Integrative Care Primer
Supporting the Whole Patient
My Patient Navigator™ will help you discover the benefits of integrative care, including integrative cancer care. Integrative care includes complementary therapies to support mind, body and spirit, such as diet and nutrition, exercise, herbs, vitamins, supplements, massage, acupuncture, yoga and other Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies. Integrative care also addresses the emotional and spiritual needs of a patient.
My Patient Navigator™ also offers its members a discounted subscription to the TherapEase Cuisine Oncology Nutrition online program. Learn more.
There are many terms used to describe approaches to health care that are outside the realm of conventional medicine as practiced in the United States.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), defines some of the key terms used in the field of complementary and alternative medicine and provides a good introduction to this topic in their article “What is CAM? (CAM Basics)”.
Complementary medicine and alternative medicine are different from each other.
- Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine. An example of a complementary therapy is using meditation to help a patient manage anxiety.
- Alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine. An example of an alternative therapy is using a special diet to treat cancer instead of undergoing surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy that has been recommended by a conventional doctor.
Integrative medicine combines treatments from conventional medicine and CAM for which there is some high quality scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness.
Integrative oncology for cancer care is gaining increased attention because it is showing benefits beyond traditional surgery and chemotherapy and radiation.
Integrative oncology accompanies (but does not replace) tested, effective cancer treatments.
Integrative oncology blends clinical benefits of complementary treatments such as nutrition, supplements, natural botanical and mind-body therapies with traditional cancer care. The results show longer life benefits, a higher quality of living with less debilitating side effects.
You should also familiarize yourself with integrative oncology topics by reading the National Cancer Institute fact sheet “Questions and Answers About Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Cancer Treatment” .
A word of warning:
The number of web sites offering health-related resources — including information about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) — grows every day. Many sites are useful, but others may present information that is inaccurate or misleading. When you visit a site for the first time, it’s important to evaluate how reliable it is. Learn more with our “Evaluate Health Information on the Internet” roadmap.
Always consult with your medical team before initiating any type of complementary or alternative therapy, in particular if you are considering herbs, supplements or other commercial treatments.
Always tell your medical team exactly what you are taking. This is very important. Some products can interfere or pose a risk when taken with your traditional cancer treatments. You must be open and honest with your doctors.
Learn More
This short guide produced by NCCAM entitled “Evaluating Web-Based Health Resources” outlines several points to consider in your assessment of a CAM website or product claim.
An article by the Mayo Clinic entitled “Alternative medicine: Evaluate claims of treatment success” also offers important information to consider as you investigate CAM therapies.
Many cancer centers and hospitals recognize the benefits of integrative care for their patients.
Integrative Care Cancer Hospitals include:
The Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment offers individualized integrative care. Their model brings the highest level of conventional medicine and integrates those conventional protocols with advanced complementary therapies that address the physical, nutritional, psychosocial, and spiritual aspects of healing and recovery. Their phone number is 1-877-412-5625 and the Block Center is in Evanston, Illinois.
Cancer Treatment Centers of America have hospitals in Chicago, Philadelphia, Tulsa and Phoenix. CTCA also includes experienced cancer professionals in medical, surgical and radiation oncology, and other specialties. CTCA develops for each patient a personalized treatment plan which includes a powerful combination of advanced conventional therapies integrated with supportive complementary medicine therapies to improve their quality of life throughout treatment. Their phone number is 1-800-268-0786.
Cancer Centers with Integrative Care Programs include:
The MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas offers an Integrative Medicine Clinic. Their phone number is 713-794-4700.
The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York offers integrative medicine services. Their phone number is 212-639-2000.
The Mayo Clinic (various locations) offers Complementary and Alternative Medicine specialists to work with physicians and patients. Their phone number is 507-284-2511.
Be sure to ask your medical team for local practitioners and hospitals if you wish to pursue an integrative treatment plan.
Organizations:
The Annie Appleseed Project, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, provides information, education, advocacy, and awareness for people with cancer and their family and friends who are interested in complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) and natural therapies from a patient’s perspective.
Ann Fonfa, founder of The Annie Appleseed Project and a breast cancer survivor, has testified in Congress and to the Food & Drug Administration about a patient’s need for CAM information. “Only by standing up for our right to know will we get the studies we need to make educated and informed choices.”
The Cancer Cure Foundation site includes a database of CAM practitioners and treatment centers throughout the U.S. and abroad.
The Center for Mind-Body Medicine offers professional training in mind-body medicine, integrative oncology and cancer nutrition.
The Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary organization founded in 2003 for health professionals committed to the study and application of complementary therapies and botanicals for cancer patients. It provides a convenient forum for presentation, discussion and peer review of evidence-based research and treatment modalities in the discipline known as integrative medicine. It makes a clear distinction between “alternative” or unproven and “complementary” or tested useful therapies in cancer care. Integrative oncology is a seamless rapprochement of interventions that benefit cancer patients.
Books We Like:
Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life by David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD. An important and beautifully written book for anyone fighting cancer or who wants to adopt healthy lifestyle habits in order to prevent cancer.
Life Over Cancer – The Block Center Program for Integrative Cancer Treatment. A seminal work in the field of integrative oncology written for patients.
Anything written by Dr. Andrew Weil. Visit his website at www.drweil.com.
