In this new episode of ‘Beyond the Cancer Diagnosis’, Adrian Pogacian discusses the notion of Survivorship through the lens of lifestyle changes and the concept of Integrative Oncology with Sonia Amin Thomas, PharmD, BCOP, associate professor at a pharmacy school in Georgia and clinical oncology specialist.

Sonia Amin Thomas, PharmD, BCOP is an Associate Professor at a pharmacy school in Georgia and a clinical oncology specialist at a community hospital in Georgia where she mainly practices in an outpatient setting.

Her main role is with supportive care including educating patients, assisting with side effect management, treatment selection with the oncologist and serving as a preceptor to pharmacy students and residents on rotation. She is also the residency program director with the school and hospital.

Dr. Thomas is also certified as an integrative nutrition health coach and integrative oncology pharmacy specialist and is currently pursuing her desire for functional medicine by getting credentialed (AFMCP) through the Institute of Functional Medicine.

She has published many papers and given numerous presentations as well as medical writing and creating CME’s for oncology. She has also written pharmacy board questions and been invited to speak at conferences locally, nationally and internationally last year in Vienna for oncology supportive care and integrative topics.

Adrian Pogacian, MS Psychology, licensed clinical psychologist with executive education in Psycho-oncology, considerable time active in the field of Health Security, holding a degree in Global Health Diplomacy from Geneva Graduate Institute.

Currently, an advocate of Psycho-education in the field of oncology, researcher and associate lecturer with focus on Communication in Cancer Care, Coping with Cancer and Fear of Recurrence, working with young people and their caregivers on self-blame and disease acceptance.

Additionally, co-author of the first Romanian Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Guide Book, Founder of INCKA Psycho-oncology Center, ESO (European School of Oncology) Podcast contributor, Writer and Host Content in Psycho-oncology and Beyond The Cancer Diagnosis Interview Series at OncoDaily.com

Survivorship within Cancer Care:

How to Handle It?

Adrian Pogacian: Dr. Thomas, dealing with cancer brings into existence the notion of survivorship. Therefore, I would like to ask you: what is the definition/your interpretation and of survivorship and its phases?

Sonia Amin Thomas: Survivorship encompasses lifestyle changes and managing the impact of cancer treatment for a patient with or without cancer. I believe this to be the key and root of providing a patient the ultimate care by giving them the tools to go on and live a healthy lifestyle.

Adrian Pogacian: Nowadays, there are many programs aimed on cancer prevention and awareness, but the number of patients diagnosed with cancer is increasing. From your experience, what is the primary cause of this issue?

Sonia Amin Thomas: I think metabolic changes can play a big role. This means that the food we eat, the environment we live in and the products we use have a massive impact on our hormones which cause inflammation in the body when they are not balanced.

It is difficult to the find a balance between risks vs benefits in terms of lifestyle. The best thing anyone can do is to eat whole foods, manage stress, move, use clean products and improve mental health to help detox the body and strengthen our immune systems.

Adrian Pogacian: Dr. Thomas, you’ve stated that you are very much into Integrative Oncology. Could you, please, develop this concept for our readers?

Sonia Amin Thomas: Integrative oncology doesn’t just treat the cancer, it blends therapies with personalized treatment plans looking at the patient as a whole with a focus on lifestyle to enhance quality of life.

Adrian Pogacian: It is said that: if the WHY is powerful, the HOW comes as natural. Could you tell us how anchored in the past are your patients in order to overcome this disease?

Sonia Amin Thomas: Yes, this is a very powerful statement! The biggest difference is, if the patient is willing to be a part of the care and make some lifestyle, then the how becomes very easy, but each patient has to have the drive to do this and understand what a big impact it will make on their health.

Adrian Pogacian: As for the last question, I would like to start from a quote that says: You say that you love rain, but you open your umbrella when it rains; You say that you love the sun, but you find a shadow spot when the sun shines; You say that you love the wind, but you close your windows when wind blows.

Reword to our subject, almost all the cancer patients said: I love to be healthy again, but… From your experience, what do you think that comes after “but”? What scares them?

Sonia Amin Thomas: Expense and fear of change or lack of knowledge on it. There is a stigma created by the American lifestyle that it is expensive to be healthy which is somewhat true with limiting access to healthier foods or vitamins and the expense being through the roof.

However, there are things that are free to change that can have the most impact on health that people do not realize more than subscribing to a gym or buying $7 organic berries: getting sunlight, meditating, building a sense of community, improving sleep, walking and movement (especially for 10 minutes after every time you eat), connecting with friends and family with deep conversations, hydrating, yoga, forgiveness, thinking positively and spiritual connection.

View other editions of ‘Beyond the Cancer Diagnosis’ by Adrian Pogacian on OncoDaily.