If you have just found out that you have cancer, realize you are not alone. Alternative cancer treatment is now used by millions of patients after being discouraged by the results of traditional treatment, or as a natural way to fight their disease. Here are some pointers for the treatment that you may want to consider.

You should be aware that alternative cancer treatments now offer cancer treatment benefits for a growing number of people. A growing number of cancer patients are using alternative medicines in conjunction with their current cancer treatment to improve their situation.

Alternative treatments can provide another option to those whose cancer has spread so rapidly that traditional treatments no longer are available. An example of this is chemotherapy, which can only be pursued under certain conditions. For those in advanced stages of cancer it does not make sense to accept the fact that conventional treatments will no longer work, when alternative treatments are still available.

The fact is that terminally ill cancer survivors were able to live longer when traditional medicine gave them no hope, because they tried alternative treatments.

Several of the alternative methods strengthen the body first, thus minimizing any negative side effects experienced from the traditional treatments. Some natural approaches are preferable to orthodox treatments because they are noninvasive and provide a gentler alternative.

Most alternative therapies operate in similar ways. Many are based on the premise that the stronger the body, the more likely it is to fight off and kill cancer. They emphasize that cancer develops as the result of a problem with the immune system and or an imbalance in the body. Some believe free radical damage in the body occurs because of poor lifestyle habits and bad diet choices. Stress also contributes to this imbalance.

A point worth considering: Medical doctors, who are under the control of the American Medical Association, are not allowed to use any natural substance in the treatment of cancer.

Alternative medicine is usually HOLISTIC in approach. Holistic means that the goal is to treat the whole body, rather than just the affected area. As well, some treatment methods look after the mental, spiritual and physical aspects of the individual. Basically caring for the person on all levels.

Alternative medicine techniques try to reduce or eliminate the underlying problem that allowed the cancer to develop by activating the body's own inherent healing process so that the body can heal itself. Of all the Alternative medicine techniques used, Essiac is still the first choice alternative medicine for cancer care and it is still considered to be one of the best alternative medicine therapies.

Unfortunately, cancer is a condition many people suffer from in their lives. If you think that you may need to pursue an alternative cancer treatment, you can always research the effectiveness of the alternative treatments available to you.