Integrative Cancer Therapy Research Articles

Research Hotspots and Trends in Acupuncture for Cancer:A bibliometric analysis from 2004 to 2024.

Acupuncture is increasingly recognized as a promising intervention modality in cancer treatment. Nevertheless, there has been a paucity of systematic analysis and visualisation of relevant publications through bibliometric methods. This paper conducts a bibliometric analysis of research on acupuncture within the realm of oncological applications, aiming to explore its prospects and emerging trends. In this study, we analyzed 2117 documents obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) to examine the correlations among authors, journals, institutions, countries, and keywords. This analysis was conducted using the Bibliometric R package, CiteSpace, and VOSviewer software. The evolution of acupuncture can be broadly divided into three time periods: 2004-2008, 2009-2017 and 2018-2024. The WOSCC retrieved 2117 publications on acupuncture for cancer over the past 20 years. Among the top 10 institutions, seven were from the United States, two from China, and one from Korea. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center had the highest number of publications. At the same time, the journal INTEGRATIVE CANCER THERAPIES published the most articles in this field. Keyword co-occurrence analysis revealed four distinct clusters: "Alternative and Complementary Medicine for Cancer", "Acupuncture for cancer-related fatigue and pain", "Acupressure for anxiety, depression, and insomnia", "Improving quality of life for breast cancer patients". The most recent keyword outbreaks included "sleep", "radiation induced xerostomia", "recovery", "insomnia", and "induced peripheral neuropathy." Breast cancer is the type of cancer for which acupuncture is most commonly used. The future research focus will be on acupuncture as a treatment for sleep disorders, the alleviation of radiotherapy complications and the improvement of postoperative quality of life. Research on acupuncture in the field of breast cancer is more extensive compared to other cancers. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen research on acupuncture in different cancer types.

A single-item Expectancy Measure's Validity, Reliability, and Responsiveness to Detect Changes in Clinical Efficacy Studies of Integrative Cancer Therapies: A Methodology Study.

Expectations may modify outcomes. However, studies often fail to measure expectations. This raises the need for a brief valid and reliable expectancy measure. To study treatment expectations in individuals entering acupuncture or rest, validity and test re-test reliability of a single-item expectancy measure graded on a category scale, a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and a Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and to identify psychometric differences between the scales. In this methodology study, treatment expectations were measured in 363 participants before they received acupuncture (genuine traditional penetrating or non-penetrating telescopic sham acupuncture, n = 239, 98%, responded) or a control treatment involving just rest (n = 120, 100%, responded), aimed to improve level of relaxation. A treatment expectancy measure, graded on a five-grade category scale, an eight-grade NRS and a 100 mm VAS, was tested for test re-test reliability. Level of expectation and relaxation was measured at baseline, pre- and post-therapy (n = 729 expectancy measurements). The participants scheduled for acupuncture or rest believed moderately (Inter Quartile Range, IQR, moderately-much) and much (IQR moderately-much) the treatment to be effective. The Intra-Class Correlation coefficient versus Kappa coefficient between test and re-test was .868/.868 for the category scale, .820/.820 for the NRS, and .856/.854 for the VAS. The middle step "Believe moderately the treatment to be effective" was equivalent with median 4 (IQR, 3-4) on NRS and median 52 mm (IQR 42-52) on VAS. The response rates were 708 (97%) on the category scale, 707 (97%) on the NRS, and 703 (96%) on the VAS. All three scales discriminated that pre-therapy expectations were more positive in the individuals who reported an improvement in relaxation level (P < .001-.003). The VAS presented higher responsiveness to detect expectancy changes over time (71% increased expectation), compared to the NRS (52% increased) and the category scale (12% increased), P < .001. Individuals entering acupuncture, or a control intervention, presented positive treatment expectations, and the expectancy measure presented satisfactory reliability, validity, high response rates, sensitiveness, and responsiveness. Integrative cancer therapy researchers who want to control for expectancy-related bias in clinical trials should consider measuring expectation using the single-item expectancy measure.

