@sbeechl, a mixture of eastern and western medicine can loosely define integrative medicine. More and more cancer centers have integrative medicine departments, researchers and physicians as part of the cancer team.

In the podcast, I just shared in the post above (https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/1552233/), Dr. Jun Mao (MSK) describes integrative medicine as bringing "therapies and practices often from other cultures and traditions – such as acupuncture, mindfulness, yoga, herbal supplements, and lifestyle modifications such as exercise, stress management, sleep management, diet – together with conventional oncological treatment to help patients feel empowered to be active participants during and beyond cancer treatment.

Alternative medicine is using a therapeutic approach instead of a conventional treatment such as chemotherapy and surgery and radiation. So the major differentiator is to use it in a synergistic way rather than choosing alternative medicine and foregoing conventional treatment."

I've noticed that some people elsewhere on social media etc refer to ivermectin and other de-worming drugs as holistic or alternative medicine. However, these drugs are not holistic. They are conventional drugs developed to used to treat worm infections. They works by interfering with the nerve and muscle functions of worms, by paralyzing and killing them.

Ivermectin is being studied for possible additional effects. This is referred to as repurposing a drug. Repurposed drugs are existing medications initially developed for other diseases but now being explored for potential anticancer properties. They might be used on their own or combined with standard therapies.

@sbeechl Thank you! I am on Anastrozole now & worry about what it’s going to my bones (among other things).