Integrative, holistic medicine combines conventional and adjunctive complementary treatments to restore the patient to a better state of health and improve the quality of life. Whereas conventional medicine will focus on treating the tumor, the holistic approach to cancer treatment is to focus on the patient and outcome.
The NIHA physician works in conjunction with the patient’s conventional cancer treatment for necessary surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and immunotherapy, then focuses on supporting the patient with safe, adjunctive therapies. The integrative physician provides complementary, supportive and specific therapies customized to each patient’s needs to enhance the body’s innate ability to heal and gain better quality of life while undergoing treatment.