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Alternative medicine

By Mayo Clinic staff

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Very little research has been done on complementary and alternative brain tumor treatments. No alternative treatments have been proved to cure brain tumors. However, they may help you cope with the side effects of your brain tumor and its treatment. Talk to your doctor about your options.

Some complementary and alternative treatments that may help you cope include:

  • Acupuncture
  • Hypnosis
  • Meditation
  • Music therapy
  • Relaxation exercises
References
  1. What you need to know about brain tumors. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/brain/allpages/print. Accessed March 28, 2010.
  2. Adult brain tumors treatment (PDQ): Health professional version. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/adultbrain/healthprofessional/allpages/print. Accessed March 28, 2010.
  3. Brain tumor. Cancer.Net. http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Brain+Tumor/ci.Brain+Tumor.printer. Accessed March 28, 2010.
  4. Giglio P, et al. Cancer and the nervous system: Clinical features and complications. In: Bradley WG, et al. Neurology in Clinical Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Butterworth-Heinemann; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7506-7525-3..50079-0--cesec16&uniq=191848000&isbn=978-0-7506-7525-3&sid=975203179#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-75067525-3..X5001-8--TOP%3Bfrom%3Dcontent%3Bisbn%3D978-0-7506-75253%3Btype%3DbookHome. Accessed March 28, 2010.
  5. Childhood brain and spinal cord tumors treatment overview (PDQ): Health professional version. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/childbrain/healthprofessional/allpages/print. Accessed March 28, 2010.
  6. Maity A, et al. Cancer of the central nervous system. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2008:1075.
  7. Armstrong TS, et al. Use of complementary and alternative medical therapy by patients with primary brain tumors. Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports. 2008;8:264.
DS00281 May 15, 2010

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