title: Wheatgrass in Afifi's garden: sprouting integrative oncology collaborations in the Middle East.
abstract: We suggest that bridging traditional and modern medicine can in many cases empower patients and enable them to better cope with cancer treatment. Our experiences in the Middle East might be applicable to other areas of the world facing a similar need to integrate evidence-based medicine with narrative-based, ethics-based, and ethnic medicine in the practice of oncology. In addition,we hope that our common efforts will encourage future collaboration among scientists and clinicians in the Middle East, which in turn might promote understanding, tolerance, and mutual respect among professionals in an area of the world troubled by ongoing geopolitical conflict.
authors.affiliation: Lin Medical Center, Clalit Health Services; Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Israel. eranben@netvision.net.il
authors.forename: Eran
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ben-Arye
authors.forename: Elad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schiff
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Silbermann
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D031702:Agropyron; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D055048:Integrative Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D007557:Israel; D008875:Middle Aged; D008877:Middle East; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome