Definition:
Integrative medicine refers to the practice of combining conventional (allopathic) medicine with alternative medicine approaches that are backed by scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness.
When alternative medicine is used along with conventional medicine, it is often referred to as complementary alternative medicine (CAM).The philosophy of integrative medicine is to take advantage of what each form of medicine offers to treat the whole person -- body, mind, and spirit.
With lung cancer, an example of an integrative medicine approach may be to include conventional treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, with alternative treatments, such as acupuncture and massage therapy.