The impact of physical activity on promoter-specific methylation of genes involved in the redox-status and disease progression: A longitudinal study on post-surgery female breast cancer patients undergoing medical treatment

Most anticancer treatments act on oxidative-stress pathways by producing reactive oxygen species (ROS) to kill cancer cells, commonly resulting in consequential drug-induced systemic cytotoxicity. Physical activity (PA) has arisen as an integrative cancer therapy, having positive health effects, including in redox-homeostasis. Here, we investigated the impact of an online supervised PA program on promoter-specific DNA methylation, and corresponding gene expression/activity, in 3 antioxidants- (SOD1, SOD2, and CAT) and 3 breast cancer (BC)-related genes (BRCA1, L3MBTL1 and RASSF1A) in a population-based sample of women diagnosed with primary BC, undergoing medical treatment. We further examined mechanisms involved in methylating and demethylating pathways, predicted biological pathways and interactions of exercise-modulated molecules, and the functional relevance of modulated antioxidant markers on parameters related to aerobic capacity/endurance, physical fatigue and quality of life (QoL).PA maintained levels of SOD activity in blood plasma, and at the cellular level significantly increased SOD2 mRNA (≈+77 %), contrary to their depletion due to medical treatment. This change was inversely correlated with DNA methylation in SOD2 promoter (≈−20 %). Similarly, we found a significant effect of PA only on L3MBTL1 promoter methylation (≈−25 %), which was inversely correlated with its mRNA (≈+43 %). Finally, PA increased TET1 mRNA levels (≈+15 %) and decreased expression of DNMT3B mRNA (≈−28 %).Our results suggest that PA-modulated DNA methylation affects several signalling pathways/biological activities involved in the cellular oxidative stress response, chromatin organization/regulation, antioxidant activity and DNA/protein binding. These changes may positively impact clinical outcomes and improve the response to cancer treatment in post-surgery BC patients.

Yoga Therapy as an Intervention to Improve Patient-Reported Outcomes Among Adults After Treatment for Cancer: Preliminary Findings From a Trial Using Single-Subject Experimental Design.

Cancer is a chronic condition associated with a substantial symptom burden, which can impair recovery after treatment. Investigating interventions with potential to improve self-reported disease and/or treatment effects-known as patient-reported outcomes (PROs)-is paramount to inform cancer care. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a yoga therapy (YT) intervention on key PROs (ie, cancer-related fatigue, anxiety, cognitive function, depression, stress, quality of life [QoL]) among adults after treatment for cancer. Data from 20 adults (Mage = 55.74 years, 85% female; Mtime since diagnosis = 2.83 years) who had completed treatment for cancer were analyzed for this study. In this single-subject exploratory experimental study, the YT intervention comprised a 1:1 YT session (ie, 1 participant with 1 yoga therapist) followed by 6 weekly small (ie, 2-3 participants) group YT sessions. Group sessions were facilitated by the same yoga therapist who delivered participants' 1:1 session to ensure an in-depth personalized approach. PROs were assessed before (ie, pre-intervention) and after the 1:1 YT session (ie, during the intervention), as well as after the last group YT session (ie, post-intervention). Hierarchical linear modeling was used to analyze the data. Participants showed improvements in cancer-related fatigue, state anxiety, trait anxiety, perceived cognitive impairments, impacts of perceived cognitive impairments on QoL, and 1 dimension of QoL (ie, functional wellbeing) over time. Notably, cancer-related fatigue and state anxiety increased immediately after the 1:1 session, but showed greater improvements over time afterward (ie, during the intervention phase). No changes were observed for the remaining PROs. Although results require confirmation in future trials, this study highlights the importance of continuing to investigate YT as an intervention to enhance important PROs (ie, cancer-related fatigue and state anxiety) after treatment for cancer. More research is needed to identify additional beneficial effects and factors that influence participants' responses to 1:1 and group YT (ie, moderators and mediators). ISRCTN64763228. December 12, 2021. This trial was registered retrospectively. https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN64763228. Brunet, J., Wurz, A., Hussien, J., Pitman, A., Conte, E., Ennis, J. K., . . . & Seely, D. (2022). Exploring the Effects of Yoga Therapy on Heart Rate Variability and Patient-Reported Outcomes After Cancer Treatment: A Study Protocol. Integrative Cancer Therapies, 21, 15347354221075576.

