Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Alternative nutritional cancer therapies

S Weitzman1

  • 1Division of Hematology-Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada. sheila.weitzman@sickkids.on.ca

International Journal of Cancer. Supplement = Journal International Du Cancer. Supplement
|January 7, 1999
PubMed
Summary

While diet can lower cancer risk, no specific diet cures established cancer. Some nutritional therapies may improve quality of life for adult patients but require strict trials, especially for children.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

A role for surgery in the treatment of relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma.

Pediatric blood & cancer·2018
Same author

Baseline characteristics and outcomes of children with cancer in the English-speaking Caribbean: A multinational retrospective cohort.

Pediatric blood & cancer·2018
Same author

St George's University's Medical Student Research Institute: A Novel, Virtual Programme for Medical Research Collaboration.

The West Indian medical journal·2014
Same author

Non-hodgkin B-cell lymphoma of the ovary in a child with Ataxia-telangiectasia.

Journal of pediatric and adolescent gynecology·2013
Same author

Hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation following solid-organ transplantation in children.

Bone marrow transplantation·2011
Same author

Postoperative analgesia with tramadol and indomethacin for diagnostic curettage and early termination of pregnancy.

International journal of obstetric anesthesia·2011

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Nutritional Science
  • Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Background:

  • Growing interest in nutrition's role in cancer prevention and treatment.
  • Dietary factors like reduced calories, fat, alcohol, and increased fiber show promise in reducing incidence of certain adult cancers.
  • Many cancer patients utilize unproven alternative nutritional therapies, often emphasizing "natural" remedies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the efficacy and potential toxicity of commonly used alternative dietary therapies for cancer.
  • To evaluate popular diets such as the macrobiotic philosophy, Gerson diet, Livingstone diet, and vitamin/mineral therapy.
  • To assess the scientific evidence for dietary manipulation as a primary cancer therapy or supportive care.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and analysis of existing studies on alternative nutritional therapies.
  • Examination of the nutritional adequacy and potential risks of various dietary approaches.
  • Evaluation of evidence regarding the impact of diet on cancer incidence, treatment, and quality of life.

Main Results:

  • Most alternative diets emphasize whole foods, low-fat vegetarian principles, and are generally nutritionally adequate for adults.
  • No anti-cancer diet has demonstrated the ability to cure established cancers.
  • Careful dietary changes may enhance quality of life for adult cancer patients and potentially prolong survival when combined with conventional therapy.

Conclusions:

  • Dietary manipulation is not a proven primary therapy for established cancer.
  • Alternative nutritional therapies lack robust scientific evidence for curing cancer.
  • Further strictly controlled clinical trials are essential, particularly for pediatric cancer patients where dietary impact is unproven and risks of inadequacy are high.

Related Experiment Videos