Buyer Beware

There is now more than ever more access for information about alternative and complementary therapies for cancer patients, many of which have to do with nutrition. I just wanted to add to this board a message of caution. There are companies who make unfounded claims about their products' ability to help cancer patients, some of them are well meaning- but wrong and others are knowingly swindling cancer patients and their families. Please make sure that you use all of the resources available to you to weigh the risks, and financial burdens vs. the benefits of any treatment or supplement. One of the watch dog sites that I think is worth a look is www.quackwatch.com. Also check out: http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/cancer.htm Also seek the help of a Registered Dietitian, one with Board Certification in Oncology Nutrition if possible, to help you weed out the good from the bad and ugly.

Thanks for your post, but in response to your comment...

"There are companies who make unfounded claims about their products' ability to help cancer patients, some of them are well meaning- but wrong and others are knowingly swindling cancer patients and their families." 

The reason alot of these claims are unfounded is purely and simply down to money and the lack of interest large drug companies have in supporting the alternative bodies in a financial way... if the alternative medical industry was to receive the billions of pounds in reseach that alot of synthetic drug companies get then I am sure a cure for this disease would've been found a long long time ago.  But when major governements throughout the world are abolishing the practice of alot of these alternative routes, even though they are curing some people - then you have to ask the question why?? (Lets face it convential therapy only cures some people too).

I appreciate your well meaning message, but when you have had a diagnosis of cancer with a poor prognosis then we are left with no other choice but to help ourselves, and find a therapy that helps us survive - in fact its more than that - its about living not just surviving.  

Stg3c cancer survivor - trying to live my life the best I can.

Thanks for your thoughtful response.

I too truly wish that more research was being done on treatments now considered alternative and I agree that funding issues are a potential road block to providing evidence of the worth of some treatments.

I want to make sure that you know that my message was not meant to disparage anyone interested in treatments that are not considered mainstream, but to simply encourage cancer patients to weigh risks vs. benefits of every treatment and to seek as much information as possible to help them in their fight.

Thanks again.

I  appreciate suggesting that us CA fighters be diligent in our effort to learn everything we can about CA and to be aware of snake oil salesmen, however, I may get in trouble for saying this but Big Pharma/Insurance Industry are "extremely powerful".

Am I thankful that chemo has kept me around as long as it has - heck yes ... But, it's pretty pathetic that although I have been battling this disease for 7 years - my oncologist and most ONC that I know of never try to educate us about the various foods/vitamins/sun/etc.. that have been proven to help battle cancer as well as telling us about the known carcinogens that could have contributed in us getting the disease in the first place.  I asked my ONC the other day what to "pray" for in regards to Health Care Reform ... he went and closed the door before answering me.  That's sad.  Who's his boss?