Holistic Cancer Care Treats Body, Mind and Spirit

By Karen Bonfanti Davison, RN, BSN, OCN

A cancer diagnosis can affect more than your physical health, it can also impact your mind and spirit.

That is why when it comes to cancer treatment, many patients benefit from integrating complementary therapies, such as Reiki, mindful movement and aromatherapy, into their conventional care.

At Penn Medicine Princeton Cancer Center, a comprehensive support care team helps patients, their caregivers and their families manage the physical and emotional effects of cancer treatment by providing holistic services and therapies.

Treating the Whole Person

Integrative medicine is the practice of medicine that focuses on the well-being of the whole person. It is informed by evidence-based research and combines the expertise of health care professionals with practices not considered to be part of conventional medicine.

Integrative medicine uses complementary therapies that can help manage symptoms, reduce stress, and foster resilience, often leading to improved emotional well-being and overall satisfaction.

Additionally, this approach can also promote better adherence to treatment plans and may improve overall outcomes.

A Range of Options

Complementary therapies and supportive services aren’t meant to replace medical care but rather enhance it. Patients at Princeton Cancer Center have access to a range of complementary treatment options to meet their unique needs.

• Reiki therapy. Reiki is a gentle, completely non-invasive practice that promotes balance and well-being. Reiki involves light touch of the practitioner’s hands on or slightly above your body. Reiki has been shown to reduce anxiety and relieve pain and discomfort as well as promote feelings of peace, wellness and balance.

• Aromatherapy. Aromatherapy involves inhaling the scent of essential oils derived from plants. These oils can have calming, invigorating, or uplifting effects on the mind and body, and specific oils are often chosen based on their particular properties. For example, lavender is known for its calming effects, while peppermint may help reduce nausea.

• Mindful movement. Mindful movement is a form of exercise that combines gentle movement with mindfulness practices that connect breath, body and present moment. Mindful movement emphasizes moving with intention, noticing sensation and tuning into the body’s responses. Mindful movement can help support mental, emotional and physical well-being.

• Cooling therapies. Some chemotherapy medications may cause neuropathy in your hands and feet, and some can cause hair loss. To help protect the nerve cells and prevent neuropathy, patients may benefit by using cooling gloves, mittens and socks. To help prevent or reduce hair loss, scalp hypothermia, commonly referred to as a cool or cooling cap, can be effective. Cooling therapies work by constricting the blood vessels to reduce chemotherapy drug distribution and side effects.

• Medical nutrition therapy. Medical nutrition therapy can improve tolerance and response to therapy, keep your immune system strong and promote recovery. Therapy by registered dietitians and nutritionists can help ensure that you meet your individual nutrition needs based on your type of cancer, medical history, personal preferences and treatment plan.

• Spiritual care. Spiritual care can help address the emotional and existential challenges that often accompany a cancer diagnosis. Spiritual care is not specific to any one religion. It offers an opportunity for individuals to explore personal beliefs, find meaning, and strengthen inner resilience. For many people, spirituality—whether rooted in a formal religious tradition, a sense of connection to something greater, or a set of personal values—can become a powerful source of comfort and guidance during the cancer journey.

• Social work services. Social workers can provide emotional, psychological, social and practical support for patients with cancer. They offer counseling, education and other services. 

• Financial navigation. Cancer treatment can come with high costs. Financial navigation provides guidance and resources to reduce financial stress so that patients can focus on their health. Financial navigators can help you understand insurance coverage and access financial assistance, including grants that may cover all or part of the cost of treatments, medications, transportation, lodging, and daily living expenses.

• Lymphedema management.  Lymphedema management helps decrease abnormal accumulation of protein-rich fluids from patients’ arms, legs, neck, and genital area, often a side-effect of cancer treatment. At Princeton Cancer Center, a highly skilled certified lymphedema therapist provides one-on-one treatment individualized to each patient’s needs, including manual lymph drainage, compression bandaging, education and exercises to increase lymph flow and decrease edema.

• Support groups. Support groups are an essential component of cancer care, offering emotional, mental, and social support for patients and their caregivers. Support groups can help reduce feelings of isolation, manage emotions, provide encouragement and motivation, and offer educational and practical advice.

In addition, Princeton Cancer Center offers an older adult oncology program that provides personalized cancer treatment, navigation, and supportive services to better meet specialized needs of older patients. Moreover, the Penn Medicine Princeton Health Hematology-Oncology practice has achieved special recognition as an Age-Friendly Health System — Committed to Care Excellence by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.

A Pathway to Hope

Holistic, integrative care recognizes that cancer can affect every part of life and that treatment should support the body, mind and spirit. Treating the whole person acknowledges the depth and breadth of a cancer experience and can provide a pathway not only to better health outcomes but also to greater well-being and hope.

For more information about Penn Medicine Princeton Cancer Center, visit princetonhcs.org/cancer. To find an oncologist affiliated with Penn Medicine Princeton Health, call 1 (888) 742-7496 or visit princetonhcs.org/directory. 

Karen Bonfanti Davison, RN, BSN, OCN, is an oncology nurse navigator at Penn Medicine Princeton Cancer Center.