Holistic cancer care: Does it work?

Common side effects of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation can be difficult to endure. To help relieve symptoms, many oncology providers are recommending practices such as yoga, mindfulness and massage. This is known in the cancer treatment world as “integrative oncology” and often described as holistic cancer care.

Oncology nurse Stephanie Hoopes explained which integrative oncology therapies have been found to be effective and how patients can safely use them.

What is integrative oncology?

Integrative oncology is a patient-centered, evidence-informed field of cancer care that uses mind and body practices, natural products and lifestyle modifications from different traditions alongside conventional cancer treatments.

The key here, Hoopes said, is that integrative therapies are offered alongside conventional treatment, not instead of it.

“No research has shown that any alternative therapy effectively treats cancer,” she said.

How well does integrative therapy help side effects from cancer treatment?

The Society for Integrative Oncology has provided guidelines based on a study that looked at integrative therapies and how they helped patients manage a few of the most common side effects of cancer treatment, including:

• Fatigue
• Anxiety and stress
• Depression/mood
• Chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting
• Quality of life

The SIO grades each therapy with A, B, C, D and H. Grade A shows a high certainty that the benefit of the therapy is going to be substantial. Grade B is a high certainty that the benefit is moderate. Grade C signifies the benefit is extremely small, and grade D means there’s no benefit from it at all.

“If you ever see a grade H for any integrative therapies, stay away from it, because that means it’s probably going to harm you, as opposed to help,” Hoopes said.

Here’s a breakdown of the types of integrative therapies as outlined by the Society for Integrative Oncology.

Mind and body practices

Mind and body practices like the ones below are some of the most impactful integrative therapies you can use.

Meditation and yoga are helpful in calming your mind. Not only is yoga exercise, but it is also a meditative process that helps you relax.

Meditation, relaxation and yoga are grade A recommendations that help depression and encourage a better mood. Meditation is also graded A for helping with quality of life. It’s graded B for anxiety and stress reduction.

“Meditation doesn’t mean sitting quietly in a corner and not thinking about anything,” Hoopes said. “It’s a practice. There are different types of meditation, such as mindfulness meditation, walking meditations – anything that focuses your mind onto one thing.”

Tai chi is another meditative process and movement therapy that includes controlled breathing.

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine technique where a practitioner inserts tiny needles into your skin at certain points on your body.

“Acupressure and electroacupuncture,which is basically acupuncture that uses a little electrode, have a B grade for helping relieve chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting,” Hoopes said. “However, this needs to be done by a licensed acupuncturist.”

Music therapy can range from listening to songs you like to going to a certified music therapist who has goals that they set for their sessions.

Music therapy has a B grade for helping with anxiety, depression and mood.

Massage therapy includes different styles of massage. Look for a certified oncology massage therapist who is trained to care specifically for cancer patients. If a patient has metastatic cancer in their bones, a certified oncology massage therapist would know what areas to avoid. They can also provide lymphatic massage for patients who have lymphedema because their lymph nodes were removed.

Massage therapy has a B grade for helping with anxiety, depression and mood.

Natural products

One of the most natural ways you can help control side effects from cancer treatment is through diet. Hoopes said eating a whole-food, plant-based diet has been found to be most effective.

You can also supplement your diet with natural products, ranging from simple kitchen herbs and plants to probiotics, vitamins and minerals.

“Some patients use a simple herb like ginger for nausea or they may drink some ginger tea,” Hoopes said. “Others use probiotics for gut health. Just be aware of the cost. A lot of the higher end probiotics are very expensive. Probiotics alter the bacterial makeup of your microbiome, but you can also do that by eating fiber. Foods such as raspberries, blackberries, avocados and lima beans are good options.”

Also, keep in mind that products such as vitamins and supplements are not regulated by the federal government or any commissioning body to ensure their safety. Be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin taking any products.

