the role of naturopathic medicine in supporting breast cancer care

this article was produced by the healthing editorial team with the support of a grant from aquaomega. while aquaomega made the production of this article possible, they did not have any editorial influence or control over the content, including review prior to publication.

breast cancer care involves a team of medical professionals, each with a special role in the patient’s journey through cancer, and no team is quite complete without someone who can help a patient with complementary or naturopathic care.

it’s designed to best support the patient in whatever they need, whether it ranges from improving side effects of treatment such as nausea to helping them figure out how best to implement proper diet and exercise that fits within their current life.

“patients are typically keen and interested in doing everything they can to both fight the disease and also to support themselves through the process of receiving care,” said dr. dugald seely, clinician scientist and owner of the centre for health innovation. “after they’ve been discharged from the hospital and from immediate conventional care, there’s often a sense of, ‘ what now?’”

during conventional treatment and afterward, patients receiving naturopathic care can access supports that may not otherwise be freely available through other members of their medical team to “help them get through it in a more easeful way,” said dr. seely.

dr. mark fontes, a naturopathic doctor with a clinical focus in supportive cancer care based in toronto, on, notes that naturopathic medicine doesn’t act as a replacement for cancer treatments but rather as a support, “during treatment to aid in reducing the intensity of side effects and support quality of life, helping in survivorship and in the prevention of recurrence.”

how does naturopathic medicine support conventional breast cancer care?

during breast cancer treatment, depending on the type, people may have to deal with a significantly reduced quality of life. but because many members of a cancer care team are trained to address survivorship specifically, there may be a gap in how quality of life is addressed. that’s one area where naturopathic medicine can come into play.

things such as nausea from chemotherapy, bowel issues, or neuropathy may all be something that makes day-to-day living harder on top of the already existing challenges people with breast cancer have to face. naturopathic medicine’s highly personalized approach addresses the patient’s whole-body needs based on their specific health profile and adjusts accordingly.

“it’s not really treating the cancer; it’s supporting the person,” said dr. seely.

dr. fontes notes that to support the patient as best as possible from a complementary standpoint, it all starts with the basics.

“make sure you’re sleeping well, moving your body in whatever way you can, eating nutritious food, and managing your stress,” he said. “those are the fundamentals.”

but while it all sounds very simple, during a cancer journey, knowing what is good for you and having the energy to really do it are two different things.

“everything takes time and effort, so where should we focus your energy and resources to be able to help you the most?” said dr. fontes. “there’s only so much any of us can give in a day, especially when you’re going through difficult treatments and hospital visits”.

exercise, for example, is an incredibly evidence-based addition to cancer care, but when you’re going through treatments and don’t know how to exercise for your body as it is today, it can be easy to forgo it altogether.

that’s why “guiding patients on having a safe, comprehensive approach to exercise” is important, notes dr. seely.

once those baseline lifestyle aspects are addressed, people can start building on top of them because it makes everything else work better, notes dr. fontes.

“if you’re sleeping better, managing your stress, moving your body, and supporting yourself with the right nutrition, you’re more likely to get back to your baseline faster after chemotherapy or other treatments,” said dr. fontes.

it’s about giving the body what it needs to get through cancer treatment with a better chance of a positive outcome by “mobilizing the immune system and trying to create a terrain or an environment in the body that’s less conducive to the growth of cancer,” said dr. seely.

it’s about setting yourself up for the best possible outcome by building a well-rounded team that supports you through every aspect of the cancer journey, from physical to mental and everything in between.

“we want to support synergies wherever possible with some of the therapies,” said dr. seely. “we know that cancer care now is much more of a long-term management process for patients … it’s longer lasting typically, and so quality of life becomes much more important now to get through and to be able to sustain therapy.”

the emotional toll of breast cancer care is also significant and naturopathic care can address that as well.

