La medicina integrativa es una combinación de tratamientos médicos contra el cáncer y terapias complementarias para hacer frente a los síntomas y efectos secundarios. Es posible que a veces escuche que la medicina integrativa se llama medicina complementaria y medicina alternativa. Sin embargo, no existen verdaderas "alternativas" al tratamiento del cáncer.
Esta sección proporciona información sobre los siguientes temas:
Muchas personas toman suplementos alimenticios, como vitaminas o productos a base de hierbas. Las personas toman suplementos por diferentes motivos, como querer mejorar la salud, obtener nutrientes adicionales, potenciar el sistema inmunitario o tratar los efectos secundarios. Estos productos están ampliamente disponibles para comprarlos sin receta en los Estados Unidos. Pero no todos los suplementos son seguros o eficaces, especialmente durante el tratamiento contra el cáncer.
Cancer.Net Specialty Editor: Integrative Medicine
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Some patients with cancer take complementary therapies along with standard treatment. These therapies help them cope with the side effects of:
Surgery
Radiation therapy
Chemotherapy
Other standard cancer treatments
Some people promote using alternative therapies instead of standard medical treatment. For example, they may eat or avoid specific foods instead of having chemotherapy. Generally, alternative therapies are disproved or unstudied methods that have no role in cancer care.
Integrative medicine is a combination of medical treatments for cancer and complementary therapies to cope with the symptoms and side effects. You may sometimes hear integrative medicine called complementary and alternative medicine or CAM. However, there are no true “alternatives” to cancer treatment.
This section provides information on the following topics:
Many people take dietary supplements like vitamins or herbal products. People take supplements for different reasons, like wanting to improve health, get additional nutrition, boost the immune system, or treat side effects. These products are widely available for purchase without a prescription in the United States. But not all supplements are safe or effective, especially during cancer treatment.