An Integrative Cancer Therapy Concept

The incidence of cancer is increasing. Unfortunately, the success rate is not keeping pace. One of the main problems is that chemotherapy is given without individualization. This is what the “liquid biopsy” is for. Effective chemotherapeutic agents and natural remedies can be identified. As a third method, we use body-identical intracellular enzymes. This concept is logical and has proven its worth.

Global research trends in acupuncture for cancer pain: A bibliometric analysis.

In recent years, acupuncture has gained popularity in the management of cancer-related pain (CRP). This study aims to use bibliometric analysis to investigate the historical development, recent hotspots and research trends in this field. The Web of Science Core Collection database was selected as the data source for this study to retrieve and obtain literature related to acupuncture and CRP. Data analyses were performed with CiteSpace and VOSviewer to conduct the bibliometric analysis. This bibliometric analysis was conducted from 2000 to 2022. A total of 664 publications were included in this work. The number of publications has steadily increased over the last 2 decades. The United States has the largest number of published articles (244 papers), while the People's Republic of China has the highest centrality (0.48). The primary research institutions were Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Kyung Hee University and Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. Mao Jun J. was the most prolific author, while Heather Greenlee was the most cited one. The most productive journal was Integrative Cancer Therapies. The most frequent keywords excluding the search subject were "electroacupuncture," "management," "quality of life," "breast cancer," "Aromatase inhibitor," "neuropathic pain," "mechanisms," and "protocol." This study explored the application value of acupuncture in the management of CRP with bibliometric analysis, offering an intuitive understanding of this topic and revealing the hotspots and research trends.

Bibliometric Analysis of Acupuncture Therapy for Cancer Pain Over the Past 10 Years.

Cancer pain is a common symptom of cancer patients and greatly affects quality of life. Acupuncture has certain curative effects on cancer pain. The aim of this study was to analyze and visualize the current status and research trend of acupuncture treatment for cancer pain over the last 10 years and provide directions for future development. A search of the Web of Science Core Collection from 2012-01-01 to 2022-08-20 was performed to collect studies related to acupuncture therapy for cancer pain. CiteSpace was used to conduct bibliometric analysis and visualization from the perspective of the volume of annual publications, journals, nations, institutions, authors, keywords, and references. A total of 302 studies were included in the analysis. The number of publications increased steadily with some fluctuations over the past decade. Integrative Cancer Therapies was the journal with the most relevant publications, and the Journal of Clinical Oncology was the most frequently cited journal. China had the highest volume of publications, and the USA contributed most to international collaboration. The most prolific institution was Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The most productive author was Mao JJ, and the most influential author was Lu WD. "Acupuncture" was the top keyword in frequency and centrality. The references with the highest frequency and centrality were published by HE, Y, and Ting Bao, respectively. A stable development trend has formed in this field. The overall collaborative network needs to be strengthened. Breast cancer and multiple myeloma, electroacupuncture and bee venom acupuncture, postoperative pain, peripheral neuropathic pain syndrome, and aromatase inhibitors-associated arthralgia syndrome are research hotspots in this field. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), evidence-based evaluations and mechanisms (cancer-induced bone pain) are research trends and frontiers.

Chaga mushroom triterpenoids as adjuncts to minimally invasive cancer therapies: A review

Cancer has become the second leading cause of death in the world. Integrative cancer therapy management is continuously evolving to enhance treatment outcomes. Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) is a parasitic fungus acclaimed to contain pharmaceutical and nutraceutical value in the fight against cancer. In particular, triterpenoid constituents derived from Chaga mushrooms have been recognized for their anti-cancer activity after distinguished cytotoxicity was repeatedly observed in cancer cells treated in vitro with lipophilic fractions of extract compared to aqueous ones. Studies that investigate the anti-cancer activity of Chaga mushroom triterpenoids are reviewed in this article to determine which cancer cell lines demonstrate the greatest susceptibility to them while highlighting the structure–activity relationships that are involved. Triterpenoid supplementation as an adjunct to cancer treatment may be a viable option as inotodiol and 3-β-22 α-dihydroxylanosta-8, 25-diene-24-one have been shown to exhibit anti-cancer activity similar to that of conventional drugs. Advances in addressing bioavailability challenges are also included in this review as studies include in vivo components.

