The Importance of an Integrative Medicine Model in the Treatment of the Cancer Patient

Abstract

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States and its management is multi-disciplinary within pathologists, surgeons, radio-oncologists, and medical oncologists. The oncologic patients need more therapeutic interventions such as nutrition, pain management, psychology, meditation within others to assist in their needs during their treatments. Integrative Oncology is the new field that provides holistic care of the cancer patients. There is a need and importance of models at outpatient clinics and hospitals nationwide. The creation of an integrative medicine service model could be promoted as exists in other national centers. The study of new models of care, by themselves and in combination, should be a focal point for the field of integrative oncology in its next stage of evolution. Evaluating patients in the right model of care is important to provide effective and quality integrative oncology care. This is the purpose of this review.