While there is no known cure for malignant mesothelioma cancer, the modern medical community continues to offer a variety of standard treatments options for its sufferers. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation are the three most common manufactured weapons against the disease, and for most patients they are usually the first options a physician will recommend. In addition, scientists and cancer researchers are constantly testing new drugs and medications and experimenting with innovative therapies and techniques in their search for a cure.
However, there are many unconventional mesothelioma treatment options a patient can investigate that aren't considered part of mainstream medical practice. These health care choices and practices are called Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), and they are receiving growing attention from patients who are searching for other means of remediation from their disease. They include alternative medicines and natural medicines and herbal remedies.
If you would like to know more about treatments for mesothelioma, fill out the form for a freeinformational packet from the Mesothelioma Center. The packet contains information about standard and alternative treatments for mesothelioma cancer and details about doctors and cancer centers that specialize in treating asbestos related illnesses.
Nearly 70 percent of all cancer patients utilize some form of alternative treatment in their battle against malignant cancers.
Some health care providers practice both CAM and conventional medicine and combine the two with good results. This is referred to as adjunctive therapy or integrative medicine. While alternative treatments don't promise a cure for mesothelioma, in some cases they can increase survival rateswhile alleviating some of the pain and suffering associated with the cancer.
Among the many alternative treatments available to mesothelioma patients are natural medicines that can be ingested, and/or injected, such as various plant extracts, herbal teas, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and other naturally occurring substances. Ancient cultures have used some of these natural elements for years to treat illnesses and other maladies.
Their use as modern-day palliatives for diseases like mesothelioma is often based on historical or anecdotal, rather than empirical, evidence. And yet there are many people who swear by these natural alternatives and point to friends and family members who, they say, have greatly benefited from their use.
Natural Medicines
There are hundreds of natural medicines available from many different sources and companies and they are routinely offered for sale online and at retail outlets that specialize in natural products, as well as at conventional pharmacies. A wise consumer will have to do considerable research in order to choose among the safest, most efficacious, and most cost-effective options. Most of these items are not sanctioned by the Federal Government's Food and Drug Administration (FDA), having not satisfied its strict guidelines for clinical testing and peer review. However, the following five naturally occurring substances have received, at least, a minimal amount of scientific study, so their efficacy in treating cancer has some basis in established medical fact.
Astragalus
Astragalusis a perennial plant that is native to the northern and eastern parts of China as well as Mongolia and Korea. Astragalus is called an adaptogen, meaning it is thought to help protect the body against physical, mental or emotional stress. It has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine as an energy restorer. It can be taken orally in the form of a standardized extract, in boiled tea, or in its powdered root form.
Not surprisingly, nearly all the scientific studies on astragalus have been conducted in China. A 2002 study there concluded that astragalus injection combined with chemotherapy may help inhibit the development of malignant tumors, elevate a patient's immune function and decrease the adverse toxic effects of chemotherapy.
Get Yours NowCelandine
Celandine, a member of the poppy family, grows in Europe and the temperate and sub-arctic regions of Asia. The plant's roots, herb and juice are used as medicine and it can be taken as an extract, tincture or tea. Celandine is an active ingredient in the drug Ukrain, which is a semisynthetic compound formed by chemically combining alkaloids from the celandine plant with thiophosphoric acid derivatives, including an older cancer treatment drug called thiotepa.
Proponents claim that Ukrain improves overall health for people who have many types of cancer by boosting the immune system and inhibiting tumor growth. They also claim that it protects cells from radiation damage. Scientific research on Ukrain started about 20 years ago with in-vitro studies, animal experiments and clinical trials.
The majority of the human studies took place in Germany and Belarus, focusing on patients with colorectal, bladder, pancreatic and breast cancer and tended to suggest that Ukrain has anticancer activity in a wide range of cell lines. A 1993 case report from the Institute of Oncology in Ljubljana, Slovenia, recounts how a female patient suffering from multiple metastases in the lungs combined Ukrain with chemotherapy, resulting in a complete remission of her malignancy.
