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Integrative Cancer Care Handbooks

Integrative approaches combine conventionalthe cancer care offered by conventionally trained physicians and most hospitals; examples are chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy care,  self carelifestyle actions and behaviors that may impact cancer outcomes; examples include eating health-promoting foods, limiting alcohol, increasing physical activity, and managing stress, and 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 care to produce your best possible outcomes.

Handbooks are available for individual cancer types, for some treatment approaches, and for many phases of cancer.

Cancer types

We’ll be building handbooks on broad cancer types. While we’re assembling the new handbooks, we share these from our predecessor site, Beyond Conventional Cancer Therapies. We expect to start publishing updates by the end of 2022.

Topics that may be included in handbooks:

  • Quick Reference to integrative therapies
  • Signs, symptoms and screening for this type of cancer
  • Expert guidance on integrative care for this cancer type
  • Examples of integrative approaches
  • Integrative approaches with surgery
  • Taking care of your heart: cardiac toxicity
  • Other topics specific to cancer types

Breast cancer

Breast Cancer Handbook cover image
Breast Cancer Handbook (PDF)

Colorectal cancer

Colorectal Cancer Handbook cover
Colorectal Cancer Handbook (PDF)

Ovarian cancer

Ovarian Cancer Handbook (PDF)

Prostate cancer

Prostate Cancer Handbook cover
Prostate Cancer Handbook (PDF)

Find complementary therapies for each cancer type

Reviews of Complementary Therapies

You can search for therapies showing benefit for a specific cancer type in our reviews of complementary therapies. Select a cancer type from the filters along the left side of the page.

Integrative approaches to cancer treatment

Surgery: An Integrative Approach

Integrative approaches starting before surgery can improve your resilience, your response to surgery, and your recovery.

When Conventional Treatments Are Not an Option

You may have reached a point where conventional treatments are not right for you. We help you assess your options.

Palliative Care in Cancer

Palliative care focuses on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness.

How to Integrate Your Choices

From guidance on how to assess your treatment options to finding practitioners and clinics, this handbook is a how-to guide.

Optimizing Your Body Terrain

Building your body terrainthe internal conditions of your body, including nutritional status, fitness, blood sugar balance, hormone balance, inflammation and more is an important complement to conventional treatments, extending the benefits of those treatments by reducing your risk of recurrence and improving your overall health.

More handbooks are under development

What’s right for me now?

We offer specific guidance at several phases of your experience with cancer. Each handbook includes our recommendations of pages on this site plus therapies and practices helpful for people at each phase.

Guidance for Each Phase

An introduction to exploring this site based on where your are on your cancer pathway

Guidance at these phases:

Further handbooks to explore

Managing Symptoms & Side Effects

Covid-19 and Cancer Handbook

Caregiver Handbook