Alternative Health Blog

The results are in, and let’s just say here at the Alternative Health Blog there is no surprise. A new study appearing in the peer-reviewed journal Cancer, a publication of the American Cancer Study, shows that most U.S. cancer patients seek out alternative healing therapies in conjunction with any treatment from MDs.

Some numbers: Sixty-one percent of more than 4,000 respondents said they used prayer and spiritual practice as part of their recovery and prevention. Relaxation techniques checked in at 44 percent, while faith/spiritual healing was 42 percent and nutritional supplements/vitamins rounded out the most popular alt-med options at 40 percent. Fifteen percent said meditation was a cornerstone, while 11 percent said the same about religious counseling or massage therapy. Support groups were used by about 10 percent of the cancer patients. Biofeedback, hypnosis and acupuncture/acupressure all rated one percent or less.

For this study, researchers drew from a survey database called the Study of Cancer Survivors or SCS-1. The patients were polled 10 months to two years after diagnosis, and provided a choice of 19 different healing modalities to identify as a therapy they used.

Interestingly, it was found that survivors of kidney cancer and melanoma were least likely to seek out alternative therapies while, much less surprising, women with breast or ovarian cancer were the most likely users of alternative medicine.

There are strong trends in the survey about faith and prayer in healing. Six of 10 people identified prayer and other spiritual practice, four of 10 (some overlap, no doubt) looked to faith and spiritual healing. Prayer and faith life continue to establish numerous footholds on the climbing wall of healing. Prayer is particularly not considered just a peripheral activity by health practitioners, including a growing majority of MDs. Faith life is associated with longevity in several research studies.

The guess here is one reason prayer is gaining medical acceptance is many practitioners and even scientists turn to it themselves when the adversity of cancer strikes them or someone they love.

Bob Condor blogs for Alternative Health Journal every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.