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Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Dermatooncology

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Dermato-Oncology Study Guide

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Abstract

In recent times, the realms of both dermatology and healthcare in general have seen large increases in the use of off-label treatments or treatments not recognized by healthcare providers and regulatory bodies. These are often referred to as complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs). The effectiveness of these treatments vary widely, encompassing the spectrum of well established and research-effective off-label use, to questionable use, to actually causing harm. In this chapter we will explore alternate treatments to avoid, those with potential benefits in prevention and treatment of cutaneous malignancy, and those with potential benefits in treating non-oncologic cutaneous problems.

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Abbreviations

AK:

Actinic keratosis

BCC:

Basal cell carcinoma

BEC:

Curaderm

CAM:

Complementary and alternative medicine

CDK:

Cyclin-dependent kinase

CoQ10:

Coenzyme Q10

DNA:

Deoxyribonucleic acid

ER:

Estrogen receptor

ESRD:

End stage renal disease

FDA:

Food and Drug Administration

HFS:

Hand-foot syndrome

MMS:

Mohs micrographic surgery

NAC:

N-Acetyl cysteine

NF-κB:

Nuclear Factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells

PDT:

Photodynamic therapy

RNA:

Ribonucleic acid

SCC:

Squamous cell carcinoma

TEWL:

Transepidermal water loss

UV:

Ultraviolet

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, IA, USA

    Faraaz Zafar

  2. Medical Dermatology Associates of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Peter Lio

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  1. Faraaz Zafar
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  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa, IA, USA

    Vincent Liu

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Zafar, F., Lio, P. (2021). Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Dermatooncology. In: Liu, V. (eds) Dermato-Oncology Study Guide. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-53437-0_12

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