{"entity":{"id":"integrative-oncology","kind":"technology","name":"Evidence-based integrative oncology","aka":[],"tldr":"Using complementary approaches with real evidence, such as acupuncture for nausea and pain, yoga and mindfulness for anxiety and fatigue, alongside standard treatment, while steering patients away from unproven 'alternative' therapies that can shorten life.","summary":"Integrative oncology combines conventional treatment with mind-body practices, acupuncture, massage, music therapy, exercise and nutrition guidance. SIO-ASCO guidelines (2018 breast; 2022 pain; 2023 anxiety and depression; 2024 fatigue) endorse acupuncture (aromatase-inhibitor arthralgia, S1200 trial; CINV; pain), yoga, mindfulness-based stress reduction, tai chi/qigong, music therapy, hypnosis and massage for specific symptoms, and advise against most supplements during treatment because of interactions and lack of benefit (antioxidants may worsen outcomes, DELCaP). Use of alternative medicine instead of conventional treatment doubles mortality (Johnson, JNCI 2018). Major centres (MSK, MD Anderson, Dana-Farber) run integrative programmes and MSK's 'About Herbs' database documents interactions.","status":"established","asOf":"2026-09-08","links":[{"label":"SIO-ASCO pain guideline 2022","url":"https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.22.01357"},{"label":"MSK About Herbs","url":"https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/diagnosis-treatment/symptom-management/integrative-medicine/herbs"},{"label":"Alternative medicine and survival (JNCI 2018)","url":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/djx145"}],"tags":["gap-fill","supportive"],"related":[],"cancers":[],"sections":["supportive-care"],"technologies":["exercise-oncology","psycho-oncology","pain-management","antiemetic-therapy"],"targets":[],"drugs":[],"companies":[],"institutions":[],"pathways":[],"terms":[],"trials":[],"people":[],"bottlenecks":[],"keyPapers":["paper-mao-j-clin-oncol"],"journals":["integrative-cancer-therapies"],"dependsOn":[],"notes":[],"principle":"Apply the same evidentiary standards to complementary therapies as to drugs, offering those with randomised support for symptom control while communicating openly about the ~40% of patients who use supplements or alternative therapies.","strengths":["Randomised evidence for acupuncture, yoga, mindfulness and music therapy in symptom control","Low risk, patient demand high","Guidelines from SIO-ASCO give clinicians a basis"],"limitations":["Supplement-drug interactions and antioxidant harm","Alternative-medicine refusal of treatment shortens survival","Reimbursement and access uneven"],"since":2006},"route":"/technologies/integrative-oncology/","neighbours":{"section":[{"id":"supportive-care","kind":"section","name":"Supportive Care & Survivorship","route":"/fronts/supportive-care/"}],"technology":[{"id":"acupuncture-nausea","kind":"technology","name":"Acupuncture and acupressure for chemotherapy nausea","route":"/technologies/acupuncture-nausea/"},{"id":"acupuncture-aromatase-inhibitor-arthralgia","kind":"technology","name":"Acupuncture for aromatase-inhibitor joint pain","route":"/technologies/acupuncture-aromatase-inhibitor-arthralgia/"},{"id":"acupuncture-chemotherapy-neuropathy","kind":"technology","name":"Acupuncture for chemotherapy-induced neuropathy","route":"/technologies/acupuncture-chemotherapy-neuropathy/"},{"id":"acupuncture-xerostomia","kind":"technology","name":"Acupuncture for dry mouth after head and neck radiotherapy","route":"/technologies/acupuncture-xerostomia/"},{"id":"acupuncture-hot-flushes","kind":"technology","name":"Acupuncture for hot flushes on endocrine therapy","route":"/technologies/acupuncture-hot-flushes/"},{"id":"alternative-medicine-instead-of-treatment","kind":"technology","name":"Alternative medicine used instead of standard treatment","route":"/technologies/alternative-medicine-instead-of-treatment/"},{"id":"american-ginseng-fatigue","kind":"technology","name":"American ginseng for cancer-related fatigue","route":"/technologies/american-ginseng-fatigue/"},{"id":"antiemetic-therapy","kind":"technology","name":"Antiemetics for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting","route":"/technologies/antiemetic-therapy/"},{"id":"antineoplastons","kind":"technology","name":"Antineoplastons (Burzynski clinic)","route":"/technologies/antineoplastons/"},{"id":"aromatherapy-cancer","kind":"technology","name":"Aromatherapy","route":"/technologies/aromatherapy-cancer/"},{"id":"ayurvedic-medicine-cancer","kind":"technology","name":"Ayurvedic medicine and cancer","route":"/technologies/ayurvedic-medicine-cancer/"},{"id":"pain-management","kind":"technology","name":"Cancer pain management","route":"/technologies/pain-management/"},{"id":"cannabinoids-nausea","kind":"technology","name":"Cannabinoids for chemotherapy nausea (dronabinol, nabilone, medical cannabis)","route":"/technologies/cannabinoids-nausea/"},{"id":"cannabinoids-pain-appetite","kind":"technology","name":"Cannabis and cannabinoids for pain, appetite and cancer control","route":"/technologies/cannabinoids-pain-appetite/"},{"id":"hypnosis-cancer-care","kind":"technology","name":"Clinical hypnosis for procedures, pain and hot flushes","route":"/technologies/hypnosis-cancer-care/"},{"id":"cbt-fatigue-distress","kind":"technology","name":"Cognitive behavioural therapy for fatigue and distress","route":"/technologies/cbt-fatigue-distress/"},{"id":"curcumin-turmeric","kind":"technology","name":"Curcumin and turmeric","route":"/technologies/curcumin-turmeric/"},{"id":"dance-movement-therapy","kind":"technology","name":"Dance and movement therapy","route":"/technologies/dance-movement-therapy/"},{"id":"essiac-herbal-cancer-cures","kind":"technology","name":"Essiac, Hoxsey and other 'herbal cancer cures'","route":"/technologies/essiac-herbal-cancer-cures/"},{"id":"exercise-oncology","kind":"technology","name":"Exercise & lifestyle oncology","route":"/technologies/exercise-oncology/"},{"id":"fenbendazole-ivermectin-repurposing-claims","kind":"technology","name":"Fenbendazole, ivermectin and other internet 'repurposed cures'","route":"/technologies/fenbendazole-ivermectin-repurposing-claims/"},{"id":"gerson-therapy-detox-regimens","kind":"technology","name":"Gerson therapy, coffee enemas and 'detox' regimens","route":"/technologies/gerson-therapy-detox-regimens/"},{"id":"ginger-nausea","kind":"technology","name":"Ginger for chemotherapy nausea","route":"/technologies/ginger-nausea/"},{"id":"glutamine-mucositis-neuropathy","kind":"technology","name":"Glutamine for mucositis and neuropathy","route":"/technologies/glutamine-mucositis-neuropathy/"},{"id":"green-tea-egcg","kind":"technology","name":"Green tea and EGCG extracts","route":"/technologies/green-tea-egcg/"},{"id":"high-dose-vitamin-c","kind":"technology","name":"High-dose intravenous vitamin C","route":"/technologies/high-dose-vitamin-c/"},{"id":"homeopathy-cancer","kind":"technology","name":"Homeopathy","route":"/technologies/homeopathy-cancer/"},{"id":"honey-radiation-mucositis","kind":"technology","name":"Honey for radiation mucositis","route":"/technologies/honey-radiation-mucositis/"},{"id":"hydrazine-sulfate","kind":"technology","name":"Hydrazine sulfate","route":"/technologies/hydrazine-sulfate/"},{"id":"hyperbaric-oxygen-radiation-injury","kind":"technology","name":"Hyperbaric oxygen for late radiation injury","route":"/technologies/hyperbaric-oxygen-radiation-injury/"},{"id":"laetrile-amygdalin","kind":"technology","name":"Laetrile (amygdalin, 'vitamin B17')","route":"/technologies/laetrile-amygdalin/"},{"id":"massage-therapy-cancer","kind":"technology","name":"Massage therapy in cancer care","route":"/technologies/massage-therapy-cancer/"},{"id":"medicinal-mushrooms-reishi-turkey-tail","kind":"technology","name":"Medicinal