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Hindawi Publishing CorporationEvidence-Based Complementary and Alternative MedicineVolume 2012, Article ID 850429, 2 pagesdoi:10.1155/2012/850429

Editorial

Complementary and Alternative Medicine andCancer Survivorship

Alyson L. Huntley,1 Beverley de Valois,2 Tieraona Low Dog,3 and Francesca Borrelli4

1 School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, Bristol BS8 2AP, UK2 Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre (LJMC), Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Middlesex UB8 2DL, UK3 Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724-5153, USA4 Department of Experimental Pharmacology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples 80131, Italy

Correspondence should be addressed to Alyson L. Huntley, alyson.huntley@bristol.ac.uk

Received 11 December 2012; Accepted 11 December 2012

Copyright © 2012 Alyson L. Huntley et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons AttributionLicense, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properlycited.

In the UK, the Cancer Reform Strategy 2007 outlined theneed for a National Cancer Survivorship Initiative to improvethe care and support provided for those living with andbeyond cancer. This is reflected across the world with healthcare research investigating new models of cancer care whichinclude helping people to live healthily after cancer, helpingthem to prevent recurrence of cancer, to return to as normala life as possible after treatment, and to support people livingwith active or advanced cancer.

The US National Cancer Institute defines an individual asa cancer survivor from the time of cancer diagnosis, throughthe balance of his or her life. Evidence from qualitativestudies informs us that supportive care is wanted by cancerpatients but it is felt there is a lack of appropriate supportservices. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)can play an important role in this approach.

This is why we felt it was important to propose a specialissue on CAM and cancer survivorship. We also felt it wasimportant to take a broad view not only across a widerange of therapies and interventions, some of which areunproven, but equally across a range of methodologies fromin vitro studies to qualitative reports. We are pleased to saywe achieved that with this special issue.

Four of the included papers discuss in vitro studies inves-tigating the mechanisms of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) and Ayurvedic medicine on cancer cell biology. Tworeviews discuss the role of inflammation and its treatmentin cancer. M. Sun and colleagues discuss Kushen, which hasa long history of use in TCM to treat inflammatory diseasesand cancer. This review consolidates the evidence base for

Kushen in modulating molecular pathways in tumours. Thereview by V. N. Sumantran contains a discussion on theshared pathology of inflammation of cancer and metabolicsyndrome in the context of the Ayurvedic concept of “Ama.”A further review by Z. Wang and colleagues discusses thecurrent understanding of the potential mechanisms of TCMin cancer therapy, and specifically the cancer glycolyticpathway. We have also included a study led by S. Sheikhwhich provides evidence for an Ayurvedic herbomineralpreparation and its effects on the human cancer cell lines,and apparent lack of toxicity both in animals and humansubjects.

Nutritional and herbal therapies are also covered in fourclinical papers. H. Othman writes on a novel approach tothe role of honey in health care in developing countries.Whilst the author discusses honey as a natural immunebooster, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agent, cancer“vaccine,” and a promoter for healing chronic ulcers andwounds, he also takes the argument further by suggestingthat bee farming could provide both income and healthbenefits in developing countries.

M. C. S. Araujo controlled trial of Uncaria tomentosashows that it may be effective in aiding recovery fromchemotherapy-induced neutropenia for women with breastcancer. In a review of 1,217 case reports sourced from fourChinese databases (from 1958 to 2011), G. Yang et al. reportthat chemo-/radiotherapy-induced leukopenia was the mostcommon type of condition treated by TCM. The paper by J.N. Lai and colleagues describes prescription patterns of TCMfor breast cancer in Taiwan and shows that 81.5% of women

2 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

with breast cancer use TCM and 18% of them seek TCMfor treating their breast cancer. Commonly used herbalswere Jia-wei-xiao-yao-san, dang qui, and ren shen, and theauthors conclude that the effects of these herbs should betaken into account by healthcare providers.

Two papers focus on the development of tools for CAMresearch. Patient reported outcomes (PROs) used in yogaintervention studies for cancer survivors from 2004–2011are explored by S. N. Culos-Reed. This research providesnew directions for examining clinical significance usingPROs such as quality of life and psychosocial or symptommeasures. In addition, J. J. Mao et al. report on thedevelopment and validation of a measure of cancer survivors’attitudes and beliefs about CAM. This 15-item instrumentis based on the theory of planned behaviour and has a 3-factor structure: expected benefits, perceived barriers, andsubjective norms related to CAM use by cancer patients. Thisstudy provides preliminary evidence that the instrumentproduces reliable and valid scores to measure attitudes andbeliefs related to CAM use among cancer patients.

This special issue covers several aspects of physical andmind body therapies in cancer care. J. L. Ryan and colleagueslook at CAM interventions for cancer related stress includingmindfulness, yoga, Tai Chi Chuan, acupuncture, energy-based techniques, and physical activity. Whilst the evidencebase for these studies is often limited, the authors concludethat some these approaches could be integrated into standardcancer care.

A novel mixed method review of dragon boat racing forbreast cancer survivors provides a fascinating insight into thissupportive therapy. This narrative review summarizes find-ings from quantitative and qualitative research supportingthe hypothesis that dragon boat paddling is safe for womenrecovering from breast cancer, and showing that it has beenembraced as a complementary exercise therapy by cancersurvivors.

We have two studies which examined the role of massagefor cancer patients using both quantitative and qualitativemethodologies. A pilot study by N. A. Hodgson et al.investigates the effects of reflexology and Swedish massagetherapy on physiologic stress, pain, and mood in oldercancer survivors residing in nursing homes. They showed asignificant decline in salivary cortisol and pain, and improve-ments in mood. S. L. Ackerman and colleagues describeparent caregivers’ experience of the effects of massage andacupressure for their children undergoing haematopoieticcell transplantation. Benefits for both children and parentsare described.

This special issue demonstrates the breadth of CAMresearch for cancer survivorship, including many novel andinnovative approaches. We hope you find it stimulating anduseful.

Alyson L. HuntleyBeverley de Valois

Tieraona Low DogFrancesca Borrelli

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