Nutrition in Complementary and Alternative Medicine

ObjectivesTo review the prevalence of nutrition-related complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) used by patients with cancer, to discuss nutrition issues commonly raised by cancer survivors, and to describe how the oncology health care practitioner can best address these issues.Data SourcesJournal articles, texts, and personal oncology nutrition clinical experience.ConclusionThe interest in and use of special diets and nutrition-related CAM is prevalent in oncology patients. While some nutrition interventions may offer benefit, not all are without risk.Implications for Nursing PracticeEvery patient must be assessed for the use of special diets and nutrition-related CAM, any use must be documented, and the person counseled about the pros and cons of these approaches.