Herbal remedies have been around for for thousands of years. Now, women with breast cancer facing chemotherapy and radiation are supplementing this traditional medicine with herbal remedies and alternative treatments. They are not abandoning the usual breast cancer treatment; they are using herbal remedies and alternative treatments to curb the side effects.

Ginseng has been used by the Chinese for centuries. They believe that it stimulates the immune system and energies the patient. There are more than 30 active compounds in the ginseng root. Many of the compounds are believed to have anti-tumor properties. In a Chinese study it was found that women who took ginseng before their diagnosis had a higher survival rate than the women who took ginseng after their diagnosis. Women have reported that they have a higher quality of life and suffer less depression while using ginseng.

There is a mushroom, the Maitake that helps in boosting the immune system. Here again, in the East this has been used widely. Lab studies have been done using liquid Maitake extract. Many researchers believe that the mushrooms contain beta-glucans which helps to enhance the immune system. They still don't know why, but they are working on it.

Mistletoe extract has been used in Europe to treat cancer patients for over 80 years. It has been shown to kill cancer cells and boost the immune system. There have been very few studies done here on mistletoe, but some research is under way and will be out at the end of this year. Researchers are studying the safety, the effects on the immune system and its toxicity.

Acupuncture is especially helpful for nausea and post surgical pain. Many studies done by research oncologists have shown that acupuncture was better for women with breast cancer than the medication taken to fight nausea. It also helps in loss of appetite, fatigue and sleep disorders. The AAMA recommends women with breast cancer should get acupuncture during their chemotherapy treatments but only after you have spoken to your primary doctor.

All doctors and researchers stress that diet and exercise play a key role in treating cancer. Stick to a diet that is high in fruits, vegetables and grains. The National Cancer Institute recommends at least 5 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables per day. Phytochemicals are found in fruits and vegetables and they prevent cancers in a number of ways. Research shows that they help in detoxification of carcinogens, DNA repair, boosting of the immune system and maintenance of cellular control mechanisms. Obesity plays a role in getting cancer. Change your diet, eat healthy and go for a walk or ride a bike. This is a suggestion we should all take to heart.

These alternative methods may well help you through your breast cancer treatment and perhaps even get you a speedier recovery. New studies are being done everyday for women with breast cancer. Discuss these alternative therapies with your Doctor and always let your physician and your oncologist know about any therapies you want to take, before you take them. This will make sure that the alternative therapy won't interfere with your chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor nor am I in the medical field. This is just information that I researched out of curiosity and the desire to know all of the options available.







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Survival rates of breast cancer sufferers are now up to 50 percent and two-thirds of all women survive cancer for at least 20 years. The Mayo Clinic in Minnesota is now working on predicting which types of lumps should be of more concern. After following almost 10,000 women with benign lumps, researchers found that those with cells that looked different from normal cells are four to five times more likely to develop breast cancer. There are some other factors that need to be taken into consideration as well, such as age and a family history of cancer. Due to recent discoveries, doctors can now more accurately determine whose a strong candidate for additional screenings or other preventive measures.

In 1998, a drug, tamoxifen, was created and it was said to decrease the risk of breast cancer by 50 percent. The side effects of hot flashes and blood clots were not appealing and now another drug raloxifene is just as effective and has fewer side effects. As for cancer recurrences, chemotherapy or radiation therapy is a good alternative to prescription drugs. There is also another drug, letrozole, that lowered the risk of recurrences by 19 percent (than those who took tamoxifen). For women that have HER2-positive tumors, the drug Herceptin lowered the risk by 52 percent. There is also the yet to be approved “lapatinib” which is a pill that shuts down the activity of the HER2 protein.

About 22 percent of breast cancers are ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). That means that malignant cells are confined to the milk ducts. The three most common treatments are lumpectomy, radiation, and mastectomy. A University of Michigan study has shown that lumpectomy and radiation together are very good options. A study at the University of Minnesota showed that those who did not have radiation had more than twice the risk.

The treatments for breast cancer are no longer synonymous with nausea and fatigue because new medications are faster and more bearable. Women that have early stages of cancer can opt for partial breast irradiations (PBI). PBI is given over the course of 5 days and is targeted so less healthy tissue is effective. It provides a more intense radiation dosage with milder side effects. Chemotherapy is a good treatment. It is a dose-dense chemotherapy that spans out to every two weeks as opposed to every three weeks so it's over faster. There is an accelerated chemotherapy which is oral chemotherapy rather than go to the hospital on a consistent basis, patients can take capecitabine pills every 12 hours for two weeks, one week off, and the cycle continues for 3 months.





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No one knows the exact causes of breast cancer. Doctors can seldom explain why one woman gets breast cancer and another does not.

Doctors do know that bumping, bruising, or touching the breast does not cause breast cancer. And breast cancer is not contagious. No one can "catch" this disease from another person.

However, research has shown that women with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop breast cancer. A risk factor is anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease. Studies have found the following risk factors for breast cancer:

1. The chance of getting breast cancer goes up as a woman gets older.

2. A woman who has had breast cancer in one breast has an increased risk of getting this disease in her other breast.

3. A woman's risk of breast cancer is higher if her mother, sister, or daughter had breast cancer, especially at a young age (before age 40).

4. The older a woman is when she has her first child, the greater her chance of breast cancer. Women who began menstruation (had their first menstrual period) at an early age (before age 12), went through menopause late (after age 55), or never had children also are at an increased risk.

5. Breast cancer occurs more often in white women than Latina, Asian, or African American women.

6. Women who had radiation therapy to the chest (including breasts) before age 30 are at an increased risk of breast cancer. This includes women treated with radiation for Hodgkin's lymphoma. Studies show that the younger a woman was when she received radiation treatment, the higher her risk of breast cancer later in life.

7. Older women who have mostly dense not fatty) tissue on a mammogram(x-ray of the breast) are at increased risk of breast cancer.

8. After menopause, women who are obese have an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Being obese means that the woman has an abnormally high proportion of body fat. Because the body makes some of its estrogen (a hormone) in fatty tissue, obese women are more likely than thin women to have higher levels of estrogen in their bodies. High levels of estrogen may be the reason that obese women have an increased risk of breast cancer. Also, some studies show that gaining weight after menopause increases the risk of breast cancer.

9. Women who are physically inactive throughout life appear to have an increased risk of breast cancer. Being physically active may help to reduce risk by preventing weight gain and obesity.

It is helpful to be aware of risk factors. But it's also important to keep in mind that most of the women who have these risk factors do not get breast cancer.

A woman who thinks she may be at risk of breast cancer should discuss this concern with her health care provider. The health care provider may suggest ways to reduce the risk and can plan an appropriate schedule for checkups.





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