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Alternative medicine

By Mayo Clinic staff

Living With Cancer

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No alternative medicine treatments have been found to cure breast cancer. But complementary and alternative medicine therapies may help you cope with side effects of treatment when combined with your doctor's care.

Alternative medicine for fatigue
Many breast cancer survivors experience fatigue during and after treatment that can continue for years. When combined with your doctor's care, complementary and alternative medicine therapies may help relieve fatigue.

Talk with your doctor about:

  • Gentle exercise. If you get the OK from your doctor, start with gentle exercise a few times a week and add more if you feel up to it. Consider walking, swimming, yoga or tai chi.
  • Managing stress. Take control of the stress in your daily life. Try stress-reduction techniques such as muscle relaxation, visualization, and spending time with friends and family.
  • Expressing your feelings. Find an activity that allows you to write about or discuss your emotions, such as writing in a journal, participating in a support group or talking to a counselor.
Coping and support Treatments and drugs
References
  1. Breast cancer. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/f_guidelines.asp. Accessed March 13, 2013.
  2. Townsend CM Jr., et al. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery: The Biological Basis of Modern Surgical Practice. 19th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1565/0.html. Accessed March 13, 2013.
  3. Breast cancer treatment (PDQ). National Cancer Institute. http://cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/breast/Patient. Accessed March 18, 2013.
  4. Leading new cancer cases and deaths — 2013 estimates. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/research/cancerfactsfigures/cancerfactsfigures/cancer-facts-figures-2013-most-requested-tables-figures. Accessed March 18, 2013.
  5. SEER stat fact sheet: Breast. National Cancer Institute. http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast.html. Accessed March 18, 2013.
  6. Breast cancer prevention (PDQ). National Cancer Institute. http://cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/prevention/breast/Patient. Accessed March 13, 2013.
  7. What you need to know about breast cancer. National Cancer Institute. http://cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/breast. Accessed March 13, 2013.
  8. Hormone therapy for breast cancer. National Cancer Institute. http://cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/hormone-therapy-breast. Accessed March 18, 2013.
  9. Cancer-related fatigue. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/f_guidelines.asp. Accessed March 18, 2013.
  10. AskMayoExpert. Mammogram screening guidelines. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2012.
  11. Faslodex (prescribing information). Wilmington, Del.: AstraZeneca; 2012. http://www.faslodex.com. Accessed March 18, 2013.
  12. Herceptin (prescribing information). South San Francisco, Calif.: Genentech, Inc.; 2010. http://www.herceptin.com. Accessed March 18, 2013.
  13. Perjeta (prescribing information). South San Francisco, Calif.: Genentech, Inc.; 2012. http://www.perjeta.com. Accessed March 18, 2013.
  14. Kadcyla (prescribing information). South San Francisco, Calif.: Genentech, Inc.; 2013. http://www.kadcyla.com. Accessed March 18, 2013.
  15. Tykerb (prescribing information). Research Triangle Park, N.C.: GlaxoSmithKline; 2012. http://www.tykerb.com. Accessed March 18, 2013.
  16. Breast SPOREs. National Cancer Institute. http://trp.cancer.gov/spores/breast.htm. Accessed March 19, 2013.
  17. Moynihan TJ (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 19, 2013.
  18. Pruthi S (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 21, 2013.
DS00328 May 22, 2013

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