Homeopathy and Cancer

What is homeopathy?

Homeopathic treatment involves giving extremely small doses of substances that produce characteristic symptoms of illness in healthy people when given in larger doses. This approach is called "like cures like." The practice of homeopathy incorporates the philosophy that each human being possesses an innate self-healing mechanism that can prevent and treat illness. The philosophy of homeopathy views disease as a local expression of an underlying systemic illness or disorder. Homeopathic treatments are focused on restoring the vital force in each individual.

Homeopathic remedies are made with substance such as herbs, minerals, or animal products. These substances are crushed and dissolved, serially diluted, vigorously shaken or "succussed," and stored. Homeopaths may further dilute the solution. The more diluted the substance, the more potent the healing powers.

Treatment in homeopathy is individualized to each person. Homeopathic providers select remedies according to a total picture of the patient, including the entire physical body, emotional and mental states, lifestyle, social issues, and other factors related to the whole person.

What are the potential health benefits of homeopathy?

Homeopathy is used in many parts of the world for wellness and prevention addressing functional and minor ailments. Studies have demonstrated that homeopathy offers health benefits in the treatment of diseases and conditions such as diarrhea, attention deficit disorder, allergies, and depression¹.

What are the potential health benefits of homeopathy to people affected by cancer?

Anecdotal evidence and limited clinical trials appear to indicate value of homeopathy in cancer prevention, supportive cancer treatment, mitigation of conventional cancer therapy side effects, and palliative care². Due to the widely recognized safety of homeopathic medicines, little risk appears in using homeopathy with conventional cancer treatments.

The book Strategies for Cancer Patients: A practical resource for managing the side effects of cancer therapy by Elena J. Ladas, MS, RD and Kara M. Kelly, MD provides detailed information about homeopathy for specific cancer side effects. For information about integrative cancer therapies for cancer side effects, also explore our Cancer Side Effects section.

While not all clinical trials have captured efficacy with homeopathy, some results from evaluating homeopathy in people with cancer include the following.

• "In 1999, the National Cancer Institute-Best Case Series evaluated the cancer treatment protocol developed by the P. Banerji Homeopathic Research Foundation (PBHRF) in Kolkata, India. The ‘Banerji Protocol' constitutes a new method of using ultradiluted natural substances classically used in homeopathic medicine through prescribing specific remedies for specific diseases. As documented by this clinic, a group of 21,888 patients with malignant tumors were monitored by PBHRF between 1990 and 2005. This group of patients used the Banerji Protocol without being subjected to any additional methods of conventional care. The clinic's physicians reported that in 19% of the cases, the malignant tumors completely regressed, and in another 21% of the cases, the tumors were static or improved after treatment. For patients with static tumors, the follow-up continued for at lease 2 years, and for some, follow-up has continued for 10 years¹."
• A study of 15 Indian brain tumor patients evaluated Ruta graveolens (garden rue) 6C and Calcarea phosphorica (Calcium phosphate) 3D. Eight of the nine glioma patients showed complete regression of tumors without receiving additional chemotherapy or radiation.
• Some studies have shown that homeopathic medicines can be used to mitigate the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Research indicates that homeopathy has improved quality of life in people during and after cancer treatments into post-treatment survivorship^{1, 2}.

What is the history of homeopathy?

Homeopathy was developed in Germany in the late 1700s by a German physician named Samuel Hahnemann and has been practiced in the United States since the early 19th century.

In the early 1900s, there were approximately 22 homeopathic medical schools and 100 homeopathic hospitals in the United States. Today, homeopathy has much lower popularity in the United States, but is widely practiced worldwide in areas such as Europe, India, Israel, and Latin America. In Europe, homeopathy is popular for common ailments as well as cancer¹.

For More Information

• Integrative Oncology by Donald Abrams, MD and Andy Weil, MD
• National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Homeopathy
• National Center for Homeopathy
• University of Maryland Medicine Center Homeopathy

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References

1. Frenkel M. Homeopathy in cancer care. Altern Ther Health Med. 2010 May-Jun;16(3):12-6. PubMed PMID: 20486620.
2. Integrative Oncology by Donald Abrams, MD and Andy Weil, MD