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Improving Survival and Quality of Life With Conventional TreatmentActive Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC); Coriolus versicolor; Docosahexaenoic Acid; Eleutherococcus senticosus; Ginkgo biloba; Lycopene; Melatonin; Music Therapy; Mistletoe Extract, Injected; N-Acetylcysteine; Panax ginseng; Relaxation Therapies; Shark Cartilage; Shiitake; Social Support; Therapeutic Touch; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (TENS); Vitamin A; Vitamin C; Vitamin D
Reducing Side Effects of ChemotherapyAcetyl-L-carnitine; Acupuncture/Acupressure; Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC); Aromatherapy; Beta-carotene; Chamomile Cream; Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10); Colostrum; Creatine; Docosahexaenoic Acid; Ginger; Glutamine; Guarana; Hypnosis; Massage; Melatonin; Milk Thistle; N-Acetylcysteine; Probiotics; Relaxation Therapy; Sea Buckthorn; Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine; Vitamin E; Yoga
Reducing Side Effects of Radiation TherapyAcupuncture; Aloe veraGel; Calendula Cream; Chamomile Cream; Multivitamin/Multimineral Supplements; Probiotics; Proteolytic Enzymes; Sea Buckthorn; Zinc
Treating Lymphedema Caused by Breast Cancer SurgeryCitrus Bioflavonoids; Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins (OPCs); Oxerutins; Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine
Treating Weight Loss Caused by Cancer or Cancer TreatmentUndesired Weight Loss
Herbs and Supplements to Use Only With CautionAlfalfa; Androstenedione; Beta-carotene; Black Cohosh; Boron; Dong Quai; Estriol; Folate; Genistein; Hops; Licorice; Panax ginseng; Red Clover; Resveratrol; Soy; St. John's Wort; Vitamin C; Vitamin E
Not only is cancer the second leading cause of death in the United States (after heart disease), its insidious nature gives it a special terror. Most diseases give warning in the form of escalating symptoms, while others strike so suddenly that there's no time to brood on it. Cancer follows a different, stealthier path. A person who feels perfectly well may come back from the doctor's office with a diagnosis of potentially fatal cancer and plenty of time to fear what comes next.
Conventional treatments for cancer also have frightening qualities to them: disfiguring surgery, arduous chemotherapy, and treatment with invisible radiation. In many cases, when cancer is found early enough, conventional treatment can lead to a permanent cure. But often the prognosis is given in statistics—a percentage chance of survival—or, worse, in months remaining to live.
No wonder, then, that people turn to alternative medicine. It would be wonderful if there were some powerful alternative approach that could rout cancer at its root. Unfortunately, the reality is that no alternative treatment offers a sure and simple route to recovery. Worse still, there are plenty of unscrupulous people who will take advantage of a cancer victim's desperation. Even the most scrupulous providers of alternative cancer therapy mislead in one sense: they display a conviction and enthusiasm even though they do not know, in truth, whether their approach really works. It simply isn't possible for a medical practitioner to fairly judge the effectiveness of a therapy from apparent clinical results. Only double-blind, placebo-controlled studies can do that. (For information on why this form of study is essential, see Why Does This Database Rely on Double-blind Studies?)
It is possible, of course, that some alternative therapies for cancer may truly work, even if they haven't yet been proven. However, we may never know which ones are real and which ones offer only false promises. Proper studies require money and patience with the scientific process, and proponents of alternative cancer therapies may lack one or both of those. In addition, ethical considerations make it difficult to study an unproven therapy for a fatal disease, when therapies that provide a chance of cure are available. For this reason, most studies of alternative therapies for cancer have involved adding a natural treatment to a standard cancer regimen; alternatively, they enrolled individuals who have already failed to respond to existing methods. These latter circumstances could potentially hide the benefits of an effective natural therapy. If a treatment only worked in the absence of chemotherapy, for example (as some alternative cancer therapy proponents claim about their methods) or could only cure early cases of cancer, these ethical obstacles would prevent researchers from finding out.
This article discusses the relatively small amount of information that is known from a scientific perspective about alternative treatments for cancer. We also discuss natural options that may reduce side effects of standard cancer therapies, as well as possible interactions between herbs and supplements and drugs.
Various natural supplements have shown some promise for improving the effectiveness of conventional cancer therapy (specifically, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation ) or reducing its side effects. In most cases, however, the supporting evidence remains weak, and the most rigorous studies have often failed to find benefit.
Note: If you are receiving cancer treatment, do not use any herbs or supplements except under the supervision of your physician.
For information on treatments to prevent cancer, see the Cancer Prevention article.
Numerous natural therapies have been proposed for enhancing the cancer-fighting effects of standard therapies. However, as noted above, most of the supporting research falls short of the necessary standard for proof: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Based on the belief that sharks don't get cancer, shark cartilage has been heavily marketed as a cure for cancer. While this is a myth (sharks do get cancer), shark cartilage has, in fact, shown some promise. Shark cartilage tends to inhibit the growth of new blood vessels, a process called angiogenesis. Since cancerous tumors must build new blood vessels to feed themselves, this effect might be beneficial.
Shark cartilage also inhibits substances called matrix metalloproteases (MMPs).1 These little understood enzymes affect the extracellular matrix, the framework of substances that lie between cells in the body. MMPs are thought to play a role in diseases of the cornea, gums, skin, blood vessels, and joints, as well as in cancer and illnesses that involve excessive fibrous tissue.
A number of test tube experiments have found that shark cartilage extracts prevent new blood vessels from forming in chick embryos and other test systems.2-7 These findings have led to other test tube experiments, animal studies, and preliminary human trials to investigate the possible anticancer effects of shark cartilage. The results appeared to suggest that a particular liquid shark cartilage extract might be useful in the treatment of various cancers, including lung, prostate, and breast cancer.8-15 However, the two most recent and best designed of these studies have failed to find benefit.124,148
Cancer treatment puts tremendous stress, both physical and emotional, on those that undergo it. Several studies have examined the potential benefits of social support for women with breast cancer. According to most, but not all studies, such support improves survival and/or enhances quality of life.16-18,104 In one famous study of women with advanced breast cancer, participants who attended a support group twice weekly doubled their survival time as compared to study participants who did not attend the group.18
It is also commonly said that certain psychological coping styles (for example, fighting spirit versus helpless acceptance) can lead to longer life in people with cancer. However, a review of the evidence found that in fact there is little to no evidence that psychological attitude makes much of a difference.105 People with cancer should not feel pressured into adopting particular coping styles to improve survival or reduce the risk of recurrence, the study's authors concluded.
One study evaluated guided imagery and relaxation therapy following surgery for colon cancer.125 The results indicated no more than a short-term, mood-elevating benefit; those receiving the treatment did not recover more quickly. Another study followed 32 women who had undergone breast cancer.188 The women were randomized to receive just physical therapy or physical therapy plus a yoga program (called Yoga in Daily Life). At the end of the 3-week trial, the women in the yoga program reported less psychological distress.
In another small trial, 31 women who were still experiencing fatigue 6 months after breast cancer treatment were randomized to yoga intervention or health education.196 On average, those in the yoga group reported feeling less fatigue.
