Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Acupuncture for chemotherapy-induced leukopenia: exploratory meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Authors: Lu W, Hu D, Dean-Clower E, Doherty-Gilman A, Legedza AT, Lee H, Matulonis U, Rosenthal DS Abstract Chemotherapy-induced leukopenia and neutropenia are common side effects during cancer treatment. Acupuncture has been reported as an adjunct therapy for this complication. The current study reviewed published randomized controlled trials of acupuncture's effect and explored the acupuncture parameters used in these trials. We searched biomedical databases in English and Chinese from 1979 to 2004. The study populations were cancer patients who were undergoing or had just completed chemotherapy or chemo...
Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology - December 2, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: J Soc Integr Oncol Source Type: research

Do the dietary supplements epigallocatechin gallate or vitamin e cause a radiomodifying response on tumors in vivo? A pilot study with murine breast carcinoma.
Authors: Lawenda BD, Smith DE, Xu L, Niemierko A, Silverstein JR, Boucher Y, Kashiwagi S, Held KD, Jain RK, Loeffler JS, Eisenberg DM, Blumberg JB Abstract The primary aim of this study was to evaluate a systematic and reproducible assay to examine the potential radiomodifying effects of vitamin E (VE) or epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), antioxidants commonly consumed by cancer patients as dietary supplements, on tumor control. C3H mice were randomized to a control diet or to the control diet supplemented with VE or EGCG. A tumor control dose 50% (TCD(50)) assay was used to evaluate for a radiomodifying re...
Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology - December 2, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: J Soc Integr Oncol Source Type: research

Discussing complementary therapies in an oncology setting.
This article considers some of the barriers to open communication about complementary treatments and provides support for why it is the health care professional's responsibility to bring up the topic for both medical and legal reasons. Strategies for initiating and guiding an informed dialogue are described and important resources are provided. PMID: 17309810 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] (Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology)
Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology - December 2, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: J Soc Integr Oncol Source Type: research

From ancient medicine to modern medicine: ayurvedic concepts of health and their role in inflammation and cancer.
Authors: Garodia P, Ichikawa H, Malani N, Sethi G, Aggarwal BB Abstract Recent statistics indicate that the overall cancer incidence in the United States, in spite of billions of dollars spent on research each year, has not changed significantly in the last half-century. Cancers of the prostate, breast, lung, and colon, although most common in the Western world, are least common in the Eastern world. Allopathic medicine commonly practiced currently is only 100 years old. Although traditional medicine has been around for thousands of years, no integration exists between it and allopathic medicine. Ayurveda,...
Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology - December 2, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: J Soc Integr Oncol Source Type: research

How to improve accrual to clinical trials of symptom control 1: recruitment strategies.
Authors: Vickers AJ Abstract Inadequate patient accrual remains the primary problem for clinical trials of integrative therapies for symptom control. Many difficulties can be predicted and avoided if a careful, evidence-based approach to trial design is taken: trialists should attempt to get as many data as possible on the study population by querying institutional databases, examining case notes, following inpatient rounds, and conducting "dry runs" by asking doctors for referrals. Trials require aggressive recruitment strategies, including advertising, writing to patients at home, scanning clinic lists, ...
Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology - December 2, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: J Soc Integr Oncol Source Type: research

Nerium oleander (Oleandrin).
Authors: PMID: 17309813 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] (Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology)
Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology - December 2, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: J Soc Integr Oncol Source Type: research

In vivo antitumor activity of ZYD88, a Chinese herbal medicine, in animal models with S180 sarcoma and Ehrlich tumor.
We report the in vivo effects of a Chinese herbal medicine, ZYD88, on the inhibition of tumor growth in an S(180) xenograft animal model and the improvement of animal survival in the Ehrlich tumor model. Oral administration of ZYD88 in mice with the xenograft S(180) sarcoma significantly inhibited tumor growth in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, ZYD88 given to the animals with Ehrlich ascitic tumors by gavage significantly prolonged the life span compared with that of animals treated with saline. In both animal models, the effects of ZYD88 were comparable to those of a standard chemotherapeutic agent, cyclophosphamide, a...
Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology - December 2, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: J Soc Integr Oncol Source Type: research

