Alternative treatments for cancer are not given a fair hearing. Information is still actively repressed or marginalised from many sources. The subject of Cancer and alternative treatment must be the original can of worms! Its never a good time to get cancer but there are more options than you might think or even be advised from orthodox treatment centres. For example there are many things one can do to supplement (and ease) orthodox treatments with complementary ones. It is unlikely you will be given information on this unless you seek it out yourself.

Although much research on alternatives is often suppressed there are people who can guide you through the minefield of misinformation, disinformation, ignorance, applied self-interest, politics and other complexities in the field of cancer, whatever choices you make. Support is a central issue in any disease and there are increasing options here with many groups 'online' helping each other with a variety of treatment forms.

An Integrated Approach to Cancer

The cancer discussion needs opening towards a more integrated medicine that is centred on the patient, but even this discussion is presently marginalised. People are finding each other online and comparing notes, even the drug manufacturing industries are predicting that 'patient advocacy' forms a strong part of future medicine. But for true patient advocacy to happen, medical consumers presently need to be at least as, if not better informed than their medical doctors.

There are many options in cancer treatment that are not generally discussed through orthodox medicine. For example group therapy is not widely prescribed or accessible for cancer patients despite the fact that studies show it can actually double survival time. There is mounting evidence of the validity of herbal and nutritional regimes that support the immune system and may complement the sledgehammers of traditional, orthodox treatment, chemo and radiotherapy.

Sometimes complementary therapies are allowed with orthodox treatment but are still limited to only accepted medical philosophies - or that which can be measured through double-blind testing methodologies that basically view every person as the same. The different philosophies of 'medicalism' and 'holism' - which puts people central to their treatment - are still far apart. This is not a situation that is in any way advantageous for those of us who become patients.

Alternative approaches are viewed at best as unproven and are unresearchable using 'quantitative research methodologies'. There are many people wanting a more integrated approach to health care than the drugs and surgery promoted by orthodox allopathic medicine. This is shown by the huge number of people who seek complementary and alternative medicines without the knowledge of their doctors. The main research into treatments that address every aspect of disease and patient still takes place in secret because practices that fall outside of standard medical practice and physicians who offer unconventional cancer treatments may be vulnerable to the civil charge of malpractice. Given the modern quantum sciences and other feasible medical models such as those mentioned there are many more realistic options for treatment than we are presently being offered.

It is easy to be overwhelmed in this field, different people giving different information, which you may need to find, understand and act upon, often 'against the clock'. What is needed is an overview that presents comprehensive information from wide sources in an objective manner.

Simon Mitchell

'Don't Get Cancer' http://www.simonthescribe.co.uk/don'tget1.html