Mindfulness-based stress reduction is a technique that trains patients to become more aware of how their thoughts, feelings, and actions combine to influence their level of stress. As a result of this awareness, patients are equipped to take positive steps to reduce their stress and better cope with any challenge they may face, including a life-threatening illness. In one study, 229 women with cancer were randomized to either mindfulness training or a waitlist for 8 weeks.197 The women who participated in the training experienced an improvement in their quality of life and general well being. It is important to keep in mind that, without a control group, it is not possible to know whether the mindfulness training itself led to these favorable outcomes. A smaller study found similar results.195
A 2012 review of the literature found further evidence to support the use of mindfulness-based stress reduction in people with cancer.199 The review, which included 19 studies involving 1,118 patients, focused on techniques like yoga, relaxation exercises, and mindfulness meditation. The researchers reported that these interventions resulted in improved mood and quality life. Unfortunately, the reliability of these results is limited due to the lack of having a proper control group.
Another study on relaxation therapy involved 126 hospitalized patients with cancer pain. Researchers found that the patients who listened to relaxing music for 30 minutes and received pain medication had more relief than the group who only received the medication.183 A systematic review of 30 trials and 1,891 cancer patients also supports the use of music therapy during cancer treatment.187 Based on rating scales, music interventions (eg, participating in music therapy or listening to prerecorded music) resulted in less anxiety, improved mood, and better quality of life. The patients also had small reductions in their blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate. But, because of bias in these trials, the authors recommend that more studies be done to confirm the findings.
Massage therapy has been studied for its benefits in managing the symptoms associated with cancer and its treatment. In a randomized study investigating the effects of massage on 348 advanced cancer patients suffering from moderate to severe pain, the researchers found that, compared to simple touch, massage was significantly more effective at reducing pain and improving mood immediately following treatment, but the effect was not sustained.192 The authors of a review of 10 massage therapy studies were unable to draw firm conclusions about its benefits for a wide range of symptoms in patient undergoing treatment for cancer.191 A subsequent trial, however, offers tentative evidence that massage therapy may be helpful for people who have bone pain from cancer that has spread. Seventy-two people were randomized to receive massage therapy or simply attention from a therapist for about 40-45 minutes for 3 days in a row.190 Those in the massage group reported less pain.
Cancer treatment is one of the more controversial proposed uses of vitamin C. An early study tested vitamin C in 1,100 terminally ill cancer patients. One hundred patients received 10,000 mg daily of vitamin C, while the other 1,000 patients (the control group) did not receive vitamin C. Those taking the vitamin C survived more than 4 times longer on average (210 days) than those in the control group (50 days).19 A large (1,826 subjects) follow-up study by the same researchers found a nearly doubled survival rate (343 days versus 180 days) in vitamin C-treated patients whose cancers were deemed "incurable," as compared to people not treated with vitamin C.20 Benefits were also seen in a similarly designed Japanese study.21
However, while these results seem promising—almost miraculous—they, in fact, show next to nothing because they lacked a placebo group. When proper double-blind, placebo-controlled studies were performed on vitamin C for cancer, they failed to find any benefit.22,23
Vitamin C proponents have criticized these trials on various grounds, but the fact remains that there is as yet no reliable positive evidence for vitamin C in cancer.
PC-SPES is a formulation of eight natural substances: seven are plants and one is a fungus. The name is derived from the common abbreviation for prostate cancer (PC) and the Latin word spes, meaning "hope."
After its commercial launch in 1996, PC-SPES received increasing interest from the general public and prostate cancer researchers. Preliminary evidence suggested that it has significant effects on prostate cancer cells, perhaps due in part to its estrogen-like action.
However, chemical analysis reported in 2002 showed that PC-SPES is not truly a purely herbal product; samples of the product dating back to 1996 have been found to contain a form of pharmaceutical estrogen, diethylstilbestrol (DES), as well as indomethacin (an anti-inflammatory medication in the ibuprofen family), and warfarin (a strong blood thinner).51 Samples subsequent to 1999 contain less DES; but they also have shown less effectiveness in treating prostate cancer.
There is little doubt that DES is active against prostate cancer, but it presents a variety of risks, including blood clots in the legs. The other two pharmaceutical contaminants might actually reduce the risk of blood clots (which may be why they were covertly added), but present various risks all on their own. For these reasons, we strongly recommend against using PC-SPES at all.
Literally hundreds of herbs and supplements have been shown in test tube studies to fight cancer cells. However, it is a long way from a test tube to a human body, and such findings are not at all meaningful.
In this subsection we discuss several natural supplements that have received at least preliminary study in humans. Keep in mind that none of the positive studies cited below reached the level of rigor required to truly show a treatment effective. (Most lacked a control group, for example.) In contrast, several properly designed studies failed to find benefit.
A double-blind study of 53 people undergoing cancer treatment found equivocal evidence that treatment with a special form of Panax ginseng (modified to contain higher levels of certain constituents) could improve general well-being of people with cancer.137 Another study investigating the effects of Panax ginseng on survival of patients being treated for lung cancer showed no additional benefit.161
One study provides indirect, but promising evidence that a mixture of the supplements coenzyme Q10 (100mg daily), riboflavin (10 mg daily) and niacin (50 mg daily) might help reduce the chance of breast cancer metastasis, or recurrence.140
According to most but not all of the highly preliminary trials reported to date, extracts of the fungus Coriolus versicolor may enhance the effectiveness of various forms of standard cancer therapy.96-101,106 Coriolus is thought to work by stimulating the immune system. The fungi products active hexose correlated compound (AHCC) and shiitake are also advocated for this purpose.152,153
The supplement docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a constituent of fish oil, has shown promise for enhancing the effects of the cancer chemotherapy drug doxorubicin.33
The herb ginkgo is thought to increase blood flow. An uncontrolled study evaluated combination therapy with ginkgo extract and the chemotherapy drug 5FU for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, on the theory that ginkgo might enhance blood flow to the tumor and thereby help 5FU penetrate better.35 The results were promising.
Scant preliminary evidence suggests that American ginseng may increase effectiveness of treatment for breast cancer 36 and that so-called Siberian ginseng (properly know as Eleutherococcus senticosus ) may be useful in the treatment of breast cancer 37 and other forms of cancer.38
A small unblinded study using a no-treatment control group found indications that use of a standardized tomato extract containing the supplement lycopene might slow the growth of prostate cancer.34 In a small double-blind, placebo-controlled study, a combination of soy, isoflavones, lycopene, silymarin (from milk thistle), and antioxidants showed some potential benefit for preventing recurrence of prostate cancer after prostate cancer surgery.126 Another enrolled men with rising PSA levels (a symptom of worsening cancer) and found that use of lycopene helped stabilize these levels.157 Unfortunately, because this study failed to include a placebo control group, its results fail to indicate that lycopene lowers PSA levels and therefore, by inference, slows prostate cancer. However, researchers did compare lycopene alone against lycopene plus isoflavones, and, interestingly, the combined treatment seemed to be less effective, as if the isoflavones somehow antagonized the effects of lycopene.
