Counseling the cancer patient who wants to try unorthodox or questionable therapies

Abstract

More than half of all patients diagnosed with malignant disease eventually try an unorthodox treatment. In order to counsel their patients appropriately about alternative treatments, oncologists and other health professionals need to familiarize themselves with the most commonly used unorthodox therapies and the reasons why patients turn to these therapies. Patients often seek "alternative" therapies because of several widespread beliefs about American medicine, one being that determination and will can cure cancer, and another being that nutrition also may effect a cure. The concerned physician needs to explain why the unorthodox therapy will not be effective, and try to provide, in an acceptable way, that part of the unorthodox treatment which will not cause harm. Most importantly, physicians need to deal with their patients' interest in unorthodox therapies seriously, and to listen and answer questions, as these needs are unfailingly well met by unorthodox practitioners.