title: Emerging forces in cancer care.
abstract: The mainstream of scientific research is moving towards increasing recognition of the limits of conventional therapies and cautious optimism about the potential for new biological therapies. This situation has given rise to a social phenomenon among cancer patients. Today, in many parts of the world, a significant minority has chosen to engage actively in the fight for recovery. This minority searches for an intelligent integration of efficacious conventional therapies and complementary therapies involving personal trials of intensive health promotion. These trials cover nutritional, psychological, and immuno-modulating approaches to supporting general health. It appears that 10% among those patients achieve exceptional results, another 10% fail, and 80% become "healthy" cancer patients. While these experiences raise many interesting clinical, scientific and policy questions, they have provided a growing body of evidence that a great deal can be done with behavioural approaches, not in terms of sweeping cures but possibly for some gains in life extension and certainly for great gains in the human experience of being healed (or "becoming whole" with cancer).
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lerner
mesh_terms: D000529:Complementary Therapies; D003255:Consumer Organizations / Q000458:organization & administration; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D012106:Research; D012648:Self Care; D012922:Social Change