Recently Diagnosed or Relapsed? Stop Looking For a Miracle Cure, and Use Evidence-Based Therapies To Enhance Your Treatment and Prolong Your Remission
Multiple Myeloma an incurable disease, but I have spent the last 25 years in remission using a blend of conventional oncology and evidence-based nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle therapies from peer-reviewed studies that your oncologist probably hasn't told you about.
Click the orange button to the right to learn more about what you can start doing today.
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Integrative/Complementary Myeloma Care
Integrative/Complementary myeloma care, in my experience, is the best way to achieve quantity of life while achieving quality of life. Achieve your longest overall survival while managing short-term, long-term, and late-stage side effects caused by conventional MM therapies.
First, a few definitions:
Conventional– those cancer therapies that have been researched and approved by the Food and Drug Administration. An example would be Zofran for the treatment of nausea caused by an autologous stem cell transplant-
Integrative- those cancer therapies that integrate and enhance conventional therapies- nutrition and exercise are examples of therapies that can integrate and enhance conventional MM treatments. Both have been shown to reduce side effects caused by conventional therapies.
Alternative– those therapies that an MM patient can do regardless or instead of conventional treatments- Antineoplaston therapy is the therapy that I underwent after my conventional MM therapies.
While I don’t like the idea of posting a video produced by Cancer Centers of America, I am doing so because it addresses key issues in integrative/complementary myeloma care.
What Is Integrative Cancer Care?
In my survivor experience, conventional oncology is not educated about integrative and complementary therapies. This puts the burden on the MM patient to research and institute these therapies.
If you’d like to learn more about integrative/complementary myeloma care, scroll down the page, post a question or comment, and I will reply to you ASAP.
Thanks,
David Emerson
- Cancer Survivor
- Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Evaluation of integrative oncology modalities for symptom management: a MASCC/SIO global survey
Background
With growing evidence pointing towards the potential of integrative oncology modalities (IOM) in addressing cancer and cancer-treatment related symptoms, research on IOM utilization and implementation is warranted. This study examines global stakeholder perspectives on integrative oncology (IO) utilization for supportive cancer care.
Methods
Members of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) and the Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) completed a survey on the utilization of IOM for supportive cancer care. Descriptive statistics were used to assess demographic data, IOM usage patterns, IOM education, and financial considerations for utilizing IOM.
Results
Among 344 participants representing eight geographical regions, 70% reported having utilized or recommended IOM and 79% perceived IOM to be underutilized in cancer supportive care.
- Acupuncture (48%),
- exercise classes (39%),
- nutrition (38%),
- breathing/yoga (38%)
- and personalized exercise (38%)
were among the most utilized IOM across regions. Relatedly, the symptoms for which IOM were most recommended for persons with a diagnosis of cancer in active treatment [AT] or completed treatment [CT] respectively were
- emotional (AT 23%; CT 26%),
- pain (AT 22%; CT 20%),
- gastrointestinal (AT 21%; CT 12%)
- and fatigue (AT 15%; CT 16%).
The perceived availability of integrative medicine training was highest in North America (69%). Across regions, self-pay (20%-67%), private insurance (0%-26%) and government insurance (7%-40%) were the most common forms of payment for IOM. The IOM most recommended in high-income countries (acupuncture, exercise, massage, individual exercise) varied from the IOM most recommended in low-middle income countries (nutrition counseling, exercise classes, breathing, acupuncture).
Conclusion
This study provides valuable insights into global utilization patterns of IOM in supportive cancer care, highlighting that while most respondents have utilized IOM, there is a perceived underutilization overall. Our results show significant regional differences in the availability of integrative oncology education and hint to financial barriers impacting IOM use. Further research is necessary to explore these aspects and inform strategies for supporting IOM implementation efforts…
Integrative/Complementary myeloma care Integrative/Complementary myeloma care