Complementary Medicine, Refusal of Conventional Treatment, and Survival of Curable Cancers

[SidDithers]

Full Title: Complementary Medicine, Refusal of Conventional Cancer Therapy, and Survival Among Patients With Curable Cancers

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2687972

Key Points

Question What patient characteristics are associated with use of complementary medicine for cancer and what is the association of complementary medicine with treatment adherence and survival?

Findings In this cohort study of 1 901 815 patients, use of complementary medicine varied by several factors and was associated with refusal of conventional cancer treatment, and with a 2-fold greater risk of death compared with patients who had no complementary medicine use.

Meaning Patients who received complementary medicine were more likely to refuse other conventional cancer treatment, and had a higher risk of death than no complementary medicine; however, this survival difference could be mediated by adherence to all recommended conventional cancer therapies.

Study of almost 2 million patients, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, shows that patients who purse "complimentary" medicine are twice as likely to die from curable cancers than those who don't use complimentary treatments.






Sid

[ghostsinthemachine]

1. I'm a cancer patient. THANK YOU for posting this

I use both cannabis and traditional treatments. Liver, bone cancer after esophageal cancer. I know a number of patients who do not use the oncologist but rely solely on all types of nontraditional treatments. Cannabis, horses, diet, you name it. Not me, anything that gives me another day alive, I am trying. The second I was diagnosed, I started making cannabis oil. I also have radiation and chemotherapy. My doctors all suggest cannabis. THC, not CBD. THC kills cancer cells. CBD does different things. I am not sure enough to trust just the cannabis no matter my oncologists suggestions. Right now, I feel better than I have in three years. I have another PET scan next week, so we will see if the tumor has gained or if I am keeping even. I know I am terminal, but the docs can keep me alive a long time.

[phylny]

4. I wish you well. I'm also a cancer survivor, as is my husband.

Science cured us.

[in2herbs]

2. "Quackery Kills." So does conventional medicine.

[SidDithers]

3. Welcome to DU...

Sid

[PatSeg]

5. Yes

It is not a black or white issue.

[SidDithers]

8. Actually, it is...nt

Sid

[PatSeg]

16. No it isn't

Nothing is really black and white in the real world. There are many variations, just like there a good doctors, mediocre doctors, and bad doctors. Same with medications, procedures, and surgeries.

[Achilleaze]

14. What a surprise! "Doctors say competitors are bad (for their profits)"

republican reductionism is repugnant.

[oxbow]

6. Rx drugs are the 3rd leading cause of death

After heart disease and cancer. See: https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2016/06/16/peter-c-gotzsche-prescription-drugs-are-the-third-leading-cause-of-death/

Part of the reason why there is so much quackery in the first place is that there is little research on complementary medicine treatments out there. Mostly because there is little profit in things like herbs and acupuncture, when compared to patented drugs. The whole medical system is upside down, and I believe this is rather a simplistic solution to what ails us

[SidDithers]

7. We'll here's research for you...

Which pretty clearly demonstrates that people who use complementary therapies are more likely to not follow through on proven, science-based treatment methods, and suffer as a result.

Sid

[malaise]

9. Since we're all going to die anyway

Some folks may not want the side effects of some of the medicines. As long as they make rational choices, it's up to the individual.

[SidDithers]

11. The study examines curable cancers...nt

Sid

[PatSeg]

17. Yes

Some medications for some people can be detrimental, even deadly. Life is too complex to say all "A" is bad and all "B" is good. I've ended up in the hospital more than once because of a prescription drug and could have died. That doesn't mean I won't use medication that works for me, but I am aware of the dangers of drug side effects.

[oxbow]

13. 250,000-440,000 deaths per year from Rx drugs

According to John Hopkins’ and others’ studies. I take your point that quackery kills but still feel like it’s simplistic when (some) allopathic solutions are such effective life-enders as well.

Some “complementary” modalities have been practiced since before written history...just look at the practice of acupuncture, for instance. To lump these all into the snake-oil category feels disingenuous. What people need are solutions that work, not a war of ideas between the AMA model and everything that came before or will come after it.

[PatSeg]

18. And there could be

drug related deaths that we aren't aware of. The medical community is loathe to put the blame on any pharmaceutical that they prescribe, as well as any procedure, surgery, or a incompetent provider.

[ismnotwasm]

10. We have transplanted patients

Who went into end stage liver failure because of unregulated “supplements” and it’s one of the first things we look for when we can’t find an obvious cause for liver disease. Oncology isn’t my field but I am a hospital dialysis nurse so I understand traditional chemotherapy is hard. Death from inadequate treatment and snake oil is much, much harder.

[Dr. Strange]

12. I've never heard of this "JAMA" group before.

Do you have a link from a more trustworthy source, like say NaturalNews?

[SidDithers]

19. Whale.to ...

That was my fave loony site.
Mike Adams was a very close second.

Sid

[cynatnite]

15. My mother has had several rounds of chemo treatments...

Two different chemo drugs. The side effects for her have been minimal.

We worried about the horror stories we've heard about chemo and she was given medications for the side effects. They wanted to know immediately if she has any vomiting or bouts of nausea. She hasn't had either of those. Although, her hair is pretty much gone.

She's had what I call zombie exhaustion which was compiled with some depression. It's been much better for the last month.

The only advice I would give to cancer patients is to have an open mind about all the therapies available. Choose the one that will work best for you and don't turn away something that has proven to have real benefits.

Plus, I do ignore my tRump-loving aunt who wanted mom to go for the "dandelion cancer treatment". That one I did roll my eyes at.