1

Thinking About 

Complementary & 

Alternative Medicine

A guide

for

people

with

cancer

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

National Cancer Institute

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

PATIENT

family &

EDUCATION
Reasons People With Cancer

Choose CAM

People with cancer may use CAM to:

■ Help cope with the side effects of cancer

treatments, such as nausea, pain, and fatigue;

■ Comfort themselves and ease the worries 

of cancer treatment and related stress; 

■ Feel that they are doing something more 

to help with their own care;

■ Try to treat or cure their cancer.

Making Choices

It’s natural to want to fight your cancer in any

way you can. There is a lot of information 

available, and new methods for treating 

cancer are always being tested, so it may be 

hard to know where to start. 

This brochure may help you understand what

you find and make it easier to decide whether

CAM is right for you. Many people try CAM

therapies during cancer care. CAM does not

work for everyone, but some methods may 

help you manage stress, nausea, pain, or other

symptoms or side effects.

The most important message of this brochure

is to talk to your doctor before you try anything

new. This will help ensure that nothing gets in

the way of your cancer treatment.

Contents

Reasons People With Cancer Choose CAM ..................1

Making Choices...............................................................1

What Is Complementary and Alternative Medicine?....2

Types of Complementary and Alternative Medicine ....3

Talk With Your Doctor Before You Use CAM ...............6

A “Natural” Product Does Not Mean a Safe Product ...8

Choose Practitioners With Care.....................................9

Getting Information From Trusted Sources ...............12

Resources .......................................................................16

Many Choices 

You have many choices to make before, 

during, and after your cancer treatment. 

One choice you may be thinking about is

complementary and alternative medicine. 

We call this CAM, for short.
Types of Complementary and Alternative

Medicine (CAM)

We are learning about CAM therapies every day, but

there is still more to learn. Consumers may use the 

terms “natural,” “holistic,” “home remedy,” or “Eastern

medicine” to refer to CAM. However, experts use five

categories to describe it. These are listed below with 

a few examples for each. (For a complete list of

therapies, go to http://nccam.nih.gov/health.)

Mind-Body Medicines

These are based on the belief that your mind is able to

affect your body. Some examples are:

■ Meditation: Focused breathing or repetition of words

or phrases to quiet the mind;

■ Biofeedback: Using simple machines, the patient

learns how to affect certain body functions that are

normally out of one’s awareness (such as heart rate);

■ Hypnosis: A state of relaxed and focused attention in

which the patient concentrates on a certain feeling,

idea, or suggestion to aid in healing;

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What Is Complementary and Alternative

Medicine (CAM)?

CAM is any medical system, practice, or product that is

not thought of as standard care. Standard medical care 

is care that is based on scientific evidence. For cancer, 

it includes chemotherapy, radiation, biological therapy,

and surgery. 

Complementary Medicine 

■ Complementary medicine is used along with standard

medical treatments. 

■ One example is using acupuncture to help with side

effects of cancer treatment.

Alternative Medicine 

■ Alternative medicine is used in place of standard

medical treatments. 

■ One example is using a special diet to treat cancer

instead of a method that a cancer specialist (an

oncologist) suggests. 

Integrative Medicine

■ Integrative medicine is a total approach to care that

involves the patient’s mind, body, and spirit. It

combines standard medicine with the CAM practices

that have shown the most promise. 

■ For example, some people learn to use relaxation as a

way to reduce stress during chemotherapy. 

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■ Reflexology (ree-flex-AH-lo-gee): Using pressure points

in the hands or feet to affect other parts of the body. 

Energy Medicine 

Energy medicine involves the belief that the body has

energy fields that can be used for healing and wellness.

Therapists use pressure or move the body by placing their

hands in or through these fields. Some examples are:

■ Tai Chi (ty-CHEE): Involves slow, gentle movements

with a focus on the breath and concentration; 

■ Reiki (RAY-kee): Balancing energy either from a

distance or by placing hands on or near the patient;

■ Therapeutic touch (thair-a-PYU-tik): Moving hands

over energy fields of the body.

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■ Yoga: Systems of stretches and poses, with special

attention given to breathing;

■ Imagery: Imagining scenes, pictures, or experiences

to help the body heal;

■ Creative outlets: Such as art, music, or dance. 

Biologically Based Practices 

This type of CAM uses things found in nature. This

includes dietary supplements and herbal products. Some

examples are:

■ Vitamins

■ Herbs

A note about nutrition: It’s common for people with

cancer to have questions about different foods to eat

during treatment. Yet it’s important to know that there

is no one food or special diet that has been proven to

control cancer. Too much of any one food is not helpful,

and may even be harmful. Because of nutrition needs you

may have, it’s best to talk with the doctor in charge of

your treatment about the foods you should be eating.

Manipulative and Body-Based Practices 

These are based on working with one or more parts of

the body. Some examples are:

■ Massage: Manipulation of tissues with hands or 

special tools;

■ Chiropractic care (ky-ro-PRAK-tik): A type of

manipulation of the joints and skeletal system;

■ Foods

■ Special diets
What questions should I ask my doctor 

about CAM?

