Jesus Herrera
04/30/2013
English 102
Second chance for alternative medicines
The SEER Cancer Statistics Review (CSR), a report of the most recent cancer incidence,
mortality, survival, prevalence, and lifetime risk statistics estimated that the cancer prevalence in
the United States as of January 1, 2009 was 12,549,000. The American cancer association
suggests that half of all men and one-third of all women in the US will develop cancer during
their lifetimes. It is the second-leading cause of death in the United States. Cancer is
characterized by “the development of abnormal cells that divide uncontrollably and have the
ability to infiltrate and destroy normal body tissue.”(Mayo Clinic Staff) It is caused by a simple
DNA mutation that causes the body to create a cancerous cell. It causes many physical
complications including: pain, fatigue, difficult breathing, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and
other difficult immune reactions. The effects of cancer are not only physiological but also
psychological and emotional. Cancer causes a number of psychological effects such as: stress,
constant fatigue, depression, withdrawal, fear, and anger. When a patient is diagnosed with
cancer, their reaction may vary depending on a number of factors such as the type and severity or
stage of the cancer, and simply the patient’s personality. Cancer is already accompanied with
deadly side effects, if the psychological effects are left untreated, the severity will only worsen...
Although alternative medicine lacks scientific evidence in actually curing cancer, since there is
no proven case that alternative cancer has solely cured cancer, however several alternative
therapies are effective in treating the psychological and physical effects of cancer. People
Jesus Herrera
04/30/2013
English 102
surveyed in this study done by Australian psychologist reported that when alternative medicine is
used alongside with the traditional oncology therapies help them feel better and cope with having
cancer and treatment. Many complementary therapies concentrate on boosting relaxation and
reducing stress. They help to calm emotions, relieve anxiety, and increase your general sense of
health and well being. All boosting the psychological well-being of a person. Alternative
medicine should be incorporated in the current medical plan to treat the psychological effects of
cancer
Cancer is usually treated through chemotherapy or radiation. This is used instead of or in
conjunction with surgery. Radiation is the use of high-energy x-rays or other radiations to kill
cancer cells or keep them from growing. There are two ways to administer radiation. External
radiation is the use of a machine to administer radiation from outside the body. Internal radiation
is the administration of radioactive chemicals sealed in needles or wires that are inserted directly
into or near the cancer. How radiation is administered is based on where the cancer is and what
stage it is in. Radiation therapy does have side effects dependent on where the radiation is
targeting. Side effects can show up months or years after treatment has ended. (“Radiation
Therapy side effects,” 2010) Side effects from radiation oncology can range from altered mood
and sleep problems to memory loss. Cancer Treatment Centers of America warns that the patient
could become emotionally unstable, have outbursts and seem confused. Chemotherapy is one of
the other and more common forms of curing cancer. Like radiation, it is the use of drugs to stop
Jesus Herrera
04/30/2013
English 102
the growth of cancer by killing the cells or stopping them from dividing. One form of
chemotherapy can be administered in pill form or in injection into a vein or muscle. The drugs
enter the blood stream and move toward the cancer cells. The other way chemotherapy can be
administered is direct injection into the spinal fluid, organ, or body cavity affected. A
combination treatment is use of more than one type of drug to fight cancer.
Chemotherapy and radiation, like all other treatments, has several side effects. The
patient will most likely need complementary medications to treat the side effects. Some of the
side effects are anemia, bleeding, and bruising. A patient may have constipation or diarrhea.
Fatigue is a typical side effect. Hair loss used to be common, but with clinical trials it is not
always the case. Nausea and vomiting can be common, as well as dry mouth, sensitivity to heat
and cold, and changes in taste and smell. A patient may experience pain, numbness, tingling,
burning, weakness in the limbs, and it may progress to other parts of the body. The “proven"
methods of treating cancer—chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery are invasive and have several
devastating side effects, and treats only symptoms. The treatment within itself can cause some
psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety but it can also affect memory and
concentration. Researchers now believe that from about 40–80% of individuals undergoing
chemotherapy experience a phenomenon they call chemobrain(John Hopkins
Medicine).Chemobrain is real and is related to structural changes in the brain caused by
Jesus Herrera
04/30/2013
English 102
chemotherapy drugs. Although most research to date has been conducted on women with breast
cancer, this phenomenon does not appear to be unique to any single type of cancer.
Chemotherapy not only have psychological effects but it also cause physical changes to the
brain. A recent study that looked at images of the brains of women who had chemotherapy found
striking physical changes after treatment. Researchers at Harvard compared MRI scans of the
brains of 51 women who had undergone chemotherapy for breast cancer with those from women
who had surgery only. One year after treatment, areas of the brain that are crucial for memory
and problem solving were significantly smaller in the chemotherapy group. In addition, the
greater the reduction in brain size, the worse the women performed on tests of memory and
concentration. The treatment within itself causes psychological side effects.
