Integrative Cancer Care

Integrative cancer care is individualized and holistic care of the cancer patient that includes any healing strategies that have a high potential for efficacy and limited potential for harm. Treatment plans often incorporate healthy lifestyle and complementary healing modalities in conjunction with standard oncology care. The healthcare provider who is delivering integrative oncology care serves a vital role. In addition to the oncologist, this could be another team member with integrative oncology training, for example, a pediatrician, family and community medicine, gynecologist, or internal medicine provider. Or in some cases a complementary medicine provider such as a traditional Chinese medicine-trained acupuncturist, herbalist or other health professional may be part of your treatment team.

If the integrative provider is not your primary oncologist, then it is critical to communicate effectively and coordinate with your primary oncologist. The integrative oncology provider should work collaboratively to create an individualized integrative treatment plan that considers the cancer treatment stage (i.e., in treatment or post-treatment), and anticipates and accounts for the changing nature of the cancer landscape (e.g., expected side effects of chemotherapy or cancer recurrence) as skillfully as possible.

Open communication is important to coordinate care, avoid any adverse interactions, and encourage families to feel comfortable discussing all types of treatments.

Finding a Qualified Integrative Provider

Be sure that any integrative provider you choose to work with has clear training in integrative medicine and/or substantial experience with integrative oncology. It is important to ask any integrative provider you choose to work with about their training and experience in integrative oncology, as well as their willingness and ability to communicate openly with your primary oncology team such as your surgeon, oncologist, or radiation oncologist, when appropriate. This is particularly important during your active cancer treatment phase.

Qualified physicians can complete an Integrative Medicine Fellowship, like the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine (AWCIM) IM Fellowship. They are then eligible to sit for the Integrative Medicine Board Exam (ABOIM)  and become board certified in integrative medicine. You can look for graduates from the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine (AWCIM) using the Online Directory or look at other resources below.

Video: Dr. Donald Abrams on Integrative Oncology

Dr. Abrams, chief of hematology-oncology and integrative oncologist at San Francisco General, discusses what integrative oncology means to him.