Introduction To Integrative Oncology

People facing a new diagnosis of cancer are unsettled by their prognosis and treatment options, and they often seek to integrate complementary modalities into their conventional care plan, hoping to improve their chances of cure and decrease side effects. Many do so without informing their oncologist, for fear of alienating them or not convinced that their physician would be informed about complementary therapies. Integrative Oncology, the first volume in the Weil Integrative Medicine Library, provides a wealth of information for both practitioners and consumers on the emerging field of integrative oncology. Noted oncologist Donald Abrams and integrative medicine pioneer Andrew Weil and their international panel of experts present up-to-date and extensively referenced chapters on a wide spectrum of issues and challenges, bound in one comprehensive, reader-friendly text in a format featuring key points, sidebars, tables, and a two-color design for ease of use. It is destined to emerge as the definitive resource in this emerging field.

Integrative Oncology explores a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to cancer care that addresses all individuals involved in the process, and can include the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies alongside conventional modalities such as chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy. The number of integrative care programs is increasing worldwide and this book forms a foundation text for all who want to learn more about this growing field. This guide provides a thoughtful and generous perspective on integrative care, an outstanding overview of the exciting clinical opportunities these techniques can offer, and a guide to the new territories that all oncologists and CAM practitioners need to explore and understand.

This book is the definitive guide for oncologists, general medical practitioners and other healthcare professionals with an interest in integrative oncology. Guiding you on how to conduct the “ultimate consultation” from an integrative medicine perspective, this text is a valuable educational tool, presenting the latest evidence-based approaches to managing the cancer patient, as well as anecdotes and practical recommendations from Dr. Sali’s decades of clinical experience as a leading expert in integrative oncology. Topics include the role of mind-body medicine in cancer, stress reduction, diet, sleep, sunshine and Vitamin D, exercise, vitamins and other supplements, supportive complementary medicines including Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture, and innovative investigative and treatment technologies. Written by two clinicians who are also educators and researchers, A Clinician's Guide to Integrative Oncology provides practical, evidence-based information and patient advice that clinicians can put into practice immediately.

Integrative cancer treatment, combining conventional allopathic drug, radiation and surgical approaches with naturopathic complementary and alternative strategies, is an innovative model of cancer care that empowers patients to participate in their own healing process. Naturopathic medicine is well known for helping to prevent cancer using lifestyle counseling and detoxification, but can also complement conventional treatment modalities using clinical nutrition and botanical medicine. The integration of these treatment strategies improves the outcome of the cancer and the quality of life of the patient. This textbook is designed to introduce medical college and health science students to this integrative approach to oncology. Part 1 reviews basic cancer cell biology and inflammatory pathway biochemistry, tracing the development of an abnormal cell into a cancer cell. Various theories of cell mutation are examined with the focus on inflammatory pathway biochemistry. Conventional chemo- and radiation therapies are analyzed in this context, as are the key naturopathic cancer treatment modalities, clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, and lifestyle counseling. These naturopathic therapies are shown to enhance the efficacy of chemo- and radio therapies and ameliorate side effects, safely. Part 2 presents common types of cancer in terms of their epidemiology and pathophysiology, leading to a discussion of their possible etiology, diagnosis, staging, and conventional treatment protocols. Naturopathic recommendations for each cancer are included with integrative applications. These recommendations have chemo/radio specific indications and contraindications. Within the individual chapters on cancer types, case histories of patients who have been managed integratively are presented so students can develop case management and clinical reasoning skills. Students are encouraged to work in small teams while solving these cases and drawing up management plan. The extensive references at the end of each chapter are augmented with a resources section at the back of the book. Taken together, this is the most complete and current list of integrative and naturopathic research in medical literature on cancer. Students should find these references to be an excellent springboard for new laboratory studies and for clinical application. Fully referenced, illustrated, and indexed, this textbook is the first effort to establish oncology as a fundamental subject of stu

Integrative medicine strives to incorporate the best of complementary and conventional modalities. This book details integrative oncology, a nascent field building a rigorous evidenced-based clinical medicine, research, and educational foundation. It examines five prestigious, comprehensive cancer centers based in the US, covering how these centers started their programs, what they are currently doing, and recommendations for starting integrative medicine clinics. The book also discusses the potential harm of alternative and complementary medicine, legal issues, and how to communicate with patients.

