Volume 35, Issue 11 e15842
REVIEW ARTICLE

Complementary and alternative therapies in skin cancer a literature review of biologically active compounds

Leonel Hidalgo

Leonel Hidalgo

Department of Dermatology, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile

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Cristóbal Saldías-Fuentes

Cristóbal Saldías-Fuentes

Dermatology Service, Hospital Dr. Carlos Cisternas de Calama, Calama, Chile

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Karina Carrasco

Karina Carrasco

Department of Dermatology, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile

Hospital Nutrition Unit, Fundación Arturo López Pérez, Santiago, Chile

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Allan C. Halpern

Allan C. Halpern

Dermatology Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA

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Jun J. Mao

Jun J. Mao

Integrative Medicine Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA

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Cristian Navarrete-Dechent

Corresponding Author

Cristian Navarrete-Dechent

Department of Dermatology, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile

Melanoma and Skin Cancer Unit, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile

Correspondence

Cristian Navarrete-Dechent, Department of Dermatology, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Diagonal Paraguay 362, 6th floor, Santiago 8330077, Chile.

Email: [email protected]

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First published: 20 September 2022
Citations: 6

Funding information: National Cancer Institute / National Institutes of Health, Grant/Award Number: P30-CA008748

Abstract

Complementary and alternative medicine or therapies (CAM) are frequently used by skin cancers patients. Patient's self-administration of CAM in melanoma can reach up to 40%–50%. CAMs such as botanical agents, phytochemicals, herbal formulas (“black salve”) and cannabinoids, among others, have been described in skin cancer patients. The objective of this review article was to acknowledge the different CAM for skin cancers through the current evidence, focusing on biologically active CAM rather than mind–body approaches. We searched MEDLINE database for articles published through July 2022, regardless of study design. Of all CAMs, phytochemicals have the best in vitro evidence-supporting efficacy against skin cancer including melanoma; however, to date, none have proved efficacy on human patients. Of the phytochemicals, Curcumin is the most widely studied. Several findings support Curcumin efficacy in vitro through various molecular pathways, although most studies are in the preliminary phase. In addition, the use of alternative therapies is not exempt of risks physicians should be aware of their adverse effects, interactions with standard treatments, and possible complications arising from CAM usage. There is emerging evidence for CAM use in skin cancer, but no human clinical trials support the effectiveness of any CAM in the treatment of skin cancer to date. Nevertheless, patients worldwide frequently use CAM, and physicians should educate themselves on currently available CAMs.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.

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