Complementary Therapies and Cancer Treatment

Jeong Wook Kim

doi:10.5124/jkma.2008.51.5.427

J Korean Med Assoc > Volume 51(5); 2008 > Article

Kim: Complementary Therapies and Cancer Treatment

Focused Issue of This Month

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Cancer

Journal of the Korean Medical Association

Journal of the Korean Medical Association 2008; 51(5): 427-434.

Published online: May 31, 2008

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2008.51.5.427

Complementary Therapies and Cancer Treatment

Jeong Wook Kim, M.D

Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Korea. ekg001@cau.ac.kr

Abstract

Many patients with cancer use complementary medicine that is used together with conventional medicine. The widespread use of complementary therapies in cancer patients has major implications for research and clinical practices. Some complementary therapies, such as polysaccharide K, Astragalus membranaceus and A. mistletoe, may offer therapeutic benefits for patients with cancer. However, others did not show significant clinical effects for cancer treatment. Therefore, it is important for physicians to communicate openly with cancer patients about the use of complementary therapy. In order to encourage open communications with their patients, physicians should be knowledgeable about the most commonly used remedies, or at least they should be able to direct patients to reliable sources of information.

Complementary therapies; Neoplasm

Notes

This study was supported by a grant from the National R & D Program for Cancer Control, Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea(0720590).

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