Evidence-Based Perspectives on Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Cancer Treatment: Current Advances and...

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide with considerable physical, psychological and socioeconomic impact. In parallel to traditional treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery and immunotherapy, patients with cancer have increasingly turned towards Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in their quest for better quality of life, symptom relief and whole-person oriented approaches. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the role of CAM therapies in cancer management, including Ayurvedic medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine (eg, acupuncture), naturopathy, homeopathy, yoga and tai chi, dietary interventions and mind-body therapies. Available literature indicates that several CAM modalities may alleviate the side effects of treatment including pain, fatigue, anxiety and insomnia while decreasing nausea and depression as well as lymphedema, improving emotional health and clinical trial overall satisfaction. Positive supportive effects through symptom relief have been shown for herbal medicines and acupuncture while yoga, meditation as well as relaxation therapies show benefits related to psychological resilience and stress reduction. The evidence for the effectiveness of individual interventions (homeopathy, certain dietary therapies, etc.) are inconsistent and controversial. Adverse herb-drug interactions, non-adherence to curative treatment schedules and safety issues further emphasise the need for clinical oversight and evidence-informed incorporation of CAM into cancer care. Global prevalence, the state of CAM in the UAE, together with obstacles related to regulation and clinical practice are also reviewed. Recent advances in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) have increasingly focused on evidence-based integrative oncology, where selected CAM interventions are incorporated alongside conventional cancer therapies to improve patient outcomes. Growing clinical evidence supports the use of acupuncture, standardized herbal formulations, yoga, mindfulness-based interventions, and nutritional approaches for managing cancer-related symptoms, reducing treatment-associated toxicities, and enhancing quality of life. Furthermore, advances in phytochemical research, molecular pharmacology, and systems biology have improved the understanding of the mechanisms underlying CAM therapies, facilitating their rational integration into multidisciplinary cancer care. Despite these promising developments, further well-designed clinical trials and standardized treatment protocols are required to establish their long-term efficacy and safety. Although several complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) interventions have demonstrated encouraging clinical outcomes, the quality of the available evidence varies considerably. While randomized controlled trials support the use of acupuncture, yoga, and mindfulness-based interventions for symptom management and quality-of-life improvement, many studies evaluating herbal medicines are limited by small sample sizes, heterogeneous methodologies, and inadequate long-term follow-up. Therefore, additional well-designed multicenter clinical trials are required to establish the efficacy and safety of these interventions.In summary, as long as CAM therapies are used appropriately and in conjunction with healthcare professionals, they may be beneficial adjuncts to standard cancer therapy. The role of these agents in integrative oncology care will require additional well-designed clinical trials and mechanistic studies to determine efficacy and safety profiles.