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Unkonventionelle Heilmethoden in der Onkologie—Was gibt es Neues?

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Zusammenfassung

Unkonventionelle Heilmethoden erfreuen sich besonders in der Onkologie zunehmender Beliebtheit. Trotz zunehmender Bemühungen um eine wissenschaftliche Erforschung einzelner Methoden konnte bisher kein ausreichender Beweis für deren Wirksamkeit und prognostische Bedeutung erbracht werden. In diesem Übersichtsartikel werden die Grundlagen und jüngeren Forschungsergebnisse zur Misteltherapie, Therapie mit Organpräparaten, Enzymtherapie, Hochdosisvitamintherapie, Selensupplementation und zu diätetischen Maßnahmen vorgestellt. Da nach wie vor das Verhältnis von Risiko und möglichen Vorteilen nicht geklärt ist, sollte sich der Einsatz der Methoden auf Studien oder dokumentierten Beobachtungen beschränken, da manche Methoden selbst schädlich sein können oder aber durch Interaktionen, z. B. mit Zytostatika, den Behandlungserfolg orthodoxer Therapien gefährden.

Abstract

Unconventional cancer therapies are becoming increasingly popular throughout the world. In spite of ongoing efforts for a scientific evaluation of these methods, so far no evidence exists on efficacy or prognostic relevance. This review summarises the basic facts and recent findings on mistletoe treatment, therapy with organ extracts, enzyme therapy, megavitamins, supplementation with selenium, and cancer related diets. Because of the unknown relationship between potential benefits and harm, the use of unconventional methods should be restricted to trials or have the intention of later analysis. These restrictions are due to the fact that harmful effects in some methods as well as pharmacological interactions with cytostatic drugs have been observed.

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Münstedt, K., von Georgi, R. & Zygmunt, M. Unkonventionelle Heilmethoden in der Onkologie—Was gibt es Neues?. Gynäkologe 36, 507–514 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00129-003-1374-x

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