Preliminary studies, including unblinded controlled trials, suggest that the hormone melatonin may enhance the effectiveness of standard therapy for breast cancer, prostate cancer, brain glioblastomas, non-small-cell lung cancer, and other forms of cancer.24-29 However, no double-blind studies have been reported. Melatonin may also help decrease cancer chemotherapy side effects ( see below).30-32,107,127
Mistletoe extract (Iscador) taken by injection has been evaluated as a cancer treatment in a number of studies, including double-blind, placebo-controlled trials.39-46,108, 143,149,163,166 In general, though, these studies failed to attain adequate levels of scientific rigor or clinical relevance. The best studies found benefit; more rigorous studies found no improvement in survival time, survival rate, or quality of life. A review of 41 studies found mistletoe use was associated with improved survival in cancer patients. But, an analysis of these studies limited to randomized trials showed no effect.175
Note: The safety of mistletoe is not established, and one report suggests that it can damage the liver.47
An uncontrolled study found that use of a special spleen extract (spleen peptide preparation) somewhat reduced side effects of chemotherapy for head and neck cancer.102
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, neither vitamin A nor N-acetylcysteine proved helpful for enhancing survival in head and neck cancer or lung cancer.49
Vitamin D may decrease bone pain and increase muscle strength in men with prostate cancer.48
Traditional Chinese medicine has been evaluated in a number of studies in patients being treated for cancer. In one study, acupuncture has shown a bit of promise for reducing the sense of fatigue that commonly occurs in cancer.159 Acupuncture has also been studied as a treatment for cancer-related pain. Researchers reviewed 3 small, randomized trials involving 204 people with cancer-related pain.184 The authors concluded that there wasn't enough evidence to say that acupuncture is helpful in relieving this type of pain. More high-quality studies are needed.
Similarly, medical Qigong (two 90-minute sessions weekly) was associated with improved quality of life, fatigue and mood disturbance in another study.182 A review of 15 mostly poor quality trials involving 862 patients receiving chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer, suggested that Chinese herbal medicine might improve quality of life.181 But, a 2010 review of 7 studies found insufficient evidence to conclude whether or not Tai Chi improves quality of life or psychological or physical outcomes in patients with breast cancer.180
Therapeutic Touch (TT) is a type of treatment that involves the "energy field" that purported surrounds and infuses the body. A TT practitioner is said to heal or otherwise correct a patient's discomposed energy field, which is thought to treat illness and lead to overall wellness. A study involving 76 breast cancer survivors found no difference between real TT and sham touch (without healing intent) in reducing cancer-related fatigue.194 However, both were more effective than no touch at all.
One study tested whether a diet very high in vegetables, fruit, and fiber, and low in fat could enhance survival or reduce recurrence rates in women diagnosed with breast cancer; unfortunately, no benefits were seen.150
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a therapeutic technique in which small voltages of electricity are transmitted across the skin via electrodes placed at specific points on the body's surface. In a review of 3 randomized trials involving 88 people, researchers did not find evidence to support the use of TENS as a treatment for cancer pain.198
Various herbs and supplements have shown promise for reducing the side effects of chemotherapy.
Many chemotherapy drugs work by interfering with rapidly dividing cells. Unfortunately, cancer cells aren't the only cells that divide rapidly. The intestinal tract constantly rebuilds its lining, and chemotherapy may interfere with that process. The result: gastrointestinal side effects, such as mouth sores, nausea, loss of appetite, and diarrhea.
Several herbs and supplements have shown promise for alleviating these conditions, although none have been definitively proven effective.
A well-designed double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 70 participants undergoing cancer chemotherapy with the drug 5-FU evaluated the potential benefits of the supplement glutamine for reducing chemotherapy-induced diarrhea.52 The results suggest that use of glutamine at a dose of 18 g daily may reduce intestinal damage and diminish symptoms of diarrhea. These promising findings indicate a need for larger trials to accurately determine the extent of benefit.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 150 people undergoing chemotherapy with 5-FU found some evidence that a probiotic (friendly bacteria) called Lactobacillus rhamnosus can reduce the diarrhea that is a common complication of this treatment.156 Another, more unusual probiotic, a special, nonpathogenic form of E. coli, has also shown promise.53
Highly preliminary evidence hints that the supplement active hexose correlated compound (AHCC)151 and colostrum 59 have might help reduce chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal side effects.59
In one study, use of the supplement creatine failed to help maintain muscle mass in people undergoing chemotherapy for colon cancer.128
In an uncontrolled study, use of the herb chamomile mouthwash appeared to help prevent mouth sores in people undergoing various forms of chemotherapy.54 However, uncontrolled studies prove nothing. A rigorous double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 164 people did not find chamomile mouthwash effective for treating the mouth sores caused by the chemotherapy drug 5-FU.55
Beta-carotene and vitamin E have also shown some promise for preventing mouth sores (caused by various forms of cancer treatment) in preliminary studies, but rigorous studies of adequate size have not been reported.56,57
A very preliminary trial hints that ginger may reduce nausea caused by the chemotherapy drug 8-MOP.58 However, another study failed to find ginger helpful for nausea in people using the drug cisplatin.109 And a in a third trial, ginger did not add to the effectiveness of standard medications to treat chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.174
Massage has shown some benefit for reducing nausea caused by chemotherapy.142 Psychological methods such as hypnosis and relaxation therapy have also shown promise for nausea.60-69,155
One study found that use of aromatherapy massage (combined massage therapy and use of fragrant essential oils) reduced symptoms of anxiety and/or depression in people undergoing treatment for cancer; at least for the short-term.141 However, the authors of a review of 10 massage therapy studies were unable to draw firm conclusions about its benefits for a wide range of symptoms in patient undergoing treatment for cancer.170
Studies of acupressure or acupuncture for reducing nausea in people undergoing chemotherapy have reached contradictory results, though on balance, there may be some benefit.110-115,129,146,156,164,172
A double-blind study performed in Hong Kong evaluated the potential benefits in cancer chemotherapy of personalized herbal formulas designed according to the principles of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine.139 In this study, 120 people undergoing chemotherapy for early-stage breast or colon cancer were given either a personalized formula or placebo. Researchers evaluated numerous possible effects of the treatment, but found benefits in only one: reduction of nausea. Note that even this single result is less meaningful than it may seem; it is statistically questionable to use a multiplicity of outcome measures.
In highly preliminary trials, the supplement N-acetylcysteine has shown promise for reducing various side effects of the drug ifosfamide.70-74
An animal study suggests that a constituent of fish oil called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) might decrease side effects caused by the drug irenotecan.75
The hormone melatonin has shown some promise for reducing the side effects of various chemotherapy drugs.76,77,116
In preliminary studies, various antioxidants have shown promise for preventing heart damage and other side effects of the drug doxorubicin. See the Doxorubicin article for details.
One animal study hints that the herb milk thistle might protect against kidney damage caused by the drug cisplatin.82 In addition, there is some evidence that acetyl-L-carnitine, glutamine, and vitamin E supplementation might each reduce peripheral neuropathy symptoms in patients (painful damage to nerves outside the spinal column) receiving cisplatin or paclitaxel.130,169,179
Sea buckthorn berry has been advocated for reducing side effects of chemotherapy, but the evidence that it works is far too preliminary to be relied upon at all.
