Karsten Münstedt: Guides unconventional cancer therapies
Endless is the range of procedures to replace or supplement the standard treatment for a malignant tumor. But what really helps? For clarity, the authors provide here general information and represent more than 180 of them before, including an objective assessment.
As unconventional refers to procedures that are based on experience, the effectiveness of which was, however, in contrast to conventional methods, not yet sufficiently proven with scientific methods. They are either used as an alternative to conventional methods or complementary to (complementary). Therefore, we group them also to KAM together (complementary and alternative medicine, Eng. CAM, complementary and alternative medicine). Possible applications are common to all: preventive (prophylactic), diagnosis (to study) or therapeutic (to treat), the latter divided into curative (healing) and palliative (soothing).
This guide is dedicated to those unconventional methods which can be used as an alternative or complementary and are intended to curative or palliative treatment of cancer. Submitted have him the editor Karsten Münstedt, a professor at the Department of Gynecology, University of Giessen, and a team of writers, the majority of doctors at various hospitals.
As they write, they would represent the first time such a method on German comprehensive and comprehensible to give physicians to advise their patients' information at hand, which were evaluated as objectively as possible, without regard to ideological aspects of scientific criteria.The important this is because therapies more often would be suggested that should would promise a safe healing without the side effects of standard therapies or support the orthodox medical therapies. But it is precisely they must prove their value, as the person with cancer unlike a benign disease does not gather with various methods, experience and whose failure could simply turn to the medicine again. However, it should be no guidance for the treatment and certainly not a catalog to pick from a procedure.
The result is a well with 600 pages fairly thick work in paperback format, which consists of two parts: the first, about a quarter of the book includes articles on various general aspects of the topic. For example, of the historical development and current distribution of the process, the perspective of a positive set and a critical doctor's mental situation, spirituality and quality of life of cancer patients, the motivation of providers, the reimbursement by health insurance companies, the testing methods and risks of the procedures and Tips for finding reputable information sources on the Internet.
The second, far more extensive part of the book is devoted to the process. They are divided into groups with similar mode of action, which often begin with an introductory chapter basis.Thereafter, the individual procedures are presented, each on average two to three sides and a similar scheme: composition, indications (application areas), type of treatment and costs, inventors and promoters (promoters), concept and theory examinations and tests, side effects, Conclusion and evaluation, and literature.
The authors have taken the trouble to any method not only to collect all the important information, but also to review the data from investigations using scientific methods and evaluate. They used the generally accepted criteria of evidence-based medicine (EBM, Evidence = clarity, probative value). Thereafter, the level of evidence is enough (german level of evidence, LoE) of I (1 is highest) when a joint analysis of several descriptive studies present until V (5), if there are only case reports. This then allows an EBM grade of recommendation from A (highest) to D derived. In addition, the authors used a stepped system of the ACS (American Cancer Society, American Cancer Society), the A1 (proven benefit) to E (evidence of a risk) ranges, and translated this into a scale with smileys ("Grinsegesichter").
This review was made separately for all purposes that claims the procedures used in the field of therapy and possibly prevention (prevention). Presented they will each as short table that is visible at a glance with a little practice: One line for the LoE and grade of recommendation according to EBM and a line for the ACS degree in the form of smiley faces with various facial expression and five columns for the purposes: preventive alternatively curative (healing), complementary curative, palliative alternative (soothing) and complementary palliative. An instruction at the beginning of the book is to further information. Unfortunately, there and in the tables curative misleading as adjuvant is called (supportive). This would improve in the next edition, as well as the unappealing print image.
Conclusion
Apart from the just mentioned "flaws" the book is a successful and useful overview of unconventional method of treating cancer. In addition to general information about the topic here, see data sheets with scientific assessment and literature to more than 180 alternative and complementary methods and preparations of specific cancer diets on homeopathy to magical concepts. The guide is mainly intended for physicians, which is reflected evenly to the technical terms used. However, it's certainly as reliable information for interested laymen.
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