Cancer is a disease that occurs when your cells do not cycle through their normal death and growth routine. Sometimes new cells grow in places where they are not needed. In other instances, cells that have reached the end of their normal life do not die off. These cells group together and create a mass, which is called a tumor. The presence of a tumor does not always indicate cancer. A malignant tumor is a cancerous tumor. These tumors can destroy your tissues and organs. They can also spread throughout the body. The name of your cancer likely stems from the part of the body where the cancer originated. For example, if you have breast cancer, it means the cancer started in your breast. However, the cancer can spread and still be diagnosed as breast cancer. Most people who have cancer undergo chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, or a combination of these three treatments. Surgery is used whenever possible in an attempt to remove the cancerous tumor before other treatments begin. Chemotherapy is an intensive treatment using a combination of the more than 100 chemotherapy medications. These medications are delivered through an IV or through oral pills. They are strong medicines that often lead cancer side effects such as hair loss, fatigue, and illness. The goal of chemotherapy is to inhibit the ability of the cancer cells to grow and spread. Radiation is often used in conjunction with chemotherapy to treat cancer. Radiation is a treatment that is targeted at a specific area of the body. X-rays are used in an attempt to damage the DNA of the cancer cells, which kills them. Radiation will harm the healthy cells in the body as well, but these cells can repair the damage. Cancer cells, however, grow too quickly to repair the damage. At least half of all cancer patients will have radiation as part of their treatment. There are serious side effects of radiation, however. Whatever area has the cancer will suffer from the cancer radiation, interrupting the natural actions of the body. The area being treated also loses hair. People undergoing radiation will usually feel fatigued. Because of the many side effects of these types of cancer treatments, many people seek alternative cancer medicine to treat their cancer. Alternative cancer medicine involves dietary treatments, metabolic therapies, energy medicines, homeopathic cancer medications, and mind-body approaches to cancer treatment. While studies do not yet show whether or not these cancer treatments are effective for all cancer patients, the fact is that the traditional therapies are not always effective and carry serious cancer side effects. Most who choose alternative cancer medicine find that it is a far more pleasant way to deal with their cancer.