A review of 33 studies supports the view that antioxidants in general (with the exception of vitamin A) may reduce the toxic effects of chemotherapy. However, due to inconsistencies among these studies, it is unclear which antioxidants are best for this purpose.168
The herb guarana may help to improve fatigue in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.193
In a small randomized trial of 43 breast cancer patients, 6 weeks of acupuncture twice weekly reduced joint pain attributed to aromatase-inhibitor therapy.177
The Homeopathy Database also has information about this topic.
Although the symptoms are generally less intense than with chemotherapy, radiation therapy can also cause problems, such as diarrhea, skin damage, and fatigue. Certain supplements and alternative therapies may offer benefit.
Two double-blind, placebo-controlled studies enrolling a total of almost 700 people undergoing radiation therapy found that use of probiotics significantly improved diarrhea.83, 145 However, of 85 women receiving pelvic radiation for cervical or uterine cancer, those who consumed a probiotic enriched yogurt had no less diarrhea than those who took a placebo drink.162
An unblinded controlled study of 75 people receiving radiation therapy for various forms of cancer found some evidence that soap enriched with Aloe vera gel can help protect the skin from radiation damage.84 However, researchers had to use questionable statistical methods to find evidence of benefit, making the results less than fully reliable. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study that evaluated the effects of aloe gel in 225 women undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer failed to find benefit.85 Another study failed to find aloe vera beneficial for reducing side effects of radiation therapy for head and neck cancer.118
One study compared cream made from calendula flowers with the standard treatment trolamine for protecting the skin during radiation therapy and found calendula more effective.119 However, it is not known whether trolamine is beneficial, neutral, or harmful when used for this purpose, and for this reason it's not possible to draw firm conclusions from the study.
Cream made from chamomile has also been tried for protecting the skin from damage caused by radiation therapy, but the one controlled trial on the subject failed to find benefit.86
One study failed to find oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) from grape seed helpful for reducing the local side effects of radiation therapy for breast cancer.131
Radiation treatment in the vicinity of the mouth may cause alterations in taste sensation. In a small double-blind, placebo controlled trial, use of zinc supplements tended to counter this symptom.87 However, a larger follow-up study failed to find this benefit.147
One small study did find found that use of zinc could modestly decrease inflammation of the mucous membranes and skin caused by radiation therapy.138
Radiation treatment to the pelvic area can cause nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 56 participants evaluated the potential effectiveness of proteolytic enzymes for reducing these symptoms.88 Unfortunately, no benefits were seen. Another study failed to find proteolytic enzymes helpful for reducing mouth sores or other symptoms that occur during radiation therapy of head/neck cancers.144
In a double-blind study of 40 people undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer, use of a standard multivitamin preparation failed to reduce fatigue as compared to placebo.154 (In fact, people in the placebo group may have done somewhat better than those given the vitamin.)
A large study failed to find aromatherapy more helpful than placebo for reducing psychological distress among people undergoing radiation therapy for cancer.120 And a small randomized trial found that effleurage massage, a common massage technique, had no significant effect on anxiety, depression, or quality of life among 22 women undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer.165
As with chemotherapy, sea buckthorn berry has been advocated for reducing side effects of radiation therapy, but again reliable evidence is lacking.
The use of antioxidants during radiation therapy is controversial. One study found that use of antioxidants decreased radiation therapy side effects, but may have decreased radiation therapy effectiveness as well.132
In a small trial, patients who wore acupressure bands for up to 7 days following radiation therapy reported less nausea than patients who received only usual care.176
A systematic review of 3 randomized trials involving 123 people with head and neck cancer found that real acupuncture was more effective than sham (fake) acupuncture in reducing the risk of dry mouth (xerostomia) due to radiation therapy.186 A subsequent study also supports the use of acupuncture in reducing dry mouth in such patients. But, unlike the previous trial, this one compared acupuncture to standard care (rather than to sham treatment).189
This topic is also discussed in the Homeopathy Database, in the radiation therapy support chapter.
Many women experience lymphedema (chronic arm swelling caused by damage to the lymph drainage system) following breast cancer surgery. Natural treatments for this condition include oxerutins, citrus bioflavonoids, and OPCs. For more information see the Surgery Support article.
Another small randomized trial of 70 patients found that acupuncture may decrease dry mouth and pain after removing lymph nodes in the neck for cancer treatment.178
Women who have had breast cancer surgery frequently experience annoying hot flashes. Estrogen treatment is not an option, as it might increase the risk of cancer recurrence.
In a 2-month, double-blind trial, 85 women who had undergone treatment for breast cancer received either the herb black cohosh or placebo.89 The results were not encouraging: black cohosh did not reduce overall hot-flash symptoms.
Four double-blind, placebo-controlled trials evaluated soy isoflavones as a treatment for hot flashes, but again failed to find benefit.90,91,121,133
A trial involving 72 breast cancer patients failed to find real acupuncture significantly more effective than sham acupuncture for treatment of hot flashes.160 And, a 2008 review of all existing studies on the subject concluded that the evidence does not support a beneficial effect for acupuncture in breast cancer patients suffering from hot flashes.173
In a small randomized trial, hypnosis appeared to reduce hot flashes as well as improve mood and sleep among 51 breast cancer survivors compared no hypnosis.171
After a mastectomy, some women develop wound complications. Ninety women who had undergone a mastectomy were randomized to receive 1 of 3 treatments: routine wound care, the Chinese herbSalvia miltiorrhiza (given intravenously for 3 days), or another Chinese herb called anisodamine (also given intravenously for 3 days).185 The women who received the herbal treatments had fewer wound complications compared to those in the routine wound care group. But, the women who took anisodamine had more adverse effects related to the treatment, like painful urination.
Cancer can cause a condition called tumor-induced weight loss (TIWL), in which symptoms of starvation occur despite apparently adequate nutrition. The cause is thought to be a particular form of inflammation caused by the cancer. Cancer chemotherapy can also cause weight loss. For information on natural treatments that may be helpful, see the Undesired Weight Loss article.
Numerous herbs have been claimed effective for treatment of cancer, including:
Various herbal combinations have also been promoted for the treatment of cancer, including the Hoxsey cancer cure, Essiac, and Jason Winter's cancer-cure tea. Again, however, there is no reliable evidence that they really work.
Similarly, various dietary approaches claimed to help treat cancer, such as macrobiotics and raw foods, lack meaningful supporting evidence.103
Various herbs and supplements may interact adversely with drugs used to treat cancer. We strongly recommend that individuals under treatment for cancer do not use any herb or supplement except under physician's supervision. A few important categories of potential interactions are described here. Follow the links to the indicated article for detailed information.
The herb St. John's wort interacts with many medications, including various chemotherapy drugs.
The drug methotrexate causes the body to become deficient in folate. For this reason, people who take methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, or psoriasis are sometimes advised to take folate supplements. Studies indicate that in those conditions, use of folate does not impair the action of the drug. However, no studies have as yet established that folate supplements are safe to take with methotrexate when it is used to treat cancer.
The citrus bioflavonoid tangeretin may interact with the breast cancer drug tamoxifen.
