Complementary and Alternative Therapies Clinical Resource Area

The use of complementary and alternative therapies by people with cancer is a growing trend. As many as one-third of Americans who see traditional health professionals also use herbal remedies, although they are often unwilling to share this information. Reportedly, 50-83% of patients with cancer use complementary and alternative therapies. It is thought that as many as 80% of the world's population use herbs for medical treatment and prevention.

It is an enormous challenge for health care professionals to keep up with the body of knowledge related to these therapies and their potential interactions-known and unknown, adverse and beneficial-with conventional therapies. Today's health care professionals need access to information about these therapies, their known side effects, and potential interactions with other therapies.