Integrative medicine and integrative oncology

Domain XII · Complementary, energy & biofield

What it is

Integrative medicine and integrative oncology are a field and a model of care, not a single therapy. The Academic Consortium defines integrative medicine and health as an approach that reaffirms the practitioner–patient relationship, "focuses on the whole person, is informed by evidence", and uses…

Format

• Theory and categories. Three intervention categories: mind and body practices (the NCCIH term, covering e.g. acupuncture, massage, meditation, hypnosis), natural products, and lifestyle modifications. NCCIH groups complementary approaches by primary input: nutritional, psychological, physical, and…
• What a client experiences (example of a comprehensive cancer centre service). The patient books an integrative medicine consultation, where they and their family discuss the side effects that concern them most; the team then builds a personalised plan of classes and individual therapies…

Who practises it, and how they are trained or regulated

• Inconclusive for anxiety or depression: nutritional interventions, light therapy, psilocybin, massage, biofeedback, autogenic training, energy healing, healing touch, melatonin and other natural products or supplements, among others.
• Regulation and licensing (main jurisdictions). USA: "integrative medicine" is not itself a licensed profession; each practitioner works under their own professional licence or credential. There is no national credentialing system for complementary health practitioners: each state sets its own requirements, which differ by state and by profession (mandatory licensure, title licensure or registration); licences are…
• Other jurisdictions: check the national regulators for each profession and product.

Evidence status, as the guide reports it

• Published recommendations (symptom management only). Anxiety, during active treatment: mindfulness-based interventions (strong; high-quality evidence); yoga in breast cancer (moderate); hypnosis around diagnostic or treatment procedures (moderate); relaxation therapies (moderate); music therapy or…

Questions to explore with your client

• What drew you to it, and what are you hoping it will change?
• Is there physical contact? Was it explained beforehand, and do you feel free to say no or stop at any point?
• Does it involve any substance, plant preparation, remedy or supplement? Has your doctor or prescriber been told, especially about any medication you take?
• Does it involve intense or unusual breathing? Have you been told about the medical conditions for which that is not advised?
• Does it involve fasting, a special diet or 'detox'? Have you discussed this with your doctor?
• Who runs it, and what training or registration do they hold?
• What actually happens in a session or meeting, and how often?
• What does it cost, and is there pressure to commit to more?
• How do you feel afterwards, in the hours and days that follow?
• Does it fit with, or clash with, the work we do here?

What practitioners of it watch for

• personal enthusiasm or scepticism steering the client; dual relationships.
• self-punishment, withdrawal, anger displaced on clinicians, family blame; suicidal risk.
• confidentiality limits; client fear of the practitioner or group; timeliness for active harm.
• the patient silenced; scapegoating; coalitions with a practitioner against the medical team; children caught in the middle.
• missing genuine medical symptoms (always route to the medical team); products bought to neutralise fear in escalating amounts.

When to involve someone else

• New or worsening physical symptoms, or advice to stop or change prescribed medication: involve the client's doctor or prescriber.
• Signs of coercion, isolation from family and friends, escalating costs or secrecy: discuss openly and consider safeguarding.
• A crisis or thoughts of suicide: follow your crisis protocol. In the US, call or text 988; in the UK and Ireland, Samaritans on 116 123.

Drawn automatically from the guide's own sections. Stay curious: neither endorse nor dismiss what the client values, and check anything that matters against the full guide and its sources. Not medical advice.