One highly preliminary study found that black cohosh might interfere with the action of the chemotherapy drug cisplatin.134
Heated disagreement exists regarding whether it is safe or appropriate to combine antioxidants (eg, vitamin E, vitamin C, and beta-carotene) with standard chemotherapy drugs. The reasoning behind the concern is that some chemotherapy drugs may work in part by creating free radicals that destroy cancer cells, and antioxidants might interfere with this beneficial effect.94
There is little reliable evidence, though, that antioxidants interfere with chemotherapy drugs. Additionally, there is growing evidence that antioxidants may not cause harm and, in certain cases, may offer benefits.95,104,122,135 However, the effects are likely to vary with the specific situation (for example, type and stage of cancer, and kind of treatment used), and there is far more research to be done.123 Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not take antioxidants (or any other supplements) while undergoing cancer chemotherapy except on the advice of a physician.
A similar situation exists regarding radiation therapy. One study found that use of antioxidants decreased radiation therapy side effects, but may have decreased radiation therapy effectiveness as well.136 Another study found some evidence that people who both smoked cigarettes and used antioxidants while undergoing radiation therapy for head and neck cancer had increased risk of treatment failure as compared to smokers who did not use antioxidants.158
After reviewing much of the research on this controversial topic, one group of researchers published an article in the Journal of National Cancer Institute, in which they conclude that antioxidants should be discouraged during either chemotherapy or radiation therapy because of their potential to reduce the effectiveness of these treatments.167
Women who have had breast cancer are at high risk for a recurrence. As noted above, use of estrogen promotes the development of breast cancer, and for this reason it is off limits. However, certain natural products may present a similar risk. Numerous herbs and supplements have estrogen-like properties, including the following:
Contrary to popular belief, black cohosh is probably not estrogenic.Other supplements, such as androstenedione and boron, may raise estrogen levels in the body. Finally, although the herbs dong quai and Panax ginseng do not appear to act in an estrogen-like manner, they may nonetheless stimulate growth of breast cancer cells.92 Women who have undergone breast cancer surgery should use these herbs and supplements only under the advice of a physician.
The weak estrogen, estriol, is sometimes advocated by alternative practitioners as a safer choice than standard estrogen. However, test tube studies suggest that estriol is just as likely to cause breast cancer as any other form of estrogen.93
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Osterlund P, Ruotsalainen T, Korpela R, et al. Lactobacillus supplementation for diarrhea related to chemotherapy of colorectal cancer: a randomised study. Br J Cancer. 2007 Sep 25. [Epub ahead of print]
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Meyer F, Bairati I, Fortin A, et al. Interaction between antioxidant vitamin supplementation and cigarette smoking during radiation therapy in relation to long-term effects on recurrence and mortality: A randomized trial among head and neck cancer patients. Int J Cancer. 2007 Dec 4. [Epub ahead of print]
Molassiotis A, Sylt P, Diggins H. The management of cancer-related fatigue after chemotherapy with acupuncture and acupressure: A randomised controlled trial. Complement Ther Med. 2007;15:228-237.
Deng G, Vickers A, Yeung S, et al. Randomized, controlled trial of acupuncture for the treatment of hot flashes in breast cancer patients. J Clin Oncol. 2007;25:5584-5590.
Lu P, Su W, Miao ZH, et al. Effect and mechanism of ginsenoside Rg3 on postoperative life span of patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Chin J Integr Med. 2008 Jan 25.
Giralt J, Regadera JP, Verges R, et al. Effects of probiotic Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001 in prevention of radiation-induced diarrhea: results from multicenter, randomized,placebo-controlled nutritional trial. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2008 Feb 1.
Horneber MA, Bueschel G, Huber R, Linde K, Rostock M. Mistletoe therapy in oncology. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2008;(2): CD003297.
Lee J, Dodd M, Dibble S, et al. Review of acupressure studies for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting control. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2008 Apr 25.
Billhult A, Lindholm C, Gunnarsson R, et al. The effect of massage on cellular immunity, endocrine and psychological factors in women with breast cancer—a randomized controlled clinical trial. Auton Neurosci. 2008 May 10.
Grossarth-Maticek R, Ziegler R. Randomized and non-randomized prospective controlled cohort studies in matched pair design for the long-term therapy of corpus uteri cancer patients with a mistletoe preparation (Iscador). Eur J Med Res. 2008;13:107-120.
Lawenda BD, Kelly KM, Ladas EJ, et al. Should supplemental antioxidants administration be avoided during chemotherapy and radiation therapy? J Natl Cancer Inst. 2008 May 27.
Block KI, Koch AC, Mead MN, et al. Impact of antioxidant supplementation on chemotherapeutic toxicity: a systematic review of the evidence from randomized controlled trials. Int J Cancer. 2008;123:1227-1239.
Amara S. Oral glutamine for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. Ann Pharmacother. 2008 Aug 12.
Wilkinson S, Barnes K, Storey L. Massage for symptom relief in patients with cancer: systematic review. J Adv Nurs. 2008;63:430-439.
Elkins G, Marcus J, Stearns V, et al. Randomized trial of a hypnosis intervention for treatment of hot flashes among breast cancer survivors. J Clin Oncol. 2008 Sep 22.
Gottschling S, Reindl TK, Meyer S, et al. Acupuncture to alleviate chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in pediatric oncology—a randomized multicenter crossover pilot trial. Klin Padiatr. 2008;220:365-370.
Lee MS, Kim KH, Choi SM et al. Acupuncture for treating hot flashes in breast cancer patients: a systematic review. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2008 Nov 4.
Zick SM, Ruffin MT, Lee J, et al. Phase II trial of encapsulated ginger as a treatment for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Support Care Cancer. 2008 Nov 13.
Ostermann T, Raak C, Büssing A. Survival of cancer patients treated with mistletoe extract (Iscador): a systematic literature review. BMC Cancer. 2009;9:451.
Roscoe JA, Bushunow P, Jean-Pierre P, et al. Acupressure bands are effective in reducing radiation therapy-related nausea. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2009;38:381.
Crew KD, Capodice JL, Greenlee H, et al. Randomized, blinded, sham-controlled trial of acupuncture for the management of aromatase inhibitor-associated joint symptoms in women with early-stage breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2010;28:1154.
Pfister DG, Cassileth BR, Deng GE, et al. Acupuncture for pain and dysfunction after neck dissection: results of a randomized controlled trial. J Clin Oncol. 2010;28(15):2565.
Pace A, Giannarelli D, Galiè E, et al. Vitamin E neuroprotection for cisplatin neuropathy: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Neurology. 2010;74(9):762.
Lee MS, Choi TY, Ernst E. Tai chi for breast cancer patients: a systematic review. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2010 ;120(2):309.
Chen S, Flower A, Ritchie A, et al. Oral Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) as an adjuvant treatment during chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer: A systematic review. Lung Cancer. 2010;68(2):137.
Oh B, Butow P, Mullan B, et al. Impact of medical Qigong on quality of life, fatigue, mood and inflammation in cancer patients: a randomized controlled trial. Ann Oncol. 2010;21(3):608.
Huang ST, Good M, Zauszniewski JA. The effectiveness of music in relieving pain in cancer patients: a randomized controlled trial. Int J Nurs Stud. 2010;47(11):1354-1362.
Paley C, Johnson M, Tashani O, Bagnall A. Acupuncture for cancer pain in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011;(1):CD007753.
