Cancer is one of the most serious and deadly diseases of today's society. While surgery, chemotherapy and radiation form the basis for most cancer therapies, many cancer patients have found additional hope and relief in alternative cancer treatments. Some of these therapies hold future promise in the treatment of cancer, however, their scientific and ethical bases are controversial.
Gene Therapy
Gene therapy is an experimental treatment for cancer and other diseases that involves introducing new genetic material into the cells of the patient. Many cancers come about because cells lose certain genes that cause them to turn into a tumor. Other cancers form when specific genes in cells are spontaneously mutated into cancer-promoting genes. The goal of gene therapy is to introduce genes into cancer cells to replace missing or mutated genes that originally cause cancer to develop. In most cancer gene therapies, specially engineered viruses are used to infect a patient's cells with certain therapeutic genes. Some gene therapies also attempt to enhance the patient's immune system to better fight cancer.
The risks of gene therapy are, in theory, minimal. The National Cancer Institute explains that there is a small chance that the viruses used in gene therapy will harm noncancerous cells in the patient, particularly reproductive cells. A number of unexplained deaths involving organ failure in various gene therapy trials, however, have brought the efficacy of gene therapy into question. The most infamous of these cases is the 1999 death of 18-year-old Jesse Gelsinger, who died after four days of treatment from multiple organ failure, according to the Human Genome Project website. While gene therapy has promise to cure a number of diseases such as cancer, much work needs to be done to overcome technical as well as ethical problems of gene therapy.
Medical Marijuana
Marijuana, or cannabis, has a number of uses in the treatment of cancer. Cannabis use can provide relief from the pain of many different cancers. Marijuana is also a powerful appetite stimulant and anti-nausea agent and is commonly used by cancer patients on chemotherapy who suffer from wasting syndrome. More controversial aspects of marijuana use in cancer treatment are outlined by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. NORML describes a number of scientific and clinical studies indicating that marijuana can kill cancer cells. Laboratory research shows that marijuana may specifically kill or stop the growth of many types of cancers. Some human studies provide evidence that marijuana can reduce the growth of deadly brain tumors known as gliomas. While these studies do show some promise for the use of marijuana to treat cancer, more work is needed to demonstrate that marijuana is an effective anti-tumor agent. The complexities of state and federal marijuana laws also bring the use of marijuana into question.
Reiki
Reiki, the Japanese term for "universal life energy," is a therapeutic practice based on the belief that spiritual energies can be channeled by trained Reiki practitioners. Reiki therapists use massage-like as well as certain hands-off channeling techniques to purportedly heal a patient's flow of spiritual energy. The American Cancer Society explains that while there is no scientific evidence that Reiki can cure cancer, a number of cancer patients do report enhanced feelings of well-being and reduced feelings of anxiety after Reiki therapy.
