Excerpts from a lecture given at the SIOP/ICCCPO Conference in Brisbane (Oct. 2001)

The term "Conventional Therapy" is applied to any form of treatment that is widely practiced and shown to be of value in reports published in worthy scientific journals. In pediatric oncology (particularly in the treatment of leukaemias) we can state that the excellent treatment results are based on 30 years of clinical research with controlled and randomised trials. 

"Unconventional Therapy" is any approach to treatment beyond the definition of conventional therapy. It includes: 
Alternative medicine used "in place of" a conventional treatment and 

Complementary medicine used "in conjunction with" conventional treatment.

Examples of unconventional therapy (with respect to the treatment of children with cancer):

A study by Karadeniz et al. about the use of complementary therapy in children with cancer shows that 50,6% of the 84 patients asked used at least one complementary component such as dietary supplements or faith healing. Only 9,3% of these families discussed the use of any complementary medicine with their physicians.
Only in rare cases alternative therapy is used, meaning, the therapy based on scientific knowledge is completely denied.
In adulthood, the incidence of using "other" medications is much higher - between 45 and 83% (Journal of Clinical Oncology, 1998).
The answers to the question "Why is complementary therapy used so commonly?" where collected by Burstein et al (JCO, 2000): 

Patients reported:

- It would make them feel better
- They would have a wider control over the decision making program
- It could reduce pain, anxieties or emotional distress
- It would improve the quality of life, relief from side effects of the conventional therapy and boost the immune system.
- But no one believed to treat the actual malignancy with these measures.

Patients (and parents) should be very cautious about applying any other than conventional therapy when:

- The treatment is a "secret" that only specific individuals can provide
- The treatment promises a cure for almost all cancers or medical conditions
- The promoters claim to be persecuted by the medical establishment
- The promoters attack the medical community
(Metz, J. Medical and Ped. Oncol., 2000, vol. 34)

However, as much as complementary medicines are considered to be "harmless" one has to be aware that a number of regimens are not. On the contrary they can induce complications and many cause side effects. For example Aristolochia fangchi is a mixture of Chinese herbs (which is some times also prescribed by weight loss clinics) is known to cause progressive renal failure and consecutively bladder cancer. 
Examples of herbal toxicity:

(Berman et al, Lancet 200, Davanzo et al, Riv. Ital. Ped., 2000)

Precautionary Advice:

While physicians do not include alternative therapies in front line protocols (due to the lack of documented efficacy) they should carefully consider requests by parents/patients of using "other" treatments in palliative care. In some cases it might have a positive psychological impact which might improve the quality of life and the compliance in this stage.

Thus I would like to recommend to my colleagues: 

- Ask the patient about the use of complementary therapy
- Do not refuse the use of complementary therapies but listen carefully to the patient
- Accept what is useful for the patient (even if only from a psychological point of view)
- Avoid treatment with known adverse or toxic effects
- Value possible interactions between herbs and drugs

(Brustein et al, J. of Clin. Oncol. 2000)

We have to open the access to complementary therapies by starting the dialogue between physicians and patients and by promoting serious research in this field. Every child has the right to receive the best possible treatment. Every parent hat the duty to guarantee the best possible treatment to the child. Different from adulthood, the society intervenes to guarantee the rights of children. 

So, alternative medicine should not exist in pediatric oncology.  

Note: See also the paper "Some guidelines when considering Complementary Medicine"