Center, Bastyr University share $3.1 million breast cancer research grant

The Hutchinson Center and Bastyr University, a natural health sciences institution in Kenmore, Wash., received a joint $3.1 million grant for the study of complementary and integrative care for breast cancer from the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

The researchers will use the 5-year award to track clinical outcomes for breast cancer patients who receive both standard conventional care and integrative care at the Bastyr Integrative Oncology Research Center, also located in Kenmore, Wash. Those outcomes will then be compared with breast cancer patients who do not receive integrative care.

"Complementary and alternative approaches to cancer are of vital interest to many cancer patients," said Dr. Robyn Andersen of the Public Health Sciences Division and a researcher on the study. "With this joint project, we’ll be able to learn much about the effectiveness of integrative care, so that in the future we can provide patients with solid data on which to base decisions about what to include in their treatment."

As an outpatient integrative oncology center, BIORC provides care by licensed naturopathic physicians, a nutritionist, an acupuncturist, and mind/body/energy medicine specialists, all of whom have advanced oncology training.

[Adapted from a Bastyr University news release]