Justification for separate consideration of two broad categories of cancer patient use of complementary medicine.
This article provides the rationale for this statement and the potential utility of this approach. PMID: 17511929 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] (Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology)
Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology - December 2, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: J Soc Integr Oncol Source Type: research

Religious and spiritual practices and identification among individuals living with cancer and other chronic disease.
Authors: Ambs AH, Miller MF, Smith AW, Goldstein MS, Hsiao AF, Ballard-Barbash R Abstract Religion and spirituality in the context of health care are poorly understood, particularly for individuals with chronic illness. Using data from the 2003 Complementary and Alternative Medicine supplement to the 2001 California Health Interview Survey, we examined whether cancer survivors (n = 1,777) and individuals with other chronic illnesses (n = 4,784) were either more likely to identify themselves as religious and spiritual or more likely to use religious and spiritual practices for health purposes than individua...
Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology - December 2, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: J Soc Integr Oncol Source Type: research

How to improve accrual to clinical trials of symptom control 2: design issues.
Authors: Vickers AJ Abstract The major reason that clinical trials in integrative oncology fail is that inadequate numbers of patients are accrued. One important cause of inadequate accrual is eligibility criteria that are overly restrictive. Investigators should critically examine every single inclusion or exclusion criterion to determine whether possible benefits to the study clearly outweigh harms in terms of reduced accrual. Accrual will also be harmed if the burdens for participation--traveling to appointments, completing questionnaires--are excessive compared with the benefits for patients. In a trad...
Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology - December 2, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: J Soc Integr Oncol Source Type: research

Integrative Oncology Practice Guidelines.
Authors: Deng GE, Cassileth BR, Cohen L, Gubili J, Johnstone PA, Kumar N, Vickers A, Society for Integrative Oncology Executive Committee, Abrams D, Rosenthal D, Sagar S, Tripathy D PMID: 17511932 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] (Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology)
Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology - December 2, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: J Soc Integr Oncol Source Type: research

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis, Aloe capensis).
Authors: PMID: 17511933 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] (Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology)
Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology - December 2, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: J Soc Integr Oncol Source Type: research

Reduction of lymphedema using complete decongestive therapy: roles of prior radiation therapy and extent of axillary dissection.
Authors: Thomas RC, Hawkins K, Kirkpatrick SH, Mondry TE, Gabram-Mendola S, Johnstone PA Abstract Although radiation therapy (RT) contributes to lymphedema (LE), it is unknown whether RT contributes to more difficulty (more treatments) or less success (decreased LE reduction) with therapy for established LE. We reviewed the results of complete decongestive therapy (CDT) for LE with respect to a history of RT and the number of lymph nodes dissected. Breast cancer survivors with LE were referred to CDT-certified therapists. CDT consists of treatment (phase 1) and maintenance (phase 2) phases. During phase 1,...
Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology - December 2, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: J Soc Integr Oncol Source Type: research

Flax and flaxseed oil (Linum usitatissimum): a review by the Natural Standard Research Collaboration.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the scientific evidence on flaxseed, including expert opinion, folkloric precedent, history, pharmacology, kinetics/dynamics, interactions, adverse effects, toxicology, and dosing. Electronic searches were conducted in 9 databases, 20 additional journals (not indexed in common databases), and bibliographies from 50 selected secondary references. No restrictions were placed on the language or quality of the publications. All literature collected pertained to efficacy in humans, dosing, precautions, adverse effects, use in pregnancy/lactation, interactions, alteration of laboratory...
Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology - December 2, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: J Soc Integr Oncol Source Type: research

Pilot evaluation of flaxseed for the management of hot flashes.
This study suggests that dietary therapy decreases hot flash activity in women not taking estrogen therapy. This reduction is greater than what would be expected with placebo. PMID: 17761129 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] (Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology)
Source: Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology - December 2, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: J Soc Integr Oncol Source Type: research