Lifestyle modifications

Changing a few lifestyle habits can make a big difference in how you cope with cancer treatment. Hoopes said it’s empowering to have something you can control. 

“You can’t control a lot of things about your diagnosis, but you can control what you’re putting in your body and how active you are,” she said. “This isn’t to say you have to eat nothing but vegetables and be a marathon athlete. Just try to do a little better each day. Think of it as moving more as opposed to exercise. Those little steps will all add up to a larger goal.”

Getting quality sleep is also important during cancer treatment. Hoopes recommended going to bed and waking up at times that allow you to get 7–8 hours of sleep a night. If you struggle with getting enough sleep, try limiting screen time before bed so the blue light doesn’t affect the melatonin in your body. Also, try using an app or a fan to create background noise to help you sleep.

If stress is keeping you awake at night, try finding a mechanism to help you manage your stress levels. Yoga and mindfulness and two that are highly recommended.

“The American College of Lifestyle Medicine also recommends maintaining and forming healthy relationships, which some people overlook,” Hoopes said. “Having a healthy support system is important for healing.”

One of the most important steps, of course, is to limit harmful habits like smoking and alcohol consumption.

Healing energy

Although it’s not recommended by the Society for Integrative Oncology, Hoopes said therapeutic touch has been found to be helpful in some people because it promotes relaxation.

“Reiki is another form where you’re just laying of hands or maybe not even touch to help relax a person. Most people say they don’t feel anything, but it doesn’t hurt to try it.”

Are essential oils helpful in managing cancer treatment symptoms?

Hoopes said there are a lot of myths around essential oil use.

“As a holistic provider, I do not recommend ingesting essential oils, but using essential oils for aromatherapy is great. Just do so with caution.”

Even though essential oils are natural, that doesn’t mean they can’t cause harm. Here are a few examples:

Lavender is relaxing and can help with depression. But it can also have some hormone-like effects.

“There have been studies showing lavender has produced some breast growth in teenage males,” Hoopes said. “That doesn’t mean you can’t use it, but be careful about it. If you put lavender oil in a diffuser, make sure it’s in a large room with ventilation. If you drink lavender tea, don’t also use lavender lotion.”

Peppermint can be helpful for nausea.

“Peppermint has a cooling smell, so we’ve seen some people use it for hot flashes,” Hoopes said. “Don’t use it if you have high blood pressure. If you’re pregnant, use it with caution.”

Lemon has an uplifting, clean scent. However, using it in a lotion could cause your skin to be sensitive to the sun.

Chamomile is a sedative, but it can irritate sensitive skin.

Ginger can help with nausea, but it can cause skin to be sensitive to the sun.

What’s the best way to start using integrative therapies during cancer treatment?

Hoopes offered some quick dos and don’ts if you want to try integrative therapies during your cancer treatment.

First, talk to your medical oncologist or surgeon and let them know what you’re interested in trying.

“I would suggest incorporating one therapy at a time,” said Hoopes. “This way you can see how your body reacts to yoga before starting massage. Keep it simple.”

When it comes to lifestyle changes, set realistic goals.

“You always hear you want to exercise 150 minutes a week, but if you’re not used to exercising at all, you are not likely to do 30 minutes of exercise five days a week,” she said. “Start with 10 minutes of exercise and increase it from there. People sometimes get frustrated because they set their goal too high. Set a realistic goal, and then once you reach that goal, you’ll have momentum to reach another one.”

That may also include a goal of eating plant-based food. If you have a family of four, not everybody in your family may want to be vegetarians. So, start with a meatless Monday. Do one plant-based meal a week and go from there.

“You don’t have to buy the most expensive organic produce or only eat fresh all the time,” she said. “Frozen vegetables still have nutrients still in them.”

Also, don’t invest a lot of money in supplements.

“Just because it’s expensive doesn’t mean it’s going to work. And if somebody is saying they can cure your cancer, and they’re charging an arm and a leg, you probably should run far away.”