Cancer is not fun to talk about and can be triggering for some people. Our intention is not to scare you, but to inform you that you have options and that healing is possible for everyone.

Billions of dollars are being spent on treatments and research to find a cure. The cancer death rate and lifetime risk indicate that current efforts are not working and a blanket cure will not address the roles of lifestyle factors, genetic variations and environmental influences. Although two people may have identical conditions or other commonalities, it is not safe to assume that one treatment will work for both. 

One of the main arguments against a particular therapy (natural or conventional) is that there is insufficient, rigorous research; however, funding doesn’t support certain types of research because it isn’t profitable. It doesn’t mean that certain therapies are ineffective, it just means we have to look at the evidence more critically. 

This episode of Cancer Secrets Podcast provides an overview of conventional medicine (Western or modern) and alternative medicine (holistic or natural). Dr. Jonathan Stegall presents the value of merging both philosophies into what we call integrative oncology, which critically evaluates all options to provide individualized care using evidence-based medicine.

Conventional Medicine (Standard of Care) Treatment Methods

• Surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation
• Most are approved by insurance
• Many are clinically supported and highly researched (due to adequate funding)
• They have significant, sometimes severe side effects 
• Outcomes are not optimal 
• Creates financial burden for patients

Holistic (Natural) Treatment Methods

• Considered to be anything not under the umbrella of standard of care
• Have a wide range of safety & effectiveness
• Include usual & unusual therapies that have been used for centuries
• Examples include nutrition, non-pharmaceutical supplements and mind-body therapies

Integrative Oncology Treatment Methods

• Low dose chemotherapy, which is used at more frequent intervals and lowers the risk of side effects and cancer cell resistance.  
• Insulin potentiation therapy (IPT) used concurrently, which increases susceptibility of cancer cells to chemotherapy.
• Targeted radiation
• Combining certain medications perioperatively, which has clinically shown to reduce post cancer growth.
• Hyperthermia in conjunction with chemotherapy increases blood flow to certain areas of the body, which has a direct cell killing effect and stimulates the immune system.
• IV therapies such as mistletoe or salasinium, lymphatic therapy, sonophotodynamic therapy and mind-body therapies all have science to support safe use.
• Nutritional supplementation, like Vitamin D which is vital in finding cancer cells.

The beauty of modern medicine is that we no longer have to choose one philosophy and reject another because we have multiple, effective options. Patients should be given treatment options that are suited to their individual health needs. Integrative oncology is open to all branches of medicine and it utilizes the entire arsenal of powerful tools against cancer that exist today. This methodology also assesses and incorporates nutrition and lifestyle factors into treatment protocols for optimal outcomes during and after cancer.

Learn more about our integrative oncology navigation services here.