National Institutes of Health • National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Cancer and CAM

Octubre 2010

Health care provider talking to a couple.

>Photo Credit: NCI

To date, relatively little is known about the safety and effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies that people may use for cancer. However, some CAM therapies have undergone careful evaluation, and many more studies are being carried out every year. In 2009, the Society for Integrative Oncology issued evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for doctors to consider when incorporating complementary therapies in the care of cancer patients.

Researchers are also evaluating CAM approaches that people sometimes use in hope of reducing their risk of getting cancer. These studies have focused on various vitamin and mineral supplements.

This issue provides an overview of research status, highlighting results from a few reviews and studies in the areas of cancer prevention, treatment, and management of symptoms and side effects.

Clinical Guidelines

Integrative Oncology: Complementary Therapies and Botanicals (Society for Integrative Oncology)
Integrative Oncology in Lung Cancer (Chest)

Scientific Literature

Systematic Reviews/Reviews/Meta-analysis (PubMed®)
Randomized Controlled Trials (PubMed®)

Research Spotlights

Vitamin E Supplements Increase Incidence of Prostate Cancer, According to SELECT Study
(10/11/11)
Cancer Survivors Are More Likely Than General Population to Use CAM, According to National Survey Analysis
(03/01/11)
Laboratory Study Suggests Potential Anti-Cancer Benefit of White Tea Extract
(09/01/10)
Study Indicates Ginkgo biloba Does Not Reduce the Risk of Cancer
(07/01/10)
Study Finds Shark Cartilage Extract Does Not Improve Lung Cancer Survival
(06/16/10)
Laboratory Study Suggests Potential Anti-Cancer Benefit of Ginseng
(03/01/10)
Mouse Study Shows Green Tea Polyphenols May Repair DNA Damage Caused by UV Radiation
(02/01/10)
Electroacupuncture Relieves Cancer Pain in Laboratory Rats
(10/01/08)
Massage Therapy May Ease Pain and Improve Mood in Advanced Cancer Patients
(09/16/08)
Hypnosis May Reduce Hot Flashes in Breast Cancer Survivors
(09/22/08)
CAM Provider Use and Expenditures During Cancer Treatment
(05/14/08)
Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Cancer
(07/01/06)
Powdered Shark Cartilage for Advanced Breast and Colorectal Cancer
(07/01/05)

Information for Your Patients

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NCCAM Clinical Digest is a service of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, NIH, DHHS. NCCAM Clinical Digest, a monthly e-newsletter, offers evidence-based information on CAM, including scientific literature searches, summaries of NCCAM-funded research, fact sheets for patients, and more.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine is dedicated to exploring complementary and alternative healing practices in the context of rigorous science, training CAM researchers, and disseminating authoritative information to the public and professionals. For additional information, call NCCAM's Clearinghouse toll-free at 1-888-644-6226, or visit the NCCAM Web site at nccam.nih.gov. NCCAM is 1 of 27 institutes and centers at the National Institutes of Health, the Federal focal point for medical research in the United States.

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