Dados do Resumo

Título

Efeito das práticas integrativas e complementares em saúde no tratamento do câncer

Descrição da inciativa

Cancer is the second biggest cause of death in the world. For this reason, it is necessary for healthcare professionals to value the control and use of integrative practices as secondary methods for managing and relieving symptoms that often interfere with the quality of life of oncology patients.
To clarify the effects of integrative practices for symptom relief in oncology patients as a complement to the primary treatment.
Review and observational analysis of data published by government institutions – National Cancer Institute (INCA), 13 articles were analyzed between 2019 – 2024. Articles in the literature available on PubMed, BVS and Scielo were reviewed.

Impacto e resultados

The increase in the incidence of neoplasms worldwide brings with it a secondary scenario to the disease. In addition to the misfortunes caused by cancer, such as anxiety, depression, and stress, patients deal with the effects of treatment, such as pain, insomnia, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, and anorexia. Because of this, integrative medicine (IM) has been used as a complementary approach to primary treatment, aiming to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life, as they have low side effects. One of the most used practices of IM is acupuncture, which involves the insertion of needles in some points of the body, causing an analgesic mechanism that complements pharmacological therapy, effective in controlling pain, nausea and vomiting. Another clinical practice is music therapy, used in emotional processing and contributes to the challenge of coping with the disease, efficient in reducing anxiety and insomnia. Massage therapy has also been used, reducing fatigue and improving sleep quality, promotes the release of serotonin, which in turn prevents depression, increases the activity of Natural Killer (NK) cells, reduces inflammatory response, and dopamine release, reducing the expression of cortisol, being a preventive factor for chronic stress. Other aspects of IM used are aromatherapy, homeopathy and food supplements, which act in a complementary way to improve the quality of life of these patients.
IM complementary to background treatment has beneficial effects on symptom management. The variety of types of approach, added to the low side effects, contribute to the help of patients, bringing autonomy in decision-making and participation in the health-disease process, making the individual more active in the treatment. Thus, it is necessary for health professionals to encourage and guide these practices, to ensure continuity and promote well-being for cancer patients.