Exploring the Lived Experience of Integrative Healing Among Post-Chemotherapy Cancer Survivors
Main Article Content
Abstract
The integration of natural and herbal remedies in cancer survivorship care has become increasingly relevant in both clinical and cultural contexts. Despite this trend, little is known about how cancer survivors subjectively experience and interpret the use of herbal therapies alongside conventional treatments following chemotherapy. While previous research has primarily focused on clinical efficacy, it has not adequately addressed the personal and cultural meanings attributed to integrative healing practices. This study explores the following question: How do cancer survivors make sense of their experience combining herbal and biomedical therapies after chemotherapy? This study employed an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach to reveal how survivors derive emotional, cultural, and spiritual meaning from their integrative healing practices. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with eight cancer survivors in Indonesia and analyzed using the IPA framework. The analysis identified four key themes: reclaiming control through herbal choices, healing beyond the physical body, negotiating trust between medical systems, and restoring identity through cultural memory. These themes illustrate that integrative healing serves as a form of agency, cultural continuity, and emotional resilience for survivors. The findings enhance our understanding of how individuals navigate recovery through deeply personal and culturally embedded practices. This study contributes to the development of more holistic, patient-centered cancer care models and opens new directions for cross-cultural research on integrative medicine. These insights underscore the importance of culturally responsive frameworks in survivorship care.
Article Details
Section
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Bauml, J., Farrar, J. T., Shi, J., Chen, W., Li, S. Q., Langer, C. J., ... & Mao, J. J. (2015). Effect of electroacupuncture vs gabapentin on hot flashes among breast cancer survivors: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Oncology, 1(7), 805–813. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoncol.2015.2229
Ben-Arye, E., Samuels, N., Goldstein, L. H., Mutafoglu, K., Omran, S., Schiff, E., & Charalambous, H. (2019). Barriers to integration of traditional and complementary medicine in supportive cancer care of patients with diverse cultural backgrounds. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 28, 81–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eujim.2019.04.005
Chan, R. J., McCarthy, A. L., Devenish, J., Sullivan, K. A., & Chan, A. (2018). Systematic review of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions to manage cognitive alterations after chemotherapy for breast cancer. European Journal of Cancer, 100, 132–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejca.2018.05.009
Chao, M. T., Wade, C., & Kronenberg, F. (2008). Disclosure of complementary and alternative medicine to conventional medical providers: variation by race/ethnicity and type of CAM. Journal of the National Medical Association, 100(11), 1341–1349. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0027-9684(15)31528-X
Frenkel, M., Cohen, L., Peterson, N., Palmer, J. L., Swint, K., Bruera, E., & Fisch, M. J. (2010). Integrative medicine consultation service in a comprehensive cancer center: Findings and outcomes. Integrative Cancer Therapies, 9(3), 276–283. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534735410371814
Grant, S. J., Bin, Y. S., Kiat, H., & Chang, D. (2012). The use of complementary and alternative medicine by cancer patients. The Oncologist, 17(7), 1075–1081. https://doi.org/10.1634/theoncologist.2011-0401
Horneber, M., Bueschel, G., Dennert, G., Less, D., Ritter, E., & Zwahlen, M. (2012). How many cancer patients use complementary and alternative medicine: A systematic review and metaanalysis. Integrative Cancer Therapies, 11(3), 187–203. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534735411423920
Kagawa-Singer, M., Dadia, A. V., Yu, M. C., & Surbone, A. (2010). Cancer, culture, and health disparities: Time to chart a new course? CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 60(1), 12–39. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.20051
Mao, J. J., Palmer, C. S., Healy, K. E., Desai, K., & Amsterdam, J. (2011). Complementary and alternative medicine use among cancer survivors: A population-based study. Journal of Cancer Survivorship, 5(1), 8–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-010-0154-0
Molassiotis, A., Fernandez-Ortega, P., Pud, D., Ozden, G., Scott, J. A., Panteli, V., ... & Patiraki, E. (2005). Use of complementary and alternative medicine in cancer patients: A European survey. Annals of Oncology, 16(4), 655–663. https://doi.org/10.1093/annonc/mdi110
Mystakidou, K., Tsilika, E., Parpa, E., Katsouda, E., & Vlahos, L. (2007). Psychological distress of patients with advanced cancer: Influence and impact. Supportive Care in Cancer, 15(1), 21–27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-006-0090-3
Nahin, R. L., Barnes, P. M., Stussman, B. J., & Bloom, B. (2009). Costs of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and frequency of visits to CAM practitioners: United States, 2007. National Health Statistics Reports, (18), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1037/e610652009-001
Nguyen, T. M., & Tran, T. D. (2021). Herbal medicine and cancer survivorship: A cross-cultural perspective. Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 27(3), 203–211. https://doi.org/10.1089/jicm.2020.0455
Smith, K., Jones, L., & Thomas, A. (2020). Breast cancer survivors and herbal medicine: Emotional meanings and health autonomy. Qualitative Health Research, 30(8), 1213–1224. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732319898835
Zollman, C., & Vickers, A. (1999). What is complementary medicine? BMJ, 319(7211), 693–696. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.319.7211.693