Cancer patients may suffer from anxiety or depression as a result of their diagnoses and
treatment. Some patients may feel hopeless after a cancer diagnoses. They may suffer effects of
anxiety when thinking about the uncertainty of their future or the side effects of their treatments.
Women with breast cancer may lose their breasts to the disease causing them to become
depressed and have issues with negative self image. A breakdown in the immune system because
of these stressors could result in worsening or return of the cancer. Psychologists realize that it
is very important to deal with these psychological issues. The emotional challenges can relate to
the shock of a cancer diagnosis and fears about the future. More specific emotional concerns can
Jesus Herrera
04/30/2013
English 102
range from apprehension about body image after treatment to periods of anxiety or depression,
sadness, shock, horror, disbelief, frustration, distress, unhappiness, upset, worry, shame, fear.
For instance, recent studies ( Bränström, Richard and Kvillemo 5) prove the fact that
nurses need special training in order to be able to assist parents and their children to minimize
possible negative psychological effects of cancer. All members of the family are affected when a
loved one is diagnosed with cancer that is why more research should be done on treating the
psychological effects of cancer. Thus, it is possible to conclude that cancer produces a profound
impact on the life of the patient and the patient’s family, affecting its social, financial position
and psychological states limiting the activity and changing the lifestyle of the entire family. The
study reports the 6-month follow-up effects of a mindfulness stress reduction training program
among patients treated for cancer on perceived stress, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress
symptoms, positive states of mind, coping self-efficacy, and mindfulness. Psychotherapy, which
is considered a category of alternative medicine in general. This study draws to attention the
benefits of stress reduction training
People of various cultures have relied on what alternative medicine. The term alternative
medicine is a broad term and it covers several philosophies, approaches, and therapies. It
generally describes those treatments and health care practices that are outside mainstream health
care. Some subcategories of alternative medicine include” herbal therapy, special diets,
psychotherapy, body-mind therapy, spiritual therapy, and other supplements that are not part of
Jesus Herrera
04/30/2013
English 102
official practice. People use these treatments and therapies in a variety of ways. Alternative
therapies used alone are often referred to as alternative, when used in combination with other
alternative therapies, or in addition to conventional treatments they are referred to as
complementary. However, there are alternative therapies such as reiki, called vibrational
medicine which have not been proven and are not evidence based. Twenty years ago,
acupuncture, and many other therapies were considered outright. Now, however, in clinics and
hospitals around the country, non-traditional therapies are gaining wider acceptance as more
studies are being done to prove their effectiveness
In November 2012 (Igor Djan 2), a study was done; the purpose of the study was to
determine the frequency of the use of alternative medicine among gastrointestinal cancer
patients. A survey was completed by 193 patients at a cancer institute. A total of 48 (24.9%)
patients did not use any type of alternative therapy; 145 (75.1%) patients used at least one
product and 124 (64.25%) patients used herbal preparations and 145 (75.1% ) used alternative
medicine to increase the chances for cure(Source 1). Based on this sample, the use of alternative
medicine is significant among cancer patients. The number of people availing themselves of
these alternative therapies is staggering. Patients appear increasingly willing to discuss the use of
these remedies, especially when asked by their doctors. In order to encourage open
communication of CAM use by their patients, doctors should be knowledgeable about the most
commonly used remedies, or at least be able to direct patients to reliable sources of information.
Jesus Herrera
04/30/2013
English 102
Patients should be aware of the many unproven alternatives. On the other hand, complementary
therapies help manage pain, nausea, fatigue, anxiety, and other symptoms should be integrated
into the patient’s overall care. Complementary therapies improve patients’ qualities of life and
patient satisfaction
Many people argue whether or not these alternative treatments are effective. The official
position of the American Medical Association (A.M.A.)- is that a patient's improvement or
recovery after alternative treatment might just as well be supplementary to the action taken.
Some alternative treatments, such as acupuncture and herbal medicine and yoga which have
impressive histories dating back thousands of years. As Dr Bridge stated: I had one patient with
depression who really didn't want to take any antidepressants. I suggested that they tried taking
St John's Wort as I heard this could work for depression, and there is some evidence for it.
People who are skeptical or against alternative medicine claim that it isn’t as effective as
conventional one (chemo and radiation) but the purpose of incorporating these alternative
treatments is not to treat the cancer, it’s the treat the psychological effects cause by cancer. They
believe that alternative medicine cannot offer the same solutions as the conventional one. Others
think that people who cannot find a solution for a specific problem or illness they are prone to try
alternative therapy instead of a conventional one. Some people think that alternative medicine is
healthier because it relies on natural substances. One famous supporter of alternative medicine is
Apple’s co-founder Steve Jobs. Which medicine is the one that works? Conventional or
Jesus Herrera
04/30/2013
English 102
Alternative or both? The better question to ask is which one has worse side effects? Jobs was
standing in front of an audience weeks/months before he passed away, imagine him doing that
while on official meds – chemo, radiation and surgery.
