After they go into remission from cancer, most people think they are out of the woods. Not true. Staying healthy is a lifelong journey and includes permanent lifestyle changes. Typically, oncologists only focus on eradicating the cancer, but cancer also has emotional and spiritual components which are generally not addressed by conventional oncologists.

Integrative oncology is an emerging field which combines conventional medicine with nutrition, homeopathy, exercise, oxidative therapies, meditation and other modalities to support the patient during and after treatment. Once a patient is in remission, they are typically followed for recurrence by their oncologist for a follow-up schedule to periodically check and make sure the patient is cancer-free, but they generally do not incorporate supportive therapies into the aftercare picture. This requires a multidisciplinary team.

The conventional treatments for cancer can be harsh and debilitating, leaving patients feeling weak and tired. This is because after chemotherapy, surgery and radiation, not only cancer cells, but also healthy cells are affected. Patients need to pay attention to rebuilding their health and repairing their immune system. Nutrition, detoxification, stress reduction, emotional support and oxidative therapies should be the cornerstone of any plan.

Cancer patients must be careful to eat the right foods, drink clean alkaline water, check their alkalinity daily, minimize stress and regularly see the doctor to check objective measures in laboratory testing and imaging. As with the initial part of a patient’s treatment, this aftercare program is also custom designed in collaboration with a health practitioner, based on each situation. The frequency of contact depends on whether patients are in complete remission or have merely controlled the tumor growth; how aggressive the cancer type was; and other personal factors.Some people may choose to use these therapies instead of or in addition to conventional cancer treatment.

Aftercare is a wellness-based program based on emerging technologies. The program should constantly be reviewed for inclusion of the latest scientific developments. Being a part of this aftercare program helps patients stay healthy and get healthier even after cancer. Often, when a patient has completed a treatment phase and cancer is successfully in remission, they fail to take measures to keep cancer from returning. Even if a cancer is not in total remission but is contained, this “after” part of cancer care is critical to maximizing comfort, health and enjoyment of life.

Constantine A. Kotsanis, M.D., is a board-certified otolaryngologist in Grapevine, Texas, who specializes in integrative medicine. See ad, page 2.