical trials on black salves, marketed for skin conditions including skin cancer, these products may not remove all of a skin cancer, thus allowing it to spread. Another substance, laetrile or amygdalin, is a chemical constituent found in the pits of many fruits. A 2019 review of research found no evidence it is effective as a cancer treatment, and may have toxic effects. Researchers are studying the effectiveness of curcumin, found in turmeric, for its effects on cancer development. Other dietary supplements being studied for their cancer-prevention properties include garlic, Ginkgo biloba, noni, and grape seed extract. The evidence is too limited at this stage to be conclusive.

The US Food and Drug Administration has warned the public to beware of fraudulent cancer treatments and cures promoted on websites or on social media.

For an inspiring personal story, read Lung Cancer: A Personal Story, where KnoWEwell editor Brooke Goode describes how she integrated conventional and complementary approaches into her recovery.