We’re happy to share this guest post from the Mesothelioma Center outlining alternative medicines for easing cancer symptoms, natural-cancer fighting remedies, and resources you and your loved ones can use to learn more about asbestos and Mesothelioma.

Alternative Medicines Easing Cancer Symptoms

Alternatives to cancer medications include natural remedies, homeopathics, and herbs

More than 400,000 drugs are in the National Cancer Institute’s Developmental Therapeutics Program. Many of these medicines are designed either to combat cancer directly or relieve the symptoms associated with tumor growth.

However, many of these medicines also cause a number of side effects – some of which can be worse than the original symptom itself.

For mesothelioma patients, who must deal with a unique, highly symptomatic cancer, alternative medicines can often be used in place of these pharmaceuticals. While not regulated in the same way that FDA-sanctioned drugs are regulated, these medications have the potential to provide similar benefits against mesothelioma symptoms such as chest pain and dyspnea.

Natural Cancer-Fighting Remedies

A number of different natural substances are found to positively impact mesothelioma patients, including:

• Ginseng (promotes illness recovery)
• Green tea (inhibits free radical activity through antioxidants)
• Lobelia (homeopathically relieves headaches and blocks the perception of pain)
• Maitake mushrooms (decreases chemotherapy-related pain and nausea)
• Noni fruit (anti-inflammatory)
• St. Johns Wort (helps eliminate sleep problems triggered by anxiety about the cancer)
• Flaxseed (potential role in cancer prevention)

Homeopathic medicines often dilute these substances into a therapeutic essence to initiate healing processes within the body.  Asbestos, the main cause of mesothelioma, can trigger a number of cancerous changes in the mesothelium once it has been inhaled, and while the body cannot naturally expel all of the fibers, certain homeopathic solutions are thought to help undo some of this asbestos-induced damage.

Additionally, basic vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin K and vitamin C can help increase the body’s strength, better enabling it to fight off the cancer. These supplements are often taken by mesothelioma patients along with other cancer therapies to help increase their efficacy. For patients who do choose traditional therapies such as chemotherapy with Alimta and Cisplatin, certain supplements can actually increase the body’s response to the medication. They can also boost the immune system to guard against post-operative infections that occur after mesothelioma surgeries such as a pleurectomy or extra-pleural pneumonectomy.

However, some patients are entirely opposed to traditional therapies and rely solely on alternative medicines to fight their cancer.

Precautions to Take with Alternative Mesothelioma Medicine

While natural remedies have been found by some studies to be effective at reducing the symptoms of mesothelioma, there are still several precautions patients should take before beginning a natural cancer-fighting regimen.

Patients should always research any alternative medicines thoroughly. They should understand fully the results they should expect as well as which sources of the substance provide it in its most potent form.

Also, because certain supplements can interfere with traditional therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, patients are advised to discuss any natural, homeopathic or alternative medicines they may be taking with their oncologist. An oncologist who has experience in treating asbestos-related diseases may have the best insight into specific drug/supplement interactions that a mesothelioma patient may combine during their treatment.

Source: National Cancer Institute: Drug Discovery at the NCI: Fact Sheet. Retrieved from: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/NCI/drugdiscovery

Author bio: Faith Franz is a writer for the Mesothelioma Center. She combines her interests in whole-body health and medical research to educate the mesothelioma community about the newest developments in cancer care.

 Want to learn more about using a natural approach to address mesoothelioma? Take a look at how you can put nature on your side and fight back with this post from Bert Phillips of Weitz and Luxenberg.