Integrative-Oncology-Programs

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Integrative Oncology Programs

Integrative Oncology Programs are provided by Board Members of the SIO. Clicking on a link will open a new page at the institiution's web site. This list includes some of the well-established, evidence-based and academically oriented programs currently available. The following list is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all integrative oncology resources. Please feel free to send suggestions of others that we should review for possible inclusion by using our link submission form located here. See our Terms and Conditions for use of these resources.

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1	University of Texas M.D. Anderson’s Integrative Medicine Program The Integrative Medicine Program at MD Anderson provides structure and direction for research, education and patient care efforts in complementary and integrative medicine
2	Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s Integrative Medicine Service Within the Integrative Medicine Service, our experienced therapists are fully trained and certified. They have been carefully selected for their symptom management skills and sensitivity to patient needs
3	Integrative Oncology at the University of California San Francisco Osher Center for Integrative Medicine – General: Donald I. Abrams, MD, Chief of Hematology-Oncology at San Francisco General Hospital, and Anand Dhruva, MD provide Integrative Oncology consultations at the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine (situated across the street from the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center). Dr. Abrams co-edited the Oxford University Press volume Integrative Oncology with Andrew Weil, MD. Services: The services include comprehensive patient-centered care with integrative physicians, massage therapists, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, and a biofeedback / guided imagery nurse. Group programs include mindfulness-based stress reduction, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, yoga, laughter yoga, and gentle yoga for cancer patients. During the 60 minute initial new patient consultation, Dr. Abrams focuses on nutrition, physical activity, immune enhancement and stress reduction, referring most patients to be co-managed by one of the Center's TCM practitioners. Dr. Dhruva is interested in the application of Ayurveda to patients with cancer and currently has a K Award from the NIH tro study Ayurveda as a whole system in cancer care. Interests: Dr. Abrams and his colleague Anand Dhruva, MD are interested in establishing a research program evaluating integrative oncology interventions as a collaborative effort between investigators at the Osher Center and the Comprehensive Cancer Center.
4	Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies at Dana Faber At the Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies, leading cancer experts combine new approaches to cancer care with the trusted treatments that have been saving lives for half a century.
5	The Integrative Therapies Program for Children with Cancer in the Division of Pediatric Oncology at Columbia University Medical Center The Integrative Therapies Program for Children with Cancer in the Division of Pediatric Oncology at Columbia University Medical Center, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian specializes in clinical care, research, and education and is dedicated to providing free integrative therapies to children with cancer and their families through and beyond cancer treatment.
6	Simms/Mann Center for Integrative Oncology at UCLA The Simms/Mann-UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology is a national model for providing integrative patient care for individuals and families touched by cancer.
7	Integrative Oncology at 21st Century Oncology Las Vegas Nevada General: This integrative oncology practice is part of 21st Century Oncology offices and directed by Brian Douglas Lawenda, M.D. Dr Lawenda is a Harvard-trained radiation oncologist and Stanford/UCLA-trained medical acupuncturist. Dr. Lawenda integrates the most advanced radiation oncology technologies and evidence-based complementary therapies to provide an individualized, compassionate and personal approach to the care of cancer patients. As the only integrative radiation oncologist in Nevada, Dr. Lawenda brings this important specialty to the region. Dr. Lawenda specializes in the use of the most advanced radiation oncology technologies available (i.e. stereotactic body and intracranial radiation therapy, radiosurgery, intensity modulated and image guided radiation therapy) in the treatment of malignant and benign tumors. His research articles, chapters and studies have been published in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute, The Cancer Journal, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, and in a recently released textbook Integrative Oncology, by Donald Abrams and Andrew Weil. Services: Integrative oncology consultations are conveniently offered at each of the 21st Century Oncology offices, throughout Las Vegas. Referrals are coordinated with the most experienced complementary medicine and other health services providers to help patients achieve the highest possible quality of life and cancer care outcomes. Interests: Dr. Lawenda has a wide range of research interests, including various aspects of Radiation Oncology, Acupuncture and Integrative Oncology. He has focused much of his recent efforts studying techniques/therapies, which may enhance the quality of life for cancer survivors.
8	The Block Center (IL) General: Founded over 30 years ago, the Block Center is one of the world’s leading integrative cancer treatment facilities. Keith Block, MD, and Penny Block, PhD, developed this clinic and its programs, which are detailed in Dr. Keith Block’s 2009 book, Life Over Cancer. An outpatient clinic treating the entire range of cancers, the Center’s innovative approach systematically combines the best of conventional cancer treatments with research-based complementary interventions such as therapeutic diet, selective supplementation, stress-care strategies, and prescriptive exercise programs. Services: Advanced laboratory and molecular testing, personalized nutrition and nutraceutical counseling, systematic mind-body training, prescriptive exercise instruction, innovative chemotherapy administration including chronomodulated and metronomic infusion, targeted molecular treatments, off-label and experimental therapies and immunotherapies. Interests: Research in specific lifestyle factors and laboratory and tissue assessments are critical to the Center’s approach to optimizing cancer treatment. Clinical emphasis is placed on correcting adverse biochemical and molecular disruptions unique to each patient. Additional research includes innovating methods for optimizing circadian health and investigating better methods for administering chemotherapy such as time-sensitive infusions. The goal is to reduce toxicity and side-effects, improve treatment response, and boost overall survival. The Center trains medical, dietetic and pharmacy students in both academic and clinical settings through the University of Illinois at Chicago, and houses a full time research staff that participates in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and integrative oncology studies. Website: Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment (www.blockmd.com)
