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Support Services
Complementary & Alternative
Medicine
You may become interested in complementary
and alternative medicines (CAM) to help you cope with your cancer.
Without careful supervision, however, CAM can introduce potential
for harmful, and even life-threatening, reactions.
At CCCN we have incorporated Patient Counselors, Spiritual Care, a Nutrition Clinic and Pet Therapy into the services we offer. We have partnered with the American Cancer Society (ACS) in offering the Look Good, Feel Better Program at selected CCCN locations, and a Quality of Life Center through which patients can access ACS educational materials, program information and supplies. CCCN’s Life Enrichment Program, with the sanction of our physicians, has compiled a list of reputable therapies and providers to which we can refer our patients.
Before pursuing any form of complementary or alternative therapy, we strongly recommend that you first discuss your options with your oncology team, or CCCN’s Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Paula Sennes, LCSW, at 702.952.2140.
Complementary medicine consists
of practices, therapies, or herbs used in addition to conventional
therapies. You can safely use complementary methods such as guided
visualization or yoga to reduce stress or increase energy while
undergoing conventional cancer treatments recommended by your oncology
specialists.
The same may not be true, however, for herbs
or other substances that can be used as complementary medicine.
Such herbs and other substances can interfere with the ability of
chemotherapy to kill cancerous cells.
Alternative medicine is used
instead of conventional medicine and attempts to specifically treat
disease. For minor health issues, alternative medicine is generally
not dangerous. Some alternative therapies, however, have serious
and even life-threatening side effects. With others, the main danger
is that a patient may lose the opportunity to benefit from conventional
cancer treatment.
Your CCCN physicians and professional staff
are well-versed in medical solutions and CAM options. They can help
you assess your condition and opportunities to determine if CAM
is the right path for your recovery. They can help connect you with
the methods and services that are best suited to your specific condition.
To learn more about Complementary and Alternative
Medicine, click on the links below. The content provided through
these links is not the information of CCCN, and CCCN does not necessarily
endorse such content. All content provided through these links is
for information only and does not constitute medical advice. Please
consult your physician before acting or relying upon such information.
Memorial
Sloan Kettering
Office
of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Quackwatch
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