Advisory
Ayurvedic Medicines from South Asia Found to Have Potentially Harmful Levels of Heavy Metals
(01/24/2006)
Researchers from Boston have reported that 1 of 5 Ayurvedic herbal medicine products (HMPs) produced in South Asia and available in Boston South Asian grocery stores contains potentially harmful levels of lead, mercury, and/or arsenic.
Herbal Formula for Colon Cleansing Causes Heart Poisoning
(08/14/2003)
According to an article recently published in
Annals of Emergency Medicine, an herbal formula marketed for internal cleansing was the cause of heart poisoning when a 36 year old woman ingested the entire bottle at one time, rather than in four doses as directed by its instructions. The product was purchased from a street vendor and claimed to consist of Amazon herbs, although its packaging failed to detail specific ingredients.
Grapefruit and Grapefruit Juice: Potentially Dangerous Interactions with Pharmaceutical Drugs
(02/13/2003)
More cancer patients are turning to complementary and alternative medicines, either as primary cancer treatment, an augmentation to cancer treatment or to help in the relief of side effects caused by treatment or cancer itself. Since complementary/alternative agents or methods are not closely regulated in the U.S., it is important for patients to be aware of possible adverse events that may occur with the use of these products. As research on these drug-CAM interactions continues, potentially adverse effects of drugs and common food items have also been reported.
FDA Rules that Aloe and Cascara Sagrada Cannot be Labeled as Stimulant Laxatives
(03/21/2003)
More cancer patients are turning to the use of complementary and alternative medicines, either as primary cancer treatment, an augmentation to cancer treatment or to help in the relief of side effects caused by treatment or cancer itself. Since complementary/alternative agents or methods are not regulated in the U.S., it is important for patients to be aware of possible adverse events that may occur with the use of these products. On November 5, 2002, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final ruling stating that aloe and cascara sagrada cannot be labeled or sold as stimulant laxatives in over-the-counter (OTC) drug products due to a lack of research on safety and efficacy.
Chinese Herbal Medicines Frequently Contaminated with Harmful Drugs
(02/07/2003)
An article recently published in the
Journal of Internal Medicine reported that a recent analysis of Chinese herbal medicines finds many are contaminated with prescription medications.
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Alternative Medical Systems
Acupuncture May Prevent Some Cases of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting
(10/03/2005)
According to a review published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, certain types of acupuncture-point stimulation may relieve chemotherapy-induced nausea or vomiting, but few well-designed studies have been conducted.
Herbal Supplement PC-SPES may Interfere with Chemotherapy Drug Paclitaxel
(02/06/2003)
A recent article published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggests that the herbal supplement PC-SPES appears to interfere with the anticancer activity of the chemotherapy drug paclitaxel.
Acupuncture Palliates Xerostomia after Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancers
(02/04/2003)
According to results recently published in
Cancer, acupuncture appears to reduce the severity of radiation-induced xerostomia in head and neck cancer patients.
PC-SPES and SPES Herbal Supplements Recalled
(03/17/2004)
According to recall notices issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the California Department of Health Services (DHS) and BotanicLab, consumers should immediately stop using PC-SPES and SPES herbal supplements. Laboratory testing conducted by DHS identified undeclared prescription medications in these formulas that could cause serious side effects, particularly if combined with other prescribed medications.
Electroacupuncture Reduces Chemotherapy-Related Vomiting
(02/04/2003)
Electroacupuncture treatments combined with anti-nausea medication may reduce vomiting in patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy, according to a study recently published in
The Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Biologic-Orthomolecular Therapies
Alpha-Tocopherol and Beta-Carotene Supplementation: A Post-Intervention Follow-Up
(10/01/2003)
According to an article recently published in the
Journal of the American Medical Association, alpha-tocopherol appears to significantly reduce the risk of prostate cancer, while beta-carotene increases risk of lung cancer and total mortality.
Zinc Supplements May Increase the Incidence of Prostate Cancer
(10/01/2003)
According to results published in the
Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers from the National Institutes of Health and Harvard Medical School have reported that high supplementation with zinc, more than 100 mg/day, increased the incidence of prostate cancer in men more than 2-fold. Zinc supplementation of 100 mg/day or lower did not increase the risk of prostate cancer.
Updated Analysis Suggests Selenium's Anticancer Effects Limited to Patients with Low Selenium Levels
(05/01/2003)
According to an article recently published in
Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers, & Prevention, new data from an extended follow-up of the Nutritional Prevention of Cancer Trial suggests that selenium significantly reduces lung cancer risk in patients with low baseline selenium levels, but not in other patient populations or overall.
Pilot Study Suggests Lycopene Supplementation May Benefit Localized Prostate Cancer Patients, But More Research Needed
(05/01/2003)
According to an article recently published in
Experimental Biology and Medicine, lycopene supplementation prior to surgery may reduce the severity of cancer in prostate cancer patients.
Fish Oil Appears Ineffective for Anorexia/Cachexia in Advanced Cancer Patients
(08/14/2003)
According to an article recently published in the
Journal of Clinical Oncology, fish oil does not appear effective at reducing anorexia or cachexia experienced by patients with advanced cancer.
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Energy Therapies
General
Women&Cancer Magazine Features Paula Zahn on Spring 2008 Cover
(03/17/2008)
News anchor and cancer advocate Paula Zahn knows what it means to watch a loved one confront a cancer diagnosis. In fact, in the space of 14 months when Paula was 29 years old, her immediate family managed four active cases of cancer; of those four, which included her mother, her father, her sister-in-law and her aunt, only her mother would survive. “I think any of us who have been exposed to cancer in our families share a strong bond,” Paula says. The veteran reporter and media personality shares details of her own experience and of her role as an impassioned cancer advocate in an inspiring interview.
