what are my options for alternative treatment of lung cancer

• Acupuncture. Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine. It’s based on the stimulation of specific points on the body with very thin needles.
• Aromatherapy. Aromatherapy uses essential oils to stimulate the part of the brain that affects emotion. Essential oils also have calming or energizing qualities.
• Herbal supplements. In China, more than 133 herbal supplements have been historically used to treat lung cancer. These supplements are used alongside conventional treatments like chemotherapy.
• Massage. Massage can ease pain and promote relaxation. Massage therapists use their hands or feet to apply pressure to relax tight muscles and help relieve pain and tension.
Hypnosis. Therapists use hypnosis to put you in state of heightened focus and concentration. According to the Wellness Institute, hypnosis can help ease anxiety, nausea, and pain associated with cancer.
Medical marijuana. Marijuana has been used medicinally for thousands of years. ...
Meditation. Meditation is a state of silent inner reflection that helps to quiet the mind from outside “chatter.”
Nutrition. There is no set diet plan for someone with lung cancer. A person’s nutritional needs may change throughout their treatment.
Yoga. Yoga is a series of body poses that combines breathing with stretching as a form of moving meditation.

Are there alternative treatments used to treat lung cancer?

The herbal supplements commonly used as alternative treatment lung cancer include-: Licorice root – this is an effective expectorant that enhances the secretion of mucous and it is a normal prescription... American silvertop root – this is a powerful antibiotic known to reduce tissue permeability, ...

What happens if I choose not to treat my lung cancer?

If you choose not to treat your lung cancer, likely the cancer will grow and spread, causing pain, difficulty breathing, harm to affected organs and could possibly cause death. Due to the side effects of treatment on an advanced stage of cancer, some people diagnosed with lung cancer decide not to undergo treatment.

What is the best treatment for lung cancer?

Some of the most common treatments available today include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Lung cancer surgery is intended to remove a section of the lung and surrounding tissue where the cancer may have spread.

What you should know about alternative lung cancer treatments?

These include the following:

• Physical activity, which stimulates healthy bodily functions and its positive effects are often underestimated. ...
• A healthy diet, because you know the saying – you are what you eat. ...
• Mental tranquility is also a factor that is very often underestimated. ...
• Natural remedies include various plants, extracts, oils etc. ...

Are there any natural treatments for lung cancer?

Some say that “natural” therapies like herbal medicine, cannabis oil, laetrile (a purified form of a compound found in fruit pits or seeds), or other plant-based foods can kill cancer cells. There's little or no scientific evidence to support these claims.

What is the best treatment for lung cancer in one lung that hasn't spread?

With early intervention, stage I lung cancer can be highly curable. Usually, your doctor will want to remove the cancer with surgery. You also may need chemo or radiation therapy if traces of cancer remain or are likely to stay. Radiation therapy is an option if you can't have or don't want surgery.

What is the most effective form of treatment for lung cancer?

If surgery isn't an option, combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be your primary treatment. For advanced lung cancers and those that have spread to other areas of the body, radiation therapy may help relieve symptoms, such as pain.

How can you get rid of lung cancer without surgery?

If you can't have surgery, your doctor will help you choose another treatment, based on your stage and overall health.Radiation therapy. Your doctor uses high-energy X-rays or other radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing. ... Chemotherapy. ... Targeted therapy. ... Immunotherapy. ... Clinical trials.

What is the newest treatment for lung cancer?

Atezolizumab is approved to treat some people with non-small cell lung cancer after surgery. An immune checkpoint inhibitor is a drug that blocks proteins on immune system cells which then allows them to fight cancer.

What is the new pill for lung cancer?

Tagrisso (osimertinib) is now approved for patients whose tumors have a specific epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation (T790M) and whose disease has gotten worse after treatment with other EGFR-blocking therapy.

Which is better surgery or radiation for lung cancer?

While surgery is still the gold standard for lung cancer treatment, radiation therapy can offer a less invasive approach with quicker recovery times.

Can lung cancer be treated without chemotherapy?