“the personal and emotional experience of receiving a diagnosis, and adjusting to what treatment involves, is significant. treatment can last several months or even years,” said dr. fontes. “that is a major part of the picture and patients should be aware of this to build the support system they need – and naturopathic care is a part of that. ”

supplements can be helpful, but they are often not the first step in complementary medicine for breast cancer care; the first step is understanding where a patient’s health is, what treatment they are undergoing, and what is necessary versus what could potentially interact negatively.

“there are helpful dietary recommendations, and supplemental and herbal therapies we can use to support patients during treatment, with the priority being to make sure they’re safe in combination with treatment,” said dr. fontes. “studies show that a majority of patients with a cancer diagnosis take some form of supplement. naturopathic doctors help ensure what patients are taking is safe and effective for their specific health concerns.”

the type of supplements and how many is always a discussion, though. because if someone comes in with a list of 10 or 12 supplements they’re taking, their naturopathic provider can tell them what’s helpful, what’s harmful and what might not be doing anything at all.

but it’s all about the basics surrounding nutrition and supplements, and that means giving the body what it needs.

“you’re supporting your body with the right amount of calories and macronutrients: enough protein, the right carbohydrates, and your fibre targets. these are the basics, and although the benefits are hard to see in the short term, the more consistent you are over time, the more resilient your body becomes,” said dr. fontes.

how naturopathic medicine gives people back control

many people diagnosed with breast cancer often feel a sense of loss of control over their bodies. they didn’t have a choice in developing cancer, and while there are many breast cancer treatments available, having to choose a treatment you know will make you feel ill also feels destabilizing.

clinical evidence currently supports several naturopathic medicine applications to utilize alongside conventional cancer care, but when people aren’t aware of how they can help, knowing what path to take can be challenging.

“we have evidence for specific therapies that we can lean on, and then the proof i would say is in terms of how the patients feel, and we’ll see some pretty significant changes in terms of how they feel through that care,” said dr. seely. “part of that is actually just getting some agency and self-control, because a lot of what naturopathic doctors do is working with the patient to make modifications so it’s not prescriptive as it is interactive.”

naturopathic medicine and providers can also look at all sides of the cancer care coin, along with the patient’s individual needs outside of survivorship, while giving the patient time to express what’s affecting them most and what they can do to move forward.

for example, as dr. fontes notes, the care is under an umbrella, and within that umbrella is a list of things they can examine, such as blood work, self-reported symptoms, nutritional levels and scans.

“we’ll review their health records together, including lab work, and get into a deeper discussion: what trends are we seeing? where should our focus be? how can we adjust your nutrition or the recommendations we’ve discussed to support you in the best way possible?” said dr. fontes. “as we go forward, we can then monitor how you’re doing and feeling with those recommendations.”

as both dr. seely and dr. fontes note, naturopathic isn’t meant to replace conventional care, because treatment is vital. but oncology teams and those who are in the conventional space often lack the training that naturopathic doctors have in other areas that can do a lot of good when you’re diagnosed with breast cancer and having to go through treatments.

they also often lack enough time to really go into deeper discussions around alternative therapies as well.

“i have a great respect for oncology and oncologists and the medical profession, but we have to recognize they don’t have training in this area,” dr. seely said. “also, in the context of a rapid visit with an oncologist where there’s little time for this, and they’re really focused on making sure the toxicity isn’t too high, and tolerability can be managed, and the plan is implemented, there’s little space to have these discussions.”

how being open and informed can help

when it comes to more natural interventions, it’s important for people to stay informed about what’s likely to help and what has no evidence. for example, dr. seely notes that people should be wary of claims that present a “presentation of a cure” and involve avoiding conventional treatments proven to work. with mounting misinformation online, it’s easy to fall into traps that sound too good to be true, so the best approach to trying naturopathic care as an additional intervention is to use discernment and speak with an accredited naturopathic doctor or get a recommendation from an oncology team in conventional care.

“it is the determination and the decision of the person who’s going to be taking these therapies or making these changes in their lifestyle,” said dr. seely. “it requires a high degree of buy-in and personal decision-making.”