MSU Researcher Linking Breast Cancer Patients With Alternative Therapies

Biological-based therapies such as diet supplements and vitamins are the most popular complementary and alternative medicines for women recovering from breast cancer, according to a Michigan State University researcher working to create a support intervention for women in treatment for the disease.

Gwen Wyatt of MSU's College of Nursing, in research published in the current edition of Nursing Research, analyzed which CAM therapies - such as massage, supplements and reflexology - are used the most and why. She looked at the five major categories of therapies: biological, mind-body, manipulative and body, energy and alternative medical systems.

"Quality of life is a research priority for the National Institutes of Health as it pertains to breast cancer," Wyatt said. "Patients link symptoms to quality of life; if you have to live with breast cancer, then let's have the highest quality of life we can during the process and make it as humane as possible."

She found that 57 percent of women are using CAM therapies, and the sicker a woman is the more likely she is to use multiple therapies. Besides biological-based therapies, the next most popular were mind-body therapies using audiotapes, video and music therapy. More than 200 women were part of the study.

"The more popular therapies selected might be rationalized by women viewing these categories as more closely aligned with their health care provider's recommendations," Wyatt said.

She is using the results of the study, which was funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, to help women identify which therapies will be most effective for them. CAM therapies have gained widespread use in the past decade; Wyatt is currently funded by the NIH with a $3.1 million grant to study the effects of reflexology - a specialized foot therapy that applies firm pressure to certain parts of the sole of the foot - on symptom management and quality of life for women with breast cancer.

Among her other findings:

-- The therapies with the highest mean spending (acupuncture and therapeutic touch at $45) were used by very few women, while vitamins, massage and homeopathy had an average total spending of $19.78 to $38.54 and were frequently used.

-- Women without at least some college education were less likely to use CAM therapies.

-- Employed women were more likely to use different types of therapies.

-- Women reported greater use of therapies that required fewer sessions.

With research findings in hand, Wyatt is working with Darcy Greene from the College of Communications Arts and Sciences and Alla Sikorskii from the Department of Statistics and Probability to create a decision support intervention for women newly diagnosed with breast cancer and those recovering from surgery. It will include a DVD and booklet, outlining therapies and their safety and effectiveness.

"Women are using these therapies, but they have little education about safety and efficacy," Wyatt said. "One report indicates up to 80 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer are using CAM therapies."

"They could really benefit from information on how to make a wise decision and choose the best therapies."

Copyright 2010, Medicine & Law Weekly via NewsRx.com.

There are many terms used to describe health care approaches that are outside the realm of conventional medicine and its practices in America and abroad. Complementary and alternative medicine, also known as CAM, is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are used together with conventional medicine to support complete health and wellness.

Types of Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Often, CAM therapies are used in conjunction with conventional medical techniques to promote health and wellness. Some of these methods include homeopathic medicine, naturopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, energy therapies, yoga, and so on.

As well, biologically based therapies are substances found in nature, such as foods, herbs, and vitamins. Some of these include dietary supplements, glyconutrients, herbal products, and the use of other natural therapies to support optimal well-being.

Dietary Supplements

Dietary supplements are products taken orally that contain a “dietary ingredient” intended to supplement the diet. These may include vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and substances such as enzymes, and metabolites. They come in many forms, including powders, capsules, concentrates, tablets, extracts, gel caps, and liquids.

Glyconutrients

During the early to mid-1990s, scientists increasingly began to realize the importance of carbohydrates beyond the common belief that they were simply used by the body to create energy. Approximately 200 monosaccharides are found in nature, but only a handful are thought to be necessary for cells to communicate effectively with each other.

Glycobiology is a field of science that focuses on the role carbohydrates play in the body’s biology. Nutritionists have long known of the energy value of carbohydrates, however, it is only in the last few years that it has become increasingly apparent that certain carbohydrates are much more important to cell function than as simple energy sources. A chapter devoted to glycoproteins in Harper’s Biochemistry states that there is evidence that some of these eight plant-based sugars may be beneficial when added to a person’s diet. Ambrotose is an advanced glyconutritional technology that Mannatech places in many of its products, for example.

Some plant-based polysaccharides are known to support to the immune system and certain sugars may be used by the body to create glycoforms. Glycoforms are structures present on the surface of nearly all our cells which allow one cell to communicate with other cells. In fact, sugars are attached to most proteins and many of the fat molecules in the body.

These molecules assist cells in identifying each other and communicating messages such as “I’m a tissue cell.” This cellular communication supports gland and organ function, is a natural immune defense, and works to increase optimal health overall.

Ron Wicker
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/ambrotose-mannatech-and-complementary-and-alternative-medicine-124088.html