Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative MedicineNational Cancer Institute

CAM Information

PDQ® Cancer Information

The NCI's PDQ Office has produced summaries of the evidence for various CAM therapies. These summaries are designed for health professionals/scientists interested in more scientific information about CAM therapies. When accessing this page, scroll down to the section entitled, "Complementary and Alternative Methods of Cancer Therapy".

This information, as well as additional cancer-related information, can be found on the NCI website www.cancer.gov

Integrative Medicine Programs at NCI Comprehensive Cancer Centers

Cancer Information Service (CIS)

The CIS has developed Fact Sheets to provide information about Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Fact sheets are designed for the lay public, patients and families who are interested in finding out more about CAM therapies.

When accessing this page, scroll down to the section entitled, "Complementary and Alternative Methods of Cancer Therapy". Or, you may click on one of the fact sheets listed below:

Dietary Supplements

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) supports research and disseminates research results on dietary supplements including vitamins, minerals, herbs and botanicals. The ODS Web site contains the IBIDS Database of published, international, scientific literature on dietary supplements. The ODS has published public information called Facts about Dietary Supplements.

FDA Guide to Dietary Supplements

NLM FAQs: Dietary Supplements, Complementary or Alternative Medicines

NCI-Designated Cancer Centers

Cancer Patient Education Network (CPEN)

The CPEN, a group of cancer patient education program leaders from NCI-designated cancer centers, has released its Complementary and Alternative Medicine Resources at NCI-Designated Cancer Centers. Survey Results February 1999

In addition, CPEN presented a testimony to the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine in May 2001.

Testimony Before the White House Subcommittee on the Delivery of Reliable and Useful Information on CAM [Word Document]

Congressional Testimony

FDA Alerts

  • Study Finds Additional Evidence for Contamination of Herbal Supplement for Prostate Cancer
    A chemical analysis of PC-SPES, a recently recalled herbal dietary supplement commonly used to treat advanced prostate cancer, has shown that the supplement was contaminated with the synthetic drugs warfarin, diethylstilbestrol and indomethacin. Diethylstilbestrol and indomethacin have known anticancer properties.

    For more information, please read the full release

  • Potential Risk of Kava-Containing Dietary Supplements
    The FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) notified healthcare professionals and consumers of the potential risk of severe liver injury associated with the use of kava-containing dietary supplements. Supplements containing the herbal ingredient kava are promoted for relaxation (e.g., to relieve stress, anxiety, and tension), sleeplessness, menopausal symptoms and other uses. Kava-containing products have been associated with liver-related injuries, including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver failure. Given these reports, persons who have liver disease or liver problems, or persons who are taking drug products that can affect the liver, should consult a physician before using kava-containing supplements.

    See the MedWatch 2002 Safety Information entry at:
    http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/SAFETY/2002/safety02.htm#kava

  • FDA Warns Consumers to Stop Using PC SPES and SPES Capsules
    Consumers are warned to stop using the dietary supplement / herbal products PC SPES and SPES capsules because they contain undeclared prescription drug ingredients that could cause serious health effects if not taken under medical supervision. Laboratory analysis of the products by the California Department of Health Services found PC SPES contains warfarin and SPES contains alprazolam, which are available only by prescription and sold either by their generic names or the trade names, Coumadin and Xanax. PC SPES and SPES are respectively marketed "for prostate health" and strengthening the immune system. BotanicLab, the manufacturer of the products, has voluntarily recalled PC SPES and SPES nationwide.

    See the MedWatch 2002 Safety Information alert for PC SPES and SPES at: http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/SAFETY/2002/safety02.htm#spes

    If you are an applicant using PC SPES, please contact your program officer.

  • FDA Advises Dietary Supplement Manufacturers to Remove Comfrey Products From the Market

  • FDA Issues a Nationwide Alert on the Recall of Thirteen "Treasure of The East" Herbal Products Because of Possible Health Risk
    On June 20, 2001, the FDA warned consumers to discontinue the use of 13 Chinese herbal products sold under the "Treasure of the East" label containing aristolochic acid because they may present a serious health hazard. This press release lists the 13 products, which were distributed nationwide in small quantities primarily to acupuncturists, herbalists, and herbal stores.

  • Letter to Health Professionals Regarding Safety Concerns Related to the Use of Botanical Products Containing Aristolochic Acid

  • Aristolochic Acid - FDA Concerned About Botanical Products, Including Dietary Supplements, Containing Aristolochic Acid

MEDLINE Plus Alternative Medicine Information Sheet

MEDLINE Plus, a service of the National Library of Medicine, provides information about alternative medicine.

CAM on PubMed

CAM information on PubMed.

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) facilitates and supports basic and applied research of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities. It sponsors training for researchers and disseminates information about CAM therapies to practitioners and to the public.

10 Things to Know About Evaluating Medical Resources on the Web

The number of Web sites offering health-related resources grows every day. Many sites provide valuable information, while others may have information that is unreliable or misleading. This short guide contains important questions you should consider as you look for health information online. Answering these questions when you visit a new site will help you evaluate the information you find.

http://www.cancer.gov/clinical_trials/doc.aspx?viewid=C68637AF-2AEB-479D-AB60-228118D9674E

FTC site about Health Claims:

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/cybrspce/index.html


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