Oncology, Cancer, Alternative & Complementary Medicine, Alternative Medicine - General & Miscellaneous
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Overview
Complementary methods are playing an increasingly important role in these treatment of cancer. Resulting benefits are a higher quality of life, reduced instance and severity of the side effects of standard therapy, and a general improvement of the patient's immunological state. The methods - from carefully monitored nutrition, exercise, and psychological support to enzyme substitution, phytotherapy, hyperthermia and microbiology therapy - are critical to a treatment’s overall success. In this unique book, experts ranging across medical disciplines present scientifically proven data on the efficacy of these methods as they are currently being used, the necessary scientific background, and practical advice for introducing them into practice. With illustrations, tables, and detailed descriptions, this book is an ideal reference and an invaluable tool for educating patients about this encouraging aspect of cancer therapy.Editorials
From the Publisher
..There are hundreds of alternative cancer therapies. How does a practitioner decide which therapies have value, which can extend life or improve the quality of life? Dr. Josef Beuth, MD, and long-time alternative cancer researcher Ralph Moss, PhD, have written a valuable guide to adjunctive or complementary cancer therapies. In-depth..this is an important book.—David Winston, www.herbalstudies.org, www.herbaltherapeutics.netFrom The Critics
Reviewer: Martha J. Greenberg, PhD, RN(Pace University)Description: This book presents evidence, analysis, and evaluation of CAM methods that have proven in clinical trials to impact the quality of life in patients with cancer. It raises questions about the usefulness of standards used in clinical trials for cancer treatment, e.g., survival or disease, relative to the patient's quality of life and the use of adjuvant CAM methods.
Purpose: The purpose is to integrate efficacy-tested measures of CAM into oncology treatment, especially since the use of tumor-destructive standard therapies have not lowered cancer mortality over the last 30 years. Patients with cancer now use CAM measures for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that they can activate and enhance the PNI system.
Audience: Physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and researchers in oncology are the intended audience. The authors include physicians and researchers from the U.S. and Germany.
Features: The book provides an overview of tumor immunology and offers criticism and analysis of methodology issues in oncology research. Half of the book is devoted to CAM therapies that have available scientific data, e.g., nutrition, exercise, selenium, high dose antioxidants. Later chapters integrate CAM into solid tumor therapies and introduce some newer approaches that might be efficacious in cancer treatment, such as green tea and soybean.
Assessment: I have reservations about the book's specific usefulness, particularly because the references are, for the most part, quite dated. Since patients with cancer are using many of these approaches, evidence-based or not, the book does fulfill a void in supplying ready information for oncology practitioners that could be useful in serving patients.
Book Details
Published
December 7, 2005
Publisher
Thieme International
Pages
303
ISBN
9781604060645