Background. Cancer patients widely seek integrative oncology which embraces a wide variety of treatments and system approaches. Objective. To investigate the concepts, therapeutic goals, procedures, and working conditions of integrative oncology doctors in the field of anthroposophic medicine. Methods. This qualitative study was based on in-depth interviews with 35 highly experienced doctors working in hospitals and office-based practices in Germany and other countries. Structured qualitative content analysis was applied to examine the data. Results. The doctors integrated conventional and holistic cancer concepts. Their treatments aimed at both tumor and symptom control and at strengthening the patient on different levels: living with the disease, overcoming the disease, enabling emotional and cognitive development, and addressing spiritual or transcendental issues according to the patient’s wishes and initiatives. Therapeutic procedures were conventional anticancer and symptom-relieving treatments, herbal and mineral remedies, mistletoe therapy, art therapies, massages and other external applications, nutrition and lifestyle advice, psychological support, and multiple forms of empowerment. The approach emphasised good patient-doctor relationships and sufficient time for patient encounters and decision-making. Individualization appeared in several dimensions and was interwoven with standards and mindlines. The doctors often worked in teams and cooperated with other cancer care–related specialists. Conclusion. Integrative cancer care pursues an individualized and patient-centered approach, encompassing conventional and multimodal complementary interventions, and addressing, along with physical and functional needs, the emotional and spiritual needs of patients. This seems to be important for tumor and symptom control, and addresses major challenges and important goals of modern cancer care.

No abstract

Background. Mistletoe therapy (MT) is widely used in patient-centered integrative cancer care. The objective of this study was to explore the concepts, procedures, and observations of expert doctors, with a focus on intravenous MT. Method. A qualitative interview study was conducted with 35 highly experienced doctors specialized in integrative and anthroposophic medicine. Structured qualitative content analysis was applied. For triangulation, the results were compared with external evidence that was systematically collected, reviewed, and presented. Results. Doctors perform individualized patient assessments that lead to multimodal treatment approaches. The underlying goal is to help patients to live with and overcome disease. Mistletoe infusions are a means of accomplishing this goal. They are applied to stabilize disease, achieve responsiveness, induce fever, improve quality of life, and improve the tolerability of conventional cancer treatments. The doctors reported long-term disease stability and improvements in patients' general condition, vitality, strength, thermal comfort, appetite, sleep, pain from bone metastases, dyspnea in pulmonary lymphangitis carcinomatosa, fatigue, and cachexia; chemotherapy was better tolerated. Also patients' emotional and mental condition was reported to have improved. Conclusion. Individualized integrative cancer treatment including MT aims to help cancer patients to live well with their disease. Further research should investigate the reported observations.

No abstract