Effects of complementary therapies on clinical outcomes in patients being treated with radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

Background: This pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) examined the clinical effects of 2 complementary (CAM) therapies, relaxation response therapy (RRT) and Reiki therapy, in men being treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRx) for prostate cancer.

Methods: Study participants were randomly assigned to weekly RRT, Reiki therapy twice weekly, or wait-list control. Well-validated instruments measured anxiety (STAI), depression (CES-D), and quality of life in cancer patients (FACT-G) at randomization and 3 subsequent time points.

Acupuncture as palliative therapy for physical symptoms and quality of life for advanced cancer patients.

Background: Acupuncture is underutilized as an adjunct cancer therapy. The main study objectives were to determine the feasibility of administering acupuncture as palliative therapy to patients with advanced ovarian or breast cancer and to assess the effect on symptoms and quality of life (QOL).

Methods: This study was a pilot, single-armed prospective clinical trial for patients with advanced cancer to receive 12 acupuncture sessions over 8 weeks with follow-up at weeks 9 and 12.

Integrative Tumor Board: a case report and discussion from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

A 34-year-old woman carrying a BRCA1 gene and a significant family history was diagnosed with T1c, N1 breast cancer. The tumor was estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER-2/Neu negative. The patient received dose-dense chemotherapy with Adriamycin and Cytoxan followed by Taxol, and left breast irradiation.