Integrative Approaches to Cancer Palliative Care
By Dr. Kevin Curran
Dr. Kevin Curran, a cell biology professor, and Dr. Walter Tsang, an oncologist, have co-written a summary about integrative approaches to palliative care. Serious diseases, like cancer, often lead to some incredibly uncomfortable side effects. Often, there are no traditional medicines available to treat these issues. In these moments, it is good to remember that there are alternative remedies that can be very effective in relieving the problem.
A Review of Effective Treatment Options for Cancer - Related Palliative Care
By Walter Tsang MD and Kevin Curran PhD
What is palliative care?
Palliative care is a form of medical care that is focused on providing relief from the symptoms of a serious illness.
A serious illness, such as cancer, creates many stressful and uncomfortable symptoms (nausea, fatigue, anxiety). These symptoms may be caused by the biological progression of the disease or they may be the side effects of the treatment.
Palliative care seeks to improve the quality of life for the patient and the patient's family by providing relief from the symptoms of an illness and the side effects of treatment.
An integrative approach to palliative care includes both conventional and alternative treatment options.
- Conventional therapy includes: prescription drugs, surgery, chemotherapy
- Alternative therapy includes: herbal supplements, vitamins, diet, probiotics
It makes sense to be open to the best possible palliative care. Often, the best treatment includes a combination of both conventional and alternative therapy. Below, we summarize the most effective integrative approaches to common symptoms experienced by patients struggling with a serious illness.
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Featured image photo by Marcelo Leal on Unsplash
