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Purpose of Review: This review aims to assess how nutrition can be addressed in the integrative oncology setting, taking into account cancer patients' unmet needs as they relate to nutrition in cancer care and the evidence-based information that is available on this topic. Recent Findings: During and after cancer treatment, nutrition is an important component of supportive care, for patients and their family members. Current scientific data consistently show that poor nutrition can reduce survival and decrease adherence to cancer treatments. Unfortunately, the limited availability of dietitians makes access to individualized nutrition counseling challenging, and many cancer patients still do not receive adequate nutritional support. As a result, one of the main unmet needs of patients and their families through the whole cancer trajectory is accessible and up-to-date evidence-based nutritional counseling that emphasizes basic healthy nutrition. The popularity of complementary and integrative medicine among patients with cancer makes the integrative oncology setting an excellent avenue for providing such support. A suggested simple approach that utilizes World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research and American Cancer Society basic information is described. This approach can be easily incorporated into integrative oncology settings, while reserving the role for the registered dietician to address underweight patients, patients with malnutrition, and patients with more complicated dietary situations. Summary: The integrative oncology setting is in a unique place in oncology that can be utilized for enhancing dissemination of healthy nutrition information and addressing the unmet needs expressed by patients and families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: This review aims to assess recent data on possible effective and safe complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) modalities that can be of help to patients affected by cancer that suffer from cancer-related fatigue (CRF). Recent Findings: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most common, persistent, and challenging symptoms among cancer patients and survivors. Many world-leading cancer centers incorporate CIM into routine cancer care including integrating multiple approaches to address CRF. Approaches that are supported by clinical evidence on the use of CIM during and following conventional oncology treatments are being discussed in this review. Summary: The review suggests that some CIM modalities might have a potential role in alleviating cancer-related fatigue. These modalities include acupuncture, touch therapies, nutrition, nutritional supplements, stress reduction, homeopathy, and circadian rhythm management. Additional research is still needed to better support the process of integrating CIM into a routine approach to cancer-related fatigue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: Our goal was to provide healthcare professionals (HCPs) with evidence-based data about what can be done to handle prognostic discussions with empathy. Recent Findings: First, disclosing prognosis involves a good reason to do so and making sure that the patient will be able to process the discussion. Second, communication tips are given for the three dimensions of empathy: "establishing rapport with the patient," which should not be overlooked; the emotional dimension, which involves an accurate understanding of the patient and communication skills; and the "active/positive" dimension which is about giving hope, explaining things clearly and helping patients take control with shared decision-making and a planned future. Summary: Although communication tips are helpful, empathy training should be based more on the development of HCPs' emotional skills, in order to help them regulate their emotions and thus be more comfortable with those of patients and families. Furthermore, research into empathy toward minorities and relatives is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hematologic malignancies represent 9.7% of all cancers, making them the fourth most common type of cancer in the United States. The aggressive and complex treatments administered in hematologic malignancies result in a high burden of psychological needs. Complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) is becoming one of the options that patients use to address their distress during and after cancer treatments. It is not clear whether appropriate CIM can relieve distress in patients affected by these malignancies. This review covers the potential benefits of CIM as relates to nutrition, nutritional supplements, exercise, circadian rhythm, methods for reducing distress during bone marrow aspiration, massage therapy, and acupuncture, in treating patients with hematological malignancies. This review may provide a framework to enhance patient-doctor dialogue regarding CIM use in hematologic malignancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with cancer commonly use complementary and integrative medicine, including homeopathy. Homeopathy has grown in popularity with the public but is viewed with skepticism by medical academia and is still excluded from conventionally prescribed treatments. In recent years, homeopathy has been used in cancer care in Europe and other countries worldwide. This use raised the question if there is any benefit in utilizing this type of care with cancer patients. The purpose of this manuscript is to explore the evidence related to the benefit of homeopathy in cancer care. Limited research has suggested that homeopathic remedies appear to cause cellular changes in some cancer cells. In animal models, several homeopathic remedies have had an inhibitory effect on certain tumor development. Some clinical studies of homeopathic remedies combined with conventional care have shown that homeopathic remedies improve quality of life, reduce symptom burden, and possibly improve survival in patients with cancer. The findings from several lab and clinical studies suggest that homeopathy might have some beneficial effect in cancer care; however, further large, comprehensive clinical studies are needed to determine these beneficial effects. Although additional studies are needed to confirm these findings, given the low cost, minimal risks, and the potential magnitude of homeopathy’s effects, this usemight be considered in certain situations as an additional tool to integrate into cancer care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer survivorship has become a topic of great interest in the past few years. Unfortunately, even with successful treatment as well as good follow-up care, many patients continue to experience unmet physical, emotional, and spiritual needs as well as having an unsettling fear, fear of recurrence, a fear which most survivors share, even many years after their treatment ended. As a result, patients are continually looking for additional ways to address these needs and fears. Among the most popular approach is the use of complementary and integrative medicine (CIM).Most studies on CIM use among cancer patients and survivors concentrate on symptom improvement and improvement of quality of life and do not touch a crucial question if these therapies can affect patients’ survival in terms of prolongation of life. Interestingly, in recent years, there are a growing number of studies that suggest that approaches such as mind-body interventions, enhanced general nutrition, nutritional supplements, physical activity, and other CIM approaches may have a positive effect on survival of cancer patients. Although additional studies are needed to confirm these findings, given the low cost of these CIM interventions, their minimal risk, and the potential magnitude of their effects, these approaches might be considered as additional important tools to integrate into cancer survivorship care plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]