When you have cancer you are likely to hear about ways to treat your cancer or relieve symptoms that are different from mainstream (standard) medical treatment. These methods can include vitamins, herbs, and special diets, or methods such as acupuncture or massage -- among many others. You may have a lot of questions about these treatments. Here are some you may have thought of already:

• How do I know if a treatment is safe?
• How do I know if it works?
• Should I try one or more of these treatments?
• What does my doctor know about these methods? Should I tell the doctor that I'm thinking about trying them?
• Will these treatments cause a problem with my standard medical treatment?
• What is the difference between "complementary" and "alternative" methods?
• Where can I find out more about these treatments?

The terms can be confusing

Not everyone uses these terms the same way, so it can be confusing. The American Cancer Society uses complementary to refer to medicines or treatments that are used along with your regular medical care. Alternative medicine is a treatment used instead of standard medical treatment.

Complementary methods: Complementary treatment methods, for the most part, are not presented as cures for cancer. Most often they are used to help you feel better. Some methods that can be used in a complementary way are meditation to reduce stress, acupuncture to relieve pain or peppermint tea to relieve nausea. There are others. Some of these methods are known to help, and others have not been tested. Some have been proven not be helpful. A few have even been found harmful.

Alternative treatments: Alternative treatments are those that are used instead of standard medical care. These treatments have not been proven safe and effective in clinical trials. Some of these methods may even be harmful. The biggest danger in most cases is that you may lose the chance to benefit from standard treatment. Delays or interruptions in your standard medical treatment may give the cancer more time to grow.

Deciding what to do

It is easy to see why people with cancer may think about alternative methods. You want to do all you can to fight the cancer. Sometimes standard treatments such as chemotherapy can be hard to take, or they may no longer be working.

Sometimes people suggest that their method can cure your cancer without having serious side effects, and it's normal to want to believe them. But the truth is that most of these treatments have not been tested and have not been proven to be effective for treating cancer.

As you think about your options, here are 3 important steps you can take:

• Talk to your doctor or nurse about any method you are thinking about using.
• Check the list of "red flags" below.
• Contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 (1-800-227-2345) to learn more about any complementary or alternative method you are thinking about trying.

Red flags

You can use the questions below to spot treatments or methods to avoid. A "yes" answer to any one of these questions should raise a "red flag."

• Does the treatment promise a cure for all (or most) cancers?
• Are you told not to use standard medical treatment?
• Is the treatment or drug a "secret" that only certain people can give?
• Does the treatment require you to travel to another country?
• Do the promoters attack the medical or scientific community?

The decision is yours

You are the best person to make decisions about your cancer treatment. If you are thinking about using a complementary or alternative method, be sure to learn about the method and talk to your doctor about it. With good information and the support of your health care team, you may be able to safely use the methods that can help you and avoid those that could be harmful to you.