Alternative medicines increase five year death risk by two-and-a-half times
Breast cancer patients are 5.68 times more at risk if they opt for homeopathy
Some 41% of lung cancer sufferers survive five years with chemotherapy
Yet, only 20% do so if they rely on herbs, botanicals, diets or energy crystals
Experts say alternative medicines are a multibillion dollar industry with no proof
Cancer patients who opt for alternative medicines over conventional treatment are two-and-a-half times more likely to die within five years of diagnosis, new research reveals.
Among breast cancer sufferers, those who rely on herbs, homeopathy or energy crystals to beat their disease are 5.68 times more at risk of an early death, a study found.
While 41 percent of those receiving conventional treatment for lung cancer survive for at least five years, only 20 percent of those opting for alternative medicines do so, the research adds.
Professor John Bridgewater, an oncologist at University College London Hospital, who was not involved in the study, said: ‘Many patients will often go on special diets, rather than having conventional treatment.
‘But we have no evidence that anyone benefits from these diets, apart from those that collect the fees.’
CANCER PATIENTS WHO SOCIALIZE WITH OTHERS BATTLING THE DISEASE ARE MORE LIKELY TO SURVIVE
Social cancer patients have better survival prospects than those who do not interact with other sufferers, research revealed last month.
Patients undergoing chemotherapy who socialise with other sufferers have a 68 percent risk of dying within five years, a study found.
This is compared to a 69.5 percent risk if patients are isolated from other sufferers during their treatment, the research adds.
Lead author Jeff Lienert from the National Human Genome Research Institute, said: ‘A two percent difference in survival might not sound like a lot, but it’s pretty substantial.
‘If you saw 5,000 patients in nine years, that two percent improvement would affect 100 people.’
The researchers believe interacting with others during a sufferer’s treatment reduces their stress levels, leading to better survival prospects.
How the study was carried out
Researchers from Yale School of Medicine analyzed patients from the US National Cancer Database with breast, prostate, lung or bowel cancer that had not spread.
Of these, 281 opted for alternative medicines.
Study author Dr Skyler Johnson said: ‘They could be herbs, botanicals, homeopathy, special diets or energy crystals, which are basically just stones that people believe have healing powers.’
These study participants were compared against 560 patients who had conventional cancer treatment.
This was defined as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery or hormone therapy.
Two-and-a-half times more likely to die in five years
Results reveal that on average patients are two-and-a-half times more likely to die within five years of diagnosis if they opt for alternative medicines.
Among those with breast cancer, people taking non-conventional remedies are 5.68 times more likely to pass away within five years.
While 41 percent of those receiving conventional treatment for lung cancer survive for at least five years, this is compared to only 20 percent of those who opt for alternative medicines.
For bowel cancer, only 33 percent using ‘treatments’ such as homeopathy survive the next five years, compared to 79 percent of those receiving medication such as chemotherapy.
The findings were published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Breast cancer sufferers who rely on herbs for treatment are 5.68 times more at risk of death
‘It’s a multibillion dollar industry’
Professor Bridgewater said: ‘Many patients will often go on special diets, rather than having conventional treatment.
‘But we have no evidence that anyone benefits from these diets, apart from those that collect the fees.’
The study also revealed patients who opt for alternative medicines are generally more financially comfortable, which Dr Johnson believes highlights the cost of such ‘treatments’.
He said: ‘Herbs and diets don’t sound expensive, but when these things are delivered through providers, they can come with a hefty bill.
‘It’s a multibillion dollar industry. People pay more out-of-pocket for alternative treatments than they do for standard treatments.’
Source: Daily Mail
