In general, cancer-related alternative medicine refers to therapies, such as mistletoe or coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ10)*, that may be used instead of conventional treatments. Complementary or integrative medicine, on the other hand, usually means therapies used in conjunction with traditional treatments.
Rather than simply addressing a problem with the body, complementary and alternative treatments often focus on the entire person — body, mind and spirit. As a result, they can be especially effective at reducing stress, alleviating the side effects of conventional treatments such as chemotherapy, and improving quality of life.
However, these products aren't regulated by the FDA, so you can't be sure of a product's quality. Additionally, some of these substances can interfere with your treatment. The Mayo Clinic advises checking with your doctor before taking alternative medications.
Another source of information is the American Cancer Society's page for Complementary and Alternative Therapies.
* [Editor's Note: Recent research suggests that 300mg of CoQ10 daily is highly beneficial for cancer patients. Readers are encouraged to thoroughly research CoQ10 for themselves, either as an alternative treatment or as a complement to traditional treatment. One source is: http://www.newswithviews.com/Howenstine/james2.htm]
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