In June 2019, a meeting was held in Paris in which experts from different countries (Israel, Spain, Belgium, Italy, USA, and France) met to discuss a selection of topics in integrative oncology (IO). The objectives were to draw on the delegates' experience and expertise to begin an international collaboration, sharing details of differing existing models and discussing future perspectives to help define and guide practice in IO and define unmet needs. This report presents a summary of the meeting's main presentations, and also reports on the experts' responses to a questionnaire examining different aspects of IO service delivery, infrastructure, and utilization.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/15347354211004730

Integrative Oncology: An International Perspective from Six Countries.

Purpose of review This review aims to assess recent data on possible effective and safe complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) modalities that can be of help to patients affected by cancer that suffer from cancer-related fatigue (CRF). Recent findings Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most common, persistent, and challenging symptoms among cancer patients and survivors. Many world-leading cancer centers incorporate CIM into routine cancer care including integrating multiple approaches to address CRF. Approaches that are supported by clinical evidence on the use of CIM during and following conventional oncology treatments are being discussed in this review. The review suggests that some CIM modalities might have a potential role in alleviating cancer-related fatigue. These modalities include acupuncture, touch therapies, nutrition, nutritional supplements, stress reduction, homeopathy, and circadian rhythm management. Additional research is still needed to better support the process of integrating CIM into a routine approach to cancer-related fatigue.

Cancer-Related Fatigue-Is There a Role for Complementary and Integrative Medicine?

Simple Summary A large number of patients with cancer use complementary alternative medicine (CAM), such as diet supplements, massage and acupuncture, as an adjunct to conventional cancer treatment and care. Some types of CAM reduce nausea and vomiting, pain, fear, fatigue and depression, but CAM may also cause new symptoms and side effects. Therefore, it is crucial that cancer patients receive professional guidance on how to use CAM in a safe and healthy manner. Open dialogue about CAM between patients and health professionals is, however, not an integrated part of cancer treatment and care. Therefore, the aim of our study was to assess how open dialogue, including guidance about CAM, affected patients’ safety and health when it was an integrated part of the cancer treatment and care. We found that open dialogue about CAM does not compromise patient safety and that it may improve patients’ quality of life, self-care and survival. Abstract Complementary alternative medicine (CAM) may reduce the symptom burden of side effects to antineoplastic treatment but also cause new side effects and non-adherence to conventional treatment. The aim of this RCT was to investigate the impact of open dialogue about complementary alternative medicine (OD-CAM) on cancer patients’ safety, health and quality of life (QoL). Patients undergoing antineoplastic treatment were randomly assigned to standard care (SC) plus OD-CAM or SC alone. The primary endpoint was frequency of grade 3–4 adverse events (AE) eight weeks after enrollment. Secondary endpoints were frequency of grade 1–4 AE, QoL, psychological distress, perceived information, attitude towards and use of CAM 12 and 24 weeks after enrollment. Survival was analyzed post hoc. Fifty-seven patients were randomized to the OD-CAM group and fifty-five to the SC group. No significant difference in frequency of grade 3–4 AEs was shown. The same applied to grade 1–4 AEs and QoL, psychological distress and perceived information. A tendency towards better QoL, improved survival and a lower level of anxiety was found in the OD-CAM group. OD-CAM is not superior to SC in reducing the frequency of AEs in patients undergoing antineoplastic treatment. OD-CAM does not compromise patient safety; it may reduce psychological stress and improve QoL and overall survival.

/pdf/impact-of-open-dialogue-about-complementary-alternative-2czpnm88.pdf

Impact of Open Dialogue about Complementary Alternative Medicine—A Phase II Randomized Controlled Trial

Integrative Health Care: Definition and examples of implementation in Oncology in France

Acceptability and tolerance of chemotherapy on patients treated for breast cancer remain challenging. Complementary approaches such as hypnosis may have a favorable impact both at the time of announcing and during chemotherapy, due to the notorious anxiety, distress, and self‐perceived dysfunction. The objective of the study was that the patients complied with at least four self‐hypnosis sessions out of the six cycles of chemotherapy.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1002/cnr2.1732

Hypnosis on patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer: A feasibility study

Use of Homeopathy in Integrative Oncology in Strasbourg, France: Multi-center Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study of Patients Undergoing Cancer Treatment.

Homeopathic supportive care protocol for oral inhibitors of cyclin dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK 4/6) in postmenopausal hormone-receptor-positive advanced breast cancer

Protocole homéopathique d’accompagnement des inhibiteurs oraux des kinases dépendantes des cyclines 4 et 6 (CDK 4/6), dans le cancer du sein post-ménopausique métastatique hormonodépendant

Ingrid Theunissen

Papers

Use of Homeopathy in Integrative Oncology in Strasbourg, France: Multi-center Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study of Patients Undergoing Cancer Treatment.

Integrative Oncology: An International Perspective from Six Countries.

Homeopathic supportive care protocol for oral inhibitors of cyclin dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK 4/6) in postmenopausal hormone-receptor-positive advanced breast cancer

Integrative Health Care: Definition and examples of implementation in Oncology in France

Protocole homéopathique d’accompagnement des inhibiteurs oraux des kinases dépendantes des cyclines 4 et 6 (CDK 4/6), dans le cancer du sein post-ménopausique métastatique hormonodépendant