Bibliometric analysis on the clinical researches of tumor treated with acupuncture-moxibustion on the base of PubMed database

To analyze the literature characteristics of the clinical researches on tumor treatment with acupuncture-moxibustion in PubMed database so as to provide the references for the study of acupuncture-moxibusion in intervention of tumor. The articles on the clinical researches of acupuncture-moxibusion in treatment of tumor were retrieved from PubMed database listed till December 31, 2018. Using bibliometric methodology, the analysis was conducted on publication year, publication journal, author, country or region, research institution, disease spectrum and therapeutic regimen. A total of 143 articles are included. The publications are increased steadily since 2004. The articles are published in 64 international journals, of which, Acupuncture in Medicine (12 articles) and Integrative Cancer Therapies (10 articles) occupy the the largest number of publications. They are distributed in 18 countries and regions, of which, the top two countries are America (44 articles) and China (34 articles. The involved types of cancer include breast cancer, prostate cancer, gastric cancer, etc. Acupuncture-moxibustion is mainly for complication and the comorbid disorders after treatment, such as pain, nausea and vomiting and fatigue at most. The regimen of acupuncture-moxibustion is determined by the symptoms and electroacupuncture is the main measure of treatment. Acupuncture-moxibustion is quite extensively involved in the treatment of tumor in the field of nervous (mental) system and digestive system. But the regimen of acupuncture- moxibustion needs to be further optimized and promoted.

Active Participation, Mind-Body Stabilization, and Coping Strategies with Integrative Medicine in Breast Cancer Patients.

Purpose:Increasing numbers of breast cancer survivors have led to a growing demand for integrative medicine. When patients have completed treatments associated with severe side effects, attention turns to reducing psychological symptoms, coping behavior, and self-care. The aim of this study was to assess patient-reported benefits in relation to active participation, mind–body stabilization, and coping strategies in breast cancer patients receiving integrative medicine.Methods:In a cross-sectional study, health counseling and treatment provided by a standardized integrative medicine consultancy service at the University Breast Center of Franconia were evaluated in 75 breast cancer patients over a 15-month period. At the baseline, the patients answered a questionnaire on their medical history, symptoms, and the treatment goals they were hoping to achieve with integrative medicine. Patient-reported outcomes relative to active participation, mind–body stabilization, and coping strategies were analyzed.Results:A large majority of the patients had previous experience with integrative medicine (91%). Most reported that they achieved their treatment goals with integrative medicine. Ninety-one percent achieved active participation in cancer treatment, 90% mind–body stabilization, and 79% improvement in coping strategies. Besides active participation, which was greatest in patients with stable disease, the success of integrative therapy was independent of age, concomitant diseases, previous integrative medicine experience, treatment state, and systemic cancer therapy.Conclusion:Breast cancer patients benefit from the counseling and treatment provided with integrative medicine in mind–body stabilization and coping with cancer. Active participation in cancer treatment is important for the patients. Integrative treatment services should form part of routine patient care.

Solanine Attenuated Hepatocarcinoma Migration and Invasion Induced by Acetylcholine.

Aim:Evidence has provided an explanation of the correlation between the nervous system and the tumor microenvironment. Neurotransmitters may be involved in different aspects of cancer progression. The glycoalkaloid solanine has been reported to suppress neural signaling pathways and exists in numerous plants, including Solanum nigrum, which have been demonstrated to inhibit cancer cell proliferation.Methods:We evaluated the potentials of solanine on inhibiting acetylcholine-induced cell proliferation and migration in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.Results:The results indicated that solanine markedly attenuated cell proliferation and migration via inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition and matrix metalloproteinases in acetylcholine-treated Hep G2 cells. In addition, exosomes derived from acetylcholine-treated Hep G2 cells were isolated, and solanine showed inhibiting effects of extrahepatic metastasis on blocking cell proliferation in exosome-treated A549 lung carcinoma cells through regulating microRNA-21 expression.Conclusion:Solanine has strong potential for application in integrative cancer therapy.