For people who can't have chemo, radiation therapy is usually the treatment of choice. Local treatments such as laser therapy, PDT, or stent placement may also be used to help relieve symptoms caused by lung tumors.

Can lung cancer go away on its own?

It's rare for cancer to go away on its own without treatment; in almost every case, treatment is required to destroy the cancer cells. That's because cancer cells do not function the way normal cells do.

How long can you live with lung cancer with no treatment?

Systematic evaluation of evidence on prognosis of NSCLC without treatment shows that mortality is very high. Untreated lung cancer patients live on average for 7.15 months.

Can lung cancer tumors shrink?

In most people with limited stage SCLC, tumors treated with chemo (with or without radiation) will shrink significantly. In many, the tumor will shrink to the point where it can no longer be seen on imaging tests. Unfortunately, for most people, the cancer will return at some point.

How do you beat lung cancer?

Types of TreatmentSurgery. An operation where doctors cut out cancer tissue.Chemotherapy. Using special medicines to shrink or kill the cancer. ... Radiation therapy. Using high-energy rays (similar to X-rays) to kill the cancer.Targeted therapy. Using drugs to block the growth and spread of cancer cells.

What is the best treatment for lung cancer?

Doctors pair this with standard treatments like chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. Most of the time, the goal is to manage symptoms and side effects like pain, an upset stomach, and sleep problems. Alternative medicine. People with lung cancer usually choose these treatments instead of the usual ones, or when traditional therapies don’t work.

What are the treatments for cancer?

Chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation are the usual treatments. But many people with cancer also explore other therapies, like yoga and acupuncture. Many major hospitals even offer some of these therapies together with mainstream medicine.

What is CAM in lung cancer?

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Even though they might seem similar, “complementary” and “alternative” mean different things when it comes to lung cancer treatments: Complementary or integrative medicine. Doctors pair this with standard treatments like chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. Most of the time, the goal is ...

What is complementary medicine?

Complementary and alternative medicine breaks down into five main categories: Alternative medical systems are whole systems of therapy and practice, like homeopathic or naturopathic medicine. Mind-body interventions are techniques to enhance your mind’s effect on your body. Herbalism uses plants as a treatment.

Can cancer patients turn down conventional treatments?

Research shows that people with cancer who combine complementary and standard therapies will often turn down further traditional treatments. This can lead to a lower 5-year survival rate and a higher chance of death. Before you start or stop any new or current therapy, talk to your doctor.

Does yoga help with cancer?

Under this umbrella of categories, you’ll find more than 100 individual CAM treatments. Some of them can ease cancer symptoms: Yoga is a low-impact series of poses that emphasizes breathing. Studies have shown that it can have benefits for strength, energy, and mental health for people who have even advanced lung cancer.

Is it safe to use natural treatments?

Natural and alternative treatments can make you feel better. But some are harmful, and sometimes there’s no science to prove they’re safe or effective. Plus, the people who promote them as a cure may not have a background in medicine. Steer clear of treatments or providers that: Claim to cure cancer.

What Is Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)?

Integrative medicine is the combined use of complementary therapy with standard treatment. It can be used to control pain, reduce anxiety, lessen side effects and improve your quality of life. Be sure to discuss participating in CAM with your doctor.

Use Caution

Some CAM techniques can help treat symptoms and make you feel better. Unfortunately, other CAM treatments make claims that are not backed by science. Some even can harm instead of help you. Some may interact with your treatment causing more symptoms or making treatment less effective.

What are some alternative treatments for lung cancer?

Here we look at Alternative Lung Cancer Therapies such as Photodynamic therapy, IVC, the vaccine CIMAvax, using off-label drugs or the new immunotherapy drugs, RadioFrequency Ablation, cannabis and CBD, and the implications of the gut-lung axis.

Can lung cancer extend life?

A lung cancer vaccine - Then there are other treatments that are interesting like CIMAvax, from Cuba. You just have to get there, but clearly it can extend life considerably and that's why American Cancer Centres have been queuing up to work on clinical trials.. Then there are other options:

Does metformin help with lung cancer?