Cancer Patients Do Not Report Use of Complementary and Alternative Treatments
(10/25/2005)
According to results presented at the 47th annual meeting of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO), nearly half of cancer patients use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). However, the majority of these patients do not report CAM use to their doctors.
Factors Associated with CAM Use By Localized Prostate Cancer Patients
(10/17/2003)
According to an article recently published in the
Journal of Urology, few men start using CAM as a result of a prostate cancer diagnosis, but those that do, usually fail to discuss it with their physician(s).
Religiosity Associated With Complementary Medicine Use in Pediatric Oncology Patients
(10/17/2003)
According to an article recently published in the
Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, pediatric oncology patients often use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), particularly if the family is very religious.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Associated with Shorter Survival of Cancer Patients
(08/14/2003)
According to an article recently published in the
European Journal of Cancer, cancer patients using complementary and alternative medicine appear to have higher mortality rates than cancer patients using only conventional medicine.
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Herbal/Plant Therapies
Some Chinese Herbs Reduce Nausea Associated with Chemotherapy
(04/03/2007)
According to an article recently published in the Annals of Oncology, treatment with Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), as prescribed by a Chinese herbalist, may significantly reduce nausea associated with chemotherapy.
Chinese Herbal Medicine May Increase Effectiveness of Lung Cancer Chemotherapy
(01/20/2006)
A combined analysis of 34 studies suggests that Astragalus-based Chinese herbal medicine may increase the effectiveness of platinum-based chemotherapy regimens for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). (However, because the quality of several of the evaluated studies was poor, these findings need to be confirmed in well-designed clinical trials.) These results were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Recent Trends in Use of Herbal and Other Natural Products
(03/02/2005)
According to a study recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the popularity of herbal remedies and other natural products has varied over time and usage varies according to sex and age.
Calendula Effective Against Radiation-Induced Dermatitis in Breast Cancer
(05/07/2004)
Aromatherapy Fails to Reduce Anxiety in Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiation Treatment
(10/01/2003)
According to a study recently published in the
Journal of Clinical Oncology, inhalation of aromatherapy during radiation treatment did not appear to reduce anxiety in cancer patients and may actually increase it.
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Manipulative and Body-Based Methods
Effects of Exercise on Breast Cancer Patients Following Conventional Cancer Treatment
(04/08/2003)
According to an article recently published in
Psychooncology, patients were less likely to exercise following treatment for breast cancer and when they did, most did not experience improvements in mood or cancer-related symptoms. Patients did report, however, an improvement in physical functioning with adequate physical activity.
Exercise Reduces Side Effects of Breast Cancer Treatment
(02/04/2003)
Physical exercise can help to reduce some of the negative side effects of breast cancer treatment, according to a study recently published in the
Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Lifelong Physical Activity Reduces Breast Cancer Risk
(02/04/2003)
Women who maintain consistently high activity levels throughout their lives have a lower risk of developing breast cancer than their inactive counterparts, according to the results of a study recently published in the
British Journal of Cancer.
Lack of Physical Activity Appears to Increase Risk for Colorectal Cancer
(02/04/2003)
Persons who have a low level of physical activity have an increased risk for developing cancers of the colon and rectum, according to researchers from Switzerland. This news comes as the result of the researchers’ recent study, evaluating the incidence of colon and rectum cancers in association with physical activity, during both work and leisure times.
Mind-Body Interventions
Clinical Hypnosis May Benefit Pediatric Oncology Patients Undergoing Lumbar Punctures
(10/17/2003)
According to an article recently published in
The International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, hypnosis appears effective in reducing pain and anxiety in children undergoing lumbar punctures, especially if a therapist is present.
Laughter May Boost Immune System
(08/14/2003)
According to an article recently published in
Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, laughter may reduce stress and increase natural killer cell levels, a type of white blood cell that attacks cancer cells.
Online Support Groups May Benefit Breast Cancer Patients
(10/09/2003)
According to a recently published article in the journal
Cancer, breast cancer patients reported experiencing benefits from participating in online support groups. This may be especially important for women living in areas that lack social services, such as small towns or rural communities.
No Evidence That Coping Styles Influence Cancer Outcomes
(03/21/2003)
According to a recent article published in the
British Medical Journal, the coping attitude a patient has towards his/her cancer does not appear to affect overall survival or the likelihood of recurrence.
Stress does not Appear to Increase Cancer Recurrences in Women with Breast Cancer
(02/04/2003)
According to results recently published in the
British Medical Journal (
BMJ), women with breast cancer leading a stressful life do not have an increase in cancer recurrences compared to other women with breast cancer.
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Nutrition and Special Diets
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Do Not Reduce Risk of Cancer
(01/25/2006)
According to an article recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids does not protect against the development of cancer.
High Doses of Vitamin E Associated with Increased Mortality
(01/28/2005)
According to a recent article in the Annals of Internal Medicine, high doses of daily vitamin E appear to be associated with higher risks of mortality.
Low-Fat Pre-Teen Diet Linked to Lower Levels of Hormones Associated with Adult Breast Cancer
(08/14/2003)
According to a recent article published in the
Journal of the National Cancer Institute, adolescent girls who eat a low-fat diet have lower levels of hormones linked to breast cancer in adulthood.
Fish Oil Appears Ineffective for Anorexia/Cachexia in Advanced Cancer Patients
(08/14/2003)
According to an article recently published in the
Journal of Clinical Oncology, fish oil does not appear effective at reducing anorexia or cachexia experienced by patients with advanced cancer.
Childhood Consumption of Fruit Lowers Risk of Cancer as an Adult
(04/07/2003)
According to an article recently published in the
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, adults who consumed large quantities of fruit during childhood years appeared to have significantly lower rates of cancer than those consuming small quantities of fruit as children.
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