Chen J, Lv Q, Yu M, Zhang X, Gou J. Randomized clinical trial of Chinese herbal medications to reduce wound complications after mastectomy for breast carcinoma. Br J Surg. 2010;97(12):1798-804.
O'Sullivan EM, Higginson IJ. Clinical effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of irradiation-induced xerostomia in patients with head and neck cancer: a systematic review. Acupunct Med. 2010;28(4):191-199.
Bradt J, Dileo C, Grocke D, Magill L. Music interventions for improving psychological and physical outcomes in cancer patients. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011;(8):CD006911.
Kovačič T, Kovačič M. Impact of relaxation training according to Yoga In Daily Life system on perceived stress after breast cancer surgery. Integr Cancer Ther. 2011;10(1):16-26.
Meng Z, Garcia MK, Hu C, et al. Randomized controlled trial of acupuncture for prevention of radiation-induced xerostomia among patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Cancer. 2011 Nov 9.
Jane SW, Chen SL, Wilkie DJ, et al. Effects of massage on pain, mood status, relaxation, and sleep in Taiwanese patients with metastatic bone pain: a randomized clinical trial. Pain. 2011;152(10):2432-2442.
Wilkinson S, Barnes K, Storey L. Massage for symptom relief in patients with cancer: systematic review. J Adv Nurs. 2008;63:430-439.
Kutner JS, Smith MC, Corbin L, et al. Massage therapy versus simple touch to improve pain and mood in patients with advanced cancer: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2008;149:369-379.
de Oliveira Campos MP, Riechelmann R, Martins LC, Hassan BJ, Casa FB, Del Giglio A. Guarana (Paullinia cupana) improves fatigue in breast cancer patients undergoing systemic chemotherapy. J Altern Complement Med. 2011;17(6):505-512.
Jain S, Pavlik D, Distefan J, et al. Complementary medicine for fatigue and cortisol variability in breast cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial. Cancer. 2012;118(3):777-787.
Lerman R, Jarski R, Rea H, Gellish R, Vicini F. Improving symptoms and quality of life of female cancer survivors: a randomized controlled study. Ann Surg Oncol. 2012;19(2):373-378.
Ganz PA, Irwin MR, Olmstead R, Greendale G, et al. Yoga for persistent fatigue in breast cancer survivors: A randomized controlled trial. Cancer. 2011 Dec 16. [Epub ahead of print]
Hoffman CJ, Ersser SJ, Hopkinson JB, Nicholls PG, Harrington JE, Thomas PW. Effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction in mood, breast- and endocrine-related quality of life, and well-being in stage 0 to III breast cancer: a randomized, controlled trial. J Clin Oncol. 2012 Apr 20;30(12):1335-1342.
Hurlow A, Bennett MI, Robb KA, et al. Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) for cancer pain in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;3:CD006276.
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Last reviewed July 2012 by EBSCO CAM Review Board
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.


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The Harlem Treasure Chest is an outdoor flea market that opened last spring on the corner of Frederick Douglass Blvd and West 117th Street. They are partnering with Silent Voices United to host a Children's Monster Ball this Sunday afternoon, October 28th from noon to 4 pm. This free children's event will include lots of tricks & treats, books, rides and special guest appearances by community celebrities and artists, who will judge the "Pablo Pumpicasso Children's Art & Best Halloween Costume Contest".
This is Harlem Treasure Chest's last weekend. I hope they will return next year. I have enjoyed browsing there over the last few months and have found a couple of gems amidst the assorted wares.

subset: commoncrawl


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If you're in the Sarasota, Florida, area on April 20th, check out this free comedy show. According to sponsor Volvo Rents, it's all in an effort to help contractors look on the lighter side, at least for one night. Here are the details:
Volvo Rents and nationally acclaimed comedian, Carmen Ciricillo a.k.a. "The Construction Comic" want to help those in the construction industry forget their troubles… at least for one night. In support of Operation Thank You and All Faiths Food Bank, they are inviting the local construction community to enjoy a night of FREE comedy presented by nationally acclaimed comedians.
Featuring Carmen and other nationally acclaimed comedians, the Volvo Rents Hardhat Comedy Show will take place on April 20th at the Players Theatre in Sarasota, FL at 838 North Tamiami Trail. The doors open at 7 p.m. for a reception. The Hardhat Comedy show commences at 8 p.m. Seats are limited and will be first-come, first serve. To RSVP, call (941) 365-2494. Attendees are asked to bring three to five cans of food or donations to support All Faiths Food Bank via Volvo Rents' Operation Thank You campaign. All donations or proceeds will directly benefit All Faiths Food Bank.
"We want to give contractors V.I.P. treatment in a R.I.P. construction market by giving them one free, hilarious night in support of multiple good causes," says Carmen, the former humorous "tool man" on the Discovery Channel's Your New House television show. "Contractors have been hard hit and this is just a little way of bringing some laughter back into their lives", agrees Rick Owens, General Manager of Volvo Rents in Tampa, Fort Myers, Pompano Beach and Port St. Lucie. Carmen has decided to do his stand-up for free for those affected by the sagging economy. The Players Theatre is donating the venue.
Volvo Rents launched the Hardhat Comedy Tour in November, 2008, in Asheville, NC. Sarasota is the first stop of the Tour in 2009. This year Volvo Rents will be taking the Hardhat Comedy Tour to cities in North America to provide free comedy shows to those in the construction industry.
Volvo Rents, based in Asheville, NC, a division of Volvo Construction Equipment, the third largest construction equipment manufacturer in the world, operates equipment rental centers in North America, Europe (Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Poland and Austria), and Mexico. All Volvo Rents centers in North America are independently owned and operated franchises. They offer a comprehensive line of essential equipment for the construction, commercial and industrial markets, as well as an extensive line of Volvo compact excavators and wheel loaders and backhoe and skid steer loaders. For more information, visit www.volvorents.com.
Media Contact
Nick Mavrick
Volvo Rents
828.650.2311 or 828.279.4869


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President Obama has new priorities. That means new spending.
In his State of the Union, he said, "The American people don't expect government to solve every problem." But then he went on to list how, under his guidance, government will solve a thousand problems, including some (like climate change and a loss of manufacturing jobs) that are probably not even problems.
The president bragged about creating "our first manufacturing innovation institute" in Ohio and says that he will create 15 more. Politicians claim actions like this are needed to solve the "decline of manufacturing" in America. John McCain, Mike Huckabee and Pat Buchanan also fret about this. But what they call "decline" is myth. There is no decline in manufacturing.
The Federal Reserve says that U.S. manufacturing output is up from 2000, and up almost 50 percent from 1990. Yes, manufacturing employment is down because automation and government's labor rules led companies to automate and produce more with fewer employees, but that's OK.
Manufacturing jobs are no better than other jobs. Few parents today prefer their children work in factories rather than offices.
When the need for people in one type of industry decreases -- say, making wagon wheels -- they are freed up to work in other areas. What America needs is a flexible economy that provides new jobs. For years, we had that.
Workers who lost factory jobs found new work in the fast-growing service industry. Creating software, movies and medical innovation is just as valuable as manufacturing and often more comfortable for workers. Anyway, politicians don't know where new jobs will appear.
