Supplement and Therapies Database

Complementary cancer therapies may be used in addition to conventional therapies such as chemotherapy or surgery. Learn more about Complementary Cancer Care ›

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344 therapies

Diets & metabolic therapies

Diets and Metabolic Therapies: Introduction

Fasting or Calorie Restriction

Calorie restriction and fasting, whether for 12 or more hours every night or occasionally for longer periods, can contribute to lower body weight, blood sugar, and insulin resistance, plus fewer unpleasant chemotherapy-related side effects.

Gerson Regimen

The Gerson regimen is a diet-based therapy targeting cancer cell metabolism; it includes a specific diet, supplements, and coffee enemas.

Gonzalez Protocol™

The Gonzalez Protocol™ uses freeze-dried pork pancreas, supplements, an individualized diet, and coffee enemas to alter cancer metabolism and inhibit growth.

Ketogenic Diet

Ketogenic diets are high in fat, moderate in protein and low in carbohydrates, with weak to preliminary evidence of anticancer effects, relief of side effects, and benefits on your body terrain.

Mediterranean Diet

A Mediterranean diet is high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and olive oil and low in meat, sweets, and saturated fat. It is linked to lower risks of cancer and relief of some symptoms and imbalances common among people with cancer.

Energy therapies

Energy Therapies: Introduction

Acupressure

Acupressure involves applying pressure on specific places on your body to relieve several side effects of cancer and cancer treatments.

Acupuncture

This ancient therapy originating in China involves inserting very thin needles into the body surface at specific points; it is effective in treating many cancer symptoms and side effects.

Electroacupuncture

By inserting very thin needles at specific points on the body and passing a mild electric current between them, electroacupuncture can relieve some side effects and symptoms common during cancer.

Healing Touch

Healing touch uses gentle, intentional touch that contributes to balanced physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.

Moxibustion

During moxibustion, a trained therapist burns an herb to apply heat close to the skin at specific points, which can lead to improvements in several common side effects of cancer treatments.

Polarity Therapy

Hands-on touch removes energy blocks and restores free flow of energy, promoting benefits for many side effects.

Reiki

This biofield energy therapy directs and balances the life force through practitioners’ hands to promote wellness.

Tai Chi or Qigong

Tai chi and qigong are forms of mind-body exercise and meditation that may help with symptoms of cancer and side effects of treatments.

Therapeutic Touch®

This biofield energy therapy directs energy exchange through practitioners’ hands to rebalance your energy field.

Exercise & movement therapies

Exercise and Movement Therapies: Introduction

Tai Chi or Qigong

Tai chi and qigong are forms of mind-body exercise and meditation that may help with symptoms of cancer and side effects of treatments.

Yoga

An ancient mind-body practice combining movement and stretches with meditation, yoga is used to manage symptoms and side effects and body terrain imbalances common in cancer.

Manipulative and body-based therapies

Manipulative and Body-Based Therapies: Introduction

Acupressure

Acupressure involves applying pressure on specific places on your body to relieve several side effects of cancer and cancer treatments.

Acupuncture

This ancient therapy originating in China involves inserting very thin needles into the body surface at specific points; it is effective in treating many cancer symptoms and side effects.

Electroacupuncture

By inserting very thin needles at specific points on the body and passing a mild electric current between them, electroacupuncture can relieve some side effects and symptoms common during cancer.

Massage Therapy

Our predecessor site BCCT summarizes the evidence regarding massage therapy’s effects with cancer.

Moxibustion

During moxibustion, a trained therapist burns an herb to apply heat close to the skin at specific points, which can lead to improvements in several common side effects of cancer treatments.

Mind-body therapies

Mind-Body Therapies: Introduction

Guided Imagery

This mind-body therapy uses your imagination to help you relax, relieve symptoms, stimulate your body’s healing responses, access inner strengths and resources, and tolerate procedures and treatments better.

Psilocybin

Psilocybin, which is produced by many species of mushrooms, is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound which has shown substantial effects for managing anxiety and depression among people with cancer.

Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation techniques refocus your attention on something calming and increase awareness of your body, often bringing your attention to your breathing, muscles, or other body functions to relax and calm them.

Support Groups and Interventions

Small group meetings of people facing similar challenges help many people in managing distress and side effects of cancer treatments.

Tai Chi or Qigong

Tai chi and qigong are forms of mind-body exercise and meditation that may help with symptoms of cancer and side effects of treatments.

Yoga

An ancient mind-body practice combining movement and stretches with meditation, yoga is used to manage symptoms and side effects and body terrain imbalances common in cancer.

Natural products, herbs, nutrients, and supplements

Natural Products, Herbs, Nutrients, and Supplements: Introduction

Artemisia Annua (Sweet Wormwood) and Artemisinin

The dried leaf or extract of the Artemisia annua plant or its natural derivative artemisinin are available as supplements with anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.

