| While there's a whole gamut of cancer treatment | | | | the breast is removed or mastectomy, in which the |
| options available; which is the best one to use | | | | entire breast is removed. |
| depends upon the type of cancer as well the stage | | | | Alternative Cancer Treatment Options |
| that the cancer has reached. Though the prevailing | | | | Traditional cancer treatment options form only art of |
| trend is to resort to more traditional cancer | | | | the story. An increasing number of health |
| treatment options, cancer patients are not restricted | | | | professionals are now exploring alternative cancer |
| to them. There are a variety of alternative and | | | | treatment options that encompass the whole |
| natural options (some new, some old) for treating | | | | individual. |
| cancer. | | | | Nutrition Therapy |
| Traditional Cancer Treatment Options | | | | Maintaining a healthy, well-balanced diet that includes |
| Traditional cancer treatment options are often | | | | foods rich in antioxidants and beta-carotene, is the |
| referred to as cut, poison and burn (surgery, | | | | best way to provide your body with the nourishment |
| chemotherapy, and radiation). | | | | it needs to fight cancer. Proper nutrition helps |
| Chemotherapy | | | | minimize nausea and fatigue that are the main |
| Chemotherapy, which involves the use of chemical | | | | side-effects of traditional cancer treatments and are |
| agents or drugs to destroy cancerous cells, forms | | | | a critical component of the healing process. |
| the core treatment of malignancies. These drugs | | | | Buah Merah or Red fruit, found primarily in the |
| work by targeting fast-growing cells and the type | | | | Indonesian island of Papua, has very high levels of |
| and combination of drugs depends upon the type of | | | | anti-oxidants, beta-carotene and tocopherol and |
| cancer. Though chemotherapy has been proven to | | | | offers hope to all cancer patients. Beta-carotene and |
| be effective, it can give rise to a host of | | | | tocopherol have strong anti-carcinogenic properties |
| side-effects including hair loss, fatigue, diarrhea, loss | | | | and help by boosting the immune system and |
| of appetite, anemia or low red blood cell count, | | | | retarding the growth of cancer-causing cells. Buah |
| neutropenia or low white blood cell count, mouth | | | | Merah also contains Omega 3 and Omega 9 as well |
| sores and shortness of breath. | | | | as linolenat, oleat, dekanoat and linoleat acids; all of |
| Radiation Therapy | | | | which act as active medicinal compounds and also |
| Radiation therapy involves the use of high-energy | | | | help in the prevention of diabetes mellitus, heart |
| ionizing radiation from varied sources including x-rays, | | | | diseases, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, hepatitis and |
| gamma rays, protons and neutrons to shrink tumors | | | | HIV/AIDS. |
| and kill cancerous cells. It is used almost half of all | | | | Naturopathy |
| cancer patients; either by itself or in combination with | | | | Naturopathy is a system of treatment that focuses |
| other cancer treatments. External-beam radiation | | | | exclusively on using the healing powers of nature |
| therapy, which involves using radiation that is emitted | | | | such as sunlight, water and air. It is supplemented |
| from a machine outside the body is more common | | | | with therapies such as massage as well as a |
| than internal radiation therapy, in which a radioactive | | | | wholesome diet. Naturopathy is by and large a holistic |
| material is implanted in the body near the tumor or | | | | kind of treatment and includes homoeopathy, |
| cancer cells. | | | | ayurveda, therapeutic nutrition, hydrotherapy or |
| Surgery | | | | botanical medicine. It is based on the belief that the |
| Surgery often entails a biopsy, which is done for | | | | body is self-healing and will recover and repair by |
| diagnostic purposes. Surgery that is done to remove | | | | itself spontaneously if it is given a healthy, conducive |
| the cancerous tissues is often followed by | | | | environment. |
| chemotherapy or radiotherapy, which reduces the | | | | Pain Control |
| risk of the cancer recurring and also to destroy any | | | | Though, to a certain extent medication can be used |
| cancer cells that may be left behind in the affected | | | | to manage pain, Acupuncture is gaining popularity as a |
| part of the body. | | | | means to control the pain experienced by cancer |
| The kind of surgery depends on which part of the | | | | sufferers. The pain could be brought on by the |
| body has been affected by cancer as well as the | | | | cancer itself or as a side-effect to the cancer |
| extent of the cancer. In breast cancer patients the | | | | treatment. Prevalence and severity of pain depend |
| options could include lumpectomy, in which only the | | | | on the extent, location and type of cancer as well as |
| lump is removed; segmentectomy, in which part of | | | | pain threshold of the person afflicted by cancer. |