Many philosophies of health have developed throughout the world, resulting in different attitudes towards illness and its treatment. In this country most treatments are generally based on Western medicine, which uses a scientific model to prove the benefits of a particular treatment. Some complementary therapies have their roots in Eastern traditions. You may hear about the following varieties of treatments or therapies. It is important to know the differences between them and what they are each generally understood to mean.
Conventional therapies are the treatments which doctors use most often to treat people with cancer.
These consist of surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormone treatment. All these treatments have usually been tested in clinical trials and through long experience with patients. Complementary therapies Complementary therapies are generally viewed as treatments which are given alongside the conventional cancer treatments. Alternative therapies Alternative therapies are usually viewed as treatments which are intended to be used instead of conventional treatments. Some treatments, included in alternative therapies have caused a conflict of views between doctors and alternative therapists.