Green tea is derived from the shrub Camellia sinensis, the same plant as used for black tea, but is not fermented (oxidised). A variety of health benefits has been suggested including cancer prevention.

The term ginseng refers to various plant species of the genus Panax. The main species cultivated for drug production are Panax ginseng (Korean ginseng, Asian ginseng) and Panax quinquefolius (American ginseng, Wisconsin ginseng). According to the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the root of P. ginseng is classified as a traditional herbal medicinal product.Other preparations often do not contain sufficient ginsenosides or may not contain any ginseng at all. Based on clinical research data, the medical uses of ginseng include strengthening and revitalising weak or fatigued patients and any patients suffering from a reduced ability to function and concentrate.

Lycopene is a carotenoid that forms the red pigment in fruit, such as tomatoes or apricots. Lycopene has been suggested to exhibit antioxidant activities, inhibit cell proliferation and induct apoptosis, thus protecting against cancer (in particular prostate cancer) and providing health benefits for cancer patients. The additional intake of processed tomato products (juice), functional foods enriched with lycopene, or nutritional supplements is marketed based on such claims. This summary concerns the supranutritional intake (i.e. in addition to the content of the daily diet) of lycopene in the form of supplements or functional foods.

Medical cannabis refers to preparations from the ingredients of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa L. used for medical purposes. The ingredients characteristic of the hemp family are cannabinoids, which are responsible for the pharmacological effects. Common uses of medical cannabis include neurogenic spasticity, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, anorexia, and chronic pain.

Insulin potentiation therapy (IPT) is a treatment regimen using insulin as an adjunct to conventional chemotherapy. It is claimed that insulin potentiates the effects of chemotherapy, which would enable a 75-90% reduction of the usual and customary doses of anticancer drugs thus reducing the risk of their adverse effects. Although some hypotheses have been put forward, the mechanisms of the claimed insulin potentiation of chemotherapy remain unclear and the few published in vitro studies do not help to clarify this.

Ozone (O3) is an unstable gas found in the atmosphere where it protects against solar radiation. It has been produced by specialised generators for therapeutic use. Ozone therapy can involve body saunas, insufflation into body cavities (not the lungs), application to joints and lesions, and mixing with the patient’s blood and reinjection (autohaemotherapy). It has also been used as a disinfectant. It has been claimed that ozone therapy has immunomodulatory and immunoactivating properties, and can reverse local hypoxic conditions required by some cancer cells. There have been few trials in humans for any condition and no randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in cancer patients have been published in full in English. Other reports are either uncontrolled observations or the clinical relevance is unclear.

Propagermanium is an organic germanium compound. Germanium compounds are popular as nutritional supplements and proponents advertise beneficial effects on the course of a multiplicity of illnesses. Propagermanium is approved for the treatment of hepatitis B in Japan and is thought to have anticancer effects through induction of endogenous interferon-γ production and augmented NK cell activity.

Maitake is a mushroom indigenous to many Asian countries. Commercial preparations are available as preserved whole fruiting bodies, pulverized fruiting bodies and extracts from the mycelium. Like other species from this phylum, maitake contains polysaccharides (alpha-/beta-homo- and heteroglycans), proteins, nucleic and amino acids, minerals and trace elements, ergosterin, several vitamins and provitamins, phenols and flavonoids. The suggested key components are beta-glucans which are found in the cell walls of the fruiting bodies and mycelia.

Cat's claw or ‘Uña de Gato’ is a thick woody vine classified in the Rubiaceae family. For medicinal purposes, the stem bark or root from the species Uncaria tomentosa and U. guianensis are most commonly used. These have traditionally been used for allergies, asthma, wound healing, viral infections, fevers, arthritis, gastric ulcers, rheumatism, inflammation, contraception and menstrual irregularities. Uncaria tomentosa and U. guianensis contain over 60 different biologically active compounds that could be complementary and/or synergic in their actions.

The trace element selenium is a nutrient essential to human health and occurs naturally in a variety of foods. Inorganic forms (e.g. sodium selenite or selenate) and organic forms (e.g., selenomethionine) are both used in large numbers of selenium-containing medications, nutritional supplements or dietary aids that are promoted for medical or health purposes. These may contain either selenium alone (mono-supplements) or selenium in combination with other trace minerals as well as vitamins. Supplemental selenium has been advocated for the treatment of cancer, prevention of cancer, and for the treatment of cancer-related symptoms and adverse effects of cancer therapy.