Astragalus

A natural product commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine herbal mixtures may help to improve quality of life, manage side effects, and treat certain cancers.

Berberine

Berberine, an active ingredient in several plants, shows good effects in managing high blood sugar and excess body weight, plus lower risk of colorectal cancer.

Cannabis and Cannabinoids (Marijuana)

Medical cannabis and cannabinoids in raw or dried flowers, oils, capsules, powders, edibles, and topicals may reduce pain, and some evidence shows benefit with nausea, vomiting, and sleep, but little evidence of improving treatment outcomes.

Diindolylmethane

Diindolylmethane (DIM) is created naturally when you digest cruciferous vegetables, and it’s also a nutritional supplement with possible anticancer effects.

Fermented Wheat Germ Extract

This dietary supplement may improve survival and your response to chemotherapy or radiotherapy, notably among people with colon cancer.

Flaxseed

This food and dietary supplement may reduce prostate cancer spread, improve survival in breast cancer, and lower the risk of several cancers.

Grapes and Grape Extracts

Grapes and products made from grapes may promote body terrain factors known to be important in cancer, including better blood sugar and insulin levels and less oxidative stress.

Green Tea or EGCG

Green tea and its extracts may provide substantial benefit for body terrain factors, especially body weight, high blood sugar and insulin resistance, inflammation, oxidative stress, each of which is linked to cancer development and growth.

Iodine

As an essential nutrient, iodine is needed for thyroid function, and a deficiency is linked to higher risk of thyroid and stomach cancers. Some evidence shows that treatment with molecular iodine before breast cancer surgery may improve tumor response and reduce some side effects.

Lycopene

Our predecessor site BCCT summarizes the evidence regarding lycopene’s effects with cancer.

Melatonin

Melatonin supplements mimic the effects of your own naturally produced melatonin in promoting sleep, and research shows melatonin can have a substantial role in cancer outcomes and side effects.

Milk Thistle

Our predecessor site BCCT summarizes the evidence regarding milk thistle’s and silymarin’s effects with cancer.

Mistletoe

Extracts from this woody plant are injected or infused for cancer treatment, often reducing side effects and improving quality of life, and perhaps improving survival.

Modified Citrus Pectin

Modified citrus pectin is a plant-based dietary supplement with very preliminary evidence of anticancer and antimetastatic effects.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Our predecessor site BCCT summarizes the evidence regarding Omega-3s’ effects with cancer.

Pomi-T®

Pomi-T® is a food supplement containing green tea, broccoli powder, turmeric powder, and pomegranate whole fruit powder; it shows benefits among men with rising PSA levels due to prostate cancer.

Probiotics and Prebiotics

Probiotics are living microorganisms that provide a health benefit, and prebiotics are fibers that feed these friendly bacteria, mostly in your gut. These therapies, found in certain foods or as supplements, can manage gastrointestinal symptoms and some body terrain factors common in cancer, and they may lead to better recovery from surgery.

Psilocybin

Quercetin

Quercetin, found in many plant-based foods and available as a supplement, is linked to improved body terrain, and especially lower inflammation.

Reishi Mushroom

Reishi mushroom is a natural product that may enhance immunity and response to chemo/radiotherapy, improve quality of life, and manage some side effects.

Resveratrol

Resveratrol is a natural antioxidant compound found in grape skins and other foods and widely available as a supplement. It is linked to body terrain that is less favorable to cancer growth and spread.

Soy and Genistein

Our predecessor site BCCT summarizes the evidence regarding soy’s and genistein’s effects with cancer.

Turkey Tail Mushroom

Extracts of turkey tail mushroom and its constituent PSK are used with conventional cancer treatment to improve survival and reduce risk of recurrence. The constituent PSP shows some benefit for pain, appetite, and percentage of body fat.

Turmeric and Curcumin

Turmeric, with the active component curcumin, is both a food and dietary supplement that may promote a better immune response and blood sugar levels, and may also help you manage some side effects.

Vitamin C: Intravenous Use

Vitamin C can be given intravenously to achieve much higher blood levels and enhance its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, with limited evidence of improved cancer survival when used with conventional treatments.

Vitamin C: Oral Use

Vitamin C, available in several foods and dietary supplements, shows some anticancer effects, including better survival among people with breast cancer.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a hormone created by the body when skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays in sunlight. It is found naturally in a small number of foods and can also be taken as a fat soluble dietary supplement.

Vitamin E

Our predecessor site BCCT summarizes the evidence regarding vitamin E’s effects with cancer.

Zyflamend™

Zyflamend, an extraction of herbs and other natural products, shows very preliminary clinical evidence, supported by preclinical evidence, of anticancer effects, especially for prostate cancer.

Off-label, overlooked, or novel cancer approaches (ONCAs)

Off-label, Overlooked, or Novel Cancer Approaches (ONCAs): Introduction

Artesunate and Artemisinin-based Drugs

Prescription drugs derived from the Artemisia annua plant show very limited benefit in improving cancer treatment outcomes.