Mistletoe
Mistletoe is a semi-parasitic plant that grows on several types of trees, including apple, oak, maple, elm, pine and birch. It has been used for centuries to treat various medical conditions. Modern interest in mistletoe as a possible treatment for cancer began in the 1920s. Extracts of mistletoe have been shown to kill cancer cells in the laboratory, boost the body's immune system and prevent the growth of new blood vessels needed for tumors to grow. Mistletoe extract is sold as Iscador, Helixor and several other trade names.
A major 30-year-long study with more than 35,000 participants reported that extract of mistletoe greatly improved the survival rate for a wide variety of cancer patients. Study participants who augmented conventional therapy with Iscador survived 40 percent longer compared with those who didn't use the plant therapy. A 2005 study in Germany and Switzerland involved patients with stage two and three malignant melanomas. The patients who received Iscador were reported to have "significantly lower" rates of lung and brain metastases and "significantly superior" overall survival.
Cat's Claw
Cat's Claw is a woody vine native to the Amazon rainforest and other places in South and Central America. The use of cat's claw dates back to the ancient Inca civilization and the plant's bark and root have been used by indigenous South American tribes for centuries to treat a wide variety of health problems including arthritis, stomach ulcers, inflammation, dysentery and fevers. In herbal medicine today, cat's claw is employed around the world as a treatment for many different conditions, including immune disorders, gastritis, ulcers, cancer, arthritis, rheumatism, rheumatic disorders, neurological disorders, chronic inflammation of all kinds, and such viral diseases as herpes and HIV.
Cat's claw has been studied by medical clinicians in many countries, including Austria, Germany, Spain, France, Japan, Peru and Canada. Test tube experiments indicate that cat's claw may stimulate the immune system and kill cancer cells. Cat's claw also has antioxidant properties, which helps the body neutralize particles known as free radicals that can damage cells and may help cause cancers. The bark of the cat's claw vine can be crushed and used to make tea. Standardized root and bark extracts are also available in either liquid or capsule forms.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is present in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as in some cuts of meat, especially liver. Vitamin C is the single most widely taken nutritional supplement and is available in a variety of forms, including tablets, capsules, drink mix packets, multi-vitamin formulations, multiple antioxidant formulations and crystalline powder. One of Vitamin C's most vocal proponents was Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling, who believed that its utilization by the body in the production of collagen, which strengthens muscles, bones, blood vessels and connective tissue, helps prevent cancer cells from metastasizing. In 1991 the National Cancer Institute (NCI) published a study which stated that, "Epidemiologic evidence of a protective effect of vitamin C for non-hormone-dependent cancers is strong."
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is one of the most widely-accepted alternative therapies in use today, to the extent that many insurance companies provide coverage for this type of treatment. Acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely fine needles into pressure points at clearly defined locations on the skin to improve the balance and flow of factors referred to as Yin, Yang, Qi and Blood in traditional Chinese medicine. This type of treatment can provide relief from chronic pain, inflammation, anxiety, and stress, and is one of the most common alternative treatments used by those with asbestosis.
Chiropractic Care
A number of cancer patients look to chiropractic care as a form of alternative medicine to complement their traditional medical treatments. Chiropractic care traditionally aims to alleviate pain and improve mobility through various therapies such as spinal adjustment, physical therapy, massage, ultrasounds, specific exercises and stretching movements, and electrical muscle stimulation (such as TENS therapy). Some cancer patients have turned to chiropractic care to help manage pain or relieve headaches, body tension and stress, and some have even reported an improved quality of life following treatment.
Massage
Massage therapy provides a number of important health benefits - it promotes blood and lymphatic flow and improves circulation, and helps to improve muscle tension. Massage also stimulates the nervous and digestive systems, and can relieve chronic pain and improve skin function. Commonly used as a stress relief treatment, many patients find that massage can reduce anxiety and feelings of stress, as well as help manage chronic pain.
Meditation
Meditation has long been known as an excellent way of reducing feelings of stress, anxiety and depression. Currently, meditation is also believed to help manage pain and other disease symptoms. Many people with cancer who add meditation to their treatment program find the practice helps relieve pain, stress and anxiety. Some studies have even indicated that meditation may be able to slow tumor growth and improve patient prognosis.
Yoga
The origins of yoga lie in India, where this ancient art is practiced more for spiritual reasons than for health-related reasons. Outside of India, yoga has become a popular form of exercise that is physically and psychologically calming and strengthening. Learning simple yoga techniques can help improve general health by toning and strengthening muscles, improving flexibility and improving general health and one's state of mind.
