Integrative Oncology with Ayurvedic Supportive Care

Abstract

Integrative oncology is one of the fastest-growing areas in supportive cancer care, driven by patient demand for options that address symptom burden, functional decline and quality-of-life domains that conventional oncology pharmacotherapy does not always cover well. The Society for Integrative Oncology clinical guidelines, recent ESMO and ASCO position papers, and a growing European integrative-oncology infrastructure all position this field as complementary to standard oncology care rather than as alternative therapy, and this positioning is essential: Ayurvedic supportive care in oncology is not cancer treatment, it is supportive care for cancer patients receiving standard oncology treatment. This study reviews 58 primary clinical and observational studies published between 2005 and 2021 evaluating Ayurvedic interventions in oncology supportive care, grouped under five approach frames: O1 (chemotherapy symptom support), O2 (radiation symptom support), O3 (post-treatment recovery), O4 (mind-body, yoga and pranayama), and O5 (integrated multimodal supportive care). Each frame was scored with the Ayurvedic Oncology Supportive Index (AOSI). Mind-body protocols (O4) produced the strongest evidence signal at AOSI 0.838, with integrated multimodal (O5) at 0.816 and post-treatment recovery (O3) at 0.794.