Alternative treatment

A much-discussed topic in recent years is alternative treatment, ie treatment in a non-standard way. In order to take a stand on alternative treatment, it is necessary to state what standard treatment means.

Standard treatment

The standard method of treatment is evidence-based medicine. This is a modern trend where the latest scientific and medical knowledge is used in treatment. Evidence in this context means the conclusions of extensive studies that establish the appropriate treatment as the best possible, the best with the best treatment outcomes. The studies are conducted on a sufficiently large and appropriate (so-called representative) group of patients.

Patients enrolled in the study are treated as usual, some of whom have their treatment adjusted by adding a new drug or changing the dosing schedule of existing drugs. During the study, patients are closely monitored, their condition, treatment tolerance, possible complications, quality of life and, of course, treatment results are monitored. The study lasts much longer for children with cancer than for adults, usually around 5 years.

All our patients are treated according to internationally recognized treatment schemes, so-called protocols. The protocols are based on the results of studies in which the patients before you participated. They determine the optimal method of treatment with the maximum chance of cure. The protocol determines the dosage of drugs, the method of their administration, the intervals between chemotherapies and all other details of therapy, so sick children are treated at our workplace as well as children in other European centers. Your child is treated with standard, ie currently the best available treatment.

Alternative treatment

Alternative treatment is not evidence-based treatment. There are no specific data on the effects of individual alternative treatments - treatment success rates, percentage of complications, deaths, etc. Those who practice alternative treatments are not responsible for the management of the treatment and are therefore legally uncontested. The financial demands for alternative treatment are often enormous, which makes the situation of a family with a long-term sick child even more difficult. There is not a single patient in the history of the clinic who would be cured of a "miracle" alternative medicine from cancer. The above facts contribute to the very reserved approach of our workplace to alternative treatment in general.

We are aware of the difficult situation of a family with a child with cancer and that it is not easy for family members to passively monitor ongoing chemotherapy and the often very aggressive methods provided by standard cancer treatment. Perhaps that is why some parents of our patients are looking for alternative medicine - "do something", "pay someone", "do anything" in order to help their sick child in any way.

Let us realize that standard treatment is a considerable burden on the child's body for various organs (kidneys, liver, heart) and the combination of chemotherapy with alternative drugs can significantly burden a small patient. It is therefore always necessary to consult the attending physician on the possible involvement of an alternative medicine.

We welcome your active involvement in the treatment of the child and do not resist discussions on any topic. We follow trends not only in modern medicine - we observe the rapid rise and fall of certain methods (eg tumor devitalization), we are familiar with the presumed effect of specific drugs (eg aloe vera, mistletoe), we perceive discussions of previously completely rejected procedures (eg treatment with high-dose vitamin C). ). Unfortunately, there has not yet been an alternative treatment that would be a real alternative, a real chance to cure our pediatric patients.