The National Institutes of Health National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), established to explore complementary and alternative healing practices in the context of rigorous science; to integrate scientifically proven CAM practices into conventional medicine; to train CAM researchers; and disseminate authoritative information to the public and professionals -- offers these definitions for alternative, complementary and integrative therapy. Alternative therapy is used in place of conventional western medicine such as special diets to treat cancer instead of undergoing surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy recommended by a conventional doctor.
Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine such as using aromatherapy to help lessen a patient's discomfort following surgery.
Integrative medicine combines both mainstream western medical treatment and CAM therapies for which there is known high-quality scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness.
Based on the 2002 edition of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics report, in the US, up to 62 percent of adults use some form of CAM. Although the survey indicated that people who use CAM come from all backgrounds -- according to the survey -- some people more likely than others to use CAM are women, those with higher educational levels, people who have been hospitalized in the past year, and former smokers when compared with current smokers or those who have never smoked.
Research has proven some CAM therapies to be valid, while finding others useless, and research continues. NCCAM offers information on research, clinical trials, highlights and alerts, health topic fact sheets, and the CAM Online Continuing Education Series, presented in eight chapters, for health care providers and the public to learn more about CAM.
1. Thanks for highlighting the NIH's CAM website. I have a special interest in CAM as there is accumulating evidence that CAM should play a large role in prostate cancer, the one I have. I've heard the statement that prostate cancer is the most responsive cancer to nutritional changes. Dr. Bob Arnot's book "The Prostate Cancer Prevention Plan", copyright 2000, was one of the earliest widely-read books to highlight this, and there have been several good books since. An excellent nut-shell summary for prostate cancer patients and those at high risk is at www.cancer-foundation.org under the "Tell One Friend" button. Note that not all the recommendations apply to other cancers (for example, the strong recommendation to avoid flaxseed oil). There will also be an important presentation by the conference moderator on diet and prostate cancer at the International Conference on Prostate Cancer (primarily for patients) this October in Reston, Virginia. Nutrition/supplements/diet, exercise, and stress reduction are important parts of my program, and I'm convinced they have played a substantial role in my current success.
The NIH CAM site has really improved from its early days. NIH recruited a talented leader from MD Anderson, which had a great CAM site about the time I was diagnosed, and I'm sure she has been a key part of the NIH's current success. It's wonderful that NIH is offering this CAM information nationally and in fact to the world.
Jim (web site: http://www.mycancerplace.com/profile.php?id=147 )
Posted at 1:06PM on Aug 9th 2006 by Jim