Mistletoe as complementary treatment in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer treated with carboplatin-based combinations: A randomised phase II study

Evaluation of Preclinical Assays to Investigate an Anthroposophic Pharmaceutical Process Applied to Mistletoe (Viscum album L.) Extracts

“…Kovacs et al observed that DNA repair in lymphocytes of breast cancer patients could be substantially improved after subcutaneous injections of APVAE Mali [39]. Furthermore, there are several clinical investigations that documented a reduction of side effects of conventional antitumor therapy by simultaneous APVAE therapy, without reducing the former's efficacy [40–43]. …”

Understanding the Attitudes of Patients with Cancer Toward Complementary and Alternative Therapies

“…CAM perceives health and disease in a more holistic perspective of body, mind, and spirit. 1,2 There is a broad array of CAM practices, which can be classified into the following major categories: (1) alternative medical systems that evolved apart from conventional medicine, such as Ayurveda and homeopathy; (2) energy therapies involving the use of energy fields, such as Qigong and Reiki; (3) exercise therapies that include health-enhancing systems of exercise and movement, such as Tai chi; (4) body-based methods, including the manipulation and/or movement of body parts, such as chiropractic; (5) mind-body interventions that aim to enhance the mind's capacity to affect bodily functions and symptoms, such as meditation or art therapy; (6) nutritional therapeutics, such as nutrients and nonnutrients, bioactive food components, and specific foods such as a macrobiotic diet or vegetarianism; (7) pharmacologic and biologic treatments that use prescription drugs, hormones, complex natural products, or vaccines not yet accepted in mainstream medicine, such as antineoplastons; and (8) spiritual therapies that focus on a person's deep, often religious, beliefs and feelings, such as spiritual healing. 2 Approximately half of the patients with cancer worldwide use CAM as part of their oncologic care.…”

“…2 Approximately half of the patients with cancer worldwide use CAM as part of their oncologic care. 3 This high prevalence of CAM use can be explained by the growing scientific evidence regarding its efficacy in improving various physiologic and psychologic parameters among patients with cancer, such as distress and depression, 4 pain, 5 reduction of treatment side effects, 6 and enhanced immune regulation. 7 In addition, the integration of CAM services into health care systems and the improved regulation of practitioners and practices encourage patients with cancer to participate in such services as part of their cancer care.…”

NCCAM/NCI phase 1 study of mistletoe extract and Gemcitabine in patients with advanced solid tumors

“…Despite compelling preclinical data and these isolated reports of clinical benefit of mistletoe preparations, recent reviews of clinical trials still note methodological weaknesses of current published studies on mistletoe [34] as well as conflicting results on tumor response and survival prolongation on treatment using various mistletoe preparations [35][36][37][38]. A number of recently published studies confirm this mixed picture [39][40][41][42].…”