Best of both worlds
UVA blends top-notch cancer expertise with tried-and-true healing practices
by Polly Turner
When the diagnosis is cancer, peace of mind depends on knowing you, or a loved one, gets the best care available. The great news: more life-saving cancer treatments are available now than ever before-powerful drugs, advanced surgical techniques and precision radiation therapy. While these treatments are essential, they can be even more effective when combined with other healing practices known as integrative or complementary. A special diet, meditation, hypnosis, even massage therapy can play an important role in cancer care.
At the University of Virginia Cancer Center, patients find the best of both worlds.
Treating the whole person
In the UVA Cancer Center's Integrative Medicine Program, specialists from UVA Health System-ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation's top hospitals for cancer care-team up with acupuncturists, nutritionists, psychologists, and others to offer a seamless approach to holistic care.
"UVA has invested in integrative medicine because patients are asking for it, and because we know it is tremendously beneficial," says Diane Cole, UVA Cancer Center manager of education support and outreach. "For some cancer patients who are dog tired or have pain issues, a few acupuncture treatments can change their life," Cole adds. "We hear that pretty consistently from our patients. It's also well documented in the research."
Here are just some of the integrative therapies at the UVA Cancer Center that patients can take advantage of:
Nutrition counseling enables the cancer patient to create a personal eating plan that promotes healing and helps ease the side effects of treatment, such as nausea or fatigue.
Guided imagery taps into the power of the imagination. It can help a patient feel more centered and in control, and help alleviate insomnia, pain, anxiety, stress and depression.
Hypnosis can help the cancer patient focus deeply on a sense of health and wellbeing. Its benefits are similar to those of guided imagery.
Mindfulness-based stress reduction teaches meditative techniques that promote inner calm and clarity of thought.
Massage therapy helps to relax the body and mind, while relieving stress, anxiety, nausea or pain in some patients. "In our own studies at UVA, cancer patients have talked about how massage therapy made a big difference in their being able to cope and get through the day," says Cole.
Spiritual care and guidance aids the healing process by drawing on deeply-held beliefs to help the cancer patient live as fully as possible.
Psychology and social work counseling services offer the support patients need in order to work through emotions, and cope with the increased demands of living with illness.
Acupuncture can help relieve nausea, fatigue and pain, while lending to a feeling of general wellbeing.
Regaining control
Anxiety, stress and insomnia are difficult in themselves, and can exacerbate the side effects of treatment, says Lora Baum, Ph.D., a UVA assistant professor of psychiatry and neurobehavioral sciences who works with cancer patients using guided imagery and hypnosis. "If you can relieve anxiety, the pain and nausea tend to quiet down," Baum explains. "And if a therapy can help you sleep better, that's one less medicine you might have to take."
One of Baum's patients, Connie Muscenti of Nelson County, Va., shares that "Guided imagery and hypnosis helped me get through the fear I had of going through chemotherapy. I really, really did not want to do chemo-I didn't want to put anything toxic in my body-but I had to do that to recover."
Guided imagery and hypnosis helped Muscenti regain a sense of control and comfort. They eased her nausea from the chemotherapy, and helped her find some peace during a turbulent and anxious time. It's possible, she believes, that they also helped her heal.
Easy access
Most integrative therapies at UVA Cancer Center are provided at no cost to patients, thanks to the Mary Semmes Scripps Fund for Integrative Medicine established by a generous gift from Ginny and Prewitt Semmes. To access these services, just call 888-882-9892, or ask your doctor for a referral. A health education counselor can help you choose the therapies to suit your needs and preferences. Always discuss complementary therapy with your doctor before trying anything new.
Make it work for you
During or after cancer treatment is an ideal time to try complementary therapies such as nutrition counseling, acupuncture or massage therapy.
Who is a good candidate for complementary therapies?
The answer is anyone. The idea is to tap into the therapies that resonate with you personally, according to Lora D. Baum, Ph.D., who provides guided imagery and hypnosis services to UVA cancer patients.
Certain mind-body therapies can require a level of motivation and self-direction, she notes. "If someone tells you 'go learn hypnosis, it's going to change your life,' but you yourself feel resistant, hypnosis is not going to work for you."
Adds Cole, "Ask what you can take advantage of. If you try one thing and it doesn't work, don't get discouraged-try something else. Everyone is different, and the benefit to each person varies.
"Try it one time. You may be surprised at how beneficial it can be."
Why access these services through UVA?
By combining first-class medical treatments with complementary therapies, UVA can give patients their best chance to do well both during and after treatment.
"Our program priority is to first offer therapies that are backed by research," says Diane Cole, manager of the education support and outreach program of the UVA Cancer Center.
The team approach is also ideal for cancer patients. "We hand pick practitioners who can meet your unique needs," says Cole. "We want to know they can work with the issues important to our patients without introducing anything that can conflict with medical treatments."
For example, certain herbal therapies are known to cause blood thinning, others can raise or lower blood pressure. A nutritionist must know when to recommend these during cancer treatment, when to set them aside for surgery. Massage therapy, too, can benefit nearly any patient, but in some cancer patients it can cause bleeding. A knowledgeable massage therapist will monitor blood counts and make careful choices of where to apply pressure.
Navigating cancer care
When the diagnosis is cancer, a person faces a whole new world. To help patients find the support and guidance they need, the UVA Cancer Center has created a position known as a patient navigator. Faith Havran, an experienced oncology social worker, fills this important role made possible through a partnership between UVA and the American Cancer Society. As early as a patient's first visit to the Cancer Center, Havran can:
• Encourage informed decision making by providing timely, reliable information for cancer care.
• Connect patients to support in the Cancer Center, American Cancer Society programs, and services in their own communities.
• Offer the patient tools for managing care-for example, a special folder to keep test results, appointments and phone numbers.
• Direct the patient to resources to help overcome any financial barriers to care. "New patients, understandably, can be overwhelmed," Havran says. "Things are happening very quickly, and a patient is hearing a lot of difficult information. Hopefully, I can begin building trust so the patient will feel empowered and not alone."
This article appeared in the Fall 2008 issue of Vim & Vigor, a family health magazine sponsored by UVA Health System. If you don't already receive it at home, sign up today. It's free.