Hodgkin Lymphoma

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

Vitae Elixxir[4, 17, 18]:

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. Warning: Possible side effects of Vitae Elixxir include diarrhoea, pain, and a general worsening of existing symptoms.

Recommendation: No recommendation (Available evidence does not support claims that vitae elixir helps to treat Lymphomas)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Red Clover (Trifolium Pratense) [4, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16]:

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 Red Clover helps to treat lymphomas)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Mistletoe (Iscador, Viscum Album) [4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]:

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. WARNING: The mistletoe plant should NOT be eaten because it is poisonous. May cause seizures, coma and death. It should only be taken as a purified mistletoe extract, and only in recommended doses.

Recommendation: No recommendation (Studies on the effect of Mistletoe on Hodgkins Lymphomas have yielded mixed, conflicting results. More research is needed.)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Ultraviolet Light Therapy:

Recommendation: weakly in favor (UV light therapy is effective in treating Hodgkins Lymphoma)

Grade of Evidence: Moderate quality of evidence

 * www.gradeworkinggroup.org

Summary Reference

Treatments

1. http://www.rtanswers.com/treatmentinformation/cancertypes/lymphomas/externalbeam.aspx

2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2189473

3. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec11/ch143/ch143b.html?qt=hodgkin%20lymphoma&alt=sh#sec11-ch143-ch143b-869a

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

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

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

7. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002883.htm

8. http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/m/mistle40.html

9. http://www.bmj.com/content/333/7582/1293.full?ijkey=56e55886cc53e0c478801e74001edc3bea1c322e&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha

10. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/redclover/

11. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19609225

12. http://www.babyhopes.com/articles/natural-fertility-boosters.html

13. http://indigo-herbs.co.uk/acatalog/Red_Clover_Flowers_Info.html

14. http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/trifolium_pratense.html

15. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/red-clover

16. http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69350.cfm

17. http://www.annieappleseedproject.org/vitaeelixxir.html

18. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/vitae-elixxir

Public Discussion