The World Within Us (Or A Sketch of Consciousness Space Beyond Freudian Mental Model and Implications to Socio-Economics Modeling and Integrative Cancer Therapy)

The World Within Us (Or A Sketch of Consciousness Space Beyond Freudian Mental Model and Implications to Socio-Economics Modeling and Integrative Cancer Therapy)

Water extract of ginseng and astragalus regulates macrophage polarization and synergistically enhances DDP's anticancer effect

Ethnopharmacological relevanceIn traditional Chinese medicine, supplementing Qi and strengthening body resistance are an important principle of anticancer treatment. Panax ginseng C.A.Mey. (ginseng) and Astragalus membranaceus Bunge (astragalus) are the representative herbs for this therapeutic principle. Aim of the studyThis study aims to explore the effect of the water extract of ginseng and astragalus (WEGA) on regulating macrophage polarization and mediating anticancer in the tumor microenvironment. Materials and methodsA549 cells were cultured in tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) supernatant with various concentrations of WEGA (0, 5, 10, 20 mg/mL). A549 cell proliferation was determined through methyl thiazole tetrazolium (MTT) assay and real-time cell analysis (RTCA), respectively. In vivo experiments were performed with a Lewis lung cancer (LLC) xenograft mouse model. Forty-eight mice were divided into six groups and treated with saline, WEGA, or cis-diamine dichloro platinum (DDP) with dosage of WEGA (0, 30, 60, 120 mg/kg body weight/day). The different groups were administered with drugs via oral or intraperitoneal injection once a day for 21 consecutive days. Tumor inhibition rate, spleen index, thymus index, cytokine, protein, and mRNA expression levels were detected in mice. ResultsIn a co-culture system, WEGA remarkably inhibited A549 cell proliferation, promoted the expression of M1 macrophage markers and inhibited M2 TAMs markers. Therefore, WEGA affected the biological behavior of cancer cells by regulating the expression of some markers relevant to macrophage polarization. In addition, the group of WEGA and DDP chemotherapy effectively inhibited the transplanted tumor growth in mice and improved weight loss and immunosuppressive with the cisplatin inducing. ConclusionsThis study provides mechanistic insights into the anticancer effect of WEGA through the regulation of macrophage polarization and highlights that WEGA could be a novel option for integrative cancer therapies.

Use of complementary and alternative medicine by oncology patients: challenges and opportunities

The article by Jones and colleagues (1) recently published in Integrative Cancer Therapies reported on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by minority and medically underserved oncology patients at one hospital setting in Houston, Texas, USA. They find that cancer patients had very high awareness and interest in various CAM modalities as well as high prevalence of use of CAM. The authors conclude that while CAM use is common among the oncology patients they surveyed it, is not guided by providers and they highlight the importance of patient-provider discussions about CAM.

Yoga Research a Scientometric Assessment of Global Publications Output during 2007-16

The paper examines 3966 global publications on yoga research, as covered in Scopus database during 2007-16. The global output on yoga research output registered 7.79% growth, and citation impact averaging to 10.44 citations per paper. The top 10 most productive countries in yoga research individually contributed global share from 1.31% to 38.35%, with largest global publication share coming from USA (38.35%), followed by India (19.29%), U.K. (6.61%), Canada (5.09%), etc. Together, the 10 most productive countries accounted for 83.74% and 96.67% global publication and global citation share during 2007-16. Five of top 10 countries scored relative citation index above the world average i.e. more than 1: Canada (1.81), USA (1.37), Germany (1.34), U.K. (1.31) and Italy (1.12) during 2007-16. The international collaborative publications share of top 10 most productive countries in yoga research varied from 12.68% to 42.59% during 2007-16. Medicine, among subjects, contributed the largest publication share (78.67%), followed by 9 other subjects with global share between 5.09% and 9.56%. The top 25 most productive organizations and authors together contributed 21.63% and 16.84% respectively as their global publication share and 35.37% and 25.10% respectively as their global citation share during 2007-16. Among the total journal output of 3719 papers, the top 15 journals contributed 21.22% share to the global journal output during 2007-16. Of the global yoga research output, the top 44 publications registered high citations from 101 to 1092 and they together cumulated 8304 citations, averaging to 188.72 citations per paper. These 44 highly cited papers were published in 35 journals, 5 papers were published in Cochrane database of systematic reviews (Online), 2 papers each in Annals of Internal Medicine, Integrative Cancer Therapies, Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Pain and 1 paper each in other journals.

