BALTIMORE -- With several alternative therapies to treat breast cancer, some experts warn of potential harm.
When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, she will no doubt be making decisions about surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.
For example, Lisa Wiley was diagnosed with breast cancer four years ago at the age of 36.
"I thought I was too young to have breast cancer," she said.
She's had surgery, chemo and radiation, but after a reoccurrence in 2003, she tried other treatments.
"I really changed everything. Diet, exercise -- everything is different," she said.
She also began taking a bagful of supplements three times a day, including multivitamins, herbs, fish oil, ginger and tumeric.
But some research warns that cancer patients who use complementary medicine could be doing themselves more harm than good.
"Some of these products may interfere with chemo or radiation and may be actually lessening the effect of what you're trying to accomplish," said Dr. David Riseberg, an oncologist who practices at Baltimore's Mercy Medical Center.
Riseberg said while he does advise against large doses of antioxidants during chemo, research does not support which ones are safe.
"A lot of these products are harmless. Some are probably beneficial. We just don't know which ones," he said.
Wiley said she never starts a supplement without her doctor's permission.
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