Analysis: Conventional vs Natural Cancer Treatment.
Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are the most popular traditional forms of treatment. Sometimes one method is used, while in many cases more than one is used to fight the cancer. When surgery is possible it can be a very effective method for treating cancer as a growth can simply be removed. Chemotherapy is the use of chemotherapy drugs to destroy cancer cells throughout the body. The problem is that healthy cells are destroyed as well. Radiation therapy involves high-energy particles to kill cancer cells. There are many possible side effects of radiation, including nausea, skin irritation and fatigue. Other treatment methods include:
- Targeted therapy
- Bone marrow and stem cell transplants
- Gene therapy
- Lasers
- Photodynamic therapy
Alternative and Complementary Medicine
Not all cancer patients use alternative medicine for treatment, but as both patients and doctors become more aware of some of the benefits of natural therapies more people are adding alternative methods to their overall treatment. While conventional medicine involves the use of drugs, radiation or surgical tools to destroy or remove cancer, alternative medicine involves the use of non-toxic, natural therapies to help the body overcome illness and to cope with the side effects of traditional care.
Some of the more popular forms of medicine used include acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine, herbal medicine, nutritional therapy, biologic and pharmacological therapies, and mind-body medicine. One or more of these therapies can be used to help treat the cancer, but also to improve both mental and physical well-being while fighting cancer and using other treatment methods which can take their toll on the 
body.