Homeopathy
In addition to the use of natural medicines, many cancer patients, including those battling malignant mesothelioma, have turned to homeopathy as an alternative to more aggressive conventional cancer treatment drugs. Homeopathy, from the Greek homoeo (meaning similar) and pathos(meaning suffering) is a system of medicine that relies on two principles: the principle of similars and the principle of dilution. This therapeutic method was developed by German physician Samuel Hahnemann over 200 years ago and has been utilized in the U.S. since the early 19th century. According to a 2007 National Health Interview Survey, an estimated 4.8 million Americans used homeopathy in the previous year.
The Principle of Similars
The Principle of Similars ("like cures like") states that a disease can be cured by a substance that produces similar symptoms in healthy people. This idea was developed by Hahnemann after he repeatedly ingested cinchona bark, a popular treatment for malaria, and found that he developed the symptoms of the disease. Hahnemann theorized that if a substance could cause disease symptoms in a healthy person, small amounts could cure a sick person who had similar symptoms.
The Principle of Dilution
The Principle of Dilution (or "law of minimum dose") states that the lower the dose of the medication, the greater its effectiveness. In homeopathy, substances are diluted in a stepwise fashion and shaken vigorously between each dilution. This process, referred to as "potentization," is believed to transmit some form of information or energy from the original substance to the final diluted remedy. Most homeopathic remedies are so dilute that no molecules of the healing substance remain; however, in homeopathy, it is believed that the substance has left its imprint or "essence," which stimulates the body to heal itself (this theory is called the "memory of water").
Fast Fact: Homeopathy is considered a holistic form of therapy because it addresses the underlying cause of a disease and purports to treat all symptoms as the manifestation of a single pathology.
Medical Community's Perceptions of Homeopathy
Homeopathic remedies are derived from natural substances that come from plants, minerals, or animals. They are generally considered safe and unlikely to cause severe adverse reactions and are not known to interfere with conventional drugs. However, the effectiveness of homeopathic treatment is unsupported by the collective weight of modern scientific research and from its beginnings homeopathy was ridiculed as "quackery" by the vast majority of the medical establishment. But while homeopathy is not considered an acceptable medical practice in some parts of the world, in others (a few European countries, for example) it is even a reimbursable medical expense under their public health services. In India, homeopathy is considered one of its national systems of medicine.
Federal Regulations of Homeopathic Drugs
In the U.S., homeopathic remedies have been recognized as drugs since the passage of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938, and are regulated in the same manner as other nonprescription, over-the-counter drugs. However, if a homeopathic remedy claims to treat a serious disease such as cancer, it needs to be sold by prescription. The FDA also requires that homeopathic remedies meet certain legal standards for strength, purity and packaging. The labels on the remedies must include at least one major indication (i.e., medical problem to be treated), a list of ingredients, dilution and safety instructions.
Practitioner Regulations and Fees
There are no uniform professional standards for the practice of homeopathy in the U.S. and the licensing of homeopaths varies from state to state. Some, like Arizona, Connecticut and Nevada, have laws that restrict the practice of homeopathy to medical doctors or osteopaths only. Others explicitly include homeopathy within the scope of practice of chiropractic, naturopathy, physical therapy, dentistry, nursing and even veterinary medicine.
There are no uniform professional standards for the practice of homeopathy in the U.S. and the licensing of homeopaths varies from state to state.
Organizations such as the Council for Homeopathic Certification, American Board of Homeotherapeutics, and the Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians, offer national certifications for homeopathic practitioners. These groups and others, like the National Center for Homeopathy and the North American Society of Homeopaths are sources for homeopath providers.
Fees for homeopathic care tend to be similar to those of conventional physicians. An initial visit can cost between $50 and $300 depending on the practitioner's experience, licensure and whether he or she is an M.D. The actual cost of the medicine prescribed is negligible. Very few insurance companies cover homeopathic treatments. Patients should check their individual policies.
What to Know Before Choosing Any CAM Therapy
It is important to reiterate that the above natural remedies and medicines are still often considered "folk cures" by the conventional medical community. And because, in many cases, scientific studies of these substances have not definitively shown them to be effective mesothelioma treatments, their use may actually be detrimental to a patient, by delaying, or avoiding, a more accepted form of treatment.
