Cancer Care

From the moment of diagnosis, cancer patients are immediately faced with a world in which they have minimal to no experience.  Starting with complex medical terminology and a range of treatment options, patients are emotionally strained to make decisions with limited time in which to make them.  The impact of a cancer diagnosis affects the mind, body and spirit of a patient.

While there have been significant strides and successes in treating Cancer, the symptoms and side effects often have an impact on patient quality of life.  Studies have shown that acupuncture can help control a number of symptoms and side effects, such as; pain, fatigue, dry mouth, nausea, and vomiting.  The National Cancer Institute states several of these studies and their respective effects of acupuncture and (1) improved immune system response, (2) pain reduction, (3) reduced nausea and vomiting, and (4) symptom relief for weight loss, cough, chest pain, fever, anxiety, depression, night sweats, hot flashes, dry mouth, speech problems, and fluid in the arms or legs.

Hospitals and leading cancer centers, including M.D. Anderson and Memorial Sloan-Kettering, integrate complimentary alternative medicine today while academic health centers have opened integrative medicine clinics.  The Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine boasts a membership today of 45 highly esteemed academic medical centers, from Duke Integrative Medicine to the University of Maryland’s Center for Integrative Medicine and Harvard Medical School.

As noted in the Integrative Oncology Practice Guidelines from the Society of Integrative Oncology, “even though people with cancer typically use complementary medicines along with conventional treatment, 38 to 60% of patients with cancer are taking complementary medicines without informing any member of their health care team.” Communication is a critical aspect of the integrative medicine model and the philosophy of Joseph Williams and Sunshine Integrative Health is to help patients bridge that gap.

Driven by his passion to integrate medicine with a specialized focus on integrative oncology, Williams has completed the advanced certification program from Memorial Sloan Kettering for ‘Acupuncture for the Cancer Patient’, is a member of the internationally recognized Society of Integrative Oncology, and has personally visited the University of Maryland’s Center for Integrative Medicine and the Sari Asher Center for Integrative Cancer Care, an initiative of the Palm Beach Cancer Institute Foundation.

Sources: National Cancer Institute; Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Society of Integrative Oncology; Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine

Sunshine Integrative Health is a proud sponsor of the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer in North Central Florida

To learn about the latest research on acupuncture and cancer, Click Here.