9	Meditation Research, Scholarship, and Practice at Emory University, Georgia General: Emory University is a leader in meditation research and scholarship, and in integrating meditation and other contemplative practices into clinical and community settings. Along with colleagues in the Emory Collaborative for Contemplative Studies, Susan Bauer-Wu, SIO board member, is actively involved in these efforts. Dr. Bauer-Wu is an Associate Professor of Nursing at Emory University, Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Scholar, and Member, Winship Cancer Institute, who has extensive experience as a teacher and researcher of mind-body interventions, especially mindfulness meditation in oncology and palliative care settings. Services: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and other mindfulness based practices are provided to cancer patients and families, health care professionals, and college students, individually and in group settings. Dr. Bauer-Wu also teaches in the contemplative end-of-life care program, Being With Dying at the Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, training health care professionals in neuroscience and meditation and in the use of contemplative practices for self-care and in the care of seriously ill patients. Interests: The Emory Collaborative for Contemplative Studies is interested in integrating Eastern meditative practices with Western health care and in society, in general, through rigorous research, vibrant dialogue, and meaningful experiential learning.
10	Mayo Clinic’s Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program General Information: The Complementary and Integrative Medicine service was created by the Department of Medicine to meet the needs of physicians and patients for credible, evidence-based information regarding Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). We combine mainstream medical therapies and integrative medical therapies for improved patient care results and experiences. We focus on the whole person to achieve optimal health and healing. Services provided are not specific to the area of oncology, but oncology patients are served and oncology issues are included. Services: Services being provided are acupuncture, massage and physician consultation regarding mind-body interventions, in particular meditation, and herbal/supplement use. Main issues of interests - A meditation and resiliency training program developed by Dr. Amit Sood is an area of particular expertise. This program has been tested in patients and staff members with positive results for helping to relieve stress and anxiety.
11	Integrative Oncology at Northwest Natural Health®, a Specialty Care Clinic, Seattle WA General: Dan Labriola ND along with partners Patrick Bufi ND and Kathleen Pratt ND develop and implement integrative care programs and services. Many are on campus at conventional medical institutions including Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, Seattle Children’s, Highline medical Center in Burien WA, Valley Medical Center in Renton WA, Good Samaritan Medical Center in Puyallup WA and other locations. The clinic is one of the pioneers of integrative oncology providing inpatient natural medicine services starting at 1985 with patients suffering from leukemia that required bone marrow transplantation. Services Provided: Clinical services include botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, physical modalities, mind-body medicine, and oversight of drug-nutrient interactions and management of co morbidities including treatment side effects. All services are fully integrated with the patient’s conventional medical team. Patient education classes are provided as well as continuing medical education courses for physicians, nurses and other providers. Main issues of interest: The focus in this center is to provide a safe, sensible and scientific environment in which cancer patients can experience the benefits of natural medicine with an emphasis on survivorship and quality of life. The clinic staff has great interest in implementation and collaboration with clinical trials to further the evidence supporting the use of natural medicine treatments.
12	Integrative Oncology at Juravinski Cancer Centre and Hospital, Department Of Oncology, McMaster University Canada General: The Juravinski Cancer Centre and Hospital treats over 7 thousand new cancer patients each year. It is one of the largest cancer centers in Canada. The center integrates integrative oncology concepts and patient centered care. The key person in integrative oncology in this center is Dr Stephen Sagar. Dr Sagar is a radiation oncologist and is the past president of The Society of Integrative Oncology. Dr. Sagar and Dr. Wong educate Western oncologists in the principles of Chinese Medical Practice. They have been members of the teaching faculties of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO), the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and the Society for Oncology Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA). Services: Integrative oncology consultations as well as providing Traditional Chinese Medicine. The focus is on quality assurance and bio-modification that could reduce adverse effects and enhance tumor control by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Interests: Practical application of acupuncture in mainstream oncology.
13	Integrative Medicine in Fundaleu Argentina General: Integrative Medicine service in Fundaleu cancer center in Buenos Ayres Argentina is directed by Pablo Mountford, MD, Hematolgy- Oncology physician by training. This center has extensive experience in treatment of hematologic malignancies and Stem Cell Transplantation. The services in the center are fully integrated with other support services provided in the cancer center. The family and care givers are integrated as part of the therapeutic focus. Services: The center provides acupuncture, mind body medicine, music therapy, medical massage and physical activity modalities such as Chi Kung, and low impact aerobics. Interests: Dr Mountford is interested in the improvement and prevention of the consequences of “Isolation”, physical and social, and integrates evidence based medicine in the process of obtaining the best quality of life, despite the need of aggressive therapies.
14	Integrative Oncology Consultants US and Israel General: Integrative Oncology Consultants is a clinical practice that provides international educational sessions to patients and their family members. The practice is directed by Moshe Frenkel MD clinical associate professor in University of Texas and founder of the integrative oncology clinic in MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. The clinic is located in Israel and provides high quality educational services to patients touched by cancer, their families, friends and others affected by this illness, on the best way to integrate complementary and integrative medicine to their care. Services: Three types of services are provided: 1. Integrative Oncology clinical consultations- Patient centered consultations that integrate nutritional advice, informed use of supplements, mind body therapies, homeopathy, acupuncture and other complementary therapies that have some evidence base for their use. 2. International educational sessions by phone or online- This is a special educational program for people touched by cancer and family members to get important questions answered and develop an individually tailored plan to optimize wellness. 3. Advice to other practitioners and practices who wish to add integrative oncology dimensions to their practice. Interests: Research the best way to integrate complementary medicine into conventional oncology while maintaining a patient centered approach, Integrating homeopathy into clinical oncology, Exceptional Cancer Patients experiences, A patient centered informed decision making in oncology.