Synopsis of article by Shari Roan: Los Angeles Times, Nov. 12, 2001

James Gordon, M.D. Expert in complementary medicine at the George Town University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C and author of the book "Comprehensive Cancer Care: Integrating Alternative, Complementary and Conventional Therapies": Las summer Dr. Gordon offered a program to train health care professionals to become a ‘cancer guide’, defined as a professional who helps patients deal with all aspects of cancer care: physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual. Expecting mostly nurses and therapists, he was surprised when two dozen doctors showed up for the class.

• Dr. Gordon: "Oncologists are recognizing that this is not an either-or-phenomenon or a cultural war. It’s about: How do we create the most effective care for our patients?"
• According to a study published last year, 69% of cancer patients said they used some form of complementary medicine, and 89% said they would like more information on the topic.
• In a survey of parents of child cancer patients at Columbia University, 84% reporting using at least one alternative therapy.
• The federal government’s cancer unit, the National Cancer Institute, established its own office of complementary and alternative medicine and increased its budget from $36.6 million in 1999 to $47 million this year.

Surveys show that many people with heart disease, arthritis and other diseases are also interested in alternative therapies. Many hospitals are hiring alternative-medicine experts or are launching departments devoted to non-Western research and treatments. Some doctors are even learning to perform alternative treatments, particularly acupuncture.

• Lorenzo Cohen, head of alternative medical research at Houston’s M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is doing research such as examining whether relaxation therapy (i.e. hypnosis) before surgery may improve the patient’s outcome. "Physicians who look closely might see that their patients who are engaged in some type of mind-body-spirit program are handling the whole situation better. We find many doctors are intrigued by alternative therapies that may augment their own treatments."
• R. Scott Hitt, M.D. H.I.V. Specialist: "When someone is diagnosed with HIV one of the first things I do is order a T-cell blood count and tell them to get some help in the mental area. I think this should be done in oncology too." Facing a recurrence of colon cancer that spread to his liver, Dr. Hitt turned to hypnosis to alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy and a support group to help him cope with his emotions. "I could talk about my fears. Anxiety and depression can have profound effects on health. I think anything that lowers anxiety is a good thing."
• Wendy Harpham, M.D., Dallas Internist: Recurrence of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1991. Her hope of survival dwindling, she began to look into several alternative therapies she had once summarily rejected. "Alternative therapies tempted me with the promise of taking charge, of doing something." Ultimately she rejected alternative therapies because of their lack of scientific scrutiny and opted for an experimental antibody therapy. After her disease went into remission, she gave up her practice and devoted herself to helping doctors understand the forces that attract people to alternative therapies. "I don’t think doctors are saying maybe our model - the science of medicine- is wrong. But that it is distinguished by the art of medicine: how we deliver medicine, how we relate to our patients, how we nourish hope. We are very close to understanding what is happening on the genetic level in the science of oncology. At the same time, we’re realizing that cancer is a very personal experience that is very much affected by emotions. Our job as modern healers is to not only rid the body of cancer cells, but to comfort the patient and get him or her through the experience. "
• Oral Paltiel, M.D., The Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, "Conventional cancer care may be lacking in spiritual elements, the provision of hope, the encouragement for self-care and the laying on of hands." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

• LA TIMES, 9/4/98: "A hunger to add meaning to life …make religion and metaphysics the fastest-growing sales category in publishing….Books on religion, spirituality and inspiration…are now outpacing every other category as the new superstars of the publishing industry…The books are finding a ravenous audience: baby boomers reassessing their lives, an affluent generation searching for meaning beyond materialism, people eager for tools to cope with today’s rapid economic and social dislocations."
• GALLUP REPORT 2000: "Percentage of Americans who say they feel the need to experience spiritual growth has risen sharply, up 24 points in just four years to 78%.. Asked if they thought of spirituality more in a personal and individual sense or in terms of organized religion and church doctrine, 72% opted for the "personal" view".