• understand when to use what type of help
• understand your reactions to illness
• understand the best state of mind to promote recovery
• set up your own support network
• get the information you need to make the very best treatment decisions, whether orthodox or alternative
• make informed treatment decisions that are right for you
• be well prepared for your treatment psychologically, physically and practically
• get the best treatment outcomes with support from complementary medicine
• convalesce properly after treatment
• get yourself on the road to recovery with positive health creation.
What Types of Integrated Medicine Are Available?
There are seven kinds of help available in integrated cancer medicine:
1. Orthodox cancer medicine
2. Alternative cancer medicine
3. Complementary supportive care
4. Psychological approaches
5. Spiritual help
6. Self-help approaches
7. Healthy lifestyle reorientation
1. Orthodox cancer medicine
This is the medicine provided by mainstream cancer doctors and nurses, and is written about in detail in Chapter 4. Within orthodox medicine, you will find help to obtain:
• an accurate diagnosis of your condition
• if desired, a prognosis for your condition (knowing the average outcome statistically for those with your condition)
• the conventional cancer treatments of surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and possibly adjuvant treatments such as hormone therapies
• where available, the opportunity to be entered into a research trial in which the most up-to-date treatment is being tested
• where available, treatment with newly emerging technologies such as laser, cryotherapy and highly specialized radiotherapeutic techniques
• if appropriate, palliative care (treatment to control cancer symptoms) and residential respite care in a hospice
• where available, supportive care within orthodox settings from counsellors, psychologists, specialist nurses, chaplains, social workers and health visitors. Some enlightened units also offer complementary supportive care such as aromatherapy, massage, relaxation, visualization and group-therapy sessions.
2. Alternative cancer medicine
Alternative cancer medicines are those that may be used as an alternative to orthodox cancer treatment. These are written about in detail in Chapter 5 (The alternative frontier: getting the best alternative treatment), and fall into the areas of:
• anti-cancer nutrients that are taken by mouth to help combat cancer directly or to stimulate the body’s immune and tissue-healing systems
• herbal medicines that are believed to have direct anti-cancer properties or indirectly inhibit cancer growth
• intravenous metabolic cancer therapies that provide high-dose nutrients or herbal extracts for the body designed to exert a cytotoxic (cancer cell-killing) anti-cancer effect
• immunotherapy aimed at repairing or boosting immune function to get the body fighting cancer naturally
• neuroendocrine therapies aimed at rebalancing the body’s hormones and neurotransmitters to inhibit cancer growth
• physical therapies in which heat, light or oxygen is used to treat cancer
• nutritional therapies where strict diets are used to combat cancer
• mind – body medicine, where mind – body approaches are used to restore immune function and direct tissue-healing.
3. Complementary supportive care
Complementary cancer medicine involves the use of natural medicines or therapies that can be used in a supportive context alongside orthodox treatment for physical, emotional and energy support. These are written about in detail in Chapter 7; their role in symptom control is covered in Chapter 8. These are usually accessed in the community from complementary therapists practising in complementary therapy centres or from their homes, but are becoming increasingly available in hospitals and hospices (from nurses or complementary therapists). These include:
• touch therapies such as massage, aromatherapy, osteopathy, craniosacral therapy, shiatsu, acupressure and reflexology
• energy therapies such as acupuncture, reiki healing, spiritual healing and Johrei
• natural remedies such as herbal medicines, including European, Chinese and Indian Ayurvedic herbs, and homoeopathic remedies
• mind – body symptom control through hypnotherapy, visualization, relaxation, guided imagery and affirmation
• nutritional and immune support.
4. Psychological approaches
The psychological approach to cancer is covered in Chapter 2 and includes:
• providing sympathetic counselling to help in the recovery from the shock and trauma of diagnosis and re-diagnosis, and in facing the pain and loss
• ongoing support to rise to the challenge of the illness and its treatment
• using psychological approaches to increase the chances of recovery through:
