Alternative and complementary therapies have been widely used for the treatment of cancer throughout the world. The term ‘Complementary and Alternative’ (CAM) was used by the American Cancer Society and the Union International Centre le Cancer (UICC). Complementary and alternative medicines mean anything which is not conventional; the reasons to adopt these therapies are that it makes use of the procedures used in adjunct to mainstream therapy in order to improve the quality of life. Several evidences were put on trial that support the value of hypnosis for cancer pain and nausea, mind-body therapies, relaxation therapy, massage for anxiety, acupuncture, homeopathy, Ayurveda, chiropractic medicine and osteopathy. The use of unconventional agents, pharmacological and biological agents, diet and nutrition and herbal therapies are amongst some of the most recent advances in alternative cancer therapies. This article reviews the various popular cancer therapies commonly practiced in India and abroad and reveals the scenario of various complementary and alternative cancer therapies.
Keywords: Acupuncture, Anxiety, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Hypnosis, Massage, Osteopathy.
