The medical articles on this site are for informational purposes only, and are not meant to be used to diagnose or treat your pet, or to replace the recommendations of a qualified veterinarian that has examined your pet.
Integrative Therapy for Cancer Patients
Integrative Therapy (IT) combines the most appropriate treatments from conventional veterinary medicine and surgery with acupuncture (AP) and herbal medicine, which are derived from much older, holistic disciplines. Utilizing the very best therapies available from different major medical systems optimizes quality of life, and can extend lifespan by months to years.
There is no conventional or holistic medical treatment that is able to cure cancer--no “magic bullet.” However, an appropriate combination of therapies can often delay the growth and spread of the disease while maintaining a good quality of life and increased lifespan.
A typical holistic protocol might include an herbal medicine prescription(s) that is specifically selected for each individual patient; high protein diet; high dose antioxidant vitamins (if appropriate); and high dose fish oil. For some pets, an additional type of supplement such as a multivitamin may be helpful, particularly in those who are undergoing conventional chemotherapy. Some pets will also benefit by receiving periodic AP treatments.
While holistic medicine may be used as the sole treatment for cancer, an integrative approach is the most powerful way to fight this disease. Conventional therapy can rapidly destroy cancer cells, or eliminate (surgery) the original tumor. At the same time, herbal medicine(s) delays tumor progression through various mechanisms, and essentially changes the physiologic environment in the body that initially allowed the cancer to form, grow, and spread. Some herbal medicines (e.g. milk thistle) will also actually enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy agents. Others, like Pacific yew bark, rosy periwinkle, and American mayapple, have themselves been developed into chemotherapy drugs (Taxol, vincristine, vinblastine, etoposide, teniposide).
Acupuncture is often used supportively in cancer patients, and can be extremely helpful for stimulating appetite and digestion and treating nausea; resolving diarrhea; decreasing pain, stress and anxiety; preserving mobility; and maximizing kidney function. It can also help to treat the side effects that can sometimes result from radiation or chemotherapy.
