John Sacco, M.D., Radiation Oncologist, Oncology and Hematology Care, Inc.
And physician acupuncturist at Alliance Institute for Integrative Medicine

It has been estimated that 80% of all cancer patients in the U.S. use some sort of alternative medicine. However, the majority of people do not share this information with their oncologists, which can be dangerous. There are potential drug-to-herb and drug-to-supplement interactions – and some herbal products can even increase the side effects of traditional cancer treatments. There are many false claims being made about this disease. At the Alliance Institute, we are careful to point out that we would never claim to cure cancer. Rather, it is our experience that integrative therapies (such as acupuncture, therapeutic massage and supplements) may help to improve quality of life. For instance, acupuncture has been shown to reduce or eliminate chemotherapy-induced nausea. This ancient healing tradition may help to lessen post-operative pain and depression, as well. If you have cancer, you may want to consider the use of integrative medicine as an adjunct to your conventional cancer care. Just be sure to discuss it with your oncologist, first.