Some Oncologists in London are using Metformin, the diabetes drug, to cut blood sugar and restrict the ability of Lung cancer to feed; another drug is Atorvastatin which is a lipophyllic statin that reduces blood fats and hinders the ability of lung cancer to spread. There is research that people with lung cancer and higher blood fat levels get more metastases.

How many herbal supplements are there for lung cancer?

Herbal supplements. The Chinese have documented more than 130 herbal supplements as being effective in the treatment of lung cancer. They have historically used these supplements alongside conventional treatment like chemotherapy to bring total healing to cancer patients.

How to relieve pain from lung cancer?

In massage therapy, either hands or feet is used to apply pressure on body parts to release any tension in the muscles leading to relaxation and pain relief. People suffering from lung cancer do experience pain in the muscles and nerves around areas such as the neck, upper back, chest, and shoulders.

What is the best herb to kill cancer?

Asparagus root – the root is believed to possess properties that kill and prevent lung cancer from growing in the body. Snake needle grass is also believed to kill cancerous cells in the lungs.

What essential oils are good for a syringe?

Lavender to promote calmness. Frankincense for its meditative properties. Jasmine for its mood uplifting features. There is a study that showed that the use of thyme essential oil had the ability to kill some cancer cells, including lung cancer.

What are the symptoms of lung cancer?

Some of the more pronounced symptoms include-: depression, poor wellbeing, pain, nausea, and anxiety among others.

How do essential oils help with cancer?

In aromatherapy, essential oils are used to stimulate certain parts of the brains to change emotions. Reports by the National Cancer Institute reveals that essential oils can fight diseases, and it is from these findings that aromatherapy may be considered as an alternative treatment lung cancer. Essential oils also have calming and energizing qualities that studies show can promote emotional and mental wellness reducing the effects of the following symptoms-: depression, stress, pain, and nausea. In in the presence of such emotional and mental state, no remedy administered to a cancer patient will be successful. Some of the common essential oils usually used for lung cancer patients include-:

What is the cause of lung cancer?

Lung cancer is one of such forms responsible for taking away nearly 230,000 every year from different places across the globe. Lung cancer is mainly common among smokers, and it is postulated that smoking is one of its major causes, though there is conclusive evidence to cement such a claim. Genetics, pollution, and radiation are also believed ...

What tests can be done to determine if you have lung cancer?

Tests may include: Imaging tests. An X-ray image of your lungs may reveal an abnormal mass or nodule.

What is lung surgery?

Lung cancer surgery can involve removing a portion of the lung or the entire lung. An operation to remove the lung cancer and a small portion of healthy tissue is called a wedge resection. Removing a larger area of the lung is called segmental resection. Surgery to remove one of the lung's five lobes is called lobectomy. Removing an entire lung is called pneumonectomy.

What are the stages of lung cancer?

The stages of lung cancer are indicated by Roman numerals that range from 0 to IV, with the lowest stages indicating cancer that is limited to the lung. By stage IV, the cancer is considered advanced and has spread to other areas of the body.

How does a lung cancer stage work?

Once your lung cancer has been diagnosed, your doctor will work to determine the extent (stage) of your cancer. Your cancer's stage helps you and your doctor decide what treatment is most appropriate. Staging tests may include imaging procedures that allow your doctor to look for evidence that cancer has spread beyond your lungs.

What can you tell your doctor about lung cancer?

Careful analysis of your cancer cells in a lab will reveal what type of lung cancer you have. Results of sophisticated testing can tell your doctor the specific characteristics of your cells that can help determine your prognosis and guide your treatment.

How does chemo work?

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. One or more chemotherapy drugs may be given through a vein in your arm (intravenously) or taken orally. A combination of drugs usually is given in a series of treatments over a period of weeks or months, with breaks in between so that you can recover.

How does radiation kill cancer cells?

Radiation therapy uses high-powered energy beams from sources such as X-rays and protons to kill cancer cells. During radiation therapy, you lie on a table while a machine moves around you, directing radiation to precise points on your body.

Making Lung Cancer Treatment Decisions

Talking about lung cancer and its treatment options can be confusing. Make sure you understand your options and potential side effects before you make any decision.