What types of CAM might:

■ Help me cope, reduce my stress, and feel better?

■ Help me feel less tired?

■ Help me deal with cancer symptoms, such as pain, 

or side effects of treatment, such as nausea?

If I decide to try a CAM therapy:

■ Will it interfere with my treatment or medicines?

■ Can you help me understand these articles I found

about CAM?

■ Can you suggest a CAM practitioner for me to talk to? 

■ Will you work with my CAM practitioner?

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Whole Medical Systems 

These are healing systems and beliefs that have evolved

over time in different cultures and parts of the world.

Some examples are:

■ Ayurvedic medicine (eye-yer-VAY-dik): A system 

from India emphasizing balance among body, mind,

and spirit;

■ Chinese medicine: Based on the view that health is a

balance in the body of two forces called yin and yang.

Acupuncture (AK-yoo-PUNK-cher) is a common

practice in Chinese medicine that involves stimulating

specific points on the body to promote health, or to

lessen disease symptoms and treatment side effects; 

■ Homeopathy (home-ee-AH-puh-thee): Uses very small

doses of substances to trigger the body to heal itself;

■ Naturopathic medicine (na-chur-o-PATH-ik): 

Uses different methods that help the body naturally

heal itself.

Talk With Your Doctor Before You Use CAM

Some people with cancer are afraid that their doctor won’t

understand or approve of the use of CAM. But doctors

know that people with cancer want to take an active part in

their care. They want the best for their patients and often

are willing to work with them. 

Talk to your doctor to make sure that all aspects of your

cancer care work together. This is important because things

that seem safe, such as certain foods or pills, may interfere

with your cancer treatment.

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Tell your doctor if you are taking any dietary supplements,

no matter how safe you think they are. This is very

important. Even though there are ads or claims that

something has been used for years, they do not prove 

that it is safe or effective. It is still important to be careful. 

Supplements do not have to be approved by the Federal

Government before being sold to the public. Also, a

prescription is not needed to buy them. Therefore, it’s up

to consumers to decide what is best for them.

Choose Practitioners With Care

CAM practitioners are people who have training in the

therapies listed on pages 2–6. Choosing one should be

done with the same care as choosing a doctor. Here are

some things to remember when choosing a practitioner:

■ Ask your doctor or nurse to suggest someone or speak

with someone who knows about CAM.

■ Ask whether someone at your cancer center or

doctor’s office can help you find a CAM practitioner.

There may be a social worker or physical therapist

who can help you.

■ Ask whether your hospital keeps lists of centers or has

staff who can suggest people.

■ Contact CAM professional organizations to get names

of practitioners who are certified. This means that

they have proper training in their field. (See page 16

for resources.)

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A “Natural” Product

Does Not Mean a

Safe Product 

Here are some important

facts about dietary

supplements such as herbs

and vitamins:

■ They may affect how

well other medicines

work in your body.

Herbs and some plant-based

products may keep medicines from doing what they are

supposed to do. These medicines can be ones your

doctor prescribes for you, or even ones you buy off the

shelf at the store.

For example, the herb St. John’s wort, which some

people with cancer use for depression, may cause certain

anticancer drugs not to work as well as they should.

■ Herbal supplements can act like drugs in your body.

They may be harmful when taken by themselves, with

other substances, or in large doses. For example, some

studies have shown that kava, an herb that has been used

to help with stress and anxiety, may cause liver damage. 

■ Vitamins can also take strong action in your body. 

For example, high doses of vitamins, even vitamin C, may

affect how chemotherapy and radiation work. Too much

of any vitamin is not safe—even in a healthy person. 

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What questions about the therapy should I ask

the CAM practitioner?

■ How can this help me?

■ Do you know of studies that prove it helps?

■ What are the risks and side effects?

■ Will this interfere with my cancer treatment?

■ How long will I be on the therapy? 

■ What will it cost?

■ Do you have information that I can read about it?

■ Are there any reasons why I should not use it?

Other Questions To Ask Yourself

■ Do I feel comfortable with this person?

■ Do I like how the office looks and feels? 

■ Do I like the staff?

■ Does this person support standard cancer treatments?

■ How far am I willing to travel for treatment?

■ Is it easy to get an appointment? 

■ Are the hours good for me?

■ Will insurance cover the cost of CAM?

Call your health plan or insurer to see whether they

cover CAM therapies. Many are not covered.

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■ Contact local health and wellness organizations.

■ Ask about each practitioner’s training and experience.

■ Ask whether the practitioner has a license to practice

in your state. If you want to confirm the answer, ask

what organization gives out the licenses. Then, you

may choose to follow up with a phone call.

■ Call your health care plan to see if it covers 

this therapy.

What general questions should I ask the CAM

practitioner? 

■ What types of CAM do you practice?

■ What are your training and qualifications?

■ Do you see other patients with my type of cancer?

■ Will you work with my doctor?

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Questions to ask

about a Web site:

■ Who runs 

and pays for

the site? 

■ Does it list any

credentials?

■ Does it

represent an

organization that is well-known and respected?

