You may wonder whether there are any other therapies you could try. It is important to understand the difference between complementary and alternative therapies.
Complementary therapies are designed to be used alongside conventional medical treatments. Therapies such as meditation, yoga, massage and acupuncture, may improve the side effects of treatment, decrease stress and anxiety, and enhance your quality of life. Let your doctors know about any complementary therapies you are using or thinking about trying, as some may not be safe or evidence-based.
Alternative therapies are therapies used instead of conventional medical treatments. While they may claim to cure cancer, they are not scientifically tested or proven to be effective. These therapies are often expensive and can be very harmful. Cancer Council does not recommend the use of alternative therapies for cancer.
For more on this, call 13 11 20 or see Complementary therapies.
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Additional resources
Prof Katherine Clark, Clinical Director, Palliative Care, Northern Sydney Local Health District Cancer & Palliative Care Network, and Conjoint Professor, Northern Clinical School, University of Sydney, NSW; Richard Austin, Social Worker, Specialist Palliative Care Service, TAS; Sondra Davoren, Manager, Treatment and Supportive Care, McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer, VIC; A/Prof Brian Le, Director of Palliative Care, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre – The Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Cathy McDonnell, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Concord Centre for Palliative Care, Concord Hospital, NSW; Natalie Munro, Team Leader, PalAssist, QLD; Penelope Murphy, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council NSW; Kate Reed, Nurse Practitioner Clinical Advisor, Palliative Care Australia; Merrilyn Sim, Consumer. We also thank the health professionals, consumers and editorial teams who have worked on previous editions of this title. We particularly acknowledge the input of Palliative Care Australia and their permission to quote from €œBrian’s Story €_x009d_ in A Journey Lived – a collection of personal stories from carers (2005).
View the Cancer Council NSW editorial policy.
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