Alternative and Complementary Therapies for Cancer: Integrative Approaches and Discovery of Conventional Drugs PDF
Preview Alternative and Complementary Therapies for Cancer: Integrative Approaches and Discovery of Conventional Drugs
Alternative and Complementary Therapies for Cancer Moulay Alaoui-Jamali Editor Alternative and Complementary Therapies for Cancer Integrative Approaches and Discovery of Conventional Drugs 1 3 Editor MoulayAlaouiJamali DepartmentsofMedicineand Oncology,andPharmacologyand Therapeutics FacultyofMedicine,McGillUniversity Montreal,Canada [email protected] ISBN9781441900197 eISBN9781441900203 DOI10.1007/9781441900203 SpringerNewYorkDordrechtHeidelbergLondon LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2010931765 #SpringerScienceþBusinessMedia,LLC2010 Allrightsreserved.Thisworkmaynotbetranslatedorcopiedinwholeorinpart withoutthewrittenpermissionofthepublisher(SpringerScienceþBusinessMedia, LLC,233SpringStreet,NewYork,NY10013,USA),exceptforbriefexcerptsin connectionwithreviewsorscholarlyanalysis.Useinconnectionwithanyformof informationstorageandretrieval,electronicadaptation,computersoftware,orby similarordissimilarmethodologynowknownorhereafterdevelopedisforbidden. Theuseinthispublicationoftradenames,trademarks,servicemarks,andsimilar terms,eveniftheyarenotidentifiedassuch,isnottobetakenasanexpressionof opinionastowhetherornottheyaresubjecttoproprietaryrights. Whiletheadviceandinformationinthisbookarebelievedtobetrueandaccurateat thedateofgoingtopress,neithertheauthorsnortheeditorsnorthepublishercan acceptanylegalresponsibilityforanyerrorsoromissionsthatmaybemade.The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material containedherein. Printedonacidfreepaper SpringerispartofSpringerScience+BusinessMedia(www.springer.com) This book is dedicated to patients, doctors,andscientistsdealingwith life-threatening cancers with courage, determination, and hope. Preface Cancerisadevastatingdiseasewithasevereimpactonthephysical and psychological well being of patients. The diagnosis of cancer brings many questions starting with diagnosis, decision on treat- ment, and the prospect of living with the constant possibility of recurrence. To date, only limited therapeutic options are available formostadvancedcancers,andinmanycases,thefive-yearsurvival rate remains difficulttoachieveeven withthebesttherapiesavail- able in the practice. Patients often seek clear and simple answers, which are not always provided by modern medicine. This often leads patients to shift attention to alternative therapies, including theholisticapproachofalternativemedicine,particularlyprepara- tionsfromherbalproducts,whichhaveformedthebasisfortradi- tional medicine for thousands of years. Indeed, most ancient civilizations document the use of traditional medicine to treat a varietyofillnessesandinfectionsandhavecontributedtotheassim- ilation,codification,anddevelopmentofplant-basedformulations. Notsurprising,asignificantnumberofnaturallyderiveddrugsare alreadyinuseinoncologypractice,andherbalproductscontinueto offer opportunities for creative discovery of novel bioactive mole- cules and drugs, an area that is becoming a mainstream research approachbothinacademicresearchlaboratoriesandlargebiophar- maceuticalfirms. Today, the use of herbal and nonherbal products for medical purposeiswidespreadworldwide,andcontinuesasadistinctbranch ofmedicalpracticeinmanypartsoftheworld,andparticularlyin Chinawhereitisintegratedintothepublichealthcaresystem.Inthe vii viii Preface Western world, the use of alternative therapies is gaining ground, especiallytraditionalChineseandIndianmedicine,whichrepresent some of the favored adjunctive therapies and are mostcompatible with conventional therapies although having distinct concepts. Typically, herbal formulations contain single or multiple active pharmacological components, as well as non-herbal ingredients. Yetmostremainclassifiedasfoodsupplementsandthusareexempt from regulations on quality control and proof of efficacy that governstandardpharmaceuticals.Althoughtheirpotentialbenefit cannotbedenied,currentscientificandclinicalstudiesusingalter- nativetherapiesareinconsistentandwithconflictingclinicalresults. Herbalpreparationsandformulationsareavailableinthemarket, easilyaccessible,andwidelyusedbycancerpatientsbefore,during, or after treatment. Even when patients inform their mainstream doctors of such use, the significance is not always obvious as the field remains anewterritory forconventionalmedical curriculain Western medicine. In the absence of rigorous clinical studies and regulatoryguidelines,thedilemmainclinicalpracticeremainshow to evaluate the efficacy of mixed formulations by determining the surroundingsafetyconcerns,thepossibilityofanunjustifiableeco- nomicburdentopatients,andthegeneralrisksoftheirinterfering withorexacerbatingthetoxicityofstandardtherapies. Fromascientificperspective,thecentralobviousboundariesof the coexistence of nonconventional therapies with conventional practice are methodological issues relevant to the complex nature of complementary medicine, lack of rigourous and fragmented clinical trials, proof of efficacy, and legal standards that govern standardpharmaceuticalsinmodernoncology.Thesecanrepresent the dark corners for cynical, misguided, and hegemonious use, or even harmful exploitative use of alternative therapies. With the emergence of several government-supported agencies to launch initiatives to find and support both basic and applied research on alternative therapies, and to increase regulatory guidelines and policies,suchboundarieswilllikelyevolveintobeneficialintegrative practice. Thisbookwasputtogetherbyeminentandrecognizedexpertsin alternative medicine, medical oncology, cancer pharmacology, safety and regulatory issues, and modern cancer research. It is dedicated primarily to the medical community, health care Preface ix providers, and to medical students. It brings a set of timely, in- depth,andup-to-datereviewscoveringtheprogressandlimitations of conventional cancer therapies, the latest developments in alter- native cancer management from clinical and regulatory perspec- tives, and practical recommendations for health care providers. EminenttraditionaloncologyexpertsfromChinaandIndiaoutline thetheoryoftraditionalmedicine,patternidentification,andtreat- mentprinciplesofvariouscancertypes,andcommonformulations used in large oncology centers in China and India. Areas of con- troversyandpotentialintegrationintoconventionaloncologyprac- tice are highlighted and updated. In this respect, the benefit of alternativemedicinetoalleviatesideeffectsofsomechemotherapy drugsorrelatedpainisaddressedinseparatechapters.Inaddition to the clinical aspect, the book aacknowledges the importance of chemicaldiversityofherbalproductsfordrugdiscoveryinthenew era of targeted therapy. Natural products will continue to be a precioussourceofdrugdevelopmentwellintothefuture,nowthat greatprogressingenomicsandproteomicsopenupnewterritoryin termsofnoveltargetsassociatedwiththeonsetofthedisease.Inthis regard,thebookhighlightsprogressinthechemistryandbiologyof high-throughputchemicallibrariesfromnaturalproducts. Montreal,QC MoulayAlaoui-Jamali
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