Integrative Therapies During and After Breast Cancer Treatment: ASCO Endorsement of the SIO Clinical Practice Guideline.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Clinical practice guideline endorsement based on systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials (1990–2015)
PubMed 29889605 · doi:10.1200/JCO.2018.79.2721
What was done
An American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) expert panel and methodologists reviewed and evaluated the 2017 Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) clinical practice guideline for formal endorsement. The SIO guideline was based on systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials published from 1990 through 2015 assessing mind-body practices, natural products, and lifestyle modifications for managing symptoms and side effects during and after breast cancer treatment.
What was found
The abstract reports clinical recommendations without numerical effect sizes: - Music therapy, meditation, stress management, and yoga are recommended for anxiety and stress reduction. - Meditation, relaxation, yoga, massage, and music therapy are recommended for depression and mood disorders. - Meditation and yoga are recommended to improve quality of life. - Acupressure and acupuncture are recommended to reduce chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. - Acetyl-L-carnitine is not recommended for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy prevention due to potential harm. - No strong evidence supports ingested dietary supplements for managing treatment-related adverse effects.
Why it matters
This guideline provides oncology clinicians with endorsed, evidence-based recommendations on integrating specific supportive therapies into routine breast cancer care while cautioning against unproven or potentially harmful supplements.
Limits
The abstract provides no quantitative data, effect sizes, risk estimates, or study counts. Findings are restricted to literature published through 2015 and apply specifically to breast cancer populations rather than other cancer types.
Cited by
- supports While complementary interventions for cancer patients (such as art therapy, music therapy, acupuncture, and massage) improve symptoms and quality of life, clinical evidence has not shown that they improve cancer survival or reduce recurrence risk.