No abstract

Herbal medicine is a complementary therapy that some people with cancer use to ease cancer symptoms and relieve treatment side effects. Mesothelioma patients should discuss herbal medicine with their doctor to avoid drug interactions and negative treatment consequences. Is Herbal Medicine Safe for Cancer Patients? Herbs may seem harmless, but sometimes they can interfere with cancer treatment. For example, some herbs can prevent chemotherapy and radiation therapy from killing cancer cells. Certain herbs enhance the effect of chemotherapy in a toxic way that leads to unwanted side effects. Doctors recommend patients avoid herbs during treatment. It won’t be safe until research can identify which herbs are safe to combine with cancer treatment. Clinical trials that combine herbal medicine with cancer therapies are relatively new to the United States. China has performed such trials since the early 1900s. Cancer doctors rely on clinical trials to recommend treatments that are proven effective.