Working alongside conventional medicine, holistic therapies can help ease the symptoms of cancer and cancer treatment. They can also improve wellbeing and support recovery, helping patients to manage the ripple effect that a cancer diagnosis can have on their lives.
What is holistic cancer care?
Cancer treatment often focuses on treating the disease itself. But cancer affects far more than physical health. A diagnosis can impact every aspect of a person's life – including their emotional wellbeing, relationships, confidence, work and sense of identity.
Holistic cancer care supports the whole person. Working alongside medical treatments, holistic therapies help patients manage the physical, emotional and psychological challenges that come with cancer.
These therapies can focus on physical activity, nutrition, creativity and a connection to the community – which are all essential in supporting people through their treatment and recovery.
Why is holistic cancer care important?
Cancer affects every part of a person’s life. Many people experience fatigue, pain, anxiety, changes to their mental health, financial worries and uncertainty about the future. These challenges can influence how well someone copes with treatment, how they recover afterwards and their quality of life beyond a cancer diagnosis.
Holistic therapies bring together physical, emotional and social support alongside clinical care. This approach can help patients to feel more connected to their bodies and the world around them, live as well as is possible and find peace, meaning, purpose and joy during an incredibly difficult time.
Holistic care also gives people practical tools to manage the long-term effects of cancer and its treatment – and the ripple effect through their daily lives that a diagnosis can cause.
How patients are benefitting from holistic cancer care
Holistic cancer care therapies are used at The Royal Marsden to support traditional cancer treatment and help improve patients' wellbeing. Here, patients who have benefitted from these therapies share their experiences.
Naz's story
After being diagnosed with sarcoma in his right thigh in 2022, Naz, 69, was referred to The Royal Marsden. Following successful surgery, he started a physiotherapy programme under the guidance of Adrian Fautly, a Cancer Exercise Specialist funded by The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
Naz said: "The first thing he asked me was, 'What is your aim?' and I said, 'I just want to play badminton again.'"
"I've been having the physiotherapy for just over a year now and it has given me a sense of purpose. Just recently I was back on the badminton court, where I managed to play a bit - it was an emotional and proud moment."
Sienna's story
Sienna, 62, was treated at The Royal Marsden after being diagnosed in 2024 with triple negative breast cancer that had spread to her lymph nodes. The following year, the cancer returned and Sienna has since had further treatment to help target the spread to her brain.
During her treatment, Sienna was introduced to the Arts Programme at The Royal Marsden. "When I got home from the hospital that day, I had the urge to paint" said Sienna. "I felt really inspired by the artist I'd met whilst having treatment."
"Painting makes me feel like I can escape the cancer, it takes me to a different place. Things I couldn't express in words, I've expressed through painting."
Mike's story
Mike, 73, has been under The Royal Marsden's care since 2010 for an aggressive and recurring head and neck cancer. In 2022, he underwent an emergency tracheostomy surgery that left him with a stoma in his throat - a small opening in the neck that makes breathing possible when the upper airway is damaged.
To help him navigate the life-changing impact of this surgery, Mike was referred to the hospital's psychological support service and began having sessions with Sara Lister, an Oncology Psychotherapist.
"I was very depressed, but Sara has helped me so much. I don't know where I would be now without her understanding, her professionalism and her guidance," said Mike.
"I honestly don't think I'd have got here without this psychological support. It has, for me, been a lifesaver."
What does holistic cancer care look like?
Holistic cancer care covers a range of supportive therapies offered alongside cancer treatment to help ease symptoms, improve wellbeing and support recovery. It includes:
Psychological support
A cancer diagnosis can have a huge impact on a person’s emotional and psychological wellbeing. Feelings of fear and uncertainty are common, and many people experience profound changes in how they see themselves.
Psychological support is particularly important at this time and can include:
- guidance on managing relationships at home and at work
- sessions for families – with parents, children or the whole family
- support for patients at risk of not continuing their treatment
- group sessions for patients approaching the end of their treatment who may experience fear of their cancer returning.
Each person experiences cancer differently, so support must be adapted to each individual patient, putting them at the heart of their care.
Physical activity
Preparing the body for cancer treatment is an important part of prehabilitation and, along with physical rehabilitation afterwards, can have a positive effect on how well patients tolerate cancer treatment.
Research shows that physical activity can help patients complete their treatment, reduce possible complications and support them to recover more quickly. Support can include:
- exercise sessions
- walking programmes
- strength and resistance training
- yoga
- pilates.
Simple physical activities can make an enormous difference to a patient’s overall health and mental wellbeing after treatment and into the future.
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapy can help people living with, going through treatment for or recovering from cancer to carry out daily activities with greater ease. It involves working with a trained occupational therapist to address different physical, cognitive and environmental challenges.
Some of the symptoms that occupational therapy can help with include:
- fatigue and problems sleeping
- pain, weakness and stiffness
- issues with concentration, memory and decision-making
- difficulties with everyday activities (e.g., washing and eating).
By adapting tasks and environments to suit the individual’s needs, occupational therapy ensures patients retain as much of their independence as possible. This can help them to maintain a sense of control and of self, at a time when so much feels uncertain.
Complementary therapies
Complementary therapies work alongside conventional medical treatment, helping to ease symptoms and treatment side effects, and improve comfort and dignity throughout cancer care.
These therapies may include acupuncture, massage, aromatherapy and reflexology. Importantly, complementary therapies can help many patients engage with and tolerate their medical treatment.
Complementary therapies can help treat common side effects such as:
- pain
- fatigue
- insomnia
- shortness of breath
- stress and anxiety.
Massage therapy may also help improve movement and minimise discomfort following surgery and radiotherapy. This therapy can also support people coming to terms with changes to their body after cancer treatment – for example, those experiencing lymphoedema, a condition which can cause swelling after surgery.
Creative, spiritual, and nature-based activities
Creative, spiritual and nature-based activities give patients the chance to step outside of their conventional medical treatment and focus on themselves as individuals.
Activities such as art, music, creative writing, meditation and spending time in green spaces have been shown to reduce stress and improve emotional wellbeing.
These approaches can provide emotional release and create a renewed sense of purpose yet remain underused within cancer care, where treatment is often solely focused on treating the disease.
A vision for a new model of cancer care
The Royal Marsden recognises that successful cancer treatment is about more than treating the disease. By addressing the physical, emotional, psychological, social and spiritual needs of the person, holistic cancer care helps patients to cope better with their treatment and recover more fully, improving overall quality of life.
A new centre for holistic wellbeing and recovery at the heart of our Chelsea hospital will aim to create a proven model that transforms how cancer patients are supported in the UK and beyond.
Find out more about The Royal Marsden’s vision for holistic cancer care and how your donation can help make this a reality.