When I started seeing headlines that ASCO had “endorsed” certain complementary therapies for breast cancer, I was intrigued. It’s estimated that around half of patients use complementary therapies in their cancer treatment, though I suspect the actual number is higher. We’ll never know for sure because it’s mostly done in secret, as saying the word “curcumin” in an oncologist’s office usually escalates to a mix of deep concern and condescension; you may hear yourself say “vitamin”, but it comes out as “sacrificing sheep to the onc-goddess.” Is this witchcraft coming into the light? I clicked.

“Music therapy.” “Relaxation.” “Yoga.” ASCO concurs that these interventions, as evaluated by the Society for Integrative Oncology and published in their 2017 guidelines, are “safe” for ameliorating side effects in patients undergoing breast cancer treatment. This is no ordinary “safe”, either. While I appreciate the effort to stratify the various complementary modalities based on evidence, which should clarify the vitamin/animal sacrifice distinction, the SIO screened for interventions based on the existence of a confirmatory RCT. These results were then held to an outrageous standard; an “A” rating (i.e, one voodoo doll out of five) meant that there was a “high certainty that the net benefit is substantial”. I don’t think my Tykerb meets that standard.  Continue reading “ASCO Issues Grudging Nod of Approval for Complementary Cancer Therapies” →