"Yet the president wants 15 'manufacturing hubs,' which I guess will be like Solyndra cities," lamented Deroy Murdock, one of three libertarian reporters who came on my show to react to our president's plans.
Murdock's right. Politicians should accept the fact that making things is something the market does pretty well on its own. This month, the Energy Department's inspector general reports that, three years after being awarded a $150 million federal grant, a taxpayer-backed battery plant in Holland, Mich., has not produced a single battery. At one point, the company's workers were paid to do nothing.
"Then we have a 'college scorecard' that Obama will bring," said Murdock. "U.S. News & World Report updates which colleges do a good job, but (now) government will do that?"
Then came the president's call for more spending on preschool.
"I am sympathetic to people wanting to shove their kids out the door," joked Katherine Mangu-Ward, "but Head Start, our pilot program for universal preschool, has a not-great record. We spend $8 billion to get very, very little in terms of results. ... We suck at education."
Well, government does.
Michael C. Moynihan was disappointed that President Obama's speech contained no talk of significant reform of Social Security and Medicare. "Even in this sort of dire circumstance: no change whatsoever."
Both parties are guilty of avoiding our "dire circumstance," said Moynihan. "There was a big announcement in 2011 -- $300, $400 billion in spending would be cut, (but) this was a mirage, there were no spending cuts. ... (What) cuts in Washington mean is that you reduce the rate of increase a little."
Instead of letting obsolete government programs die, bureaucrats come up with new excuses to keep spending. "Like the Rural Electrification Administration," said Murdock. "That was put in by FDR to bring power to Appalachia. (Now) they put in broadband Internet."
The Washington Post reports on a federally supported program that is so bad that even President Obama wants it cut. The Christopher Columbus Fellowship spent 80 percent of its money on overhead. Three Republicans introduced legislation to end it, but the subsidy lives on, because one senator, Thad Cochran, R-Miss., likes it.
So America continues to move toward bankruptcy. Instead of addressing that, the politicians will spend more.
Instead of announcing 15 new "manufacturing" hubs, the president should just announce 300 million "do whatever you want with your own money" hubs. Then American citizens can do as they please.
That would actually do some good.


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HP TouchSmart PC box 2 - HP TouchSmart PC
A closeup of the TouchSmart unit on the box.
Back to thumbnails | View full size image
‹ | iPhone 3G side, white | HP TouchSmart PC box back | › |
The image of the HP TouchSmart PC looks sleek, I like it! I noticed that it says "Next Generation Touch Computer" in the bottom left, and I agree with this quote, it really does look like one! The screen displayed on the monitor looks nice, it shows how you can easily touch the screen and navigate through the different programs and media. Just from looking at it I can tell what uses the HP Touch Smart PC can be used for! Great job with the illustration and box design HP.
posted by: SG · 6/24/08
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You know that adrenaline rush when you're eating a meal and it's so spicy that it makes your nose run?
I love that.
I live for that, in fact.
Other things I love at the moment include, but are not limited to:
nights when there are no Mets, Rangers or Cowboys games on so my boyfriend actually remembers that I exist and sometimes even lets me choose what we watch on tv (but probably not since my choices seem to consist entirely of The Real Housewives of Any County, Married to Jonas, and Grey's Anatomy),
seeing one of my labmates on the street as I am leaving for a Central Park run at 9AM (on a weekday) and he is headed into lab (shame on me) (but really, can I help it if that's my peak running time?! the body knows what the body wants),
cookie butter (no explanation needed),
pale green pea-infused yogurt sauces that cut the aforementioned spice to the point that one's boyfriend can actually eat it (for.the.win).
If you are spice averse or have someone in your life who is, then feel free to decrease the amount of red pepper flakes you use. As for me, I went full speed ahead with them. I would like to say that's not because I knew full well that if the.boy deemed it too spicy then it would be a "more for me!" situation…but that would be a lie.
Although, in my defense, I knew I would love the creamy feta yogurt sauce, dotted with peas and asparagus, smothering a pound of pasta and topped with spicy crunchy pine nuts before I even made the damn thing. And that's just the kind of connection you shouldn't mess with. Ever.
And besides. Given all the hockey/baseball games I've endured in the past three weeks of our cohabitation…I deserve it.
One year ago…Roasted Vegetable Bruschetta with Queso Fresco, Grilled Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Fig and Honey
Three years ago…Braised Tofu in Caramel Sauce
Four years ago…Indian Spiced Chickpeas and Kale over Fusilli
Pasta with Yogurt, Peas and Chile
Serves 6, adapted from Jerusalem and The Guardian
- 500 g Greek yogurt (about 1 17.6 oz container)
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 2/3 cup olive oil, divided
- 1.5 oz basil, torn
- 1 lb fresh peas, boiled until floating
- 1 lb pasta
- 1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 oz pine nuts
- 2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 lb feta, crumbled
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Put the yogurt, garlic, 1/3 cup olive oil and 3.5 oz of the peas in a food processor. Process until pureed. Add in the basil and puree until smooth. Pour into a large bowl.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions, adding the asparagus in the last minute of cooking. While it's cooking, heat the remaining olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and red pepper flakes. Fry for four minutes, until the nuts are golden and the oil is deep red.
- Drain the cooked pasta and gradually add it to the yogurt sauce. Add the peas, feta, a tsp of salt and plenty of pepper. Toss gently. Serve topped with the pine nut and red pepper flake mix.
I am submitting this to this week's I Heart Cooking Club!


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Local premiere stars Jamecia Bennett and Rajané Katurah Brown
Park Square Theatre announces the area premiere production of Marie & Rosetta by George Brandt, to be directed by Wendy Knox, who directed the early workshops of the play at the Minneapolis-based Playwrights' Center. Soulful and spirited, this play with music tells the story of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, a 2018 inductee into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame who has become a Facebook sensation with tens of thousands of shares of the vintage video of her playing electric guitar on the street cropping up in feeds for the past several years. Tharpe brought fierce guitar playing and swing to gospel music and went on to influence rock musicians from Elvis to Jimi Hendrix and Ray Charles.
The story begins in a funeral parlor in Mississippi, as Rosetta (played by Jamecia Bennett*) and her young protégé, Marie Knight (played by Rajané Katurah Brown), prepare for a tour that will establish them as a great musical duo. Local musical powerhouses, Bennett and Brown earned rave reviews in THE WIZ at Children's Theatre Company. In this production, musical director Gary D. Hines from The Sounds of Blackness will help them shape memorable renditions of spirituals like "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?" and "Sit Down," to distinctly non-religious songs like "I Want a Tall Skinny Papa."
"Rosetta was a powerhouse musician who had a huge influence on Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and Etta James, among others," says director Wendy Knox. "She came to fame as a gospel singer, was a rival of Mahalia Jackson, then crossed over to secular music and was shunned by the church community. She was married several times and maintained a longtime relationship with her musical partner Marie Knight. Under-recognized for her talents (gee, that problem hasn't gone away, has it?), she had an enormous influence on rock and roll. What a treat to return to this great story in the very year when she finally got her due from the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame!"
