Practicing integrative neuro-oncology to improve care for brain tumor patients

The University of Cincinnati's Soma Sengupta, MD, PhD, published an article in the Journal of Neuro-Oncology April 25 discussing her journey and approach to practicing integrative neuro-oncology.

Sengupta, associate professor in neurology, director of neuro-oncology clinical trials, associate director of the Brain Tumor Center and a UC Health neuro-oncologist, funded by the Harold C. Schott Endowed Chair in Molecular Therapeutics (Neurosurgery) and the Pam and Tom Mischell Funds, said she personally experienced friends and family members looking for something beyond traditional treatment, palliative care and hospice.

I became interested in integrative medicine when I realized there needed to be equipoise between "active treatment" and strategies to improve the quality of life for patients that could integrate a patient's belief systems."

Soma Sengupta, MD, PhD, University of Cincinnati

Sengupta was a fellow at the Andrew Weil Integrative Medicine Center at the University of Arizona for two years, learning more about how integrative medicine can improve patient and caregiver care.

"We need to find innovative ways of integrating care for our neuro-oncology and oncology patients to improve their quality of life," Sengupta said. "Integrative medicine fellowships are intense and take several years, but arm the provider with a holistic way of thinking about medicine.

"The quality of life for each patient and their family member is as important as the treatment," Sengupta continued. "We look at ways to improve the providers well-being and their needs, and something similar needs to be done for our patients and their caregivers.