An integrative oncologist works alongside your conventional cancer care team (i.e. your medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, and surgeon) not instead of them. The focus is on everything standard oncology doesn't have time to address: managing treatment side effects, supporting your body through chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation, addressing fatigue, cognitive changes, and nutritional depletion, and using evidence-informed therapies like IV therapies, injections, peptides, off-label medications, supplements, life-style and diet interventions. The goal is to make treatment more tolerable and recovery more complete.
Some are safe and well-supported. Others can interfere with treatment. This question cannot be answered with a generic supplement list; it depends on your specific chemotherapy agents, your cancer type, the timing relative to infusions, and your overall clinical picture. Getting guidance from a provider trained in both naturopathic medicine and oncology is the only way to do this safely.
Off-label medications are FDA-approved drugs used for purposes outside their original indication. This is common and legal -- roughly 20% of all prescriptions written in the US are off-label. In integrative and oncology practice this includes low-dose naltrexone (LDN) for immune modulation and inflammation, metformin for cancer metabolism and longevity, and repurposed agents with emerging oncology evidence such as ivermectin, fenbendazole, and doxycycline. These are not fringe treatments -- they are informed clinical decisions made with full transparency about what is known, what is not, and what the alternatives are.
Mistletoe (Iscador/Helixor) is one of the most studied integrative oncology treatments in Europe, where it has been used alongside conventional cancer care for decades. Evidence supports its role in improving quality of life, reducing chemotherapy side effects, and supporting immune function during treatment. It is typically given by subcutaneous injection. It is not a cancer cure, but for appropriate patients it is a meaningful adjunct to standard care.
Often yes, though it depends on the cancer type, hormone receptor status, stage, and the specific hormones being considered. The blanket answer most survivors receive that hormones are off-limits is based on a misreading of the 2002 Women's Health Initiative data and does not reflect the current evidence. Bioidentical progesterone carries a meaningfully different risk profile than synthetic progestins. Vaginal estrogen is considered safe even in many breast cancer survivors. This requires individual assessment, not a one-size answer.
Bioidentical hormones have the exact same molecular structure as the hormones your body produces. Conventional synthetic hormones, like Premarin and medroxyprogesterone acetate, do not. This matters because the receptor interactions and downstream effects differ. Bioidentical progesterone, for example, has a lower breast cancer risk profile than synthetic progestins and does not carry the same inflammatory effects. BiHRT is not automatically safer in every situation, but when prescribed correctly based on your labs and clinical picture, it is a well-supported option.
Peptides are short-chain amino acids that act as signaling molecules -- they instruct the body to repair tissue, regulate inflammation, support immune function, or optimize hormone output. Examples include BPC-157 for gut and musculoskeletal repair, CJC-1295/ipamorelin for growth hormone support, and thymosin alpha-1 for immune modulation. They are not FDA-approved drugs but are prescribed legally by licensed physicians through compounding pharmacies. I prescribe them where the evidence supports it and the risk-benefit profile fits the individual patient.
Washington State patients are seen as full telehealth visits and can receive prescriptions, lab orders, and ongoing care. Patients outside Washington State can be seen in a tele-education capacity -- I can review records, discuss your case, and provide education and guidance, but cannot prescribe or act as your treating physician in other states.
No. All visits are billed at the time of service. Washington State residents can request a Superbill to submit to their insurance for potential reimbursement. A sliding scale is available for patients experiencing financial hardship - reach out directly to discuss.
I am a licensed naturopathic physician in Washington State, a graduate of Bastyr University, and completed a two-year integrative oncology residency at the AIMS Institute in Seattle. I am a proud member of OncANP. My clinical focus is integrative oncology, bioidentical hormone therapy, and metabolic medicine.