New and Uncharted Territory: Integrative Medicine in the Medical Radiation Sciences

Abstract

Integrative medicine, or the varied combination of conventional biomedicine with “complementary/alternative medicine” (CAM), has emerged recently as an important aspect of cancer care. Called “integrative oncology” (IO), health practitioners and certain institutions are exploring how to combine interdisciplinary modalities to ameliorate the suffering of cancer patients, and ultimately to promote wellness. As a reflection of the rising interest in and use of CAM by patients, frontline health care workers in mainstream cancer care are faced daily with patients who tell them they are combining biomedical and CAM modalities. Yet, practitioners may have little understanding or training in the principles of IO or specific CAM modalities. This lack of familiarity with CAM may lead to a number of care-related issues, including potential contraindications between modalities and the concealment by patients of their use of CAM.

In this paper, the field of IO as an aspect of integrative medicine will be reviewed, with reference to current developments in the field. Leading controversies in IO will be explored and analyzed. Finally, a summary of the experiences and perspectives of those practitioners in the medical radiation sciences—or those in frontline cancer care—will be shared to highlight issues in the clinical application of IO.