ABSTRACT

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is the term used to describe practices and products that are outside standard medical practice. The concept has been around for hundreds of years and of course far precedes modern cancer treatment, but the use of CAM has escalated dramatically in recent years and is now widely used – especially amongst cancer patients. The subject is controversial and, as well as being capable of unquestionable benefit for some patients, CAM can actually cause harm as well.