unproven method for cancer management (redirected from Traditional and Ethnomedicine)

unproven method for cancer management

Fringe oncology Any of the unorthodox therapies of uncertain benefit offered by self-proclaimed cancer specialists–who may have little formal medical training; in a comparison study at similar stages of terminal malignancy between Pts treated with conventional and unproven cancer therapies, those receiving conventional therapy had better survival and quality-of-life scores than those receiving an unproven regimen, which consisted of a combination of autogenous immune-enhancing vaccines, bacille Calmette-Guérin–bCG, vegetarian diets and coffee enemas–the difference does not reach statistical significance

Methods of unproven care

Bioelectromagnetic applications Electromagnetic field manipulation, electrostimulation and neurostimulation devices, magnetoresonance spectroscopy, blue and other colored light treatment, artificial light therapy

Lifestyle changes Changes in habits and lifestyle, diet, nutrition, megavitamins, macrobiotics, nutritional supplements

Mind/body control Various external or internal therapies–art, humor, hypnosis, music, and prayer, relaxation techniques–biofeedback training, yoga, meditation, counseling

Pharmacological and Biological Treatments Antioxidizing agents–eg vitamin A and E, oxidizing agents,¹ cell treatment, chelation therapy,² herbal medicine, naturopathy, metabolic therapy

Structural and Energetic Therapies Acupressure, aromatherapy, ayurvedic medicine, bodywork, chiropractic, herbal medicine, massage therapy, reflexology, shiatsu

Traditional and Ethnomedicine Acupuncture, ayurveda, herbs, homeopathy, Native American medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, folk medicine

¹Eg hydrogen peroxide–H₂O₂, ozone, both identified by the FDA as fraudulent²Other than for accepted medical indications, eg desferroxamine for hemochromatosis AMN 21/11/94 p13