Why are doctors so quick to use radiation and chemotherapy to treat cancers when there are a host of effective

[fineDayguy]

alternatives that seem to help people with out all the horrible side effects. I know of only one person who got the major Rad./Chemo Cancer treatment was brought to the brink of death and then the bone marrow transplant took and he seems healthy today but with a lot less hair. Yet I know of so many who have died from the treatment and suffered greatly because of it in their last few days. I also know of many who have gone with alternative and herbal remedies and beat their cancers and live productive lives because of it. It does not seem to make sense to me, why not promote the treatments that are less dangerous?

[lo_mcg]

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy have been rigorously tested and proven in double blind, peer reviewed clinical trials. Because of this we know that they save many lives and prolong many, many more. They are not perfect, but they are the best we have.

No 'alternative' medicine or treatment has been tested and proven in this way; if they had, they would no longer be alternative medicine, they would just be
medicine. 'Alternative' in this context is another word for 'unproven'.

What is interesting about your post is that you don't say you know people who have died as a result of chemotherapy, or that you know people who have beaten cancer through alternative remedies, but that you 'know of' them. This is usually the way with alternative medicine enthusuasts; they rely on anecdote and rumour, rather than on scientific facts and research. They 'know of' these wonderful herbal remedies, but they forget that the plural of anecdote is not data.

There is no herbal remedy for cancer. There are unscrupulous charlatans who prey on vulnerable and desperate people, taking their cash in exchange for ineffective and sometimes dangerous 'treatments'.

It is simply untrue that conventional cancer treatments kill the majority of people who use them, as you imply, and it is extremely irresponsible of you to suggest that they do on a forum used by cancer patients and their families.

You have quite obviously never had cancer, and you clearly know nothing about cancer.

If you are interested in any particular 'alternative', rather than just having a warm fuzzy feeling about alternative medicine in general, I suggest you do a search on http://www.quackwatch.com/ for some facts, before coming on to a cancer forum and recommending them to people who are actually dealing with this life-threatening illness. .

[50/50 to 50]

Because, there are no proven treatments that are less dangerous.

[Hearty]

Depends on who you get advice from. My GP doctor referred me to an oncologist who gave me literature on the various treatment options for my early stage prostate cancer. I went back to him with questions on the various options and chose cryotherapy or cryoablation (alternate name). This method froze the cancer cells and I am doing well 1 year after. PSA is at 0.016.

During the period before my second visit I also did a lot of research on the internet on the treatment options and joining a support group that also had DVDs available on talks given to the group.

My advice is to do do your research, consider alternative therapies, but DON'T dawdle too long on alternatives because you may end up needing a more aggressive approach to treat your cancer.