Integrative Medicine for Cancer Survivors
From the DFCI/NCCN Cancer Survivorship Information
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Integrative medicine (or IM) refers to practices and products that may be used to prevent or treat disease. IM used to be known as complementary and alternative medicine.
IM can be used to help relieve symptoms during and after cancer treatment. Talk with your doctor to learn if integrative medicine may help you safely manage your symptoms and improve your well-being.
Some symptoms that IM may help include:
- stress
- chronic pain
- headache
- nausea
- vomiting
- depression
- anxiety
- fatigue
Integrative therapies include:
- exercise
- prayer
- meditation
- music and dance therapy
- guided imagery
- acupuncture
- massage
- Reiki
- Qigong
- biofeedback
- diet supplements, herbs, and vitamins (especially vitamin D and calcium)
Vitamin D and Calcium
Vitamin D and calcium are important for healthy bones. Not having enough vitamin D may also increase the risk of cancers of the breast, colon, ovary, and prostate. It can increase the risk of multiple sclerosis, high blood pressure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well. Below are recommended amounts for calcium and vitamin D.
Talk to your doctor about having tests to measure your levels of calcium and vitamin D, and whether or not you should have bone density testing. You may also need a referral to an endocrinologist.
Calcium
- from start of first menstrual period to age 18: 1300 milligrams each day
- age 19 to menopause: 1,000 milligrams each day
- after menopause: 1,200 milligrams each day
(Talk to your doctor if you have kidney stones or kidney disease, or if you are pregnant.)
Vitamin D
- children and adults younger than 50: 200 IU each day
- adults over age 50: 400 to 800 IU each day
Other Integrative Medicine Techniques
Integrative medicine can include several different practices. Practices that involve energy fields of the body include:
- Reiki: A trained person places his or her hands on various parts of the body’s energy flow. This may help lower stress and increase relaxation.
- Qigong: This uses different movements to connect the body, breath, mind, energy, and spirit.
Other techniques include:
- Massage: Different types of touch on various points of the body can help to relieve stress, sore muscles, and pain.
- Acupuncture: This stimulates areas of the body to relieve symptoms such as nausea.
- Biofeedback: This trains people to gain control of their bodies, promotes relaxation, and may relieve stress, tension, and pain.
There may be a cost for some IM practices. Talk to your insurance company to find out which practices are covered. Whether or not you will be reimbursed may depend on where you live.
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