Dr. Keith Block is at the global vanguard of innovative cancer care. As medical director of the Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment in Evanston, Illinois, he has treated thousands of patients who have lived long, full lives beyond their original prognoses. Now he has distilled almost thirty years of experience into the first book that gives patients a systematic, research-based plan for developing the physical and emotional vitality they need to meet the demands of treatment and recovery. Based on a profound understanding of how body and mind can work together to defeat disease, this groundbreaking book offers: • Innovative approaches to conventional treatments, such as “chronotherapy”–chemotherapy timed to patients’ unique circadian rhythms for enhanced effectiveness and reduced toxicity • Dietary choices that make the biochemical environment hostile to cancer growth and recurrence, and strengthen the immune system’s ability to attack remaining cancer cells • Precise supplement protocols to tame treatment side effects, relieve disease-related symptoms, and modify processes like inflammation and glycemia that can fuel cancer if left untreated • A new paradigm for exercise and stress reduction that restores your strength, reduces anxiety and depression, and supports the body’s own ability to heal • A complete program for remission maintenance–a proactive plan to make sure the cancer never returns Also included are “quick-start” maps to help you find the information you need right now and many case histories that will support and inspire you. Encouraging, compassionate, and authoritative, Life over Cancer is the guide patients everywhere have been waiting for.

Integrative Oncology (IO) is an evolving evidence-informed field of medicine with little high-quality professional literature currently available to support clinical practice. This book provides a robust introduction to integrative oncology and a practical toolkit for clinicians working with breast cancer patients. Breast cancer is the commonest cancer in women globally with growing incidence, and breast cancer patients are the most frequent users of integrative oncology practices. This book addresses the whole person journey from prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and survivorship. The approaches and tools discussed can help guide clinicians on how to support better quality of life, improve patient resilience, minimise the side effects of treatment and optimise clinical outcomes for people impacted by breast cancer. Healthcare professionals are asking for further education on Integrative Oncology, as evidenced by the BSIO (British Society for Integrative Oncology) survey results, webinars and conference engagements. Our growing BSIO membership highlights the need to educate and train healthcare professionals, and this book is written by clinicians for clinicians.

Significant advances made by Western medicine in the treatment of cancer are well-documented, but little has been written in English on complementary holistic treatment with Chinese medical methods that manage its symptoms and ameliorate the side effects of surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. This book explains the complementary approach using cases from the medical files of Professor Rencun Yu, who was trained in Western medical oncology but also practices Chinese medicine. In addition, introductory chapters explain the basic principles of Chinese medicine, while other chapters cover the prevention of cancers through appropriate nutrition and living habits. The book should command the attention of medical professionals as well as the layperson interested in preventing and understanding the illness.There is no equivalent book in English that so skillfully combines an introduction to Chinese medical principles and cancer management for the general reader with detailed clinical studies of the crucial complementary role played by Chinese medicine in Western treatments for cancer patients./a

Human disease is an elaborate dance between behavior, our environment, and chance. Medicine tries to tame human disease with science, but when our knowledge falls short, disease wins. This is too often the case with cancer. We spend billions of dollars each year trying to better understand it and develop tools to ease its effects. Today, many allopathic medical practitioners are beginning to seek out a greater connection with holistic and integrative approaches. The authors of this book introduce one specific therapy and make a case for integrative health in general, including anthroposophically extended medicine, naturopathy, and other holistic approaches. Mistletoe therapy has long been considered a viable treatment for cancer by the European medical community and is beginning to gain recognition in North America, as well. The mistletoe plant possesses many remarkable properties. As a therapy, it represents a rediscovery of ancient wisdom and shows us how the science of modern medicine might expand its reach and reconnect with a more human-centered medicine. The book was structured following the syllabus for a three-day practitioner training hosted by the Physicians' Association for Anthroposophic Medicine (PAAM). The chapters highlight several of our key lectures in a condensed form. The book serves as an introductory summary of--not a replacement for--those intensive professional trainings. This book is constructed as a journey and is meant to be read in its entirety, whether by a patient, a practitioner, a supporter of integrative oncology, or anyone who takes a deep interest in one's own health concerns. The text is accessible, and the reader does not need a science background to understand the majority of the content. While this book should not be considered a treatment or diagnostic manual, it is intended to both prepare practitioners to begin mistletoe therapy training and to make this information available in an accessible form to anyone interested in learning about this approach to treating cancer. Illustrated in color and b/w