Phytochemical characterization and biological activity evaluation of ethanolic extract of Cinnamomum zeylanicum

Ethnopharmacological relevanceIndia being a multicultural nation, every region of the country offers a distinct culinary flavor and taste. These flavors are attributed to spices and condiments which form the mainstay of Indian cuisine. Most of these spices and condiments are derived from various biodiversity hotspots in India and form the crux of India's multidiverse and multicultural cuisine. Apart from their varying aromas, flavors and tastes, these spices and condiments are known to possess several medicinal properties also. Most of these spices find considerable mention in Ayurveda, the indigenous system of medicine, as panaceas for several aliments. Cinnamomum zeylanicum (CZ), belonging to family Lauraceae and commonly known as cinnamon is one such spice known to have diverse medicinal properties since time immemorial. Aim of the studyIn the present study, apoptotic and anti-microbial activity of ethanolic extract of CZ was evaluated against human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and compared for its effect on normal kidney epithelial cell line Vero. Materials and methodsEthanolic extract of tree bark of CZ was used to determine the cytotoxic effect on MDA-MB-231 using Trypan blue dye exclusion method and cytometry. The tested dose of the extract was 10–100 µg/mL. Antibacterial activity was determined using disc diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in the range 2–10 mg/mL. Apoptotic activity was determined using DNA fragmentation assay. ResultsEthanolic extract of CZ was found to have an IC50 value of 25 µg/mL against MDA cell line. On the other hand, CZ extract did not have any significant effect on Vero cells even at 100 µg/mL (IC50 > 100 µg/mL). The ethanolic extract of CZ bark showed significant antibacterial activity against S. aureus at 10 mg/mL while no appreciable activity was detected against E. coli. DNA isolated from extract treated cancer cells showed a fragmentation pattern characteristic of apoptosis. However, no DNA fragmentation was observed in DNA isolated from extract treated Vero cells. ConclusionEthanolic bark extract of CZ could be potentially beneficial in treating breast cancer and may be of interest for future studies in developing integrative cancer therapy against proliferation, metastasis, and migration of breast cancer cells.

Integrative Cancer Therapy with Special Focus on Add-On Homeopathy: The Experience at Lienz Hospital

Homeopathy can be well integrated into a complementary oncology concept. However, the existing scientific evidence concerning homeopathy should be presented more transparently, and improved by performing randomized placebo-controlled studies with sufficient patient numbers. An ongoing multicenter study at four hospitals in Austria, consisting of patients with advanced lung cancer fulfills this requirement. Although the mechanism of action underlying homeopathy is still not clear, the existing body of evidence does clearly indicate that its effect is beyond that of a placebo. A number of cases encountered and reported in daily work with tumor patients have shown that complementary measures such as homeopathy may yield striking results in individual cases. Our institution considers homeopathy one of several complementary measures which can be used in addition to modern evidence-based oncological treatment. Notably, homeopathy is better tolerated than conventional cancer treatment and improves the patient’s quality of life.

Evaluating Integrative Cancer Clinics With the Claim Assessment Profile: An Example With the InspireHealth Clinic.