The production team for Marie & Rosetta includes Joseph Stanley (Scenic Design); Aaron Chvatal (Costume Design); Robert Dunn (Wig Design); Abbee Warmboe (Properties Design); Michael P. Kittel (Lighting Design); Peter Morrow (Sound Design); Morgan Holmes (Dramaturg); Jared Zeigler* (Stage Manager).
Ticket prices: Previews: $20-$37. Regular Run: $25-$60. Discounts are available for seniors, military personnel, those under age 30, and groups. Tickets are on sale at the Park Square ticket office, 20 W. Seventh Place, or by phone: 651.291.7005, (12 noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday), or online at parksquaretheatre.org. #PSTMarie&Rosetta
*Member, Actors Equity Association
Marie & Rosetta
Park Square's Proscenium Stage
Previews: November 23 – 29, 2018
Opening Night: November 30
Regular Run: November 30 – December 30, 2018
Tickets: Previews: $20-$37; Regular Run: $25-$60
PARK SQUARE THEATRE, 20 W. Seventh Place, Saint Paul
Ticket Office: 651-291-7005 or parksquaretheatre.org
Phtos by Petronella J. Ytsma HERE.
Green 7:30 pm; Orange 2:00pm
P – Preview; B – 99¢ Bargain Preview; D – Post-show Discussion; O – Opening Night; ASL – American Sign Language; AD – Audio Description; C – Open Captioning


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(visited by Leon Wende and Sarah-Jane)
03-Aug-2009 -- This confluence point was visited while we were on holiday, travelling from Perth to Cairns then back to Perth via the Gulf and the Kimberley.
Four visits were planned for this trip: 12°S 143°E, 18°S 140°E, 17°S 129°E and 17°S 138°E.
This confluence point is on the border between Queensland and the Northern Territory, and is on the property of Wollogorang Station.
I had contacted the station's owner prior to leaving Perth, seeking his permission to traverse Wollogorang in order to visit the confluence point - but did not hear back from him.
On the day that the visit was planned we drove into Wollogorang and fortunately the owner, Stuart Zlotkowski, was at home. After receiving an explanation and clarification of our intentions he gave us his permission to proceed and provided instructions for reaching the target point. We are grateful to him for this.
Sarah-Jane and I drove from the homestead 25km north along a dusty station track which, as planned, took us to within 200m of the point. From there it was a short and easy walk through reasonably dense savannah scrub to the confluence point, a few metres west of which a large wallaby was waiting for us! (See photograph)
After taking the prescribed photographs, the return to the homestead and exiting the station and back to the main road were straightforward and uneventful.


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Otto Neugebauer (1899-1990), more than any other scholar of recent times, shaped the way we perceive and study ancient science.
Otto Neugebauer (1899-1990), more than any other scholar of recent times, shaped the way we perceive and study ancient science. Less known among historians of science but just as important is his role in the contemporary mathematical community. While tracing the ancient transmission of the mathematical sciences, Neugebauer was himself also part of a modern stage of these processes, and his career as much as his scholarship responded to his conviction that mathematical reasoning was a phenomenon unlimited by nationality, language, or culture.
On the 20th anniversary of his death, New York University's Institute for the Study of the Ancient World (ISAW) and the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences are hosting a conference, entitled A Mathematician's Journey: Otto Neugebauer Between History and Practice of the Exact Sciences, that will cast new light on the many facets of Neugebauer's career, his impact on the history and practice of mathematics, and the ways in which his legacy has been preserved or transformed in recent decades, looking ahead to the directions in which the study of the history of science will head in the twenty-first century.
A Mathematician's Journey will take place Nov. 12 & 13, at ISAW, located at 15 East 84th Street; subways: 4, 5, 6 (86th Street/Lexington). The conference is free and open to the public but reservations are required. For reservations, email email@example.com or telephone 212.992.7843. For more detailed information, including a complete schedule of sessions, visit https://sites.google.com/site/neugebauerconference2010/.
Conference participants are: Lis Brack-Bernsen, University of Regensburg; Karine Chemla, CNRS REHSEIS-SPHERE; Dennis Duke, Florida State University; B.R. Goldstein, University of Pittsburgh; Jens Høyrup, University of Roskilde; Hermann Hunger, University of Vienna; Teije de Jong, University of Amsterdam; Agathe Keller, CNRS REHSEIS-SPHERE; Duncan Melville, St. Lawrence University; Mathieu Ossendrijver, University of Tübingen and ISAW, NYU; Christine Proust, Institut Méditerranéen de Recherches Avancées, Marseille; Lewis Pyenson, Western Michigan University; Jim Ritter, Université de Paris 8; David Rowe,University of Mainz; George Saliba, Columbia University; R. Siegmund-Schultze, University of Agder; John Steele, Brown University; and N. M. Swerdlow, California Institute of Technology.
Respondents are: Jed Buchwald, California Institute of Technology; Sylvain Cappell, Courant Institute, NYU; Harold Edwards, Courant Institute, NYU; and Peter Lax, Courant Institute, NYU.
The conference has been made possible through the support of the Leon Levy Foundation; Brown University; Courant Institute, NYU; Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton; Transitions (CNRS-NYU); REHSEIS (CNRS), and CNRS.
ISAW is a center for advanced scholarly research and graduate education for the cultivation of comparative and connective investigations of the ancient world. It features doctoral and postdoctoral programs. The Institute focuses on the shared and overlapping periods in the development of cultures and civilizations around the Mediterranean basin, and across central Asia to the Pacific Ocean.


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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Perhaps atoning for past sins, Hollywood named the brutal, unshrinking historical drama "12 Years a Slave" best picture at the 86th annual Academy Awards.
Steve McQueen's slavery odyssey, based on Solomon Northup's 1853 memoir, has been hailed as a landmark corrective to the movie industry's long omission of slavery stories and years of whiter tales like 1940 best-picture winner "Gone With the Wind."
McQueen dedicated the honor to those who suffered slavery and "the 21 million who still endure slavery today."
"Everyone deserves not just to survive, but to live," said McQueen, who promptly bounced into the arms of his cast. "This is the most important legacy of Solomon Northup."
A year after celebrating Ben Affleck's "Argo" over Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln," the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this time opted for stark realism over more plainly entertaining candidates like the 3-D space marvel "Gravity" and the starry 1970s caper "American Hustle."
Those two films came in as the leading nominee getters, and "Gravity" still triumphed as the night's top award-winner. Cleaning up in technical categories, it earned seven Oscars including best director for Alfonso Cuaron. The Mexican filmmaker is the category's first Latino winner.
But history belonged to "12 Years a Slave," a modestly budgeted drama produced by Pitt's production company, Plan B, that has made $50 million worldwide - a far cry from the more than $700 million "Gravity" has hauled in. It marks the first time a film directed by a black filmmaker has won best picture. Its graceful breakthrough star, Lupita Nyong'o, also won best supporting actress and John Ridley won best adapted screenplay.
The Oscars fittingly spread the awards around, feting the starved stars of the Texas AIDS drama "Dallas Buyers Club," Matthew McConaughey (best actor) and Jared Leto (best supporting actor), and the Australian veteran Cate Blanchett for her fallen socialite in Woody Allen's "Blue Jasmine" (best actress, her second Oscar).
BY JAKE COYLE - Mar 3, 12:09 AM EST