The following guide covers holistic treatments for bladder cancer.
Bladder cancer is the world’s ninth most common cancer, with 550,000 new diagnoses and 200,000 deaths per year. The average five-year survival rate is 77 percent. While conventional treatments like chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy can kill or limit the growth of bladder cancer tumors, they significantly affect patients’ quality of life. For this reason, many look to alternative, complementary, and holistic treatments.
What Is Bladder Cancer?
Bladder cancer forms in the cells of the bladder, a hollow organ located in the lower abdomen. In most cases, the cancer begins in the urothelial cells, which line the inside of the bladder. These cells are also found in the kidneys and the tubes that connect the kidneys and bladder.
Generally, bladder cancer is diagnosed in its early phase and is highly treatable. However, the cancer often returns again and again following successful treatment.
What Are the Symptoms of Bladder Cancer?
The symptoms of bladder cancer include the following:
- Back pain
- Blood in the urine — known as hematuria — which can cause urine to look red or brownish
- Frequent urination
- Painful urination
How Is Bladder Cancer Traditionally Treated?
A traditional oncologist may suggest one or more treatments for bladder cancer, depending on the stage of the disease, the patient’s overall health, and the patient’s personal preferences. Conventional therapies include the following:
- Surgery, which physically removes the cancer cells
- Chemotherapy within the bladder (called intravesical chemotherapy), which attacks cancers in the lining of the bladder that have an above-average risk of progression or recurrence
- Full-body chemotherapy (called systemic chemotherapy), which administers highly toxic chemotherapy drugs to the entire body
- Radiation therapy, which destroys cancer cells using rays similar to X-rays
All of the above treatment pathways come with severe and often life-limiting side effects. They also put the patient at risk of developing a resistance to treatment, which can sabotage long-term treatment success.
Why Do Some Bladder Cancer Patients Choose Holistic Treatments?
A cancer diagnosis brings into clear view the value of life — not just the quantity of life but also the quality. Like everyone else, cancer patients want to enjoy themselves, connect with friends and family, and make the most of their time, whether that’s several years or several decades.
Cancer patients want to feel well, yet conventional treatments that leverage toxic substances result in side effects that prevent comfort, joy, and vitality. That is why some bladder cancer patients take their health into their own hands and opt for natural, non-invasive, evidence-based therapies that target cancer’s weaknesses and support the immune system.
In addition, some patients choose to include holistic treatments alongside conventional therapies, whether to increase efficacy or rebuild the body’s natural healing processes.
Holistic Treatments for Bladder Cancer
Here are 10 holistic treatments for bladder cancer:
1. Turmeric
Curcumin, a component of turmeric, has demonstrated chemopreventive effects, which means it can help lower the likelihood a person will develop cancer and prevent a recurrence. In addition, clinical and preclinical trials have shown its effectiveness as a chemosensitizer, a substance that safeguards healthy organs against the toxicity of chemotherapy.
2. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a group of secosteroids that humans gain through sunlight and their diets. It increases the absorption of magnesium, phosphate, and calcium. Findings from a meta-analysis have pointed to the protective effects of vitamin D against bladder cancer.
3. Massage
Surgery is one of the primary treatments for bladder cancer. Massage benefits cystectomy patients (patients who have had their urinary bladder removed) by reducing pain and recovery time post-operatively.
4. BEMER Therapy
BEMER therapy is a non-toxic complementary treatment for bladder cancer patients undertaking traditional therapies, such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy. BEMER helps to detoxify the body by removing cytotoxins and free radicals.
5. Oxygen Therapy
Cancer cells cannot survive in oxygenated environments. Oxygen therapy works by raising the body’s oxygen level to kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells.
6. Photodynamic Therapy
Photodynamic therapy uses drugs called photosensitizing agents to kill cancer cells and promote regeneration and healing. The drugs “turn on” when exposed to a certain kind of harmless light. When properly administered, it is effective and has no long-term side effects.
7. Exercise
The American Cancer Society warns against inactivity following a cancer diagnosis or treatment. Instead, it recommends patients start slowly, exercising several times a week for a minimum of 10 minutes. From there, patients can build to 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity. The benefits of movement are backed by research — exercise reduces cancer incidence and mortality in over 25 different cancers, including bladder cancer.
8. Intravenous (IV) Nutrient Therapy
IV nutrient therapy delivers high doses of vitamins directly to the bloodstream, sidestepping the digestive system to ensure maximum potency. A growing body of preclinical trials demonstrates how high-dose vitamin C administered via IV benefits cancer patients.
9. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a cornerstone of traditional Chinese medicine that involves inserting thin needles into specific areas of the body. One study found that acupuncture administered in conjunction with drug therapy is more effective than drug therapy alone in minimizing pain associated with cancer.
10. Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy leverages a cold laser machine that emits a special type of light energy. The patient’s body absorbs the light and transforms it into bioenergy that enables regeneration and healing.
How Do I Know Which Holistic Bladder Cancer Treatment Is Best for Me?
Your treatment journey should be as unique as you are. We invite you to schedule a consultation with our patient care coordinators. They will connect you to one of our doctors to discuss your medical history and treatment preferences. From there, you will map a personalized treatment program that empowers you to achieve your health and wellness goals.
Resources:
“Survival Rates for Bladder Cancer.” The American Cancer Society, https://www.cancer.org/cancer/bladder-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/survival-rates.html. Accessed August 25, 2022.
Liao, Yong et al. “Impact of serum vitamin D level on risk of bladder cancer: a systemic review and meta-analysis.” Tumour biology : the journal of the International Society for Oncodevelopmental Biology and Medicine vol. 36,3 (2015): 1567-72. doi:10.1007/s13277-014-2728-9
Liss, Michael A et al. “Exercise Decreases and Smoking Increases Bladder Cancer Mortality.” Clinical genitourinary cancer vol. 15,3 (2017): 391-395. doi:10.1016/j.clgc.2016.11.006
Rutz, Jochen et al. “Curcumin-A Viable Agent for Better Bladder Cancer Treatment.” International journal of molecular sciences vol. 21,11 3761. 26 May. 2020, doi:10.3390/ijms21113761
Silverdale, Natalie et al. “Massage and reflexology for post-operative cancer cystectomy patients: Evaluation of a pilot service.” Complementary therapies in clinical practice vol. 34 (2019): 109-112. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.11.010
“Getting Photodynamic Therapy.” The American Cancer Society, https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/treatment-types/radiation/photodynamic-therapy.html. Accessed August 25, 2022.
Cantley, Lewis et al. “Intravenous High-Dose Vitamin C in Cancer Therapy.” National Cancer Institute, 24 January 2020, https://www.cancer.gov/research/key-initiatives/ras/ras-central/blog/2020/yun-cantley-vitamin-c.
Hu, Caiqiong et al. “Acupuncture for Pain Management in Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM vol. 2016 (2016): 1720239. doi:10.1155/2016/1720239
