Guidance by Phase

In cancer treatment

Carole O’Toole, CancerChoices advisor, breast cancer survivor, author of Healing Outside the Margins, and former director of the Institute for Integrative Oncology Navigation shares part of her cancer treatment story:

While my goal was to keep myself together through my cancer treatments, how to reach that goal seemed as elusive as a miracle cure. My practical approach to life initially led me to believe that I would just apply my scientific training and research skills to map out where I might go. But I was working without a net. My rare type of cancer left me with little science to guide me. Even though I had no idea how to begin, I concluded that I would not stand a chance if I did not attend to all of me—my mind, heart, and soul. 

The power of this conclusion pushed me to investigate whatever else might be out there for cancer patients in hopes that somewhere I would find something to help give me some respite and offer me hope. Looking back, I feel that this was a turning point for me; I had unwittingly joined a quiet revolution of cancer survivors who wanted to do things differently, who longed for a deeper level of support and care as they moved through their illness.

This page includes information useful during active cancer treatment and recovery.

First, take care of difficult emotions, symptoms, and physical distress

Get clear on what matters now

Once you’ve tended to your difficult emotions and physical distress, you’re in a better frame of mind to ask “What matters most to me now?” The answer to this question may help you sort out necessary changes in your role at work and your personal life. It may tell you what you need to do to take care of yourself and nourish your resilience. It may help you be clear on what you need and how to ask for what you need. This exploration is actually one of the 7 Lifestyle Practices and a good place to start in caring for yourself.

Learn about choices beyond your conventional cancer treatment plan

If you wish to integrate complementaryin cancer care, complementary care involves the use of therapies intended to enhance or add to standard conventional treatments; examples include supplements, mind-body approaches such as yoga or psychosocial therapy, and acupuncture therapies and self-carelifestyle actions and behaviors that may impact cancer outcomes; examples include eating health-promoting foods, limiting alcohol, increasing physical activity, and managing stress practices with your conventionalthe cancer care offered by conventionally trained physicians and most hospitals; examples are chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy treatment, many options are available. These additional therapies and practices can promote your health and wellness, reduce side effects of treatment, boost your resilience and perhaps improve your chances of completing your conventional treatment. Many can improve your quality of life during treatment, and some therapies and practices may improve your response to treatment and your survival.

If you have begun treatment and haven’t already considered options beyond conventional cancer care, you may want to review the options before you now.

What are your choices?

The “Integrative Cancer Care” section of this website has been created to help you understand your choices when facing cancer. Explore whichever choices seem relevant right now, and at the pace right for you.

Therapies and practices you can do now

You may be wondering if you can do anything now that will make you healthier and increase your resilience as you take treatment. We believe you can do much using self care and complementary therapies in an individualized treatment plan. 

However, if adding in anything more to conventional therapies feels stressful and burdensome, then let this go for now. If you decide to wait until after treatment to introduce complementary therapies and lifestyle changes, then pat yourself on the back for setting your limits and minimizing additional stressors. Know that conventional oncologists have much in their medicine bags to prevent and minimize side effects.

Self care

The 7 Lifestyle Practices can be useful in managing the side effects of treatment and improving your quality of life during treatment. These practices can also help make your body less hospitable to cancer and perhaps make the cancer more vulnerable to the treatments.

Example: Many people do better during treatment when they do aerobic exercise paced to their ability.

Example: Stopping smoking while in treatment will improve the distribution of oxygen to your tissues, which will help make radiation therapy more effective. Stopping will also reduce your exposure to chemicals in tobacco that can interfere with the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs.

Complementary care

Complementary therapies such as supplements, mind-body therapies, and more might help you now, either alone or in addition to self-care healing practices. Many of these therapies help in one or more of these ways:

• Ease feelings of overwhelm and anxiety
• Help manage symptoms such as pain
• Prevent or minimize treatment side effects
• Improve quality of life during treatment
• Make it easier for you to complete your conventional treatments
• Possibly even improve the effectiveness of conventional treatment 

Many of these therapies are available without prescription. However, note any cautions, and check with your doctor if indicated. Your primary cancer treatment doctor needs to know about any healing practices and complementary therapies you are using or planning. Some therapies should not be used in combination with some cancer treatments.

Traditional medicine

Traditional medical treatment systems come from the accumulated knowledge, skills and practices of indigenous cultures around the world. An example is traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Certain TCM therapies are effective and safe in supporting or complementing conventional cancer treatments. They can be particularly helpful in managing side effects and improving quality of life during treatment. In the West, TCM is commonly integrated into cancer treatment.

Find guidance

If you don’t have access to an integrative oncology professional, then think about what you want help with.

Cancer treatment rehab: restoring function, building resilience

The cancer itself and/or the treatment may affect your ability to function on one or more levels. Rehabilitation can take many forms to help restore you to as much function as possible.

Examples:

Your cancer may have caused difficulty breathing or pain and immobility and weakness. Rehab may be needed to improve your lung function, build strength, and improve mobility. 

Surgery such as a colostomy may have changed a bodily function. Other surgeries may have removed a part of a limb. Rehab specialists can teach how to use and care for prostheses and other adaptive equipment. 

Chemotherapy may have damaged nerves in your hands and feet. Physical and occupational therapy may help with restoring function and improving safety with movement. 

Cancer fitness programs may improve your muscle function and range of motion and reduce fatigue and other treatment effects.

Ask your treatment team about rehabilitation services that might be right for you and how you can access them.

If you are in cancer treatment indefinitely

You may have a treatable, though incurable, cancer and be in treatment indefinitely. With the evolving development of conventional therapies, we’ve seen what were once untreatable cancers responding to treatment. These cancers become like other chronic, potentially life-threatening illnesses such as type 1 diabetes requiring insulin injections.

Example: With combinations of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, many people with multiple myeloma have been able to live for years. Cancer may not be cured, but it is controlled.

We have seen many people with chronic cancers successfully blend complementary therapies and self-care healing practices with their ongoing conventional treatments to maintain quality of life, manage treatment side effects, and even boost the conventional treatment. 

If your cancer progresses and no longer responds to your treatment regimen, we encourage you to go back to the essential question of “What’s right for me now?” You always have choices, though likely different choices than you had before. Each time you come to these bumps in the road, remember that this time you have more experience and wisdom to get through this next challenge.

Get more help

You may be saying to yourself, “I’d like some help navigating this site,” or “All this written information and guidance is helpful, but I also need more individualized one-on-one help.” Volunteer guides can lead you through this website, and advocates or navigators can help with the bigger unfamiliar territory of cancer.

We’re with you

No matter what you’re facing in your journey with cancer, you are not alone. We’re here to help and connect you with resources that will help you and those you love.

Personal stories

Harold, a retired 71-year-old engineer, told me about this spiritual awakening and its connection to his choices about caring for himself during cancer treatment. I was helping him navigate within a healthcare system that is not encouraging and barely supportive of his efforts to blend even the simplest self-care healing practices into his plan of care.

Harold, mostly on his own, with some guidance from me, began to study body terrain and the tumor microenvironment from CancerChoices. He also dove into learning about the 7 Lifestyle Practices and how they contributed to creating an inner environment that was less hostile to cancer. Then he started practicing them.

Read Harold’s full story and learn more about his approach.

Story

Harold: A Cancer Treatment Story

Normalizing Life with Cancer

Cancer Help Program alumna Suz Mondello discusses the challenges and benefits of learning to normalize life with cancer, including specific examples and what “normal” means to her.

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