Worth consulting a specialist in integrative oncology?

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ShetlandPony
ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
edited March 2017 in Complementary and Holistic Medicine and Treatment

I am confident that I am getting good medical care, and I like my doctor. I am wondering if it would also be helpful to have a meeting with an oncologist or other professional who specializes in complementary or integrative care. (Do the terms integrative and complementary mean the same thing?) I want to do all I can to stay healthy and to reduce side effects, especially the awful fatigue. I already have going: good diet with anti-cancer foods, exercise, restorative yoga class, support group, therapist, vitamin D3 and low-dose aspirin. I've had a few massages and they are fantastic but expensive. I want to incorporate meditation and relaxation practices more but have had trouble adding them to my day. I am not interested in acupuncture because I've had enough needles. I am wary of supplements because of possible unintended consequences. I want to keep an open mind and use all the resources available to me. At the same time, I am cautious. I need evidence or at least theoretical reasons. Do you think that seeing someone would add anything for me? Or am I already there with my DIY approach? Do they personalize their recommendations based on your medical history and blood tests? How would I find someone good and trustworthy? If you have consulted such a person, what does your onc think about it?

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited July 2015

    I've started with a naturopathic doctor of oncology. My MO only asked that I run any supplements by her for an opinion. I think she's been pleased by the ND, who is quite empirical in her approach.

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  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
    edited July 2015

    Ksusan, if you don't mind my asking, what kind of evaluation did the ND do and what sort of things did she recommend for you? What are the qualifications of a naturopathic doctor of oncology?

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited July 2015

    Mine is a naturopathic physician with board certification in naturopathic oncology. In my state, NDs can be PCPs, so they have to meet medical qualifications. There's an American Board of Naturopathic Oncology Board of Medical Examiners (ABNOBoMEx), which regulates board certification in naturopathic oncology.

    She had me fill out an extensive questionnaire and keep a 6-day food/bowel diary, did a long interview, reviewed some of my records, did a physical, and looked at my weight/fat ratio.

    She and my MO wanted my D higher (no surprise after months with no sun exposure), and she put me on a high dose of melatonin. We discussed a weight goal, organic/whole foods, water, a little about sources of protein, studies on soy consumption, plastic containers, parabens, and other hormone disruptors. When I'm done with radiation, we'll talk about any other supplements (I want to hear what she has to say about turmeric and milk thistle, for example).

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  • BarredOwl
    BarredOwl Member Posts: 2,433
    edited July 2015

    Hi ShetlandPony:

    You might be interested in this veryinformative site from the US National Institutes of Health, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (who knew we had one?), including definitions:

    https://nccih.nih.gov/health

    Here are some pages from the same site about considerations and tips for selecting a practitioner:

    https://nccih.nih.gov/health/decisions/considering...

    https://nccih.nih.gov/health/tips/selecting

    BarredOwl



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  • HLB
    HLB Member Posts: 1,760
    edited July 2015
    I have beenseeing a holistic Dr and found it to be very helpful because my onc is very strictly standard of care. The closest he gets toi anything complimenrary is he will test my vit D IF I ask, and then only once. My holistic dr is a peds oncologist but became interested in holistic about 10 years ago and has his own practice while still treating his ped patients. He did blood tests which included A1C, copper, vit D, ca27-29 and some kind of inflammatory markers. He also prescibed metformin, celebrex, and meriva. He is willing to monitor things more closely than my onc which I really appreciate. He doesn't accept insurance though. I pay for his visits, but they do ask for my ins info and I'm pretty sure ins paid for the blood work.
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  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
    edited July 2015

    Ksusan and HLB, thank you for the information. It is helping me get a picture of the field. BarredOwl, thank you for useful the links. I have been reading the info there.

    How did you find your holistic doctor, HLB? Does he belong to any association of holistic doctors in addition to his certification as an oncologist?

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  • HLB
    HLB Member Posts: 1,760
    edited July 2015
    I work at the hospital where I am treated and that is how I found out about him. I am not sure where he got his certification for holistic but he gives me handouts sometimes that come from a place that has the word "functional medicine" in its name. I like the fact that he is also an oncologist. He believes there is more to do for cancer patients, that we are not doing enough. He recommended the book Life Over Cancer by Keith Block and really believes in the work that he does.
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  • Mom2ABoy
    Mom2ABoy Member Posts: 170
    edited September 2015

    Hello, I'm coming late to this thread, but I would say yes, it is absolutely worth it. I am being treated at a small clinic where the emphasis is on treating the whole person. I see my MO, but also a nutritionist, and I have the same nurse every time so they really know me and my needs. For me, there was no question that I wanted a doctor who would respect integrative & complementary medicine.

