Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:

Venus Flytrap Extract (Carnivora, Dionaea Muscipula) [1, 40, 41, 42]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: No recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Venus flytrap extracts can help in the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma. More research is needed.)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Turmeric [1, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: Weakly in favor (Early laboratory studies show that turmeric may be of benefit in the treatment of cancer. However, clinical trials on humans are needed)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda, Simoncini Cancer Therapy) [1, 32, 33]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: No recommendation (Available evidence does not support claims that baking soda helps to treat cancer in any way.)

Grade of Evidence: moderate quality of evidence

Milk Thistle [1, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: weakly in favor (Early laboratory studies support claims that Milk Thistle helps slow tumor growth in squamous cell carcinoma. However, more research is needed to see if these results also apply to humans)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Indian Snakeroot (Rauvolfia, Rawolfia Serpentina) [1, 25, 26]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: No recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Indian Snakeroot helps to treat squamous cell carcinoma in any way)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Hoxsey Herbal Treatment[1, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: Weakly in favor (There is no reliable evidence to support claims that Hoxsey Herbal Treatment can help treat or prevent squamous cell carcinoma in any way. Available evidence has yielded mixed or unreliable results.)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Green Tea [1, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: Weakly in favor (Laboratory studies have shown promise with regards to the prevention of Squamous Cell Carcinoma with green tea, but very few reliable clinical trials have been done. More research is needed.)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica, Hydrocotyle Asiatica)[1, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: Weakly in favor(A few clinical trials have shown that Gotu Kola may be helpful in slowing tumor growth in squamous cell carcinoma. However, further research is needed)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Echinacea Purpurea [1, 5, 6, 7, 8]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation  (Evidence has shown that Echinacea has no effect in the treatment or prevention of urinary tract infections)

Grade of Evidence: moderate quality of evidence

Chaparral (Larrea Tridentata Coville [1, 2, 3]:

Please note, this herb is HIGHLY TOXIC, and has been reported to cause severe and permanent liver disease which can be fatal.

Recommendation: strongly against (Existing evidence shows that Chaparral is not an effective treatment for squamous cell carcinoma. In addition, this herb is highly toxic and potentially life threatening.)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Aconite (Aconitum Napellus, Monkshood, Fu-Tzu):

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself, and it not recomended for use because it is EXTREMELY TOXIC and can cause irregular heartbeat, heart failre, and death, even when only used only on the skin.

Recommendation: Strongly against(Due to the lack of therapeutic effect on any formof cancer , and due to its harmful and fatal effects, Aconite is NOT RECOMENDED FOR USE IN ANY FORM)

Grade of Evidence: strong quality of evidence

Photodynamic Therapy:

Recommendation: strongly in favor (Photodynamic Therapy is used in conventional medicine to slow certain types of cancer growth by making the cancer cells more sensitive to light)

Grade of Evidence: Strong quality of evidence

Heat Therapy:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: weakly in favor (There is some, though not much evidence that local and regional heat therapy may help to slow cancer growth, especially if used with chemo- and radiotherapy)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Neuro-Linguistic Programming:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence that Neuro-Linguistic Programming helps treat squamous cell carcinoma in any way)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Naturopathic Medicine:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence that Naturopathic Medicine helps treat squamous cell carcinoma in any way)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Qigong:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (clinical trials have not shown that Qigong can help treat Squamous Cell Carcinoma of any type in any way)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org

 

Summary References

Treatments:

1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009

2. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_2005/2005_135-eng.php

3. Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West, Gregory L. Tilford, ISBN 0-87842-359-1

4. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/chaparral

5. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/echinacea

6. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/echinacea/ataglance.htm

7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16049208

8. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/29145.php

9. Winston, D., Maimes, S., Adaptogens: Herbs For Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief, 2007, pp. 226-7

10. "A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study on the Effects of Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) on Acoustic Startle Response in Healthy Subjects". Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. 20(6):680-684, December 2000. Bradwejn, Jacques MD, FRCPC *; Zhou, Yueping MD, PhD ++; Koszycki, Diana PhD *; Shlik, Jakov MD, PhD

11.  B. M. Hausen (1993) "Centella asiatica (Indian pennywort), an effective therapeutic but a weak sensitizer." Contact Dermatitis 29 (4), 175–179 doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.1993.tb03532.x

12. Cataldo, A., Gasbarro, V., et al., "Effectiveness of the Combination of Alpha Tocopherol, Rutin, Melilotus, and Centella asiatica in The Treatment of Patients With Chronic Venous Insufficiency", Minerva Cardioangiology, 2001, Apr; 49(2):159-63

13. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotu_kola#Medicinal_effects

14. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/gotu-kola

15. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/green-tea

16. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16968850

17.  http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_4326770

18. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-green_tea.html

19. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/greentea/index.htm

20. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/hoxsey-herbal-treatment

21. http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/OTA/ota04.html

22.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15695477

23. http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69258.cfm

24. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/greentea/index.htm

25. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/indian-snakeroot

26. http://www.mercksource.com/pp/us/cns/cns_hl_dorlands_split.jsp?pg=/ppdocs/us/common/dorlands/dorland/seven/000092149.htm

27. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/milk-thistle

28. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/milkthistle/ataglance.htm

29. Kroll DJ, Shaw HS, Oberlies NH.(2007). Milk thistle nomenclature: why it matters in cancer research and pharmacokinetic studies. Integrative Cancer Therapies. 6: 110-119.

30. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16279916

31. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14506392

32. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/sodium-bicarbonate

33. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a682001.html

34. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/turmeric

35. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-turmeric.html

36. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/turmeric/index.htm

37. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1668932.stm

38. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/10/28/curry-kills-cancer-cells-and-other-health-benefits-of-the-nations-favourite-dish-115875-21779950/

39. http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=turmeric

40. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/venus-flytrap

41. Parimala, R. & P. Sachdanandam 1993. Effect of plumbagin on some glucose metabolizing enzymes studied in rats in experimental hepatoma. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry 12(1): 59–63.

42. http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/318/2/484

43. Freedberg, et al. (2003). Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-138076-0.

44. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/pdxmd/body/224381667-2/761088681?type=med&eid=9-u1.0-_1_mt_1014682

45. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000829.htm

46. American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2006. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society; 2006.

47. Ridky TW. Nonmelanoma skin cancer. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2007;57:484-501.

48. http://www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/sun_squamous.html

49. http://www.skinsight.com/adult/squamousCellCarcinomaSCC.htm

50. http://www.skincarephysicians.com/skincancernet/squamous_cell_carcinoma.html

51. http://www.cap.org/apps/docs/reference/myBiopsy/squamous_cell_skin_cancer.pdf

52. http://www.skincancer.org/squamous-cell-carcinoma/

53. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/squamous-cell-carcinoma/DS00924

54. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1101535-overview

55. http://dermnetnz.org/lesions/squamous-cell-carcinoma.html

14. http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/squamous_cell_carc.html