Aspirin

Aspirin is a widely available over-the-counter medication that shows substantial effects at promoting survival and reducing risk of many types of cancer, plus reducing inflammation and managing pain due to inflammation.

Cimetidine and Other H2 Blockers

H2 blockers, used to treat gastrointestinal ulcers and/or reduce stomach acid, may improve survival among people with cancer, especially after colorectal cancer resection.

Copper Chelation

Copper promotes the formation of blood vessels, including those that supply tumors. Depleting copper can deprive the tumor of its suppliers.

Hyperthermia

Many types and varieties of hyperthermia (heat treatment) are used in conventional cancer care, and some additional uses are being explored for improving survival and reducing risk of recurrence.

Insulin Potentiation Therapy

Insulin potentiation therapy combines insulin with chemotherapy with a goal of enhancing treatment effects.

Itraconazole

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Ivermectin

Low-dose Naltrexone

This prescription drug is used off-label in low doses to treat people with cancer, with notable but very preliminary successes in cases where the cancers were difficult-to-treat or quite advanced.

Mebendazole or Fenbendazole

Mebendazole, a prescription drug used in humans to treat parasites, and fenbendazole, a treatment for parasites in animals, show promising but so far very preliminary evidence of anticancer effects.

Metformin

Metformin, used to manage diabetes, may lower cancer risk and improve survival, mostly among people with diabetes or high blood sugar.

Non-aspirin Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used to reduce inflammation, with notable benefits in increasing survival and reducing risk of several types of cancer; expert consensus is that the risks of harm from using these drugs long-term for prevention are greater than the benefits for many people.

Propranolol and Other Beta Blockers

Our predecessor site BCCT summarizes the evidence regarding propranolol’s and other beta blockers’ effects with cancer.

Psilocybin

Rapamycin (Sirolimus)

By blocking certain functions of the mTOR enzyme, rapamycin reduces cell growth. It therefore may be useful in treating or preventing proliferative diseases, including cancer.

Statins

Statins are cholesterol-lowering drugs that some integrative oncologists use off-label to improve survival, although statins can have serious side effects.

Timing of Therapies

Our predecessor site BCCT summarizes the evidence regarding the effects of timing of therapies with cancer.

Other therapies

Time in Nature or Forest Bathing

Simply spending time in nature shows benefits both for body terrain factors linked to cancer and for reducing cancer risk. It may also help with symptoms common among people with cancer.

Learn more

Blog post News

CancerChoices Supplement and Therapies Database: Top-Rated on Quality and Trustworthiness

We received the highest rating among the sites evaluated for quality and trustworthiness of information on cancer complementary therapies, with a total score of 4.9/5.

How We Rate Therapies

How we evaluate and rate evidence on complementary therapies

Sourcing Quality Herbs and Supplements

How and where to find quality products

Supplement and Therapies Database

344 therapies

Diets & metabolic therapies

Fasting or calorie restriction

Improving treatment outcomes

Optimizing your body terrain

Managing side effects and promoting wellness

Reducing cancer risk

Use by integrative oncology experts

Safety

Affordability and access

Gerson regimen

Improving treatment outcomes

Optimizing your body terrain

Managing side effects and promoting wellness

Reducing cancer risk

Use by integrative oncology experts

Safety

Affordability and access

Gonzalez Protocol™

Improving treatment outcomes

Optimizing your body terrain

Managing side effects and promoting wellness

Reducing cancer risk

Use by integrative oncology experts

Safety

Affordability and access

Ketogenic diet

Improving treatment outcomes

Optimizing your body terrain

Managing side effects and promoting wellness

Reducing cancer risk

Use by integrative oncology experts

Safety

Affordability and access

Mediterranean diet

Improving treatment outcomes

Optimizing your body terrain

Managing side effects and promoting wellness

Reducing cancer risk

Use by integrative oncology experts

Safety

Affordability and access

Energy therapies

Acupressure

Improving treatment outcomes

Optimizing your body terrain

Managing side effects and promoting wellness

Reducing cancer risk

Use by integrative oncology experts

Safety

Affordability and access

Acupuncture

Improving treatment outcomes

Optimizing your body terrain

Managing side effects and promoting wellness

Reducing cancer risk

Use by integrative oncology experts

Safety

Affordability and access

Electroacupuncture

Improving treatment outcomes

Optimizing your body terrain

Managing side effects and promoting wellness

Reducing cancer risk

Use by integrative oncology experts

Safety

Affordability and access

Healing touch

Improving treatment outcomes

Optimizing your body terrain

Managing side effects and promoting wellness

Reducing cancer risk

Use by integrative oncology experts

Safety

Affordability and access

Moxibustion

Improving treatment outcomes

Optimizing your body terrain

Managing side effects and promoting wellness