Integrative and Complementary Therapies

Many people use complementary therapies during or after their breast cancer care, or for other health reasons. They offer people the chance to try therapies outside standard medical care. Complementary therapies may help to improve quality of life or to relieve some side effects of treatment or the breast cancer itself.

When complementary therapies are combined with standard medical care, they are often called integrative therapies. They include things like acupuncture, herbs and prayer. They are used together with standard treatments (like surgery, chemotherapy and hormone therapy). Alternative therapies are used instead of standard treatment and are not recommended.

This section of Understanding Breast Cancer provides an overview of the complementary therapy field as well as detailed information on some popular therapies.  

Integrative and Complementary Therapies See therapies grouped by category.		Issues Related to Integrative and Complementary Therapy
Acupressure Acupuncture Acustimulation Aloe Art therapy Astragalus Ayurveda Black cohosh Calcium Chinese medicine Coenzyme Q10 Coriolus mushroom Dandelion Echinacea Essiac Flaxseed/flaxseed oil Focusing Folate Ginger Ginkgo biloba Ginseng Grapeseed Green tea Guided imagery Hydrazine sulfate Hypnosis Macrobiotic diet Maitake mushroom Massage Meditation Melatonin Milk thistle Mistletoe Modified citrus pectin Music therapy Niacin Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oils) Organic food	Pet therapy Physical therapy Polysaccharide K (PSK) Prayer Probiotics Psychotherapy Qi gong Quercetin Reiki Reishi mushroom Relaxation therapy Resveratrol Selenium Shark cartilage Shiatsu Shiitake mushroom Soy St. John's wort Tai chi Therapeutic touch Traditional Chinese medicine Turmeric (Curcum) Vitamin A Vitamin B6 Vitamin B12 Vitamin C Vitamin D Vitamin E Vitamin K Yoga Zinc	Introduction Major categories of complementary therapy Who's using complementary therapy? Why do people use complementary therapy? Working with health care providers Is it effective? Is it safe? The importance of scientific evidence Safety and complementary therapy Finding a complementary therapy provider Clinical trials of complementary therapies Seven tips on complementary therapy Questions to ask your provider Integrative and complementary therapy resources Glossary References

Introduction