Background: The evaluation of freestanding integrative cancer clinical programs is challenging and is rarely done. We have developed an approach called the Claim Assessment Profile (CAP) to identify whether evaluation of a practice is justified, feasible, and likely to provide useful information. Objectives: A CAP was performed in order to (1) clarify the healing claims at InspireHealth, an integrative oncology treatment program, by defining the most important impacts on its clients; (2) gather information about current research capacity at the clinic; and (3) create a program theory and path model for use in prospective research. Study Design/Methods: This case study design incorporates methods from a variety of rapid assessment approaches. Procedures included site visits to observe the program, structured qualitative interviews with 26 providers and staff, surveys to capture descriptive data about the program, and observational data on program implementation. Results: The InspireHealth program is a well-established, multi-site, thriving integrative oncology clinical practice that focuses on patient support, motivation, and health behavior engagement. It delivers patient-centered care via a standardized treatment protocol. There arehigh levels of research interest from staff and resources by which to conduct research. Conclusions: This analysis provides the primary descriptive and claims clarification of an integrative oncology treatment program, an evaluation readiness report, a detailed logic model explicating program theory, and a clinical outcomes path model for conducting prospective research. Prospective evaluation of this program would be feasible and valuable, adding to our knowledge base of integrative cancer therapies.

Aqueous Extract of Paris polyphylla (AEPP) Inhibits Ovarian Cancer via Suppression of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-Gamma Coactivator (PGC)-1alpha.

Chemotherapy, a major approach was used in carcinoma treatment, always involves the development of drug resistance as well as side-effects that affect the quality of patients’ lives. An association between epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and chemotherapy resistance was established recently. We demonstrate in this paper that the aqueous extract of Paris polyphylla (AEPP)—a traditional Chinese medicine—can be used in various cancer types for suppression of carcinogenesis. We evaluated the suppressions of EMT and mitochondrial activity by AEPP treatment in a high-glucose (HG) induced-human ovarian carcinoma cell line (OVCAR-3 cells). The mitochondrial morphology was investigated using MitoTracker Deep Red FM staining. Our results indicated that AEPP reduced the viability of OVCAR-3 cells considerably through induction of apoptosis. However, this inhibitory potential of AEPP was attenuated by HG induction in OVCAR-3 cells. The levels of estrogen-related receptor (ERR)-alpha activator and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator (PGC)-1alpha were elevated by HG induction, but were suppressed by AEPP treatment. Down-regulations of cell survival and EMT were oberved in OVCAR-3 cells through suppression of PGC-1alpha by AEPP treatment. These results were confirmed through PGC-1alpha knockdown and overexpression in OVCAR-3 cells. Thus, AEPP can be beneficial for treating ovarian cancer and has potential for development of an integrative cancer therapy against ovarian cancer proliferation, metastasis, and migration.

Anti-Cancer Activity of Solanum nigrum (AESN) through Suppression of Mitochondrial Function and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in Breast Cancer Cells.

Chemotherapy is the main approach for treating advanced and recurrent carcinoma, but the clinical performance of chemotherapy is limited by relatively low response rates, drug resistance, and adverse effects that severely affect the quality of life of patients. An association between epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and chemotherapy resistance has been investigated in recent studies. Our recent studies have found that the aqueous extract of Solanum nigrum (AESN) is a crucial ingredient in some traditional Chinese medicine formulas for treating various types of cancer patients and exhibits antitumor effects. We evaluated the suppression of EMT in MCF-7 breast cancer cells treated with AESN. The mitochondrial morphology was investigated using Mitotracker Deep-Red FM stain. Our results indicated that AESN markedly inhibited cell viability of MCF-7 breast cancer cells through apoptosis induction and cell cycle arrest mediated by activation of caspase-3 and production of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, mitochondrial fission was observed in MCF-7 breast cancer cells treated with AESN. In addition to elevation of E-cadherin, downregulations of ZEB1, N-cadherin, and vimentin were found in AESN-treated MCF-7 breast cancer cells. These results suggested that AESN could inhibit EMT of MCF-7 breast cancer cells mediated by attenuation of mitochondrial function. AESN could be potentially beneficial in treating breast cancer cells, and may be of interest for future studies in developing integrative cancer therapy against proliferation, metastasis, and migration of breast cancer cells.