There is no question that some alternative therapies against cancer work. The difficulty is working out exactly which among the 120 (at last count) therapies claiming success.

In addition, many therapies are not available in the UK and often require a journey to far off lands to initiate treatment, plus a great deal of money to afford the exorbitant pricetag, which most insurance companies won't cover.

So, here's a five point plan for anyone with cancer who cannot afford those expensive options.

1. Establish and remove the cause

Some cancers have a clear cause, for instance, lung cancer and smoking. The causes can range from the psychological or stress related to food intolerances and environmental pollutants, all of which, if isolated, can be controlled. Pioneering techniques such as Humeral Pathological Testing (a fingerprick blood test viewed under high powered magnification) and bioresonance techniques can provide vital clues. Also, have yourself tested for food allergies.

2. Orthodox medicine when appropriate

Don't dismiss orthodox medicine, particularly surgery, out of hand. Surgery is often curative, and even chemotherapy and radiotherapy may have their place in prolonging life or easing certain symptoms.

To find out if orthodox medicine has a place in your treatment, ask your oncologist three questions:

a) What are my five or ten year chances of survival?

b) What is the cure rate (not the response rate) of the proposed treatment for my type of cancer?

c) What are the side effects, and will it substantially reduce my quality of life?

Insist on honest answers. If you do decide to use orthodox treatment, complementary treatments can help prepare your body to deal with some of the damage and speed up recovery.

3. Activate your immune system

A full assessment and treatment by a homoeopath can boost your immune system. Certain herbal medicines have been proven to stimulate white cell response (Echinacea is the best known example). High dose antioxidants and some of the new supplementary immune boosters like MGN-3, MSM and IP-6 can also help.

Don't forget psychological and healing techniques. Psychoneuroim munology techniques (such as visualisation) have been proven to boost the immune system, and healing has been documented to be effective both as a cure and in relieving the symptoms of cancer.

4. Examine your diet

There is strong evidence that diet can inhibit cancer growth and some evidence that it can cure it. Overwhel ming evidence shows that cancer is created by carcinogenic compounds in our food. To stop the growth of a current tumour, it is vital to eliminate any bad dietary tendencies.

5. Use alternative anticancer treatments

The following cancer fighters can be taken at home or through a sympathetic GP, and aren't outrageously expensive:

High dose antioxidant therapy, orally or intravenously

Iscador, intramuscularly or orally

Shark cartilage, orally or rectally

Ukrain, intravenously

Laetrile, orally or intravenously.

Other good supports include bioresonance techniques, Native Legend tea, the arabinoside MGM-3 therapies and diets such as the Gerson, Budvig or macrobiotic.

!ADr Rajendra Sharma (c)2000

Harald Gaier is on holiday.