Safety is a main concern when it comes to any type of therapy—whether standard or complementary. However, unlike conventional medication, many complementary therapies are not regulated as tightly by the federal government and may not have the same quality controls.
Developing Safety Data
One reason behind many of the safety concerns with CAM is the lack of good scientific evidence on the safety of many therapies. This can make it hard to know which therapies--and at what doses and frequencies of use--are likely to be safe and effective to use and which may be harmful or ineffective.
Any complementary therapy should be approached with caution. While a few therapies have a good record of safety (like acupuncture and massage), some are known to be unsafe (like laetrile, also known as amygdalin) and others are simply unknowns. And even those therapies generally considered safe may not be safe for everyone—such as people undergoing certain cancer treatments or those who have underlying medical conditions, like malnutrition or blood clotting problems.
Potential for Misuse and Harmful Interactions
Any complementary therapy should be approached with caution. While a few therapies have good records of safety (like acupuncture and massage), some are known to be unsafe (like laetrile, also known as amygdalin) and others are simply unknown. Even therapies generally considered safe may not be safe for everyone. Some therapies with good safety records can be harmful to people undergoing certain cancer treatments or those who have underlying medical conditions, like malnutrition or blood clotting problems.
Before using any complementary therapy, you should check with your health care provider. Your provider can help you avoid using a therapy or a dose of a therapy that may be harmful to you. Complementary therapies can interact badly with your standard treatments. Some herbs and supplements, such as black cohosh, may interfere with chemotherapy drugs, other medications used in cancer treatment or radiation therapy [2,21,22]. Some herb therapies, such as garlic and ginkgo supplements, can also cause excessive bleeding and other complications in a person having surgery [2,23]. Moreover, some therapies that may be safe at lower dosages are dangerous in higher amounts. Talking with your health care provider about a complementary therapy you are thinking of using, can help you avoid a harmful interaction with your medical treatments.
Along with talking with your health care provider, you can do your own research. Besides the therapies described in detail in Breast Facts section, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine also has detailed information on many therapies. A good resource to search for scientific articles on CAM is the National Library of Medicine’s PubMed website.
“Natural” vs. “Safe”
Although the idea of "natural" products is very appealing, it's important to not lose sight that "natural" does not necessarily mean "safe"—think about poison ivy, poisonous mushrooms and rattlesnakes. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently has some oversight on dietary supplements, it regulates them much less stringently than conventional drugs. If it has evidence that something is dangerous, the government can pull the food or supplement from the market or issue a warning. However, it doesn't require stringent evidence for safety and effectiveness of supplements, like it does for medications, before they can be sold in stores in the United States. To see if any safety alerts have been issued on a product, visit the FDA or Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Web sites. Again, before using any complementary therapy, do your research and check with your health care providers.
Wild Claims
The Internet, supermarket aisles and late night infomercials are filled with products that claim to do just about everything. More often than not, this is a sign that a product is not effective and, more seriously, could be unsafe. If a complementary therapy is said to cure cancer, do your research. This type of claim is a sign that a product or therapy is a scam. There is no one treatment for all types of cancer, or even all types of breast cancer. See what the scientific evidence actually has to say about it. Your health care provider is a good resource for this information. If you suspect that a product or therapy is making a false claim that it prevents or cures cancer, check the FDA’s Fake Cancer Cures website for any consumer warnings. For more information on spotting or reporting false claims, visit the FTC website.
Unknown Contents
With herbs and other dietary supplements, there’s little guarantee that what is listed on the label of a bottle is what’s actually inside the bottle. This is because the manufacture, distribution and sale of supplements are much less regulated than with conventional drugs. When choosing supplements, go with known, reputable manufacturers. This may increase the likelihood that the supplement listed on the label is inside the bottle, that the dose and potency are correctly reported and that the supplement is free of dangerous contaminants, like pesticides and heavy metals (lead, arsenic and mercury, for example). One way to check that a manufacturer follows good practices in preparing supplements is the stamp “USP verified” on the label. This means that the manufacturer of the supplement paid to have its product carefully tested by the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) for integrity, purity and safe manufacturing. Visit the USP website to see if a supplement has been USP verified.
For a list of resources on safety information for CAM therapies, see the CAM Resources section.
Updated 03/11/09
