Unconventional cancer treatments are used frequently. Therefore, oncologist
s need to know about them. This article gives an overview of current knowle
dge on the most prevalent complementary or alternative cancer therapies. A
distinction is made between alleged cures, preventive and adjunctive measur
es. Shark cartilage, mistletoe, thymus therapy, essiac, hydrazine sulphate,
714-X, dietary regimens, green tea and Panax ginseng are all covered speci
fically. None of these treatments offer reasonable hope for a cure. Some st
rategies are promising in terms of cancer prevention. The true potential of
unconventional therapies might lie in adjunctive and palliative care. It i
s concluded that good evidence in this area is scarce. Vis-a-vis the high p
revalence of unconventional cancer treatments, rigorous investigations are
mandatory, not least for increasing the safety of future patients. (C) 1999
Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.