Breast and prostate cancer head the list of the most common ones, regardless of race, among American men and women. Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the US and the American Cancer Society estimates that in 2008, approximately 1.4 million Americans received a new diagnosis and over half-a-million Americans died of the disease. High levels of secondhand smoke on the job can increase nonsmokers' risk of developing lung cancer.
   We suggest you follow your doctor's advice on how to treat your condition. But, you may suggest to your doctor to take a look at this page and learn about different options and perhaps he or she may think that perhaps you could benefit from trying some of these natural remedies for prevention or treatment.

Herbs and plant extracts with potential anti-cancer activity include:
If you have a diagnosis of cancer, please discuss with your health care provider before making any changes to your treatment regiment.

Chlorophyll supplement has had some in vitro studies to support its use.
Curcumin may help fight breast and prostate cancer. You can find curcumin pills over the counter.
DIM diindolymethane may be helpful in preventing prostate and perhaps breast and ovarian cancer
Green Tea -- the polyphenolic compounds are protective against various forms. You can find Green Tea Extract here.
IP-6 supplement used as alternative pill
Noni fruit juice contains a polysaccharide-rich substance called noni-ppt with anti-tumor activity. You can find Noni here.
AHCC supplement has been tested in liver cancer treatment.
Reishi is a mushroom extract that has potential
Graviola is an interesting herb to review since it has potential. Review graviola cancer supplement research.

Nutrients, amino acids, supplements that may be helpful for those on chemotherapy:
Carnitine improves fatigue in those who are undergoing chemotherapy. You can find carnitine 500 mg here.
Glutamine supplementation can lessen loss of protein in the muscle and protect immune and gut-barrier function during radio-chemotherapy in patients with advanced cancer. You can find glutamine here.

Vitamins of benefit
Vitamin D pill has many health benefits, but overdose is possible when daily doses exceed 3000 to 5000 units.

Nutritional products
Do apricot seeds help prevent cancer? Have apricot seeds reduced or destroyed tumors? Are these kernels safe to take, and if so, how much or in what dose? Any information you can send me, or possible web site you can refer me to, on apricot seeds and health would be much appreciated.
    We have not seen any good studies that indicate consuming these kernels prevents or treats cancer.

I am disappointed that such natural compounds are often tested on patients who have already failed standard chemotherapeutic treatment. This places an unfair burden on demonstrating the herb's efficacy for an endpoint of increased survival. Also, since these herbs are not toxic, I'm also disappointed that they are rarely tested in mixtures which are almost certain to demonstrate enhanced anti-cancer effects. I wonder how many decades it will be before a mixture such as turmeric, green tea extract, nigella sativa / black cumin, resveratrol / grape skin / grape seed extract, and capsaicin will be permitted by the FDA to be tested on non-terminal cancer patients.

I would like to know which product between the two is more effective. Liquid chlorophyll or salvestrols.
    We have not seen such studies to know which is more helpful.

I got an email that Hulda Regehr Clark, author of The Cure for All Cancers and The Cure for All Diseases died on September 3, 2009. She was 80 years old from a spinal cord injury, but further details are not available. Hulda Clark proposed that all cancers and many other diseases are caused by parasites, toxins, and pollutants and can be cured by killing the parasites and ridding the body of environmental chemicals. She worked at Century Nutrition, a clinic in Tijuana, Mexico.
   We have not seen research that backs her claims.

Antioxidants and risk
According to a review of a dozen studies including more than 100,000 patients, beta carotene supplements could be increase their risk of smoking-related cancer and death.A ntioxidant supplements, as a whole have a mixed effect on risk. Beta carotene supplements, perhaps only in high dosages, actually increase risk among smokers. Selenium supplements reduced risk among men, but have no effect on women. Vitamin E  supplementation may lower prostate cancer risk. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, January 2008.

Depression
Cancer patients suffering from depression appear to have poorer survival than those without the disorder, and the depression itself may play a part. Cancer, online September 14, 2009.

Diet and food role
Those who eat a lot of garlic and onion have a lesser risk for several body parts including the oral cavity, esophagus, prostate, colon, and other tissues and organs. Data from Harvard’s Nurses’ Health Study II show that women who consumed one and a half or more servings of red meat per day had nearly double the risk of developing hormone receptor-positive breast cancer compared with women consuming three or fewer servings of red meat per week. Hormone receptor-positive breast cancer is the most common type and has been on the rise in recent years. This study involved more than 90,000 premenopausal women age 26 to 46 who completed food surveys during a 12-year period. Animal fat and red meat intake were found to increase premenopausal breast cancer risk in a previous analysis of the Nurses’ Health Study II. Possible reasons for this association include carcinogens produced as meat is cooked, hormones given to cattle for growth promotion, red meat’s high content of heme iron, which has been shown to increase estrogen-dependent tumor growth, and red meat’s high fat content. Red meat intake and risk of breast cancer among premenopausal women. Arch Intern Med. 2006.

