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Alternative medicine
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you've been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, you may want to try every treatment available to cure your cancer. Many people with cancer turn to complementary and alternative medicine when conventional medicine offers little chance for a cure. No complementary or alternative treatments have been found to effectively treat pancreatic cancer.
But complementary and alternative medicine treatments may help with signs and symptoms you experience due to your cancer or cancer treatments. Talk to your doctor about your options.
Alternative treatments to help you cope with distress
People with cancer frequently experience distress. Some research suggests distress is more common in people with pancreatic cancer than it is in people with other types of cancer. If you're distressed, you may have difficulty sleeping and find yourself constantly thinking about your cancer. You may feel angry or sad.
Discuss your feelings with your doctor. Specialists can help you sort through your feelings and help you devise strategies for coping. In some cases, medications may help.
Complementary and alternative therapies may also help you cope with distress. Examples include:
- Art therapy
- Exercise
- Meditation
- Music therapy
- Relaxation exercises
- Spirituality
Talk to your doctor if you're interested in complementary and alternative treatments.
- What you need to know about cancer of the pancreas. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/pancreas/allpages. Accessed Feb. 17, 2010.
- Pancreatic cancer treatment (PDQ): Health professional version. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/pancreatic/healthprofessional/allpages. Accessed Feb. 17, 2010.
- Drebin JA, et al. Carcinoma of the pancreas. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2008:1595.
- Freitas D, et al. Medical management of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Pancreatology. 2009;9:223.
- Pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/pancreatic.pdf. Accessed Feb. 17, 2010.
- Locker GY, et al. ASCO 2006 update of recommendations for the use of tumor markers in gastrointestinal cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2006;24:5313.
- Barbara Woodward Lips Patient Education Center. About your Whipple operation. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2006:17.
- Tarceva (prescribing information). Melville, N.Y.: OSI Pharmaceuticals Inc.; 2009. http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2009/021743s015lbl.pdf. Accessed Feb. 23, 2010.
- Pliarchopoulou K, et al. Pancreatic cancer: Current and future treatment strategies. Cancer Treatment Reviews. 2009;35:431.
- Clark KL, et al. Psychological distress in patients with pancreatic cancer - An understudied group. Psycho-Oncology. In press. Accessed Feb. 23, 2010.
- Distress management. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/distress.pdf. Accessed Feb. 23, 2010.
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