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  • Rseman
    Rseman Member Posts: 281
    edited September 2015

    This thread has been very helpful since I am looking to go this route as well. Thank you for all the info.

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  • inSF
    inSF Member Posts: 53
    edited September 2015

    Hello all,

    This is my first time posting on this site. I had a mastectomy and axillary node dissection three weeks ago and I am scheduled to begin chemotherapy next week. Unofrtunately, my medical oncologist is completely opposed to my following any recommendations from a naturopath. I feel really strongly about an integrative approach, but I am concerned about delaying chemo to search for a new MO. Does anyone here have a recommendation for an MO near San Francisco who respects the integrative approach?

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  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
    edited May 2016

    It has been a few months, but let's see if there is interest in reviving this thread. I found a naturopathic doctor with an interest in oncology, and went for a short, free meeting. I did not like him at all! I couldn't get any real details about what he had to offer. He seemed...slippery is the only word I can think of. Not for me. So now I am reading three books, critically and with an open mind, about the subject of integrative/complementary oncology. I am reading all three at once, marking passages as I go, so I can synthesize when I have finished reading. Has anyone read these?

    Life Over Cancer: The Block Center Program for Integrative Cancer Treatment by Keith Block, MD.

    Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds by Kelly A. Turner, PhD.

    Integrative Oncology edited by Donald I. Abrams and Andrew T. Weil

    As far as supplements, I came across the idea that treatment could deplete us of certain nutrients even if our diet is good, which makes me a little more open to the idea of supplements. I need to find out more about how to be tested. My onc pointed me towards some integrative oncology professionals connected with a respected hospital, so I will try to arrange a nutrition consultation. I'm glad she didn't recoil in horror when I brought the subject up, and I'm glad she will be in the loop as I pursue these ideas.

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  • zarovka
    zarovka Member Posts: 3,607
    edited May 2016

    Shetland - There is more variability and many quacks in the integrative/complementary space. The one I decided to work with, however, appears to be quietly saving my life. I've gotten some benefit from the quacks as well as they can still provide treatments and testing I need. I encourage you to continue on your path, but stay in charge of your care.

    Clinical trials are treated like a definitive process for identifying cancer treatments. I believe they are just one tool. Good complementary docs also use judgement and experience. But you have to use your own judgement and experience to evaluate the both the doctor and the applicability of the treatment to you. You have to be educated and know what you want so you don't get sidetracked onto things that don't make sense for you. You have to have confidence in your own judgement and the ability to say no.


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  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
    edited May 2016

    So it is still DIY integrative oncology. I wish the people with the most knowledge and experience, the medical oncologists, would cast a wider net when looking for ways to help their patients. I think there might be things that could help us, that have some evidence and a logical theoretical basis, that are not standard of care. What frustrates me is that conventional docs don't seem to want to consider anything that doesn't have a huge, randomized, double-blind study behind it. I don't have time to wait for such studies (and they may never be done). What's wrong with taking a hint from a small study, as long as there is no harm in doing so? Don't get me wrong, I believe in evidence-based medicine. But why not individualize treatment more, and why not address the terrain?

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  • zarovka
    zarovka Member Posts: 3,607
    edited May 2016

    Shetland Pony -

    AMEN

    >Z<

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  • Husband11
    Husband11 Member Posts: 2,264
    edited May 2016

    Yes, good summary Shetland. It seems like MD's have a very limited number of tools in their approved arsenal of weapons and they are very hesitant or perhaps barred from suggesting anything that isn't Nationally approved. Even in areas where there is less potential for harm, such as alleviating symptoms and improving quality of life, they don't see it as their place to make any suggestions, even when there is strong evidence of complementary therapies that could help. Fear of liability? Or dogmatic in procedure? Whatever it is, I think it pays to seek alternative advice, ask for and weigh the evidence in favor, and possible risks, and potentially reap the benefits of something more than standard treatment.

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  • roche
    roche Member Posts: 61
    edited March 2017

    Hello

    Hopefully someone from NJ will read this post and can recommend a naturopath and Or integrative oncologist in my general area. Sorry, I seem to be having a hard time navigating thru the many forums to find the information I need and am not having any luck searching online

    Thank you everyone,

    Roche

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  • Lily55
    Lily55 Member Posts: 3,534
    edited March 2017

    Some integrative oncologists will do consutations via Skype so maybe look elsewhere too?

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