Restoring Balance for People with Cancer Through Integrative Oncology

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Key points

  • Alongside their conventional cancer therapies, patients have an opportunity to include integrative medicine to enhance their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.

  • The integrative oncology team works together with the patient’s oncologist, surgeon, and radiation oncologist to provide support and augment care during and after active cancer treatment.

  • Individualized integrative medicine allows patients a choice from diverse practices and treatments, including nutritional support and

Western versus traditional medical approaches to understanding cancer

Conventional Western medical cancer treatments focus on identifying and targeting specific cancers in different parts of the body on cellular and molecular levels, measuring tumor responses, and identifying cell signaling and growth factors.2 Although this approach is mostly targeted to eliminate cancerous cells, the whole body is involved. Integrative medical approaches are grounded in the concept of balance and are not limited to pathology of the physical body and cellular activity. Balance

Restoring balance through nutrition

Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food

—Hippocrates

Recommendations for nutrition and individualized approaches vary throughout the literature from nutrition having no impact on cancer to nutrition having a great impact (Table 1).18, 19 The general consensus is that a more plant-based living diet with a lesser amount of animal proteins is extremely beneficial for cancer prevention and treatment and for other chronic diseases.20 Long ago naturopathic physicians believed that health

Restoring balance during and after cancer treatment

Although chemotherapy, radiation, and other conventional cancer treatments are effective in killing rapidly dividing cancer cells, these treatments can stress healthy cells, leading to many debilitating side effects (eg, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, alopecia, neuropathy). Managing these side effects (Table 2) without affecting treatment outcomes can result in improved quality of life, avoidance or reduction in treatment dosage and delays, and improvement in compliance.

Much can and needs to be

Herbal and supplemental support for patients with cancer

Integrative approaches to cancer care are individualized because of different chemotherapy treatments and the individual’s own genetic polymorphisms that detoxify these treatments. However, in general there are some options that the primary care physician can suggest to their patients during treatment. These include support to manage nausea, neuropathy, fatigue, insomnia, dysgeusia, neuropathy, and imbalances of the gastrointestinal system. Care is taken to avoid any supplements and herbs that

Restoring balance through homeopathy

Homeopathy has been used for hundreds of years as a holistic medical approach that uses highly diluted natural substances to relieve symptoms.42 In the area of cancer, cell culture research show evidence of apoptosis by cell shrinkage, chromatin condensation, and DNA fragmentation. Plastic surgeons increasingly are using homeopathy with plastic surgery.43 One study using objective measurements found that homeopathic Arnica montana accelerated postoperative healing with quick resolution and

Traditional Chinese medicine to restore balance

Chinese medicine has a long history of treating cancer and recognizes that its cause involves external pathogens (from outside the body), the environment, emotional maladjustment, and an improper diet with the tumor as a partial consequence of systemic disease. This approach to treatment combines partial and systemic therapy, by strengthening the body’s resistance, eliminating pathogens, and regulating emotions. During radiation therapy and chemotherapy, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)

Qigong to restore balance

Qigong is translated from Chinese to mean “energy cultivation.”48 As an ancient healing art it involves postures, exercises, breathing techniques, and meditations that restore balance to the body. Common to all styles of qigong is the achievement of a state of tranquility, relaxation and release of tension, improved sleep, energy balance, strength and stamina, and a commitment to developing will power.49

In ancient China, qigong was considered a method for warding off diseases and prolonging

Balance through exposure to nature

A traditional activity called Shinrin-yoku found in China and Japan is that of forest bathing or “taking in the forest atmosphere.” Compared with city environments, studies show that exposure to forest environments promote lower concentrations of cortisol, pulse rate, and blood pressure, while achieving balance through greater parasympathetic and lower sympathetic nervous system activity. Trees release phytoncides (α-pinene and β-pinene) into the forest air. Human studies (though small in

Restoring balance through mind-body practices

Understanding of the interconnected balance between mind and body dates back several millennia, and is found in traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese Medicine, and other ancient healing traditions. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health defines mind-body medicine as practices that “focus on the interactions among the brain, mind, body, and behavior, with the intent to use the mind to affect physical functioning and promote health.”54 Mind-focused therapies typically include

Mindfulness meditation and cancer

Over the past two decades a growing body of research has shown that learning and implementing mindful awareness practices can lead to increased self-regulation and reductions in emotional distress (depression, anxiety) and pain, improvements in sleep, positive health behaviors, and overall health-related quality of life in populations of patients with cancer.57 Mindfulness also has an important role in decreasing physiologic effects of stress on the body by reestablishing normal patterns of

Benefits of yoga for survivors of cancer

Several studies with populations of patients with cancer report that yoga is linked to improved quality of life, including increased mental health and decreased physical symptoms.70 Compared with control conditions, specific benefits have included improved sleep quality71; less mood disturbances72; and improved quality of life,73 physical functioning,72 spiritual well-being,74 and social well-being.75

Bridging integrative oncology and primary care

Primary care physicians are in a unique position to support oncology care providers by entering into discussions with their patients to identify and address concerns, respond to a patient’s need for information, and provide guidance without dismissing their fears. Management of side effects and end-of-life discussions also offer invaluable teachable moments for patients to consider using integrative approaches that may make the difference between deciding to receive a life-sparing treatment or

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Ms Stephanie Schuette for her assistance with formatting and other administrative support on this article.

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