title: Integrating family medicine and complementary medicine in cancer care: a cross-cultural perspective.
abstract: In this paper, we describe the case study of a 27 year-old Arab female patient receiving palliative care for advanced breast cancer who was referred to complementary medicine (CM) consultation provided within a conventional oncology department. We explore the impact of the integrative CM practitioners' team of three family physicians and one Chinese medicine practitioner on the patient's well-being and specifically on the alleviation of her debilitating hot flashes and insomnia. This quality of life improvement is also affirmed by comparing the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) and Measure Yourself Concerns and Well-being (MYCAW) questionnaires administered at the initial and follow-up assessment sessions. In conclusion, we suggest that family physicians trained in evidence-based complementary medicine are optimal integrators of holistic patient-centered supportive care. The inclusion of trained CM practitioners in a multi-disciplinary integrative team may enhance the bio-psycho-social-spiritual perspective, and provide additional practical therapies that improve the quality of life of patients confronting cancer.
authors.affiliation: Integrative Oncology Program, The Oncology Service, Lin Medical Center, Clalit Health Services, Haifa, Israel; Complementary and Traditional Medicine Unit, Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. Electronic address: eranben@netvision.net.il.
authors.forename: Eran
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ben-Arye
authors.affiliation: Integrative Oncology Program, The Oncology Service, Lin Medical Center, Clalit Health Services, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Pesi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Israely
authors.affiliation: Integrative Oncology Program, The Oncology Service, Lin Medical Center, Clalit Health Services, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Erez
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baruch
authors.affiliation: Integrative Oncology Program, The Oncology Service, Lin Medical Center, Clalit Health Services, Haifa, Israel; Complementary and Traditional Medicine Unit, Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel; Palliative Care - Home Care Hospice, Clalit Health Services, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Jamal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dagash
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018912:Arabs; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D010166:Palliative Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012017:Referral and Consultation
keywords: Complementary Alternative Medicine; Cross-cultural; Doctor–patient communication; Family medicine; Integrative medicine; Supportive care