Conventional (Western) medicine
Care based on clinical trials and standard treatment guidelines: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy and prescription drugs. For cancer, it is the main treatment with the strongest evidence for survival.
Integrative medicine
Integrative medicine combines conventional treatment with supportive therapies that have some evidence behind them, such as exercise, acupuncture, mind-body practices and nutrition counseling. Integrative oncology applies this to cancer care, usually to ease side effects and improve quality of life alongside standard treatment, not instead of it.
Holistic and alternative medicine
Holistic care looks at the whole person: body, mind, sleep, stress and relationships. "Alternative" medicine means using non-standard therapies in place of conventional treatment. Major cancer centers caution against replacing proven treatment with unproven options.
Nutrition-focused care
Eating well during treatment helps maintain weight, strength and healing. A registered dietitian can tailor advice to side effects like nausea or low blood counts.
Supplements and drug interactions
Some herbs and supplements can change how chemotherapy works or affect bleeding and the liver. Always list everything you take for the oncologist and pharmacist.
Questions to ask your care team
- Which supportive therapies are safe with my current treatment?
- Does this hospital have an integrative oncology program?
- Could any of my supplements interact with my chemo?
- Can I get a referral to an oncology dietitian?