Sandoval, Genavieve

Title:
Alternative Therapy: The Future in Cancer Treatment

Abstract:
As the science community continues to learn about cancer through interdisciplinary work, there has been an increase in the development of alternative cancer treatments. Throughout history, the techniques used to treat cancer have evolved as researchers have found different methods for treating cancerous cells. This trend holds true as current researchers and health professionals improve their understanding of how cancer develops in the body and use this newly found knowledge to adapt their treatment methods. By recognizing the characteristics of cancer cells, including their behavior and molecular evolutionary processes, more effective non-traditional cancer treatments can be generated. Non-traditional, or alternative, treatments are therapies that stray from the typical chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery treatments. These advancements will help patients more than traditional treatments as they are often as effective at treating cancer while having fewer side effects, being more cost effective, and more holistic. We have conducted literary-based research exploring three different forms of alternative therapies: natural adaptive therapy (NAT), fasting, and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).