Before choosing any CAM therapy, a mesothelioma patient should consult with his or her medical practitioner or health care provider and fully explore the pros and cons of each substance contemplated, investigate its origins and manufacture, and understand prescribed dosages and any inherent dangers or side-effects. If choosing a homeopathic health provider, similar investigation of the practitioner's training and background must be made.
Costs and Benefits of CAM
But even without conclusive proof of the medical and cost effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicines like those listed above, Americans are already spending over $34 billion per year on them and other CAM therapies. And since they are generally not covered by most health insurance policies, and must be paid for out-of-pocket, it is safe to assume that their benefits tend to outweigh their costs, at least in the minds of these consumers. Theoretically, CAM therapies would seem to offer significant cost savings when compared to conventional treatments because they avoid high technology, offer relatively inexpensive remedies made from natural substances and attempt to harness the body's natural ability to heal itself.
Mesothelioma Survivors Who Used CAM Therapy
For any mesothelioma sufferer who is considering CAM therapy, it is heartening to know therehave been personal successes in this area. In fact, two well-known mesothelioma patients and authors, who lived for years after their initial diagnoses, list natural medicines as part of their alternative treatment regimens. A third patient, a 20-year survivor, credits his survival to natural methods only.
Paul Kraus, a former asbestos worker from Australia, is still alive a decade after he was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. Kraus eschewed all of the traditional cancer therapies, choosing instead to employ a host of alternative treatments including taking vitamins, herbs, amino acids and homeopathic supplements and drinking large quantities of carrot, beetroot and green juices. His book is entitled, "Surviving Mesothelioma and Other Cancers: A Patient's Guide."
Judy Glezinski, a pleural mesothelioma sufferer who underwent both surgery and radiation therapy, drank anti-oxidant rich mangosteen juice made from the tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia and noticed that, for a time, her tumors showed very little growth. Her story is recounted in a book, "Surviving Mesothelioma: Making Your Own Miracle."
There is something almost magical in these cherries...I don't know what the science is, but I'm a real believer. I don't exactly know how, or why they work, but they do. I know they can stop cancer, and I've seen them help other people with other illnesses, too.
Wayne Neal, a lifelong electrician from the Cincinnati area, was forced into an early retirement by health problems that later were diagnosed as peritoneal mesothelioma in 1991. Now at age 83, he continues to thrive, giving credit to a daily ration of red tart cherries from Michigan, which are rich in antioxidants like melatonin. He has eaten 10-12 cherries every night for the last 20 years, supplementing his healthy diet of whole grain foods and plenty of vegetables.
"There is something almost magical in these cherries,'' he said. "I don't know what the science is, but I'm a real believer. I don't exactly know how, or why they work, but they do. I know they can stop cancer, and I've seen them help other people with other illnesses, too."
TENS Therapy
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation – known asTENS Therapy – is somewhat similar to acupuncture, in that this treatment stimulates certain defined body locations. However, while acupuncture uses fine needles, TENS therapy stimulates body points with the use of electrodes that deliver very mild electrical shocks.
Unlike many other types of complementary and alternative therapy, TENS has actually been approved by the FDA. While this doesn't automatically mean that TENS can provide a cure when it is used, it does mean that the treatment has been determined to be safe according to FDA regulations, and also means that TENS therapy is covered by insurance.
Pet Therapy
Known as animal-assisted therapy or animal-assisted activities, pet therapy aims to improve the general health and well-being of patients by allowing them to interact with a variety of animals. The wonderful effects of animal interaction has long been known - the simple act of stroking a cat or dog can improve the mood, lift the spirits and even provide some physical benefits (such as the temporary lowering of blood pressure). Pet therapy techniques can be used for a wide variety of medical conditions. For example, a physical therapist working with a person recovering from a stroke might bring a dog to a therapy session and have the patient brush the dog to help improve their motor skills.
Talk To a Doctor
As is the case with any treatment plan, careful consideration of all available options should be a prime concern of both the mesothelioma patient and the medical professionals upon whom he or she relies for factual and supportive advice. If you need help finding the right doctor to treat your type of mesothelioma, use the Doctor Match Program, a free service provided by the Mesothelioma Center.
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