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A new study suggests
a considerable amount of hype exists about cancer treatments.
It can therefore be hard to find out the truth about alternative
cancer treatments. This new study suggests that some Internet
sites promote alternative remedies for cancer that may be
dangerous.
A study of 13 alternative
medicine sites revealed that some discourage patients from
using conventional treatments, such as chemotherapy. They
instead promote alternative remedies for which there is little
or no evidence of effectiveness.
Cancer patients
often get confused in the maze of claims and counter claims
and turn to the Internet for information. The Internet can
then provide advice that has led to real harm and even death
in some cases.
The researchers
found five of the 13 Web sites offered potentially harmful
advice to patients and said that two more were "dangerous."
British
Journal of Cancer: August 2002; 87: 479-480
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