Disclaimer
The information provided on this web site is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to substitute as a professional service or as medical advice for specific patients. If you have, or suspect you may have, a health problem, you should consult a health care provider.
The University of Washington and Bastyr University expressly disclaim any representation or warranty express or implied concerning the accuracy, completeness or fitness for a particular purpose of the information. Persons accessing this information assume full responsibility for the use of the information and understand and agree that UW and Bastyr are not responsible or liable for any claim, loss or damage arising from the use of the information. Reference to specific products, processes, or services do not constitute or imply recommendation or endorsement by the UW or Bastyr.
Ready?
To begin, simply select one of the tabs at the top of this page.
Introduction
Being a 'cancer patient' is not easy. You have many treatment options. Making decisions about which therapies and which doctors are right for you can be difficult. Many patients have questions about alternative, complementary and integrative therapies and practitioners. This website is to help you sort out for yourself which, if any, of these therapies are right for you.
As one recently diagnosed patient said: 'If someone tells you that you have cancer you want information right NOW that's going to save your life.' Your first priority after getting a cancer diagnosis will be selecting your primary treatment for your cancer. Selecting and consulting with a medical oncologist and a surgeon are your top priorities when first faced with cancer.
At this time, we believe that there are no complementary or alternative cancer therapies that can be substituted for conventional oncology treatment. However, there is ongoing promising clinical research for several truly alternative cancer therapies that are still in the experimental stages.
The main benefit of complementary and integrative medicine is to help with side effects of standard therapy during and after you have completed primary cancer treatment to prevent cancer recurrence.
In this web site, we want to help you learn about complementary and integrative therapies that can help reduce side effects and improve benefits of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.