ASCO Endorses Guidelines That Recommend Complementary Therapies for Breast Cancer

By Kerri Fitzgerald - Last Updated: March 26, 2025

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) endorsed the Society for Integrative Oncology’s (SIO) guidelines on the use of integrative therapies during and after breast cancer treatment. The ASCO Expert Panel determined that the recommendations “are clear, thorough, and based on the most relevant scientific evidence.” 

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The SIO guidelines address the use of integrative therapies for the management of symptoms and adverse events, including anxiety and stress, mood disorders, fatigue, quality of life, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), lymphedema, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, pain, and sleep disturbance. Interventions that ASCO called “of interest” were mind and body practices, natural products, and lifestyle modifications.  

The SIO recommendations were based on an analysis of randomized, controlled trials published between 1990 and 2015. Based on the findings, SIO recommended use of: 

  • Music therapy, meditation, stress management, and yoga for anxiety/stress reduction 
  • Meditation, relaxation, yoga, massage, and music therapy for depression/mood disorders 
  • Meditation and yoga to improve quality of life 
  • Acupressure and acupuncture for reducing CINV 

The guidelines noted that there is a lack of strong evidence supporting the use of ingested dietary supplements or botanical agents. 

Read the SIO guidelines. 

Source: Journal of Clinical Oncology

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