Squamous cell skin cancer, also known as squamous cell carcinoma, or SCC, is the second-most common form of skin cancer. Approximately one-fifth of the one million skin cancer diagnoses made every year are cases of SCC, notes the American Academy of Dermatology. With early detection, SCC is curable. Conventional treatment includes surgical excision of the cancer, radiation therapy, cryosurgery and topical therapy. Alternative medicine may be used alongside conventional treatments to help relieve symptoms and side effects of cancer treatment. However, there is no evidence they can actually treat the cancer itself.
Herbal Treatments
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, herbs may be used in cancer treatment. However, herbs must never be used alone to treat any type of cancer, warns the University of Maryland Medical Center. Herbal remedies may also interfere with conventional cancer treatments, so patients must consult their doctor before using herbs to treat SCC. Herbs that may be helpful in alleviating SCC symptoms include green tea, milk thistle, ginger and hawthorn. These herbs may have skin-protective effects and eliminate free radicals, molecules that damage cell membranes and even cause cell death.
Nutritional Therapy
Eating a healthy, balanced diet can help the body to cope better with the effects of SCC treatments such as radiation therapy, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. Some foods may also protect the skin and supply antioxidants to reduce cell damage, including fish, beans, chard, cabbage, broccoli and carrots. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that that lignans, which are found in soy and flaxseed, may help stop the spread of melanoma in the body. In addition, according to a 2004 article published in the "Nutrition Journal," an anti-cancer diet should be rich in foods containing chlorophyll, folic acid and phytoestrogens.
Acupuncture
According to the National Cancer Institute, there is growing evidence that can help cancer patients by relieving chemotherapy-associated nausea and vomiting. It may also help control cancer pain. Acupuncture involves the insertion of very fine needles into certain points on a patient's body that correspond to invisible energy channels called meridians. Acupuncturists believes this releases any energy blockages and frees up the flow of the body's natural healing energy, known as qi. According to the National Cancer Institute, acupuncture may have a physical effect on the pituitary gland nerve cells and some parts of the brain. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that it safe to use acupuncture alongside traditional cancer treatments.
