Doctor hand holding pen and talking to the patient about lung cancer

Alternative and Complimentary Lung Cancer Treatment

 

There are a number of alternative and complimentary treatments for lung cancer; at the end of the day, though, the best medicine is prevention.

As reactions to medical diagnoses go, lung cancer is one of the most emotionally-loaded verdicts that patients will ever hear. Researchers have thoroughly established tobacco as the primary cause of lung cancer; radon gas is the second leading cause behind cigarette smoking. Together, the effects can be catastrophic: The American Cancer Society estimates that lung cancer will kill 154,000 Americans 2018, and 20,000 of those deaths will be radon-related, including people who have never smoked.

Standard lung cancer treatments depend on the type of cancer and stage of development. Your doctor may also recommend combined treatments: surgery, radiation, chemo, and others. Depending on your treatment and progress, an oncologist may recommend other procedures to relieve symptoms and side effects.

Cancer patients often consider complementary and alternative treatments to alleviate the symptoms and side effects of chemo and radiation. Complementary treatments are used with standard cancer treatments and may include recognized medical practices, as well as other remedies:

  • Hyperthermia uses precision-focused high temperatures to kill or weaken cancer cells.
  • Photodynamic therapy uses light-activated drugs to kill cancer cells and help destroy the blood supply to cancerous tumors and cells.
  • Immunotherapy stimulates the body’s own immune system to identify and attack cancer cells.
  • Medical marijuana, specifically cannabidiol (CBD), has been shown to be effective in treating nausea, as well as exhibiting anti-tumoral properties.
  • Acupuncture has also been shown to relieve nausea and vomiting, common side effects of chemotherapy.

Alternative treatments that replace standard cancer care include:

  • Insulin Potentiation Therapy uses small-dosage chemotherapy to make cancer cells susceptible to increased uptake of anticancer drugs. Early research results indicate insulin increases dose intensity and helps improve appetite and metabolism.
  • Purified mistletoe extracts, Iscador, kill cancerous cells, as well as stimulate the immune system. As many as 60% of Swiss and German cancer patients receive injections as part of their integrated cancer treatment program. Studies appear to support Iscador’s benefits.
  • Gerson Therapy is a strictly-controlled alkaloid-based diet and detoxification program said to eliminate toxins and stimulate the immune system.
  • Ukrain™ is an anticancer drug derived from celandine (buttercup) extract that promotes rapid cancer cell death, but more research is needed.
  • Biomagnetic therapy uses the magnetic polarity of 1000-gauss magnets placed over internal organs to adjust natural pH and restore balance.

 

Better than any treatment, the best medicine and prevention. While there are no guarantees, eliminating tobacco and radon from your life can have positive benefits. While we can’t help you with becoming a nonsmoker, contact us for more information about eliminating or reducing your radon exposure.