Diagnosed with Cancer? Your two greatest challenges are understanding cancer and understanding possible side effects from chemo and radiation. Knowledge is Power!
Learn about conventional, complementary, and integrative therapies.
Dealing with treatment side effects? Learn about evidence-based therapies to alleviate your symptoms.
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Complementary Cancer Therapies- Evidence-based
Complementary Cancer Therapies: Evidence-Based Ways to Support Healing and Improve Quality of Life
I am a long-term survivor of an incurable blood cancer called multiple myeloma. My research and experience with evidence-based non-conventional therapies, including complementary cancer therapies, are the reason why I have lived in complete remission from my incurable blood cancer since achieving complete remission in early 1999.
Complementary therapies have become such an integral part of my life that I no longer give them much thought. Exercise is #1 on the list below. I usually start my day with 20 minutes on a treadmill at LifeTime Fitness here in Cleveland, Ohio. Because my exercise has become a habit, I no longer need to be motivated. I know everyone at the front desk, so I get a warm greeting each time I walk in the door. I am a little handicapped and a regular, so they check me in automatically. My day just wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t get a little exercise every morning.
I have learned that the best way to manage aggressive cancers is to combine the best of conventional and evidence-based non-conventional therapies. The four therapies linked below are examples of evidence-based complementary therapies.
- intravenous vitamin C therapy
- prehabilitation
- enhancing your gut microbiome
- healing your immune system after chemo and radiation
Scroll down the page and post a question or a comment if there’s anything you’d like to know about breast cancer.
Good luck,
David Emerson
Complementary and alternative medicines: Are they good for cancer patients?
What Are Complementary Cancer Therapies?
Complementary cancer therapies are non-conventional approaches used alongside standard treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery—not instead of them.
These therapies focus on the whole person, helping patients manage symptoms, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being.
Common examples include:
- Nutrition and dietary strategies
- Exercise and physical activity
- Acupuncture and massage
- Meditation and stress reduction
- Yoga and mind-body therapies
👉 Importantly: Complementary therapies do not cure cancer, but they can significantly improve how patients feel and function during and after treatment.
The most important thing, at least to me, is that most complementary therapies rely on each other. Meaning, my daily modest exercise helps me relax, which helps me sleep, which helps me eat nutritiously, etc. etc.
Why Complementary Therapies Matter in Cancer Care
Research shows that up to ~50% of cancer patients use complementary therapies alongside conventional treatment.
Why?
Because cancer therapy often brings:
- Fatigue
- Pain
- Anxiety and depression
- Sleep disruption
- Nausea and digestive issues
Evidence-based complementary therapies can help address these challenges and improve quality of life, treatment tolerance, and recovery.
1. Exercise: One of the Most Powerful Therapies
Exercise is one of the most consistently supported complementary therapies in oncology.
What the research shows:
- Reduces fatigue, anxiety, and treatment side effects
- Improves sleep and physical function
- May improve survival and long-term health outcomes
👉 Large analyses show exercise significantly improves quality of life and reduces treatment-related complications.
Additional clinical insights:
- Exercise helps regulate inflammation and metabolism
- Supports immune function
- Improves resilience during treatment
🔗 Supporting research:
2. Nutrition: Fueling Recovery and Resilience
Nutrition is a cornerstone of integrative oncology.
Evidence suggests:
- Diet influences inflammation, immunity, and overall health
- Poor nutrition is linked to worse outcomes
- Personalized nutrition supports recovery and strength
Integrative oncology research emphasizes that modifiable factors like diet and nutrient status play a key role in patient outcomes.
Practical strategies:
- Anti-inflammatory foods (vegetables, omega-3s, polyphenols)
- Adequate protein for healing
- Blood sugar control
🔗 Supporting research:
3. Acupuncture: Proven Symptom Relief
Acupuncture is one of the most studied complementary therapies in cancer care.
Evidence-based benefits:
- Reduces chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
- Helps manage cancer-related pain
- May reduce reliance on pain medication
👉 Multiple reviews confirm acupuncture can significantly reduce pain and treatment-related symptoms.
It is now used in many major cancer centers as part of integrative oncology programs.
🔗 Supporting research:
4. Mind-Body Therapies: Reducing Stress and Improving Outcomes
Stress has measurable biological effects—including inflammation and immune suppression.
Mind-body therapies help counter this.
Evidence-based approaches:
- Meditation and mindfulness
- Guided imagery
- Hypnosis
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Research findings:
- Mindfulness-based programs reduce fatigue, anxiety, depression, and fear of recurrence
- Improve sleep and overall quality of life
🔗 Supporting research:
5. Yoga and Movement Therapies
Yoga combines physical activity + breathwork + stress reduction.
Research shows:
- Improves fatigue and mental health
- Enhances physical functioning
- Supports overall well-being
However, studies note:
- Benefits are primarily quality-of-life improvements, not direct tumor effects
🔗 Supporting research:
6. Massage, Music, and Supportive Therapies
These therapies may seem simple—but they are clinically meaningful.
Evidence suggests they can:
- Reduce pain and muscle tension
- Lower anxiety and stress
- Improve mood and emotional well-being
Music therapy and relaxation techniques are also shown to reduce anxiety in cancer patients.
What Complementary Therapies Can—and Cannot—Do
What they CAN do:
✔ Reduce side effects
✔ Improve quality of life
✔ Support mental and emotional health
✔ Help patients stay stronger during treatment
What they CANNOT do:
❌ Cure cancer on their own
❌ Replace conventional therapies
👉 There is no evidence that complementary therapies alone treat or eliminate cancer.
Safety Matters: Integrative, Not Alternative
The safest and most effective approach is integrative oncology:
Combining conventional cancer treatment with evidence-based complementary therapies.
Important guidelines:
- Always discuss therapies with your oncologist
- Be cautious with supplements (possible drug interactions)
- Choose evidence-based approaches
The Bottom Line
Complementary cancer therapies are not “alternative”—they are supportive tools backed by growing scientific evidence.
When used correctly, they can:
- Help you feel better
- Improve your ability to tolerate treatment
- Enhance your overall quality of life
👉 The key is balance:
Use complementary therapies to support—not replace—conventional cancer care.
What Are the Best Complementary Cancer Therapies?
The most evidence-based complementary cancer therapies include:
- Exercise
- Nutrition therapy
- Acupuncture
- Meditation and mindfulness
- Yoga
- Massage therapy
These approaches help reduce side effects, improve quality of life, and support recovery—but do not treat cancer directly.
Suggested Reading-
- Metformin and Cancer: Why a Diabetes Drug Is Being Studied for Tumors
- Repurposed Drugs in Cancer Therapy: What the Science Shows
- Ketogenic Diet and Cancer
Complementary Cancer Therapies: Evidence-Based
Complementary Cancer Therapies: Evidence-Based
Complementary Cancer Therapies: Evidence-Based