Integrative medicine combines the best of conventional medicine including surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapies and radiation therapy with evidence-based complementary therapies while emphasizing patient-centered care and the important relationship between you and your doctor.
Our Team Works With You
At the Cancer Center at UCSF Health St. Mary's Hospital, we work closely with you, your family, your oncologist and other cancer-related therapists to support your care and treatment. Our services include:
- Guidance on diet and supplements, stress reducing techniques and therapeutic exercise based on your individual needs and abilities
- Individualized assessments and plans for optimizing health, with a focus on specific symptoms and concerns
- Review of available resources and therapies for patients and caregivers, including outside practitioner referrals when appropriate
- Supportive techniques such as massage therapy, yoga, stress management and acupuncture
We Strive To Improve Your Healing
The goal is to optimize your own healing capacity through nutrition, exercise, stress-reducing techniques, selected supplementation and psychological, spiritual and social support. This can help:
- Decrease disease and treatment related side effects, including fatigue, pain, nausea, neuropathy, anxiety, depression, loss of appetite and weight loss
- Strengthen immune function, improve psychological outlook, well-being and coping mechanisms, while increasing vitality and overall quality of life
Cancer patients can make appointments with our integrative medicine physician on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.