Risk factors
Forty percent of the 12 million people diagnosed with this disease worldwide each year could avert the killer disease by protecting themselves against infections and changing their lifestyles. A report by the Geneva-based International Union Against Cancer (UICC) highlighted nine infections that can lead to it and urged health officials to drive home the importance of vaccines and lifestyle changes in fighting the disease. Cervical and liver cancer are both caused by infections which can be prevented with vaccines.

Family history
A number of genetic and environmental factors increases the risk. Family history is one important factor. Some families have a significantly higher risk. For example, a woman's risk of developing breast cancer increases up to 3 times if her mother or sister had it. Some are linked to a specific gene mutation, more common in some ethnic groups and families.

Medications, prescription drugs
Some treatments for inflammatory bowel disease increase the risk of infection-related cancers. Thiopurine drugs -- immunosuppressive medicines that inhibit the body's immune system -- are regularly used to treat inflammatory bowel disease but can increase the risk linked to viral infections. Patients receiving thiopurines -- like azathioprine produced by several generic drugmakers and by GlaxoSmithKline as Imuran -- have a more than five-fold increased risk of lymphoma compared with those who had never received the drugs. The Lancet, 2009.

Processed meats
People who eat a lot of red meat and processed meats have a higher risk of several types, including lung and colorectal cancer.  

Shift work
The destruction of the body's natural rhythms accelerates the growth of cancerous tumors in laboratory animals. Higher rates of breast and prostate cancer occur in women and men whose work day starts after dark.

Smoke from wood and coal burning
Smoke from burning wood or stir-frying food indoors could potentially cause cancer and people in poor countries are at most risk. Scientists at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) said indoor emissions from burning biomass fuel -- such as wood, charcoal and dung -- as well as emissions from high-temperature frying, could lead to a higher risk. Estimates are that about half the world's population uses wood or coal for cooking and heating, often in poorly ventilated spaces.

Toxins
Industrial workers who are exposed to the chemical formaldehyde have a higher risk of dying from blood and lymphatic conditions. A study of more than 25,000 workers at industrial plants that produced formaldehyde and formaldehyde resin found workers with the highest exposures had a 37 percent increased risk of death compared to those with the lowest exposure levels. Exposure to the toxin raised the risk of Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and myeloid leukemia -- the type most often associated with chemical exposure.

Dichloroacetate is a potential environmental hazard and you can find research at dichloroacetate.

Kidney transplants
People who have had kidney transplants face a big increase in risk, particularly those caused by a virus. The risk for 18 different kinds of cancer increases by at least three-fold, and 13 of these are known or suspected to have a viral cause. Five of these, affecting the tongue, mouth, vulva, vagina and penis, are caused by the human papillomavirus, and there are indications the same virus is responsible in four of the others -- eye, salivary gland, esophagus and nasal cavity.  The new human papillomavirus vaccine could help reduce the risk  among these transplant patients. Immune system suppression, rather than the organ transplantation itself, is most likely responsible for the increase in risk. Patients who get a kidney transplant take medications that help prevent rejection of the organ by suppressing the immune system, the body's natural defense. But these drugs also yield an increased susceptibility to infection, and can awaken previously dormant viral infections.

Birthmarks
There may be an association between childhood cancer and birthmarks. Minor malformations, such as birthmarks, may reflect "altered prenatal development," which could also increase the risk.

Higher risk for heart disease
Children and young people who survive cancer have a significantly higher risk of developing heart disease as young adults because of the treatment they received.

Simple steps to reduce your risk
If people would quit smoking, eat more healthily and exercise, cancer deaths could be cut by at least a third. Diet is second only to tobacco as a leading cause of cancer and, along with alcohol, is responsible for nearly one third of cases of the disease in developed countries.

Walk your Way to Wellness - By keeping your body healthy and active, walking can help you improve your mood, boost your energy, lose weight, control your blood pressure, prevent bone loss, and decrease the risks of many diseases.

The Facts About Fat - Everyone needs fats. Problems arise only when we get too much fat, or the wrong types of fat, such as trans fats and hydrogenated fats, and excess fat from dairy products and meats. Fat has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease as well as an increased exposure to certain forms of cancer.  Avoid eating too much sugar, substitute stevia, the no calorie natural sweetener, instead.

The Vital Veggies - Science has shown that some foods may protect against cancer and tumor formation, and high on the list are vegetables. Eat a variety of different vegetables.

Weigh Less, Live Longer - Being overweight seems to play a role in cancers of the breast, colon and the lining of the uterus. Cancers of the prostate occur more often in obese men and those of the gall bladder, bile passages and ovaries occur more often in obese women.

Finding Fiber - Research has shown that eating more foods containing fiber can lower your risk of two fairly common, potentially fatal cancers: colon and prostate cancer. Because foods with fiber are naturally low in fat, they also protect you against other types to which a high-fat diet may contribute.