Lung Cancer Treatment Options

Once your doctors have determined your lung cancer profile, they will present you with one or a combination of the following options:

Take Action

Voice your concerns to your doctor. He or she can discuss lung cancer treatment options with you and answer your questions. Download our Lung Cancer Treatment Organizer to keep track of your treatment plan.

What is the treatment for lung cancer?

Depending on its type and stage, lung cancer may be treated with surgery, chemotherapy or other medications, radiation therapy, local treatments such as laser therapy, or a combination of treatments. Combination treatment or multimodality treatment refers to having more than one type of treatment. Treatment for lung cancer includes one or more ...

What are the different types of lung surgery?

Types of surgery include: 1 Segmental or wedge resection: Removal of only a small part of the lung 2 Lobectomy: Removal of an entire lobe of the lung 3 Pneumonectomy: Removal of an entire lung 4 Sleeve resection: Removal of a piece of bronchus, after which the lung is reattached to the remaining part of the bronchus

What is the name of the immunotherapy drug that is used to treat non-small cell lung cancer?

One type of immunotherapy drug, called “anti-PD-1” has been shown to cause significant tumor regression in a quarter of patients who receive it after a round of chemotherapy.Three immunotherapy drugs—pembrolizumab, atezolizumab and nivolumab—have been approved to treat certain non-small cell lung cancers.

What is neoadjuvant treatment?

Neoadjuvant treatment refers to having radiation or chemotherapy before surgery. Having one or both of these before surgery may help shrink the tumor, as a smaller tumor is easier to take out in surgery. Chemotherapy or radiation soon after surgery is called adjuvant treatment. The goal of adjuvant treatment is to kill any cancer cells ...

What is the treatment for cancer after surgery?

Chemotherapy or radiation soon after surgery is called adjuvant treatment. The goal of adjuvant treatment is to kill any cancer cells that may be left after the surgery. Even if there is no sign of cancer cells, your doctor may suggest adjuvant treatment, as it may lower the risk that the cancer will come back or spread.

How does chemotherapy work?

Chemotherapy is given through an IV infusion, in most cases. chemotherapy works by interfering with the cancer cells’ ability to grow or reproduce.

How long does radiation treatment last?

Radiation treatments are painless and usually last a few minutes.

What foods can help you fight cancer?

There is no evidence that any particular food can help you fight cancer, says the American Lung Association, though a healthy diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein can help you feel your best and make it easier to tolerate treatment. ( 10)

What are some palliative care approaches?

Some palliative care approaches include talk therapy, medication, and relaxation techniques. Complementary strategies are sometimes used as a part of palliative care to make you more comfortable. If you’re interested in palliative care, ask your doctor for a referral.

Can you take supplements for lung cancer?

Some people with cancer take dietary supplements, such as vitamins, herbs, minerals, or products made from plants, animal parts, algae, seafood, or yeasts. According to the American Lung Association, there is no proof that any supplement can help cure or fight lung cancer. ( 3)

Is Chinese medicine safe for cancer patients?

This traditional Chinese practice involves inserting small needles to stimulate certain points on your body. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center says it is safe and effective for treating side effects of cancer treatment such as:

Can you replace regular medical care with alternative treatments for lung cancer?

In contrast, alternative treatments for lung cancer (sometimes called natural remedies for lung cancer or home remedies for lung cancer) typically replace regular medical care. This can have serious consequences, says the National Institute for Complementary and Integrative Health. ( 1)

Does massage help with cancer?

Studies have found that for people with cancer, massage can counter stress, pain, anxiety, and depression. Getty Images. They aren’t cures, but a number of therapies outside mainstream Western medicine may help relieve lung cancer symptoms and treatment side effects. Generally referred to as complementary therapies or integrative medicine ...

Can you have palliative care for lung cancer?

While some people decide to have palliative care when their lung cancer treatments stop working, you can have it at any time. In fact, palliative care can be effectively given while you’re receiving standard medical therapies aimed at curing the lung cancer, says the Center to Advance Palliative Care.