Some forms of alternative medicine that are used to treat psychological effects of cancer
such as anxiety and depression. As already mentioned, some cancer patients might suffer from
anxiety when they find out they have the disease. An alternative medicine that is just as
effective as benzodiazepines (the current medication used to treat anxiety) is acupuncture. In
“The Role of Acupuncture in Cancer Supportive Care”, a study done by Dr. Jaung-Geng Lin and
Yi-Hung Chen states that “Acupuncture may also cause sedative and hypnotic effects in cancer
patients for treating nervousness and insomnia.” Both of these are possible psychological effects
caused not only by cancer but by several other terminal illnesses. Acupuncture is proven to be
effective as a treatment for these side effects, but it still is not part of treatment plan. Many
people argue that acupuncture is just as effective as a placebo, or that many components of
acupuncture such as “chi spots” do not even exist. The outstanding number of studies done to
prove the usefulness of acupuncture outweighs people who oppose acupuncture. Acupuncture
has been an effective form of medicine for centuries, and is still a thriving practice in not only
the Eastern world but the Western world as well. More and more common acupuncture is used in
Western medicine practices.
Jesus Herrera
04/30/2013
English 102
Another psychological effect often developed by cancer patients is depression. According
to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, depression is defined as having the
following symptoms. Clinical depression symptoms may include: significant weight loss or gain,
fatigue, feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt and recurring thoughts of death or
suicide. To meet the criteria for clinical depression must have five or more of the above
symptoms over a two-week period. A person can easily develop depression when diagnosed with
cancer, the loss of hair due to chemo and radiation cause a negative self image; affecting one’s
self esteem, the long hours of treatment can cause fatigue. Depression, a psychological effect of
cancer is said to also be treated via complementary and alternative medicine. A example is yoga.
Yoga is an ancient system of relaxation, exercise, and healing with origins in Indian philosophy.
Physical and Psychosocial benefits of Yoga in Cancer Patients and Survivors, a study done by
Dr. Maj Chinapaw states that ““yoga has strong beneficial effects on distress, anxiety and
depression, moderate effects on fatigue, emotional function and social function and small effects
on functional well-being” Researchers have consistently demonstrated that a minimum of 30
minutes of physical exercise for 5 days a week after a cancer diagnosis has been beneficial Yoga
is beneficial and almost suitable for all cancer patients as it helps boosts the energy levels,
increase in stamina and immune systems. Yoga helping treat these psychological side effects
results in an increase in self-esteem, improvement in symptoms of depression and anxiety, and
overall greater satisfaction with life. However, vigorous exercise or overdoing the exercise can
Jesus Herrera
04/30/2013
English 102
worsen the disease as increase of blood flow can also increase the chance of the cancer cells
spreading faster. So it is crucial that exercise is not done over the top.
Extreme stress is always an effect on a patient, their family, and their friends due to the
many complications outside of the patient’s physical complications. This includes job concerns,
financial instability, and what will happen to the family if the patient passes away. Stress can
negatively affect the immune system. Stress can be treated by medicine or alternative medicine.
The alternative medicine way however is more efficient because it claims to provide the same
treatment with no cost. One alternative treatment used to treat stress are herbal medicines . In
"Chinese Herbal Medicines As Adjuvant Treatment During Chemo or Radio-Therapy For
Cancer”, a stud done by Dr. Tang Wei states that “in cancer treatment Chinese herbal medicines
in combination with chemo- or radio-therapy can be used to enhance the effectiveness of and
diminish the side effects and complications caused by chemo- and radio-therapy” Chinese Herbal
Medicine has been used for thousands of years. A country cannot achieve a population of over a
billion if your system of medicine doesn't work. Our health care system is based on drugs and
surgery, so alternative medicine is rarely prescribed. On average Chinese do not live as long as
Americans ,but they do suffer less diabetes and heart disease. Therefore, an understanding of
Chinese herbal medicines is needed by physicians and other health care providers.
Many Americans flock to alternative practices either because their suffering has not been
alleviated by standard medical or surgical treatment, or because the traditional treatments
Jesus Herrera
04/30/2013
English 102
themselves are too expensive or dangerous. Too many doctors are thought to be casually
professional and emotionally distant, inclined to cure a specific disorder narrow-mindedly
without comforting or caring for the patient. Acupuncture, yoga and herbal medicines should be
used in place of current medications that treat depression, stress and anxiety. Several studies
have shown that alternative medicines are just as effective in treating the psychological effects.