■ What is the purpose of the site, and who is it for?

■ Is the site selling or promoting something?

■ Where does the information come from? 

■ Is the information based on facts or only on someone’s

feelings or opinions?

■ How is the information chosen? Is there a review 

board or is the content reviewed by experts?

■ How current is the information? 

■ Does the site tell when it was last updated?

■ How does the site choose which other sites to link 

you to?

For more details, see the fact sheet “How to Evaluate

Health Information on the Internet: Questions and

Answers” at http://cancer.gov, search term “internet.”

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Getting Information From Trusted Sources 

Government Agencies

There is a lot of information on CAM, so it’s important to

go to sources you can trust. Good places to start are the

government agencies listed in the back of this booklet.

They offer lots of information about CAM that might be

helpful to you. They may also know of universities or

hospitals that have CAM resources.

Be careful of products advertised by people or companies

that:

■ Make claims that they have a “cure”;

■ Do not give specific information about how well their

product works;

■ Make claims only about positive results that have few

side effects;

■ Say they have clinical studies, but provide no proof or

copies of the studies.

Just remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it

probably is. For ways to find out more about CAM, 

see the resources section on page 16.

Web Sites

Patients and families have been able to find answers to

many of their questions about CAM on the Internet. Many

Web sites are good resources for CAM information.

However, some may be unreliable or misleading. 

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■ Was it published in the past 5 years?

■ Does the book offer different points of view, or does 

it seem to hold one opinion?

■ Has the author researched the topic in full? 

■ Are the references listed in the back? 

Magazine Articles

If you want to look for articles you can trust, ask your

librarian to help you look for medical journals, books, 

and other research that has been done by experts. 

Articles in popular magazines are usually not written by

experts. Rather, the authors speak with experts, gather

information, and then write the article. If claims about

CAM are made in magazine articles, remember:

■ The authors may not have expert knowledge in this area;

■ They may not say where they found their information;

■ The articles have not been reviewed by experts;

■ The publisher may have ties to advertisers or other

organizations. Therefore, the article may be one-sided.

When you read these articles, you can use the same

process that the magazine writer uses:

■ Speak with experts;

■ Ask lots of questions;

■ Then decide if the therapy is right for you.

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Books

A number of books

have been written

about different CAM

therapies. Some books

are better than 

others and contain

trustworthy content,

while others do not. 

If you go to the

library, ask the staff

for suggestions. Or if 

you live near a college

or university, there

may be a medical

library available. 

Local bookstores may

also have people on

staff who can help you.

It’s important to know that information is always

changing and that new research results are reported

every day. Be aware that if a book is written by only one

person, you may only be getting that one person’s view. 

Questions to ask:

■ Is the author an expert on this subject?

■ Do you know anyone else who has read the book?

■ Has the book been reviewed by other experts?

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National Cancer Institute (NCI) 

Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative

Medicine (OCCAM)

■ Oversees NCI’s projects in CAM

■ Funds cancer CAM research

■ Provides information about CAM to health 

providers and the public.

Visit: http://cancer.gov/cam

Cancer Information Service (CIS)

■ Provides help finding NCI information on the Internet

■ Answers questions about cancer

■ Provides printed materials from NCI

■ Gives referrals to clinical trials and other cancerrelated services.

Visit: http://cis.nci.nih.gov

Chat online: http://www.cancer.gov

Click on “Need Help?,” then click on 

“Live Help.”

Toll-free: 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237)

TTY: 1-800-332-8615

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Resources

National Center for Complementary and

Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)

■ Funds CAM research 

■ Evaluates and provides information about CAM to

health providers and the public. 

Visit: http://nccam.nih.gov

Toll-free: 1-888-644-6226

TTY: 1-866-464-3615

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Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 

■ Oversees safety of drugs and medical devices

■ Provides information on many issues, including

vitamins and pills

■ Informs people about how to look for health fraud.

Visit: http://www.fda.gov

Toll-free: 1-888-463-6332

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) 

■ Provides information about consumer protection laws

■ Provides information about false advertising for foods

and drugs.

Visit: http://www.ftc.gov

Toll-free: 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357)

TTY: 1-866-653-4261

National Cancer Institute-Sponsored Cancer Centers

■ Many National Cancer Institute-sponsored cancer

centers have CAM information available to you. 

Visit: http://www3.cancer.gov/cancercenters/

centerslist.html

Toll-free: 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) 

Ask for the cancer center list fact sheet.

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PDQ®

■ Provides regularly updated information on most types

of cancer and many related topics.

Visit: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq

National Library of Medicine 

■ The Directory of Information Resources Online

(DIRLINE) contains locations of and information

about a number of health organizations, including

those that focus on CAM. 

Visit: http://dirline.nlm.nih.gov

■ Medline Plus provides access to reliable health

information, including articles, organizations,

directories, and answers to health questions.

Visit: http://medlineplus.gov

■ PubMed has a free and easy-to-use search tool for

finding scientific articles on CAM.

Visit: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed

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Notes & Questions

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NIH Publication No. 04-5541

April 2005

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