The Complete Guide to Complementary Therapies in Cancer Care: Essential Information for Patients, Survivors and Health Professionals

381 Pages·2011·1.76 MB·English

by  Barrie R. Cassileth

The Complete Guide to
Complementary Therapies
Cancer Care
Essential Information for Patients,
Survivors and Health Professionals
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Previous Books by the Author
Cassileth BR (Ed.). The Cancer Patient: Social and Medical Aspects of Care.
Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, 1979.
Cassileth BR and Cassileth PA (Eds.). Clinical Care of the Terminal Cancer
Patient. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, 1982.
Dush DM, Cassileth BR, and Turk C (Eds.). Psychosocial Assessment in
Terminal Care. New York: Hayworth Press, Inc., 1986.
Cassileth BR. The Alternative Medicine Handbook: The Complete Reference
Guide to Alternative and Complementary Therapies. New York: WW Norton,
1998. Japanese version, 2001.
Bloch A, Cassileth BR, Holmes MD, and Thompson CA (Eds.). Eating Well,
Staying Well During and After Cancer. Atlanta, Georgia: American Cancer
Society, 2004.
Cassileth BR, Deng G, Vickers A, and Yeung KS. Integrative Oncology:
Complementary Therapies in Cancer Care. Ontario, Canada: B.C. Decker,
2005. Korean version, 2007.
Cassileth BR, Yeung KS, and Gubili J. Herb-Drug Interactions in Oncology,
2nd Edition. Shelton, CT: People’s Medical Publishing House, USA, 2010.
The Complete Guide to
Complementary Therapies
Cancer Care
Essential Information Patients,
for
Survivors Health Professionals
and
Barrie R Cassileth, PhD
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, USA
World Scientific
NEW JERSEY • LONDON • SINGAPORE • BEIJING • SHANGHAI • HONG KONG • TAIPEI • CHENNAI
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Published by
World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.
5 Toh Tuck Link, Singapore 596224
USA office: 27 Warren Street, Suite 401-402, Hackensack, NJ 07601
UK office: 57 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9HE
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES IN CANCER CARE
Essential Information for Patients, Survivors and Health Professionals
Copyright © 2011 by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.
All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic
or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system now known
or to be invented, without written permission from the Publisher.
For photocopying of material in this volume, please pay a copying fee through the Copyright Clearance Center,
Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. In this case permission to photocopy is not required from
the publisher.
ISBN-13 978-981-4335-16-4 (pbk)
ISBN-10 981-4335-16-9 (pbk)
Typeset by Stallion Press
Email: [email protected]
Printed in Singapore.
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Dedication
To my husband and my family,
who delight and inspire me.
To the patients and families,
who taught me courage and humility.
This book is for you.
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Contents
Introduction xxi
Part One: Ancient Routes to Health and Spiritual 1
Fulfillment
Part One Overview 3
1 Acupuncture 5
What It Is 6
Modern Acupuncture 7
What Practitioners Say It Does 7
Beliefs on Which It Is Based 8
Meridians 8
Research Evidence to Date 10
What It Can Do for You 10
The Acupuncture Advantage 11
Where to Get It 11
2 Ayurveda 13
What It Is 13
What Practitioners Say It Does 14
Beliefs on Which It Is Based 15
Chakras 17
Research Evidence to Date 18
What It Can Do for You 18
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Contents
Where to Get It 18
An Attraction of Ayurveda 19
3 Chinese Medicine, Traditional (TCM) 21
What It Is 22
What Practitioners Say It Does 22
Beliefs on Which It Is Based 24
The Importance of Balance 24
Research Evidence to Date 25
Place 26
What It Can Do for You 26
Where to Get It 26
4 Homeopathy 29
“The Like Cures Like” Basis for Homeopathic 30
Treatments
Ancient Law of Similars 30
What It Is 30
What Practitioners Say It Does 30
Beliefs on Which It Is Based 31
A Typical Homeopathic Visit 32
Research Evidence to Date 32
What It Can Do for You 33
Where to Get It 33
The British Government Report of 2010 33
5 Native American Healing 35
What It Is 35
Shamanic Practices 36
Place 37
Symbolic Healing Rituals 37
Symbolic Healing Rituals 38
What Practitioners Say It Does 38
Beliefs on Which It Is Based 38
Research Evidence to Date 39
What It Can Do for You 39
Where to Get It 40
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6 Naturopathic Medicine 41
What It Is 41
Place 42
What Practitioners Say It Does 44
Beliefs on Which It Is Based 44
Research Evidence to Date 45
What It Can Do for You 45
Where to Get It 45
Part Two: Dietary and Herbal Remedies 47
Part Two Overview 49
7 Regulatory Issues: Who’s Minding the Store? 53
The Supplement Shambles 55
8 Dietary Supplements 57
Basic Facts about Vitamins 57
Not as Simple as We Think (or as we would like) 58
A Note about Some Especially Popular Vitamin Supplements 58
What It Is 59
What Practitioners Say It Does 60
Beliefs on Which It Is Based 60
Research Evidence to Date 61
What It Can Do for You 61
Where to Get It 62
9 Fasting and Juice Therapies 63
What It Is 63
What Practitioners Say It Does 64
Beliefs on Which It Is Based 64
Research Evidence to Date 65
What It Can Do for You 65
10 Flower Remedies 67
What It Is 68
What Practitioners Say It Does 69
Beliefs on Which It Is Based 69
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