[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/04\/integrative-oncology-stacy-hurt\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/04\/integrative-oncology-stacy-hurt\/","headline":"From Movement to Mindfulness, Cancer Care Gets Holistic","name":"From Movement to Mindfulness, Cancer Care Gets Holistic","description":"Using All the Tools to Fight Cancer Sometimes, it\u2019s the seemingly little things that can make navigating a cancer diagnosis and its treatment more tolerable. Those \u201clittle\u201d things can be a big deal to patients who are struggling with side effects from traditional cancer therapies. Integrative Oncology seeks to offer patients tools to face cancer […]","datePublished":"2019-04-22","dateModified":"2021-12-16","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/hillman.upmc.com\/","name":"UPMC Hillman Cancer Center","url":"https:\/\/hillman.upmc.com\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/upmc-hillman-cancer-center\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/integrative-oncology.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/integrative-oncology.jpg","height":327,"width":754},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/04\/integrative-oncology-stacy-hurt\/","about":["Cancer Care","Health Topics A-Z"],"wordCount":524,"articleBody":"Using All the Tools to Fight CancerSometimes, it\u2019s the seemingly little things that can make navigating a cancer diagnosis and its treatment more tolerable. Those \u201clittle\u201d things can be a big deal to patients who are struggling with side effects from traditional cancer therapies. Integrative Oncology seeks to offer patients tools to face cancer with approaches that address mind, body, and spirit and offer welcome relief.Test your integrative oncology knowledge.\u201cIntegrative Oncology is really about looking and thinking about the whole person when they\u2019re in the midst of a cancer journey,\u201d says Lanie Francis, MD, lead medical oncologist, Wellness and Integrative Oncology Program at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Pittsburgh. \u201cWe work with patients to integrate things like movement, touch, nutrition, and mindfulness in a safe and supervised way.\u201dDr. Francis\u2019 program establishes a partnership between patients and their oncology team and provides patients with individualized care plans. All of the program\u2019s recommendations are symptom-driven and evidence-based.A Devastating Diagnosis\u201cBeing diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer on my 44th birthday was the worst day of my life,\u201d says Stacy Hurt, cancer survivor. \u201cI was so afraid that I was going to be sick in bed all the time. I wanted to find ways to do whatever I could to maintain quality of life in between my treatments.\u201dIntegrative Oncology ended up being a key component in Hurt\u2019s lengthy road to beating cancer, particularly in helping her combat neuropathy, which is a common chemotherapy side effect marked by numbness and tingling in the hands and feet.\u201cNeuropathy has been the number one worst side effect of my treatment,\u201d says Hurt. \u201cI was able to work with Dr. Francis to find ways to incorporate acupuncture, massage, and yoga to better manage it.\u201dTreating Cancer: Mind, Body, and SpiritMeditation, aromatherapy, acupuncture, yoga, and lifestyle nutrition, along with other holistic approaches to medicine, can deliver hope, healing, and complement traditional treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery that have the potential to take a significant toll on patients battling cancer.Therapies chosen within an Integrative Oncology program are those that have been shown to be most effective in helping patients manage common side effects of cancer and its treatment, including: nausea and vomiting, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety and depression, pain, and neuropathy.\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of research on how specific modalities can impact specific symptoms,\u201d says Dr. Francis. \u201cThe research reflects what we\u2019ve seen and know to be true, which is that these therapies and practices really are a wonderful adjunct to traditional care.\u201d\u201cI\u2019m proof that these treatments work,\u201d says Hurt. \u201cI believe they\u2019ve enhanced the effectiveness of the chemotherapy and helped me maintain balance in my life. For me, they\u2019ve made all the difference.\u201dSometimes, it\u2019s the seemingly little things that can make navigating a cancer diagnosis and its treatment more tolerable. Those \u201clittle\u201d things can be a big deal to patients who are struggling with side effects from traditional cancer therapies. Integrative Oncology seeks to offer patients tools to face cancer with approaches that address mind, body, and spirit and offer welcome relief."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2019","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"04","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/\/04\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"From Movement to Mindfulness, Cancer Care Gets Holistic","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/04\/integrative-oncology-stacy-hurt\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]