Understanding the terms

Monday 2 February, 2009

Reviewed: A/P Michael Jefford,Consultant Medical Oncologist, Peter Mac; Dr Raymond Snyder, Director of Oncology, St Vincent's Hospital; Beth Wilson, Health Services Commissioner, Victoria; Dr Amanda Hordern, Director, Cancer Information and Support Service. Developed with funding from the Victorian Department of Human Services.

On this page: Conventional cancer treatments | Complementary therapies | Alternative therapies | Other terms | Scientific evidence 

Several terms are used to describe ‘cancer therapies' or ‘cancer treatments'. It can be quite confusing so we define these terms.

Conventional cancer treatments

These are also called ‘evidence-based', ‘mainstream', ‘medical', ‘traditional', ‘orthodox', ‘proven or ‘standard' cancer treatment. They include:

  • surgery
  • chemotherapy
  • biological therapies (e.g. cancer vaccines, monoclonal antibodies or interferon)
  • radiotherapy
  • hormone therapy.

Conventional cancer treatments have been tested in clinical trials (read more on Research into therapies) and/or evaluated after many years' experience with patients. They have been proven to work: their benefits and side effects are generally well known. This does not mean that all conventional treatment can cure all cancers or that they all work equally well. But they are known to save lives and help many people live longer and more comfortably.

A word about ‘western' and ‘eastern' medicine systems

Conventional medicine may also be called western medicine. This differs from eastern medicine, which is not considered conventional. Eastern medicine is a broad term used for traditional types of Indian, Tibetan and east Asian medicine, which share philosophies about the body's energy system and the need to maintain balance and harmony. The understandings and beliefs that support eastern therapies are different from those of western medicine.

Complementary therapies

These are therapies that are used alongside conventional cancer treatment. You may hear them called ‘supportive care'. Examples of commonly used complementary therapies include massage, support groups, music therapy and meditation. Read more about Commonly used complementary therapies.

While these therapies have not been scientifically proven to treat or cure cancer, a few have been shown to help some people feel and cope better with their cancer and its treatment. These are positive benefits but it does not mean that the therapies are having a physical effect on your cancer (e.g. shrinking a tumour).

Most cancer doctors support the use of complementary therapies used alongside your conventional cancer treatment. However, there are a few therapies that are known to interact and cause side effects when used alongside conventional treatments. We recommend that you discuss any therapy you may be using or are thinking about using with your cancer doctor. You may also find it helpful to read the section titled ‘Are all therapies safe to use?'

We support the use of complementary therapies that have been proven to be safe and effective in scientific studies.

Alternative therapies

These are therapies that are used instead of conventional cancer treatments. For example, someone may make a decision to stop having chemotherapy and try to treat their cancer with a special diet or herbal medicine that has not been scientifically proven to treat cancer.

As well as being unproven and unlikely to treat your cancer, alternative therapies may be harmful to your health. See the section titled ‘Unethical practices (cancer quackery)'.

Your cancer doctor is likely to suggest you avoid using alternative therapies, especially if you give up conventional cancer treatment. They will still encourage you to discuss any therapies that interest you. However, they may have concerns about the safety of certain therapies. Keeping your doctor informed will help them provide the best care for you. See the section titled ‘Talking to your medical team'.

Table: The American Cancer Society classifies complementary and alternative therapies in five main groups

1. ‘Mind-body therapies'

These use methods that are said to improve the ability of the mind to have a positive physical effect on your body. Examples include prayer, hypnosis, yoga, t'ai chi, meditation, and art or music therapy.

2. ‘Herbs, vitamins and minerals'

These include vitamins and herbs, and food substances such as those used in homeopathy.

3. ‘Manual healing and physical touch'

These are based on manipulation and movement of body parts as well as using ‘energy fields'; they include massage, chiropractics, acupuncture, reiki, light therapy and osteopathy.

4. ‘Diet and nutrition'

These include diets that involve ‘detoxification', ‘cleansing' with enemas, fasting, juicing and other practices. (Some of these are thought of as alternative therapies.)

5. ‘Pharmacological and biological treatment'

Many of these are thought of as alternative therapies rather than complementary therapies: examples include shark cartilage, oxygen therapy, laetrile and radio wave cancer treatment, and questionable cancer clinics in Mexico.

 

A word about whole body systems (holistic medicine): These are a form of health therapy that aims at treating the whole person - body, mind, spirit and emotions - not just the part or parts of the body in which symptoms occur. They tend not to include prescription drugs or surgery and include homeopathy, naturopathy, ayurvedic medicine and traditional Chinese medicine.

Other terms

Other terms you may come across to describe these therapies include:

  • ‘Unproven remedies' - meaning they haven't been tested in properly designed scientific studies and proven to work.
  • ‘Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)' - this description is commonly used among health professionals and is becoming more widely used in patient literature. It includes both terms but recognises the difference between them.
  • ‘Integrated health care' or integrative medicine - the combining of conventional and complementary therapies with proven benefits. There is some high-quality evidence of the safety and effectiveness of the therapies used in integrative medicine.
  • ‘Unconventional' or ‘unorthodox' cancer treatments - treatments that are not used by a cancer specialist to treat cancer.
  • ‘Cancer quackery' - treatment and advice that appears to be ‘medical', and is based on speculation that may appear plausible, but has no backup from scientific findings.

You may also hear the terms ‘questionable' or ‘unscrupulous cancer treatment'. This simply means a therapy that is thought to be worthless, dishonest or false.

Scientific evidence

All conventional cancer treatments must be scientifically proven to work in clinical trials before they can be considered standard treatment for a certain type of cancer.

This means that they go through a series of rigorous tests in the laboratory and on hundreds or thousands of people in clinics before we know if they are the safest and most effective type of treatment for a certain cancer. Results are published in peer-reviewed and well-regarded medical journals and presented at medical conferences, where they may be challenged - and further tests called for - by experienced medical specialists. This is what we mean by scientific evidence.

Scientifically proven treatments are known to help destroy or remove, control or shrink a cancer. They help make people feel better (although having a treatment like chemotherapy can be unpleasant at the time). They may cure the cancer, or minimise its effects.

See the section titled ‘Research into therapies'.

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