Echinacea for Cancer Patients: To Give or Not to Give.

Currently, there is a progressive trend for the use of complementary and alternative therapies among cancer patients. Herbal products have a huge market in this field. Among herbal supplements which are consumed in this population, Echinacea preparations are very popular. These natural products have immune-boosting effects that can suppress tumor growth and invasion. However, there is a concern about proposing a standard formulation for this indication. Some ingredients of these herbs can even be tumor promoting. Therefore, a meticulous investigation on this issue would be highly valuable before making a recommendation or prohibition about Echinacea products for cancer patients.