Alternative Therapy

Creative arts therapies up mental health for cancer patients

Review shows significant reductions in anxiety, depression, pain; improved QoL during treatment

Active Leptospermum Honey Heals Clinically Complex or Chronic Wounds

Oncology nurses should consider using active leptospermum honey in treating patients with cancer with clinically complex or chronic wounds, found research presented at the ONS 38th Annual Congress.

Patients with advanced prostate cancer may benefit from mushroom-supplemented soybean extract

Genistein-combined polysaccharide, a natural and nontoxic product available in health food stores, could help lengthen life expectancy for patients with prostate cancer.

Pros, cons of medical marijuana for metastatic cancer explored

Case vignette highlights issues relating to smoking marijuana when conventional treatment has failed.

Clinical Trial: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction or General Health Education in Improving Immune Response to Human Papillomavirus in Patients With Cervical Dysplasia

Integrative care options help pain management

The variety of options available to help patients manage their pain can improve quality of life during and after cancer treatment.

Integrative care options and resources

Cancer patients may wish to explore acupuncture or other integrative care options. The following article details several options and provides related resources.

Meditation techniques 
and clinical trials for patients

Meditation can help relieve stress in cancer patients. The following article details several types of meditation and includes related clinical trials.

Relaxation Techniques and Mind/Body Practices: How They Can Help You Cope With Cancer

Deep breathing and meditation can help cancer patients relieve stress. This fact sheet reviews a number of relaxation techniques that patients can use.

Meditation technique brings peace of mind to breast cancer survivors

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) showed a trend toward improving psychological outcomes by reducing mood disturbance in women who had survived early-stage breast cancer.

Exploring holistic medicine: Using acupuncture to relieve cancer-related fatigue

The ancient Eastern medicinal art can relieve one of the most distressing effects of cancer and cancer treatment: fatigue.

Incentive spirometer inspires a video game that encourages recovery in pediatric patients

An incentive spirometer was the inspiration for a video game to help young cancer patients rebuild lung function.

Laser therapy may be an option in removal of premalignant skin lesions

When surgery or radiation therapy cannot be used to remove the common precancerous skin lesion lentigo maligna, carbon dioxide laser ablation may be a useful alternative.

Integrative oncology—October 2010

The author introduces The Annie Appleseed Project and previews its upcoming annual meeting.