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Why are we writing about this? The answer is simple. The majority of us were diagnosed in the late stages of this disease and in absence of a miraculous discovery, are told we will not see our fifth anniversary. The message we are hearing is No Hope. When faced with such a dire outcome, we are especially vulnerable to Mexican clinics and snake oil salesmen.
Sadly, today, it is a rare medical practitioner that even recommends known and accepted alternative and complementary therapies alongside conventional cancer treatment. On the other hand, there are many fraudulent clinics operating and websites offering intriguing cures and alluring solutions to our condition. They survive by creating an atmosphere of distrust for orthodox medicine, government organizations and purport collusion and conspiracy in the pharmaceutical industry.
Because they belong to a treatment "underworld", many of the harmful outcomes go unreported. However, there is evidence enough to conclude that in most cases you simply lose your money and in some cases, it has cost the patient her life.
First of all, there is always Hope. There is always the possibility that a combination of acceptable treatment regimes may prolong your remission or provide you with the peace of mind you are so desperately seeking. However, before seriously contemplating unregulated alternative or complementary therapies you can check out an herb, supplement and vitamin or treatment approach by going online to the U.S. National Institutes of Health - National Center for Alternative and Complementary Medicine. This site regularly updates its warnings and approvals and gives an excellent overview of most known treatments and alternatives. The site also provides interesting information about clinical trials that are underway or recruiting for alternative and complementary regimes.
The safest and wisest course of action is in not taking a strong stance in one direction or the other but in supplementing your mainstream therapy. Only your healthcare provider has your complete medical history in hand when assessing the effectiveness of integrating other approaches to your treatment. If s/he is unable to support your quest, you should seek a second or third opinion.
Another very helpful but sometimes controversial site is Quackwatch.
We strongly encourage you to talk with your health care professional about your specific medical condition and treatments. The information contained in this website is meant to be helpful and educational, but is not a substitute for medical advice.