Drink tea rather than sodas or sugared drinks - Solid evidence is mounting that drinking tea can prevent cell damage that leads to cancer, heart disease and perhaps other ills. Tea is loaded with phytochemicals--a wide range of molecules that can act as antioxidants. Such compounds counteract the damage done to DNA cells by free radicals--charged particles produced by sunlight, chemicals, many foods and simply the stress of day-to-day living.

Every person has cancer cells in the body. They do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect them because they have not reached the detectable size.

Natural Therapies worth trying
These include yoga, hypnosis, meditation, biofeedback, imagery, and support groups.

Are there Herbs that have a role in prevention?
There are countless herbs that have been found to have anti-tumor activity in laboratory studies. Whether these herbs have a role to play in cancer therapy or prevention in humans is not clear at this time.

Brain
The number of brain tumor cases in the US and Europe has increased by up to 40% in the past 20 years. The incidence rate for brain tumors is increasing among people of all ages, but males between 20 and 40 years old are the most affected. The latest epidemiological studies indicate that white collar workers--intellectuals and professionals--are among the most affected. The reason is still unknown, though environmental causes such as cellular phones, computers and exposure to electromagnetic fields cannot be ruled out.
   Children fathered by men who have been exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) apparently have increased odds of developing brain tumors.  Experimental evidence suggests that parental exposure to PAH, which occurs primarily through tobacco smoke, occupational exposure, and air pollution, could increase the risk of cancer during childhood.

Breast
I read that tongkat ali herb helps with breast cancer in lab studies and just wondering if more research has been done in humans.
   Thus far only lab studies have shown this herb to have anti breast cancer activity but its effects in humans is not known.

Cervical
Gardasil vaccine was approved by the FDA to prevent this condition that often occurs from HPV virus infection.

Colon
Eating lots of preserved meats such as salami, bacon, cured ham and hot dogs could increase the risk of bowel cancer by 50 percent. Fiber found in vegetables, fruits, and whole grain cereals and legumes may reduce colon cancer risk. A daily calcium supplement protects against colon polyps, particularly the advanced type that go on to become cancer. Sigmoidoscopy is recommended every 5 years starting at about age 50.
   Despite recent advances in screening and treatment for colon cancer, the number of people dying from the disease has remained steady since the late 1980s.
   Colon polyps are most often benign, but should be removed.     

Endometrial
Risk factors are unopposed estrogen therapy, late menopause, tamoxifen, nulliparity, infertility, polycystic ovary syndrome, diabetes, and obesity. Most endometrial cancers are diagnosed at an early stage when there is unexpected bleeding or spotting.
   Regular consumption of soy foods seems to reduce a woman's risk of getting cancer of the endometrium, the lining of the uterus, according to a study conducted in Shanghai. This benefit is most pronounced among overweight women. The estrogens women produce are known to play a key role in the development of endometrial cancer, the researchers note in this week's British Medical Journal. Soy foods contain isoflavones with both estrogen-like and anti-estrogen activities.
   A deficiency in exposure to sunlight, specifically ultraviolet B (UVB), increases the risk for endometrial cancer. UVB exposure triggers photosynthesis of vitamin D3 in the body. This form of vitamin D is also available through diet and supplements. Approximately 200,000 cases and 50,000 deaths from endometrial cancer occur annually worldwide, including 41,000 new cases and 7,400 deaths in the United States.

Esophageal
Carbonated drinks may raise the risk of esophageal cancer. A team at Tata Memorial Hospital in India found a strong correlation between the rise in per capita consumption of carbonated soft drinks in the past 50 years and a documented increase in rates of esophageal cancer in the United States. Team members studied U.S. Department of Agriculture data to find that per capita consumption of carbonated drinks rose by more than 450 percent, from 10 gallons on average in 1946 to 49 gallons in 2000. And over the past 25 years, the incidence of esophageal cancer has risen by more than 570 percent in white American men. It affected 13,900 U.S. men and women in 2003, of whom more than 10,000 were men, and killed almost all of them, according to the American Cancer Society. The number of esophageal cancer cases clearly followed the rise in intake of carbonated soft drinks, the researchers found. See also Barrett's esophagus.

Rectal
Women who smoke have nearly twice the risk of developing rectal cancer compared with women who never smoked cigarettes.

Stomach
Those with H. pylori infection have a higher rate of stomach cancer. There is an association between smoking and cancers of the stomach and esophagus. Moist snuff, a popular form of smokeless tobacco in Scandinavia known as "snus," raises the risk of esophageal and stomach cancers as well.
   During the last decade, deaths from stomach cancer have declined in most areas of the world. While they are rare in North America and much of Europe, they tend to be quite common in Japan, Russia, and parts of Latin America, and account for more than 10 percent of cancer deaths worldwide. Its aggressiveness makes it one of the deadlier cancers.

Testicular
For information on testicular cancer.

Dying at home
Cancer patients who die at home do so more peacefully - and their caregivers end up doing better emotionally,. At-home hospice care not only saves money but saves physical and emotional pain as well, reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2010.