When Maureen Peltier, 76, received chemotherapy for her advanced ovarian cancer a few years ago, she found that guided imagery helped her deal with the nasty side effects of the treatment. “Whenever I felt sick or exhausted, I would close my eyes and imagine the drugs as little smart bombs that moved around my body to find and kill my cancer cells,” says Peltier, a retired attorney in Houston.
It’s a strategy she reverted to when she felt anxious or insecure that her cancer was about to return. Sometimes she envisions an army of female soldiers roaming through her body attacking stray cancer cells. Another time, she imagines water swirling through her veins, flushing out toxins. Today she credits these exercises with being able to cope better with her illness.
“Even when it doesn’t, it has helped me maintain a positive attitude as I feel like I have some control over the process,” she says. “It gives me the confidence that I can deal with anything, including the unknown.”
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Research suggests that at least half of all women diagnosed with ovarian cancer turn to complementary therapies. These can be herbs, food supplements, relaxation techniques such as meditation or guided imagery, or strategies such as acupuncture or massage.
Cancer doctors once dismissed these complementary therapies as quacks. Most doctors today realize they can play a valuable role in treatment, says Dr. Rachel Grisham, a medical oncologist specializing in ovarian cancer at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. She stresses that the key is for people to work closely with their health team to make sure the therapies they use don’t interfere with medical treatments like chemotherapy.
“They can be very useful for combating side effects of cancer like fatigue, anxiety, and pain,” says Dr. Larissa Meyer, Associate Professor of Gynecological Oncology at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. “They can also help relieve stress, which we know can fuel the growth of cancer.”
Common alternative therapies
Acupuncture. With this technique, an acupuncturist inserts thin needles into specific pressure points on your body. It can help with chemotherapy side effects such as nausea, fatigue, and numbness in the hands and feet, says Meyer. Not much research has been done on the subject, but a small study found that it is. “I firmly believe in it, although we still don’t fully understand how it works,” she says.
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Food supplements. It is not recommended to take any supplement during chemotherapy without discussing it with your doctor, as it can interfere with treatment, Meyer emphasizes. Even after you’ve finished chemotherapy, she recommends that you always speak to your oncologist to make sure a supplement is safe. If your cancer center has an integrative medicine clinic, speak to someone there too. Some of the Supplements You May Hear About Are:
- Quercetin. This substance occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables such as apples, onions, red grapes, cherries, raspberries, and citrus fruits. It’s also in black and green teas. There is some data showing that it can slow tumor growth.
- Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. Laboratory studies have shown that this Chinese herb can limit the growth of cancer cells, including ovarian cancer.
- Wheat germ extract. This supplement was developed by a Hungarian chemist in the 1990s. It should not be confused with wheat germ oil. It can help certain chemotherapy drugs better treat ovarian cancer.
- Vitamin D. The sun vitamin has been touted to help prevent certain types of cancer, including ovarian cancer. However, a review of 17 studies published in 2020 found that there was no evidence that doing this would lower your chances of getting ovarian cancer or give you a better chance of survival.
- Turmeric. This spice contains curcumin, which is a powerful antioxidant. Laboratory studies show that it may have cancer-fighting properties, but other studies have shown that it can interfere with some chemotherapy drugs.
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Yoga and Tai Chi. These relaxation-based exercise therapies can help you tolerate the treatment better. One study found that women who did just a 15-minute yoga session before chemotherapy were less afraid and felt more relaxed. Another study of women with ovarian or breast cancer found that 10 weekly yoga classes reduced levels of fatigue, depression, and anxiety in patients.
Relaxation exercises. Relaxation techniques like deep breathing or guided imagery can help relieve the stress caused by ovarian cancer. They can also help you better manage treatment, Grisham says. “I often advise patients to use this type of exercise to relax while waiting for chemotherapy treatments or for the results of an imaging test or scan,” she says. Some to try are:
- Abdominal breathing. Inhale deep enough to feel your stomach expand, then hold for a few seconds. Breathe out slowly. Repeat several times.
- Mantra meditation. In this form of meditation, you focus on a word or sound, also known as a mantra, such as: B. “Peace” or “Love”. Don’t worry if your mind wanders. Carefully bring it back to the present moment. The goal is just to relax your mind so it stays in the present instead of jumping from worry to worry.
- Guided imagery. As you breathe your belly, imagine a peaceful scene or environment that you enjoy, like your favorite beach.
If you are interested in complementary therapy, contact your doctor. Even something that seems perfectly safe can interfere with your cancer treatment. They can also tell you if the therapy has research to back it up. Many hospitals and cancer centers also have integrative medicine departments. It will work with you to find safe and effective therapies. Don’t be afraid to bring up this topic either. Your doctor is happy to answer your questions and concerns so you can get the best care possible.
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