Integrative Oncology – navigating the diagnosis

Receiving a cancer diagnosis is universally a devastating revelation to face. Navigating the path of treatment and hopefully cure can be confusing and frightening. Information sources are plentiful and unfiltered online, making it difficult to identify reliable, fact-based recommendations outside of discussions with physicians to guide treatment choices. Even simple questions such as Is surgery the best option for my condition? or What are my options if I don’t agree to chemotherapy? are difficult to independently research. The process can be overwhelming, even paralyzing.

Once on the journey, conventional cancer treatment can be arduous, painful, and physically and mentally debilitating as patients undergo surgery, receive chemotherapy, and receive radiation therapy over several weeks to months. Fatigue, nausea and vomiting, low blood counts, dry mouth (xerostomia), and post-surgical pain are all common consequences of standard treatment. The typical management of these issues generally involves prescription of additional medications to control developing symptoms. As alternative care strategies increased in popularity, their inclusion in pain management and oncology began to surface as natural extensions of their increasingly recognized positive impact. This evolved into the institutional implementation of alternative strategies in conjunction with traditional Western treatment.

Randomized control trials have demonstrated improved tolerance to conventional treatment modalities with inclusion of integrative care strategies in patients under treatment for breast, lung, and GI malignancies. Acupuncture and herbal supplements can support the body’s energy, manage pain, nausea, vomiting, xerostomia, and fatigue, improving surgical recovery and sustaining vitality during chemotherapy and radiation therapy without interfering with the efficacy of these conventional treatment modalities. Patients are empowered to actively participate in their own recovery through optimization of nutritional choices, addition of exercise as permitted, and inclusion of mind-body practices such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, qi gong, and Reiki healing. The psycho-emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis and its treatment has been shown to be lessened and better processed by the inclusion of integrative care strategies.

Ideally, integrative support should begin prior to surgery and continue through the conclusion of adjuvant therapy for maximum benefit. It can even be continued beyond the conventional care period as part of a permanent lifestyle change toward healthful living. If that is not possible, starting treatment at any point during the process will greatly benefit recovery and quality of life.