Managing radiation therapy side effects with complementary medicine.

Abstract

Over one-third of Americans use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The prevalence among cancer patients may even be higher. Complementary therapies may reduce possible symptom burdens caused by conventional cancer treatments. Integrating CAM therapies has become more common and more accepted in clinical oncology. However, little research is available on beneficial CAM therapies for radiation therapy patients. This article reviews potential CAM therapies that have been shown to be effective in decreasing the symptom burden related to radiation therapy treatments and includes clinical observations from CAM practitioners in a comprehensive cancer center.