| SolveYourProblem
Article Series: Cancer
Help Me Understand Cancer
Prostate
Cancer Alternative Remedies
Vitamin
or mineral supplements, when used
to help cure a medical problem (such as prostate cancer) or
to relieve its symptoms, fall into the realm of alternative
remedies, as do special diets or other nontraditional treatments.
Researchers are currently studying whether alternative remedies
may be useful as supplemental prostate cancer treatments, and
whether they offer some additional value for preventing cancer
from developing in the first place.
In addition, alternative remedies may sometimes help men cope
with some of the side effects of traditional treatments such
as hormone therapy. Finally, anecdotal evidence suggests that
some alternative remedies may add some additional benefit to
existing established therapies such as surgery and radiation.
Your doctor may refer to some alternative remedies as alternative
medicines, complementary medicines, or alternative therapies.
All of these terms refer to nontraditional treatments and medications.
But you shouldn't get swept off your feet by the potential
benefits of alternative remedies - scientific evidence has
not yet adequately proven their effectiveness. In general,
alternative remedies are best considered as preventive measures
against cancer rather than as remedies for cancers that need
treatment now. Alternative remedies should never be used as
a substitute for treating cancer that's already been diagnosed.
Considering
The Pros & Cons
Many men - even those who've never tried alternative remedies
before - become fascinated by the idea that some special plant
or vitamin (or yet-to-be-discovered elixir) may be able to
cure prostate cancer or even prevent it from developing in
the first place. While no magic cure for prostate cancer is
available, current studies are being performed to determine
if alternative remedies can help prevent or halt a recurrence
of the disease. Major breakthroughs may occur, but for now,
you need to understand that a note of caution is in order when
using alternative remedies. You need to keep in mind both the
basic pros and cons.
Yes, There Are Benefits Of Alternative Remedies
Some preliminary studies indicate that some alternative remedies,
especially lycopene, vitamins E and D, and selenium, may be
effective at preventing prostate cancer from developing or
recurring. Alternative remedies may also give you some hope
when traditional medicines don't seem to be working that well.
Alternative remedies also may provide men with some relief
from the side effects of treatments for prostate cancer.
Don't Ignore The Downsides Of Alternative Remedies
Men sometimes put too much hope in studies that may be performed
on only a handful of men or based on some slickly written ad
copy on a product that hasn't been tested at all. Even worse,
some men may decide to take unproven alternative medicines
and ignore traditional treatments that can save or at least
extend their lives. That's not to say that all alternative
remedies are bad, but setting aside your doctor's judgment
and reasoned medical opinions for something a newspaper ad
touts or some pitchman tries to sell you on the Internet is
a very foolish and even life-threatening way to go.
You are urged to carefully weigh the possible benefits along
with the very real risks of alternative remedies and share
your decision with your physician. Be sure to tell your doctor
if you're taking any form of alternative medicine, no matter
how confident you are that the drug is natural and, therefore,
can't hurt you.
Some alternative remedies may interfere with medications your
doctor prescribes to treat your prostate cancer, and some alternative
drugs may impede the effectiveness of chemotherapy medications.
You certainly don't want to inadvertently decrease or neutralize
the cancer-killing properties of the medications your doctor
orders. To be safe, tell your doctor about your alternative
remedies. He will let you know if the remedies present a risk. # # # # #
SolveYourProblem.com
: 2006
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