Hope Never Dies

by Rick Shapiro

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What is the Difference Between Conventional, Integrative, and Alternative Cancer Care?

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Let's talk about the differences between conventional, alternative, and integrative medicine.

In today’s world, the standard of care is generally defined as: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.

 

CONVENTIONAL

Most conventional cancer therapies, which are prescribed and directed by mainstream doctors, are comprised of what is known as the “standard of care.” In today’s world, the standard of care is generally defined as: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. These are the primary modalities used in conventional cancer therapy, however, there are others, including hormonal and, more recently, novel immunotherapies. We are at the dawn of the immunotherapeutic age and this is not a perfected therapy, but there appears to be new hope and progress in this treatment realm. In fact, there is “no perfect therapy” for all cancers and cancer patients. But, there are many therapeutic paths that can provide great benefit, and that includes therapies that “are not” strictly standard of care therapies.

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Proof of Evidence-Based Cancer Treatments and Drugs: The FDA “Gold Standard”—versus—Evidence for Integrative and Alternative Therapies

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Cancer may respond to integrative and/or alternative therapies (and healing agents) that are not formally "evidence-based".

Evidence-based cancer treatments, integrative and/or alternative therapies, and healing agents may be considered.

 

Evidence-based cancer care is a scientific discussion.

In the conventional cancer world, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) testing procedure generally known as – “the gold standard” – prevails as the barometer to prove the safety and effectiveness of drugs, treatments, and therapies. In brief, this standard revolves around: large, randomized, placebo-based, double-blind, evidence-based research studies. They often take 10-15 years to complete, from start to finish. They assess and evaluate drugs and therapies beginning with the evaluation of cancer cell lines, then proceeding to preclinical studies (animal studies, frequently mice). Animal studies are followed by phase 1 trials consisting of small groups of people (approximately, 20 to 80), then phase 2 (approximately, several dozens to 300), followed by phase 3 trials which are comprised of even larger groups of people (approximately several hundred to 3,000). Each succeeding phase continues, subject to safe and effective results being demonstrated in the preceding phase.

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