Integrative Oncology at Mayo Clinic

Abstract

AbstractThe role of research has been integrally tied to the primary goal of patient care as well as education, consistent with Mayo Clinic’s philosophy that medicine must be developed as a cooperative science between the clinician, the specialist, and the laboratory, all for the good of the patient. This chapter reviews Mayo Clinic’s experience with studying and implementing complementary therapy interventions for patients as well as the integration of education to the broader staff and public about various CAM modalities. In 2002, because of continuing interest from patients in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) treatments, a collaborative team was created to investigate CAM modalities being utilized by cancer patients. The ultimate goal of this team was to bring reliable scientific evidence to practice so that both patients and physicians could make informed decisions about the various treatments and modalities. The Mayo Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program and Division of Medical Oncology clinicians and researchers have been partnering to expand the evidence base in CAM in order to expand treatment options for patients. Clinical trials developed and implemented in both symptom management and treatment for cancer are discussed. In addition, the application of the research findings to education and clinical practice is described. A monthly seminar series was created to provide a forum for dissemination of the research findings. A review of topics is included. The Integrative Medicine Consult Service was established in 2004, and various services and care options for patients are discussed, as well as the inclusion of data regarding patient referrals.KeywordsIntegrative medicineresearcheducationpatient care