mushrooms: reishi, turkey tail, shiitake and others","route":"/technologies/medicinal-mushrooms-reishi-turkey-tail/"},{"id":"melatonin-cancer","kind":"technology","name":"Melatonin as a cancer adjunct","route":"/technologies/melatonin-cancer/"},{"id":"mindfulness-based-interventions","kind":"technology","name":"Mindfulness-based stress reduction and cognitive therapy","route":"/technologies/mindfulness-based-interventions/"},{"id":"mistletoe-extracts","kind":"technology","name":"Mistletoe extracts (Iscador, Helixor)","route":"/technologies/mistletoe-extracts/"},{"id":"music-therapy-cancer","kind":"technology","name":"Music therapy and music medicine","route":"/technologies/music-therapy-cancer/"},{"id":"peer-support-groups","kind":"technology","name":"Peer support and support groups","route":"/technologies/peer-support-groups/"},{"id":"photobiomodulation-mucositis","kind":"technology","name":"Photobiomodulation (low-level laser) for oral mucositis","route":"/technologies/photobiomodulation-mucositis/"},{"id":"probiotics-treatment-diarrhoea","kind":"technology","name":"Probiotics for chemotherapy and radiotherapy diarrhoea","route":"/technologies/probiotics-treatment-diarrhoea/"},{"id":"psk-krestin-adjuvant","kind":"technology","name":"PSK (Krestin) mushroom polysaccharide as adjuvant therapy","route":"/technologies/psk-krestin-adjuvant/"},{"id":"psycho-oncology","kind":"technology","name":"Psycho-oncology and distress screening","route":"/technologies/psycho-oncology/"},{"id":"reflexology-cancer","kind":"technology","name":"Reflexology","route":"/technologies/reflexology-cancer/"},{"id":"reiki-energy-therapies","kind":"technology","name":"Reiki, healing touch and other energy therapies","route":"/technologies/reiki-energy-therapies/"},{"id":"relaxation-guided-imagery","kind":"technology","name":"Relaxation training and guided imagery","route":"/technologies/relaxation-guided-imagery/"},{"id":"shark-cartilage","kind":"technology","name":"Shark cartilage (AE-941, Neovastat)","route":"/technologies/shark-cartilage/"},{"id":"st-johns-wort-interaction","kind":"technology","name":"St John's wort: an interaction to avoid","route":"/technologies/st-johns-wort-interaction/"},{"id":"tai-chi-qigong","kind":"technology","name":"Tai chi and qigong","route":"/technologies/tai-chi-qigong/"},{"id":"traditional-chinese-herbal-medicine","kind":"technology","name":"Traditional Chinese herbal medicine alongside treatment","route":"/technologies/traditional-chinese-herbal-medicine/"},{"id":"yoga-cancer","kind":"technology","name":"Yoga during and after cancer treatment","route":"/technologies/yoga-cancer/"}],"paper":[{"id":"paper-mao-j-clin-oncol","kind":"paper","name":"Integrative Medicine for Pain Management in Oncology: Society for Integrative Oncology-ASCO Guideline","route":"/key-papers/paper-mao-j-clin-oncol/"},{"id":"paper-johnson-alternative-medicine-jnci-2018","kind":"paper","name":"Use of alternative medicine for cancer and its impact on survival","route":"/key-papers/paper-johnson-alternative-medicine-jnci-2018/"}],"journal":[{"id":"integrative-cancer-therapies","kind":"journal","name":"Integrative cancer therapies","route":"/journals/integrative-cancer-therapies/"}],"institution":[{"id":"chris-obrien-lifehouse","kind":"institution","name":"Chris O'Brien Lifehouse","route":"/institutions/chris-obrien-lifehouse/"}],"roadmap":[{"id":"nutrition-lifestyle-roadmap","kind":"roadmap","name":"Diet, exercise and lifestyle roadmap: causes established → interventions that disappointed → exercise proven as treatment","route":"/roadmaps/nutrition-lifestyle-roadmap/"},{"id":"survivorship-roadmap","kind":"roadmap","name":"Supportive care and survivorship roadmap: making treatment bearable → proving it extends life → caring for tens of millions afterwards","route":"/roadmaps/survivorship-roadmap/"}]}}