Cancer guided imagery is an alternative cancer treatment in which the patient imagines cancer cell

Cancer cell

Cancer cells are cells that grow and divide at an unregulated, quickened pace. Although cancer cells can be quite common in a person they are only malignant when the other cells fail to recognize and/or destroy them. In the past a common belief was that cancer cells failed to be recognized and...

s dying, tumor

Tumor

A tumor or tumour is commonly used as a synonym for a neoplasm that appears enlarged in size. Tumor is not synonymous with cancer...

s shrinking, or themselves being healthy. It is a type of mind–body intervention.

Cancer guided imagery may relieve some side effects and reduce patients' fear. According to an article from the University of California, San Diego

University of California, San Diego

The University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...

, a review of 46 studies conducted from 1966 to 1998 by the American Cancer Society

American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...

found that guided imagery was effective in managing stress, anxiety, depression, pain, and the side effects of chemotherapy.

Cancer guided imagery is not recommended on its own, as it is completely ineffective at killing cancer cells.